This is a lovely apartment, south of the Arno, on a lively square with lots of lovely shops and restaurants nearby. It is not far from any of the main sights yet it is a real oasis away from the tourist crowds. You do feel like you are living as a local.
The photographs and description of the apartment are accurate - it's really clean, obviously loved and we had everything we needed such as towels, soap etc as well as a washing machine. The views from the sitting room to the hills are outstanding. One of the villas that can be seen is where Henry James, the author, stayed and it is well worth the 20 minute walk up there for the view back over the city.
The apartment is on the top floor up at least 50 steps. This wasn't a problem for us, but it would be too much for some people. This means that the apartment is tucked away so really quiet and tranquil. The bed is very comfy so we slept well. The boiler is a combi so there was always plenty of hot water for showers. The WiFi was really good too.
We didn't get to meet Silvia as she was away on business but we were able to communicate via email and she arranged for a friend to meet and greet us. There is a little folder full of tips and recommendations to get the most out of your visit. We found this very helpful and tried some great local restaurants. Our favourite was probably l'Raddi about 5 minutes walk away.
We would recommend visiting the Bardini Gardens to get away from the crowds and for the views plus taking the number 7 bus from the railway station up to the gorgeous hill top town of Fiesole to visit the Roman amphitheatre and of course for the fabulous views.
As our son has just moved to work in Florence we will be back and if there was just the two of us we would definitely stay here again. Thank you again Silvia for a lovely stay.