In the heart of Florence, in one of the most prestigious areas where noble and wealthy families have lived for centuries, eight flats in a historic building open their doors to those who want to live an amazing experience in this unique city. Named after the hill road (“costa”, in Florentine tradition) dedicated to San Giorgio, the building is situated on the edge of Oltrarno (“beyond the Arno”). It is 30 meters away from Ponte Vecchio and a 10 minutes’ walk to Santa Maria Novella train station. The construction has a long and complicated history, but still preserves lasting traces from its past. Among them, there is a marbled inscription from the eighteenth century that shows how the building had been used as the Santa Maria Maddalena Oratory in the previous centuries. Eight different apartments provided with all comforts will allow you to live in the city centre according to your necessities, benefitting from nearby public services, restaurants and shops while enjoying the Renaissance and Medieval splendour of the city. Every flat has a kitchen and at least one bathroom; guests can benefit from free satellite TV and Wi-Fi. The building is provided with a laundry room (equipped with dryer) and also an elevator to reach the upper floors. The neighbourhood Costa San Giorgio is situated on the edge of Oltrarno, surrounded by some of the most spectacular attractions of the city. Ponte Vecchio – This is the bridge-symbol of the city, the only one that survived the Second World War. It offers a gorgeous view on the river and houses some of the most famous jewellers in the world, built in an old colonnade that was later closed. The jewellers are situated in the typical shops with the front door on the main road, and the back shop protruding out on the river (and called “sporto”). Ponte Vecchio dates back before 1177 (year of a documented renovation) and it is the first example of western architecture to move away from the Roman model that used round arches. Boboli Gardens – This is considered a genuinely open-air museum and is one of the best and most beautiful examples of “Giardino all’italiana” in the world. It was initially designed as the grand ducal garden of the Pitti Palace and connected to Forte Belvedere. The garden is one of the most visited tourist attractions of the world and is now part of a museum network along with the Museo degli Argenti, the Galleria del Costume, the Museo delle Procellane and the Bardini Garden. Forte Belvedere – Also known as the fortress of Santa Maria in San Giorgio in Belvedere, the Forte is on the highest hill of Boboli and can be reached through costa San Giorgio, via Belvedere and via San Leonardo. Its wonderful architecture was designed by Buontalenti, who intended it as a shelter for the Medici family to protect them from possible attacks; that is why the Forte can be easily reached from both riverbanks through the Vasari Corridor. The gorgeous view from the fortress alone is worth the visit. Giardino Bardini – The gorgeous historic garden on the Montecuccoli hill was first documented in 1259. Its four hectares go from the slopes of Piazzale Michelangelo to the river Arno. It is part of the museum network of the Boboli Gardens. To get the best view of the city, it is recommended to go up the baroque staircase all the way to the small belvedere. Among its beauties, the garden has fountains with mosaics, a Kafeehaus (twin with the one in the Boboli Gardens) and two gorgeous caves. Palazzo Pitti – This is the palace where the Grand Dukes of Tuscany, the Medici, the Lorena and the Savoia families used to live. Commissioned by the Pitti family, rivals of the Medici, the building dates back to the fifteenth century and is the most sumptuous residence of the whole city. It now houses several galleries and museums, among which: the Galleria Palatina, where you can find artworks by Raffaello and Tiziano; the Gallery of Modern Art, famous for its collection about the Macchiaioli; some other specialised museums such as the Galleria del Costume, the biggest fashion museum in Italy. Palazzo Guicciardini – The building and the street in which it is situated are named after the Guicciardini family, who arrived in Florence from Val di Pesa in the second half of the thirteenth century. The beautiful construction also includes a small garden, which is definitely worth a visit. The original structure was exquisitely Italian but was altered with English elements in 1804. It was last restructured in 1922.

Basilica del Santo Spirito – This is one of the most important cathedrals in Florence and is considered unique for its plain façade. It was built on the remains of an Augustinian monastery of the twelfth century that was destroyed in a fire in 1371. The project was given to Filippo Brunelleschi, who also worked on the churches of San Jacopo and Santa Felicita. This was actually Brunelleschi’s last great work; his three disciples, Antonio Manetti, Giovanni da Gaiole e Salvi d’Andrea, finished it after his death. Museo Pietro Annigoni – This museum is inside villa Bardini, in costa San Giorgio, and houses the biggest collection of the Florentine painter’s art with approximately 6000 artworks. About 120 of them are organized and displayed in a biographical itinerary that goes from Arrigoni’s youth to his maturity. By crossing the river Arno, you can easily reach Piazza della Signoria, the Duomo and Giotto’s Campanile, Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Croce, the Uffizi gallery, the Galleria dell’Accademia, and Piazza della Repubblica with its historic bars.