The Oltrarno area of Florence is a much sought after location by Florence cognoscenti. The Florence Niccolò apartment is in very central location in this charming Oltrarno area and features a private terrace and neighborhood charm.


Location
Across the river from the treasured Uffizi Gallery and at the base of the enchanting Porta di San Miniato. The Porta San Miniato, or San Miniato Gate, invites the wanderer to stroll upwards to the enchanting views overlooking Florence. A lesser known oasis just a few minutes walk behind the Niccolò apartment is the Giardino di Carraia, also know as the Piero Filippi Gardens, which was restored and opened to the public in 1990. It’s a treasure for Florentine families with an expansive grass field, a small playground for children and bucolic views that transport you to the Tuscan countryside. If you need a break from museums and architecture, the tree-lined walk up to San Miniato and Piazzale Michelangelo offer a less-traveled and peaceful perspective of Florence. Nearby are the beautiful Bardini Gardens, where Via dei Bardi becomes Via San Niccolò. The Bardini Gardens and Villa Bardini were once part of the private estate of Signor Bardini, a wealthy antiquarian and have been recently restored.

San Niccolò a popular area with locals and tourists alike since it is a 15-minute walk from the center. Just cross the Ponte alla Grazie and you're there. It's pnly a few minutes walk to the very center of Florence, where the Ponte Vecchio, Duomo and Uffizi are located. The neighborhood features many excellent trattorie, cafes and is highly regarded for its beauty. Via San Niccolò is lined with beautiful palazzi, many of which still belong to Florence’s aristocratic families. Directly across the street from the Niccolò apartment is the quaint parish church of San Niccolò in Oltrarno, with Gothic architectural features, a fresco attributed to Michelozzo and side alters in the style of Vasari, the architect to the Medici’s, most famous for designing the nearby Vasari corridor, an aerial passageway built for Cosimo di Medici in the 1500's to connect the Pitti Palace to his offices in the Uffizi. This district of Florence is called the Oltrarno and is very popular because of its proximity and easy walk to all the popular sights. It is well loved by Florentine’s for the many artisan workshops which continue to preserve and promote the fine Florentine of traditions of painted and gilded furniture, intricately carved picture frames, jewelry making and leather working. It is also close to the regal Boboli gardens, once the Medici’s “back yard”, located behind the Pitti Palace.

Only one block away is a handy small grocery store, Magi Market, which carries groceries, toiletries, cleaning supplies. A nearby bakery, several cafes and restaurants and small shops that carry typical Tuscan foods round out the nice selection of places to eat in the neighborhood.

The Apartment
The Niccolò apartment is located in a small building, directly across the street from the small San Niccolò parish church. A short walk up fourteen steps brings you to the apartment’s front door. Enter the front door and the kitchen, living room, terrace, master bedroom are to your right. To your left is second bedroom, facing the street, the second bathroom and an intermediate extra room that has a futon-style sofa. This is handy bonus room for kids to play in or to store luggage.

The back of the apartment is tranquil, with views from the living room, kitchen and dining area of the inviting terrace. The terrace is furnished with a patio table and four chairs and umbrella. The patio is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the center of Florence. Neighbors above have views of the terrace so it is not private, but Florentines are used to living in close proximity and are respectful of their neighbors. If you welcome the opportunity to get to know the neighbors they’ll reciprocate. If, on the other hand, you prefer your solitude, they will let you be. You will get a glimpse of daily life since terraces serve the purpose of meals alfresco and for laundry-drying.

The living room sofa and chairs are in soft shades of greens and yellows, which blend nicely with the foliage on the terrace. The large picture window overlooking the terrace admits lots of light into the living room. The open plan living area extends to the dining area which has a handsome wooden Tuscan dining table and chairs.

The kitchen has a counter facing the dining area, a feature we like so that everyone in the is included in socializing during meal preparation. A handsome antique desk is on one wall and the other wall is lined with modern bookshelves that house the TV. Warm wood floors throughout are easy on the feet.

The modern kitchen has a large refrigerator, gas stovetop, electric oven, dishwasher, microwave. It is well stocked with dishes, utensils, pots, pans.

On the other side of the living room, up two steps to the back of the apartment is the master bedroom and a bathroom off the hallway. The master bedroom has a queen bed, a desk next to the window and a handsome antique chest of drawers. Generous closets line one wall opposite the bed. A special feature is more greenery out the bedroom window, which overlooks the neighbors’ back yard area. The master bedroom is very quiet since it faces the back garden area. This provides the visitor with a realistic viewpoint on everyday life as the neighbors chit chat during the day as the hang their laundry or catch some sun on warm days. The curtains provide privacy and safety bars on the window provide security. When we snapped the photos out the bedroom window we were warmly greeted by the neighbors who were discussing Sunday lunch preparations while removing laundry from their clotheslines before an impending rainstorm. This is the type of interaction that begins to make you feel like a local.

The bathroom adjacent to the master bedroom is tiled in white and has a bathtub with detachable shower sprayer and a shower curtain, toilet, bidet and sink.

The layout of the apartment is convenient for two couples since the bedrooms and bathrooms are at either end of the apartment. The other end of the apartment has a bedroom with a window that faces the entrance of the church. If the church doors are open you can enjoy a view all the way through to the altar! The second bedroom currently has two twin beds. An anterior bonus room that leads to the bedroom has sliding doors and floor to ceiling cupboards and is furnished with the futon sofabed which can accommodate 1 person. The second bathroom with granite counters and fully enclosed shower is off the bonus room. The washing machine is located in a small niche outside the second bathroom, hidden behind a curtain. Because the front bedroom overlooks the street, noise, particularly in the summer when the nearby restaurants are busy with patrons, can be a factor so we recommend this room for sound sleepers. In the winter this is not an issue.

This is a non-smoking apartment, including the terrace. No pets please.

Euros Price:
1-2 People High Season €1000/wk..€943/6nt..€821/5nt..€771/4nt
1-2 People Low Season €950/wk..€877/6nt..€780/5nt..€733/4nt
3-4 People High Season €1500/wk..€1414/6nt..€1232/5nt..€1157/4nt
3-4 People Low Season €1300/wk..€1226/6nt..€1068/5nt..€1003/4nt
5th Person Supplement €10/night
4 NIGHT MINIMUM except Christmas, New Years 7 night minimum
Includes utilities up to a generous 15 Kwh/day & final cleaning
Sorry no pets, no smoking

Bedrooms:
Sleeps 5: Queen bed in master bedroom, two twins in second bedroom. Master bedroom is very quiet, second bedroom gets some street noise from pedestrians and nearby restaurants. Futon sofa bed in small den.

Bathrooms:
2 bathroom: One with tub & wall mounted sprayer attachment, sink, bidet, toilet. Second with fully enclosed shower, toilet, sink. Hairdryer provided.

No. of Guests:
4 people.

Size:
1200 square feet

Floor & Elevator:
Located on second floor (first floor European designation). No elevator. 14 steps from building entrance to apartment's front door.

Washer:
Combination Washer with Dryer (dryer has limited effectiveness). Clothes drying rack, iron & board provided.

Kitchen:
Fully equipped kitchen with four gas stove, full refrigerator with freezer, electric oven, dishwasher, microwave, pots, pans, utensils.

Telephone & Internet:
Landline phone with dial-up Internet access.

Heat, Air Conditioning:
Central heat. No air conditioning.

TV, CD Player, Radio:
TV receives English language news channels, CD player with radio, Italian DVD player.

Linens:
Linens and towels are provided.

Neighborhood:
Oltrarno area of Florence in historic center. Via di San Niccolò is a charming historic center area, with many restaurants and an easy walk to the sites such as the Uffizi, Duomo, Piazza della Reppublica, Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens. Location is near spectacular meandering garden walks the Porta San Miniato up towards the stunning lookout point of Piazza Michelangelo.