The Torella apartment is one of the smallest in the Palazzo and as such had a minute kitchen and no dishwasher. But it did have excellent air conditioning which we were very grateful for.

The location is good, in a Palazzo (block of flats) on a riverside street on the left bank of the river, across the water from the main tourist attractions yet only a few minutes walk to the Ponte Vechio and to an excellent supermarket. There is a doorman on duty during ‘office hours’ Monday to Friday

After taking the lift to the fifth floor there are two sets of stairs, one from the front door up to the living room and another from the living room up to the bedroom. The bedroom is the highlight of the flat. It is the turret on top of the Palazzo with a 360 degree view all over Florence. The views are only visible from the bed or when standing up, the bottoms of the windows are too high to see much from a chair. Down the (narrow) stairs the living room is largely enclosed with one window looking out to a blank wall and a better view via another room onto the terrace. There is a multichannel TV but the only English Language Channels were News Programmes. Not a room to linger in. [There is a DVD player available.]

The kitchen is between the living room and the bathroom (nice big shower) and is minute. There is barely room for two people to stand there, there is a two ring hot plate and one electric socket into which one has a choice of plugging in a microwave, a kettle, a toaster or a coffee maker. Any lead plugged in then trails across the hotplate so a considerable degree of care is needed when using the kitchen. There is a clothes washer in the bathroom but no oven (except microwave) and no dishwasher.

Outside from the living room is a small light dining area with full length patio doors opening onto the terrace. There is a hatch between dining area and kitchen. The terrace has a good view to the hills away from the river and a view from one end of the upper reaches of the river. It is an excellent place for eating out, for catching the sun and for watching the sunset.

Our visit to Florence was marked by me being taken ill in the flat and then being taken to hospital by ambulance. The stairs were quite difficult for the ambulance men to manoeuvre but they managed. I was very impressed by the care taken by the Office (who guided us as to how to get an ambulance), by the doorman, Paolo Do Brilla, who translated for the ambulance men and by our greeter, whose name I have mislaid, who visited me during my brief stay in the hospital and also collected my prescription from the chemist,. They made a difficult experience less difficult.

Outside we tended to eat in the Oltrarno (left bank) and the Sopr’arno (overlooking the Arno) and would recommend Trattoria Borgo Antico in Piazza Santo Spirito 6r, an easy walk from the flat.

There is a great view from the Turret and the terrace, the place is comfortable, but the lack of an adequate kitchen would put us off going again. Fine if you want to eat out all the time, not otherwise.

Loved this apartment!

The views from the bedroom are sublime. It is a dream.

So enjoyed having my morning coffee and evening wine on the terrace.

The location could not be better-quiet, yet an immersive experience. You really feel that you are a part of the fabric of Florence.

Highly recommend any of the tours by ArtViva. The office is an easy walking distance from the apartment, and all of the tours originate there.

We will be back and we will request the same apartment!

We were in Florence for a week, after Venice and before Rome, and only in Florence did we find our apartment through Italy Perfect. Had we known better, we would have tried to book through this company for our entire trip.

The apartment was exactly as shown on the pictures and as everyone has stated, the views are incredible. The inclusion of a patio was an added touch. We would start our days with breakfasts on the patio, and sometimes even sundowners too. Cooking was made super easy as all kitchenware and appliances have been included, right down to an american coffee maker and also an italian one, and certain food items (e.g. coffees, olive oil) too that otherwise would have been difficult to purchase for just a few days. The apartment had everything you might need, including maps, guidebooks, and a welcome bottle of prosecco in the fridge! The location was just perfect - central to every major site and museum while offering a complete escape from the crowd and noise.

The best thing about working with Italy Perfect is that communication has always been prompt, respectful and informative, from before we made our mind up about the apartment, right up to now, a couple of weeks after we have left. There were absolutely no surprises. Lisa is a fantastic resource, both with respect to the apartments she manages and Florence and Italy in general. Grazie mille!

It was a FANTASTIC location. The apartment was wonderful and the location made for some great pictures.

The Torella apartment was fantastic. The location and views from the bedroom and terrace are more spectacular than the pictures indicate. The air conditioning in the bedroom and the living room work well, even on the hottest days of July. You'll need to be in shape to go up and down the stairs, but it is well worth it. The hosts were very welcoming, provided information on the area and even bottles of water, wine and soda.

We only have two minor criticisms of the apartment: The couch isn't the most comfortable and the washing machine doesn't work too well. It stained some of our clothes and took hours and hours to complete a load of laundry - althought we readily admit it could have been user error.

Overall we loved the apartment, would rent it again and will use Italy Perfect again on our next trip abroad.

I had a great time in Florence staying at La Torella. It could not have been better. The location is perfect. The apartment is delightful. It would not, however, be for someone who doesn't like to climb stairs! But I'm an old mountain goat and thought it just right.

Since I was working some of the time. I loved the terrace. On sunny days I would sit out there working, facing eastward up river.