Elegant apartment for vacation rental Florence

A charming two bedroom apartment overlooking the red tiled roofs of Florence, “Benozzo” is located on the Via delle Belledonne, a parallel of Via Tornabuoni, just a stone’s throw away from the Cathedral and the luxury shopping area of the city. The entrance gives onto the sitting-dining room, a cosy, yet spacious, luminous room with two windows which allow stunning views onto the Antinori Garden and the city’s historic centre. The sitting area has a two-seater sofa and two arm chairs, whilst the dining department has a table to sit four/six. There are two cupboards in the sitting room which provide ample storage space. A small but practical kitchen with window, is located next to the sitting room and is equipped with all modern amenities, such as dishwasher, fridge with freezer, four-ring gas cooker. A pretty semi-spiral staircase, leads up from the sitting room to a small and charming single bedroom, with a sloping, beamed ceiling. Next to the main entrance some stone steps lead up to the double bedroom which has a wonderful little terrace which offers yet another beautiful view over the city and the nearby hills. The room is cosy and very luminous with pretty furnishings. A small antechamber with built in wardrobes provides hanging space for clothes. This leads into the bathroom with bath-tub and hand held shower. A small recess under the roof houses a washing machine and extra storage space for luggage. The apartment is decorated with pretty trompe l’oeil decorations and makes a delightful and romantic nest for anyone visiting Florence for the first time or for someone who wishes to stay a while.

Palazzo Aldobrandini was built during the first half of the 14th century, at a time when the city of Florence began to expand beyond the boundaries of its ancient Roman nucleus. Messer Lapo, a member of the wealthy Aldobrandini family (that had made their fortune through the commerce of spices), commissioned it. Via delle Belle Donne was then an important commercial road which connected the Mercato Vecchio (the market square) and Via Strozzi to the Porta del Trebbio, the city door that led out towards the north. Although the Aldobrandini family was extremely wealthy, their fortunes were still greatly tied to trade and so it made sense to choose this particular location. With the opening of the new Ponte Santa Trinita bridge, several important palaces were built on the bridge’s continuation (now the Via Tornabuoni). Via Tornabuoni steadily gained importance and eventually Via delle Belle Donne became a side street. In the 19th century, Palazzo Aldobrandini housed many painters’ workshops which is probably why most of the flats have very large windows – the celebrated painter Ingres had his studio in one of the apartments.