"THE SPHINX OF THE SECRET GARDEN," a ground-floor studio apartment with private access to the inner garden and the Renaissance portico.
Located in a monumental Renaissance palace crowned by a tall medieval tower, along one of Florence’s oldest and liveliest streets, in the heart of the city.
Ideal for 1–2 people: double bed; fully equipped kitchenette; bathroom in white Carrara marble with a walk-in shower; air conditioning; Wi-Fi.
A table and chairs under the portico allow guests to sit and enjoy the outdoors in any season: have a glass of wine, eat, work, or relax in complete tranquility, leaving the bustling street behind....... Just a few meters from the crowds, a sudden oasis of peace!!
The center of the garden features a large Art Nouveau sculpture: “The Sphinx and the Reclining Maiden”
THE PALACE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
The ancient 13th-century tower once belonged to the extremely powerful Donati family. After the Donati family’s fortunes declined, the tower was incorporated in the second half of the 16th century into the palace of the Albizi, a family of Florentine merchants and bankers who long rivaled the Medici for supremacy in the city. From the Albizi, the palace then passed to the Tassinari family in the 18th century and finally, in 1929, to the family of the current owners.
Located on a very central and historic street, the entire palace and tower are of great historical interest and are listed by the Superintendence of Artistic and Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities. It is therefore the ideal place to immerse yourself in the history and beauty of Florence’s golden age.
It is ideally located for walking to Florence’s most important sites and museums: among others, the Basilica of Santa Croce, Palazzo Vecchio in Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi Gallery, the Bargello Museum, the Duomo with Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Medici Chapels in San Lorenzo, the Accademia Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, as well as Palazzo Pitti, the Church of Santo Spirito, and the Boboli Gardens on the Arno.
Since the owner is a librarian by profession, he naturally recommends a visit or two to the nearby Oblate Municipal Library, on Via dell’Oriolo, housed in a spectacular architectural setting, featuring a large terrace and a café practically beneath the dome of Brunelleschi’s Duomo, along with internet access, reading rooms, international magazines, and a children’s room.
A bakery, fruit stand, butcher shop, newsstand, supermarket, and pharmacy are just a short walk from the apartment, as is the traditional Sant’Ambrogio Market, where you can find all kinds of Tuscan culinary specialties, as well as trattorias and restaurants serving excellent traditional Tuscan cuisine.
And finally, shopping at the boutiques of the most famous Italian and international designers on the nearby streets of Via Calzaiuoli, Via Roma, Via Tornabuoni, and Via della Vigna Nuova.
