Florentine Elegance in Historic Santa Croce

Description of this Florence Vacation Rental Property

The apartment is located in the heart of Renaissance Florence on Via Ghibellina, between Borgo Allegri and Via Dei Macci; about two blocks away from Michelangelo's house, five minutes walk to Santa Croce, 15 minutes walk to the Duomo or Piazza della Signoria. This neighborhood was featured in the May '05 issue of Bon Appetit.

The main part of this building was registered in the "Comune" as a convent in the 12th century and renovations and additions have been made throughout the centuries. It is probably part of the surge of the Dominican and Franciscan convents, monasteries, and churches that took over the Santa Croce area in the 12th century.

Recently, on a visit to Leonardo Da Vinci's hilltop town of Vinci, west of Florence, I discovered that he first came to work for the well-known sculptor Andrea Del Verrocchio. To my surprise, the workshop was located on the corner of Via Ghibellina and the street that is now called Via Dei Macci.That would be just below my apartment, at the corner. To be sure, every stone in Florence has a story to tell.

The apartment is on the third floor (no elevator), going up a wide staircase made of pietra serena, a local Florentine stone, with a hand wrought iron railing. The stairs are low and manageable with a large landing at each level.The architect who restored this apartment cleaned through several layers of paint and grime to reveal the original ceiling frescoes in the living room and applied paints to the rest of the house accordingly. Faux finishes on the walls complement the Florentine colors of the frescoes on the airy, high ceilings of the living room.

The apartment has beautiful parquet floors. There is a hand-painted, built-in in the corner of the living room with its matching console. An ancient hand-carved marble sink found in the building serves as a sink in the kitchen striking a distinct contrast to the gleaming white Carrara marble countertop. Some ceiling light fixtures feature Venetian Murano glass or other locally blown glass.

The bedroom lamps were custom-made by local Florentine artisans in the Renaissance tradition. The antique doors to every room are restored and curiously stand on their hinges in the manner of many doors of 'old' buildings in the area such as Cibreo's (a nearby restaurant), for example. The apartment is decorated with a few antique pieces. The bedrooms are spacious and sunlit with suite bathrooms. The master bathroom has a bathtub with towel warmer. Both bathrooms have bidets and there is a powder room as well.

The heavy walnut dining room table can easily seat six persons. There are table linens, placemats, and table protectors for it. In the kitchen you will find everything you need to create a gourmet meal, (including all the basic staples), if that is what you like to do. There are even cookbooks in case you really want to experiment with some of the great ingredients you will find in the Sant'Ambrogio market just around the corner from the house.

The neighborhood is colorful, full of great restaurants such as the famous Cibreo, as well as a produce, dairy and meat market,(Sant'Ambrogio) and antique and artisan shops. It is minutes away from everything. After you're done sightseeing, arrange dinner reservations at Enoteca Pinchiorri, said to be one of the top 10 restaurants in the world, on the same street as the apartment, 5 minutes away. Finally, walk "home" to a hot bath to rest your tired feet and slip into the bathrobes provided before sliding into crisp pressed linens for the night.

Vacation Rental Property Images

Your home away from home in Florence

The ceiling frescoes are the crowning glory

Master bedroom

Guest bedroom

Well equipped kitchen

Dining area

Living room reading corner

Tub in Master bathroom

Cibreo, Il Pizzaiuolo, Teatro del Sale

Piazza dei Ciompi

Living room

Santa Croce Church

Medieval vaulted ceiling

Florence with flair

Location details for this Vacation Rental Property in Florence, Italy.

• 15 minutes from Leonardo Da Vinci airport.
  10 minutes from the SMN train station (central Florence)
  
  If you are interested in cooking classes, you will find several excellent cooking schools with exciting classes to offer. Opportunities for classes are not only in Florence but in the surrounding medieval hilltop towns which are close-in to Florence and easily reached by car or train.

  Property Location:

  Europe > Italy > Tuscany > Florence
  Tuscany
  50123
  

  Location Type: Town

  The owner advises that a car is not required for this location.

Amenities

-Landline Telephone
-Mobile Phone
-Ipod connection
-CD player
-Heating
-Dining Area-seating for 8 people
-Security Camera at entrance
-Local Restaurant Guides
-Activities Guides
-Local Maps
-Hair Dryer
-Laundry Soap
-Alarm Clock
-Basic Soaps
-Plush Towels
-Bottled Water
-Pressed Linens
-Shampoo
-Paper Towels/toilet paper
-Pantry Items
-Plush down comforters in cool months

Bathroom Details

This property has 3 bathrooms :

Bathroom	Type	Toilet	Combo Bath/Shower	Tub	Shower	Whirlpool	Bidet	Outdoor Shower	Additional Info
Bathroom1	full
Bathroom 2	full
Bathroom 3	half								powder room

 

Rates

4 nights minimum
-Credit cards processing fee of 3%
-To avoid fraud be sure to speak to me in person to finalize any payment.
-Contact us for consideration of discount for a single or double accommodation.

Below are the rates supplied by the owner. Please note that these rates are subject to change.

The owner accepts the following payment methods:

Availability over the next 12 months

Please contact the owner directly to confirm availability for your travel dates.

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