Gaia and her family are lovely, it was really wonderful to know that they were invested in the property and had lived there for so long. The building is a gorgeous, historic property with a number of apartments in it, some for professional use and most for living. It is VERY quiet at night, the loudest thing is the Duomo bell (and that doesn't ring all night, sometimes just in the early evening)! The building couldn't be in a better location, it is central to everything.The rental unit is on the top floor, accessed by an elevator. Unless you are in very good shape, the elevator is a necessity so we are glad there was one. The apartment itself is really, really nice and comfortable with a good layout--the main bedroom and the bathroom are separated from the kitchen by a door, and there is a small bedroom with a twin bed on the second floor, with a door leading to the patio. My daughter and I had breakfast every morning on the patio, watching the sun rise near the Duomo (and yes, you can see the dome from the patio-what a photo op!), and then watched sunset over Santa Maria Novella with a glass of wine. Gaia was immediately responsive to the few questions that I had and provided a great deal of information (pamphlets, books, etc) on what to do while in Florence. Finally, the kitchen is well-equipped with dishes, flatware, and cookware. There is a good-size refrigerator and freezer, a four-burner gas stove, microwave and dishwasher. It was a great experience, thank you Gaia!