Galileo

Sleeps: 8 Bedroom(s): 4 Bathroom(s): 4

View more photos, details and book

Roomy apartment where each of the four bedrooms has an en suite bathroom, an excellent feature. Super, central location for walking to all the treasures of Florence. Great for large families or groups.

Guests enjoy a warm welcome from the congenial owners, a Florence family that is in the wine business. On arrival they will present you with a bottle of their tasty vintage with their distinctive family crest. In their pamphlet you will be able to read about the history of the building together with other wine offers. They can even organize shipping if you wish to order wine sent home. They know their city well and happily make recommendations for your shopping and dining.

Location

Great, central location. Walk to all the sights. Piazza Santa Croce, the largest piazza in the city, is a 2 minute walk. That location has the great basilica, good dining and often fascinating activities such as the Calcio Storico, art exhibitions, Christmas Market, concerts and plays. The iconic cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is a 10 minute walk. The wonderful Bargello museum, 5 minutes. The immediate neighborhood has many fine and varied restaurants and the most famous gelateria in Florence Vivoli! One block away is Casa Buonarotti, the home and now museum of Michelangelo.

Interior

Located on two levels, the rooms on the first level (1st European, 2nd floor North American) are on the prized "piano nobile", which were once the large noble reception rooms of the palazzo. When we arrived, the walk up the formal staircase gave us a royal welcome sensation.The rooms on the first level of this apartment consist of the living room, kitchen and two large bedroom suites with high ceilings and big windows -- good light. On the second level, up 30 steps, two bedroom suites are of a good size.

This is a fine, classic Florentine palazzo with a large courtyard and formal staircase with one flight of stairs to reach the apartment level, 50 steps.

The living room has a large, comfortable L-shaped sofa and a dining table with a complete kitchen adjoining. The palazzo dates from the 1400s and the bright frescoed ceiling of the living room was painted in the 1800s. 

On this same level, the "aqua bedroom" because of the aqua blue decor has an even more elaborate frescoed ceiling. Two very large windows.

The red bedroom and bathroom is on the other side of the main level. Then, up to the second level are the green and yellow bedrooms each with a private bathroom with step-in shower.

A very interesting aspect of this apartment are the wonderful tile floors. They are traditional, antique tiles that were recovered and polished so that each room has a unique and pleasing floor.