I throughly enjoyed my stay at Barbara's place. The apartment was just what I needed after working 8 long months at sea as a performer. She had a tasty bottle of wine waiting in her beautiful kitchen, a great way to feel welcomed in ITALY!! The location was perfect, close enough to everything including bars, restaurants, shops, etc. For a female solo traveler it was perfectly safe to walk at night as there were plenty of people enjoying the night skies and gelato. Also there is a laundromat walking distance of the apartment, across from a delicious restaurant should you ever need to do laundry. The main street consist of a lot of men hanging out in front of their businesses, but don't be alarmed they were very nice and respectful, mostly conversing amongst one another. I would definitely recommend Barbara's place and I look forward to visiting Florence again!!!