This apartment was a quiet and comfortable refuge from the crowds of central Florence. We appreciated the space and the green of the backyard. The pool was less useful to our teenagers, but I could have seen it being a big hit if we had toddlers or early elementary school kids along. (The pool is probably less than 2 meters in diameter. It is extremely clean and well maintained and welcoming, but just not really the kind of place that people who are 1.8 meters tall would hang out.) We are big walkers and were not too unhappy about the big uphill hike to the house from downtown (especially since we enjoyed the downhill hike to the downtown and across the river). We did a fair amount of cooking ourselves and were very happy to find the stores about 15 min walk down the hill on Via Senese (such as the very nice wine shop of Enoteca Gambi --- which also sold milk and preserved artichokes). The closest gelato is on the same block as that Enoteca, as is a nice butcher, a pasta maker, and a small vegetable shop. When going to the Uffizi or other sights of central Florence we tended to walk the roughly 30 minutes down the hill to the Gelateria La Carraia right on the river. We walked to and from the S.N.M station --- about 40 minutes --- but took a gelato break mid-way. Our group appreciated the air conditioning in the bedrooms and the large living/dining room --- which we cooled with a fan and by leaving the doors open to the front bedrooms with their air conditioning on. When we closed the windows and got some anti-mosquito devices to plug into the wall sockets (which can be found at grocery stores like the COOP), we had few of the mosquito issues that people talk about in Florence. Barbara and her family helped at every opportunity, they were super responsive and communicative. We couldn't have asked for a better host.