Robi & Anne: A week in summer
Our family group, two couples and two teenaged boys, stayed in Angelica apartment for a week in summer. The location could not be faulted, halfway between Galleria Accademia and the Duomo and just a short walk from the Mercato Centrale (Mercato di San Lorenzo) only a short walk away. Across the road is a small supermarket for all supplies. It is only a short 15 minute walk away from SMN railway station. The apartment itself is very spacious with three large bedrooms, two with ensuite bathrooms and the third bedroom has easy access to a third bathroom. There is a large open plan sitting and dining room and separate open plan kitchen/breakfast room. There is another private sitting room adjacent to the back bedroom with two day beds. The high ceilings add to the feeling of space. We were not at all cramped and each bedroom had plenty of hanging spaces and hangers for our clothing so we weren’t living out of a suitcase for the week. There are separate modern, efficient air conditioning units in each room which was very welcome after a day of walking around in the sun! We all slept very well with comfortable beds and blockout curtains. Despite being on a busy street, there was little noise except the occasional emergency siren. The kitchen is well equipped with a dishwasher, oven, cooktop, fridge and microwave. There is also a washing machine. We didn’t cook during our stay - after all we were on holiday - but there are ample utensils for those who do. The apartment is very homely. There was also a ‘handy phone’ provided free of charge. This allows you to roam around the city, make telephone calls locally and even internationally, and to contact the apartment managers easily if needed. The only downside .. the sixty steps (10 flights of stairs) .. to the apartment. Like most apartments there is no lift. It was not a problem for us but you may want to consider this if you have reduced mobility. Our guest concierge, Francesca, met us promptly at the time we arranged to check in and even made arrangements for our private transfer back to the airport at the end of our stay. (Be aware that in Florence, taxis are not as plentiful as you might be used to! We had a short wait to catch a taxi from the airport on our arrival but none were available for booking on our return due to a fashion festival and other events. Make transfer arrangements at least the day before. Shuttle buses are available from the SMN train station but we did not fancy walking with our cases over the cobbled streets in 30 degree summer heat!) We thoroughly enjoyed our week in Angelica. It truly was a home away from home and we all felt very comfortable here. A perfect base for exploring this beautiful city!