This is a gem of a property that set us on the path to falling in love with Florence! WHAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO: 1) EXCELLENT LOCATION: Palazzo Pitti visible from the window; it is down the road from the famed Boboli Gardens and the Porta Romana. A hop, skip and a jump away from the Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizo Gallery. It is possible to walk to just about anywhere your guidebook will tell you to go. 2) COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE: Apart from the walkability of the area the apartment itself had all the amenities I needed to make the stay a successful one for my family. We were able to live in this apartment and make it home - we cooked, did our washing (and ironed it!) and had lazy days just as we would have done if we were home. With two large sofas and enough space for a family, we never felt like we didn't have enough space. 3) PLENTY OF FLORENTIAN CHARACTER: Everything about this apartment is an immersion in the spirit of Florence. Nothing generic about it; it could not be anywhere else in the world and that's what we loved most about it. 4) RESPONSIVE HOST: Quick responses to messages. ________________________________________________________________________ THINGS TO BE AWARE OF: 1) NEEDS A DEEP CLEAN: Toilets had a thick brown layer below the water line which took some persistent cleaning of my own to improve. Window frames dirty. Balcony has a trellis behind which there is a lot of clutter and this outside area could be a lot cleaner as it is an ideal space to eat meals outdoors. 2) NEEDS REGULAR MAINTENANCE: When we arrived the kitchen light wasn't working. To Letizia's credit she is very responsive and addressed it as soon as it was possible. The second bathroom door which is supposed to slide actually opens vertically like a flap too. It is not possible to lock the door on this bathroom (the smaller bathroom of the two) and because it doesn't completely close it doesn't give you much privacy. The toilet seat in the larger bathroom doesn't stay up and rests on your back when in use. I used it once and couldn't bring myself to do so again. The chandelier had bulbs missing from it and as a focal point in the living room it was a distracting detail. 3) FURNITURE IS DIFFERENT TO PHOTOGRAPHS: This I found somewhat disappointing as the furniture that is actually in the living room is not as impressive as what is in the photographs. 4) NOT AS PRIVATE AS I WOULD HAVE LIKED: On the day that we checked in Letizia told me she would be coming around with the bricklayer on of the days of our stay and that they would be there for half an hour. This was not communicated as a request and we found this an intrusion but agreed to it anyway in an attempt to show some flexibility. We then arrived...