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.

One enters this charming studio-flat through a small vestibule. The living-dining room is spacious and luminous thanks to some large windows that overlook the Palazzi opposite and the sky above. There is a large three-seater sofa that pulls out into a double bed and two armchairs all elegantly furnished in cream, which beautifully contrasts the rich brown of the parquet flooring. Behind the sofa, a very pretty fresco represents a loggia with arches, which looks out onto an imaginary garden. Birds sit in the branches of the trees. There is a round dining table and a spacious cupboard. A set of decorated sliding door conceal the kitchenette which is fully equipped. A recess leads off to the bathroom (with shower), on the left and to a laundry-room on the right. A wooden stairway leads up to the balcony-bedroom with its lovely prints on the walls and elegant furniture. The walls bear traces of the medieval structure of the building with big blocks of stone emerging from the cream plaster. At the end of the balcony, a mirrored door leads into the spacious wardrobe. The apartment has an armored door, independent heating, satellite TV and telephone (hi speed internet) and buzzer, electric-stove, oven, fridge and a washing machine and comes supplied with two complete sets of linen. The apartment is served by a lift.