We have been to Florence many times and often stay in a nice hotel at the foot of the Ponte Vecchio. We thought that was perfect. On our most recent visit to Florence, we took a chance and stayed in an apartment for the first time. We will probably never stay in a hotel again. Roberta and Stefano’s apartment in the historic Palazzo Bardi was a real treat. It is beautiful, comfortable and located only one bridge upriver from the Ponte Vecchio. It is really a perfect location close to all of the important sights in the central city. The interior is painted with an artist’s touch perfectly matching the renaissance character of the city. Everything inside the apartment worked well and one could cook up a gourmet meal in the pleasant kitchen. However, we did not do that because there were so many excellent restaurants in the area. A large grocery store is nearby and sells everything a resident of the city needs. Roberta was a perfect hostess. She introduced us to the apartment and was always willing to answer questions about life in the city. We were very pleased. Roberta was extremely helpful when our Terrevision bus from Florence to Pisa was cancelled at the last minute. We probably would have missed our Pisa to Los Angeles fight if it weren't for her intervention and concern. I only wish that Florence had a more sophisticated Internet infrastructure. My wife and I continue to work when we are abroad so having a better communications system would be a huge improvement for the city. We would visit more often if that were the case. Roberta, thank you very much.+