Francesca is a charming and elegant host who is justly proud of her magnificent home which has been in her family for at least five generations. She was there to greet us as we arrived and took us on a tour of the accommodations. We kept stopping her as we were "oohing" and "aahing" the high ceilings, the frescoes, the magnificent furniture, family portraits and heirlooms. It was like a time machine into elegant 19th century Florence. With excellent Wifi .

Francesca and her husband Claudio were very helpful with arranging for cabs or a fax machine. Francesca responded immediately via text to any questions we had. Are the pictures accurate? No, they are not. They do not do the place justice. It really is even more magnificent in real life. The bedrooms are fresh and airy. The high windows give you plenty of light. You open them in the morning for the fresh air and close the antique shutters during the day to keep the place cooler.

Staying at this mansion makes you feel youare living in a novel. The stone sink in the kitchen in a very rare antique find. And is the stone tub in the bathroom. The black and white marble on the floor of the hallway makes you feel like you are living in a fascinating museum. But it has a warm and welcoming feel. The garden is delightful and has a great view of the dome of a synagogue that is more than a century old. As for location, it is great because you are removed from the tourist hordes, but more than a 15 minute walk from many of the attractions.

Walk outside the spectacular gate and you see a park. Across from that park is the posh Regency Hotel. When you leave in the morning and turn left and left and you are at the synagogue. Turn right and right and you are at a terrific neighbourhood market with great cafes, restaurants as well as a 99 cent Euro store and a supermarket. Make sure you have an early morning cappucino at Gilda's bistro and buy some of the cherry tomatoes at the market. They are a taste sensation.