Alba Palace, Florence

About Alba Palace

Comprised of three ancient buildings, the Alba Palace stands besides the cloisters of Santa Maria Novella and 800 metres from the Duomo in the historical centre of Florence. The buildings surround the covered courtyard, now the hotels breakfast room built in typical Florentine style. The recent renovation of the building has combined the ancient origins of terracotta, stone and wrought iron originally used in these historic buildings together with the modern comforts you will find in every room today. Wireless Internet access is available throughout the hotel, and there is a complimentary Internet point in the lobby.

Accommodation:

Rooms are decorated in typical Florentine style with terracotta, stone and wrought iron furnishings. Facilities include a bath or shower, air conditioning, satellite television, minibar, hairdryer and safe. All rooms have twin beds but doubles are available on request. It is possible to book a room with two additional single beds for a third and fourth guest.

Single Rooms
Single rooms are available with a shower.

Supplements (from):

Single £23.

Facilities:

Lounge
Breakfast Room and courtyard
Wireless Internet available (payable locally)

Information:

Buffet Breakfast.
The hotel has 24 air-conditioned rooms.
Transfer time from Pisa airport: 1 hour 20 Mins.
Transfer time from Florence airport: 20 mins.
Child prices apply to ages 2-11 years.
Official Rating 3 Star

About Florence

For a tiny city-state, Florence enjoys an enormous reputation for art, scholarship, architecture and science that belies its concentrated size. Contemporary Florence spills into the lush Tuscan countryside, but the hub of its centro storico, a treasure trove of culture, stylish living and epicurean thrills, can be crossed at a leisurely pace within half an hour. The compact nature of this honey-coloured enclave lends it an intimate atmosphere, zealously preserved by a municipality that ferociously defends ancient civic liberties whose martial and banking skills not only once ruled the papacy, but also had a profound influence on shaping European culture for over five centuries.

Florence is an erudite university centre, bursting with youthful enthusiasm and a down to earth population, who rejoice in a philosophical way of life dedicated to eating, drinking and romantic pleasures. Easy if you are one of its privileged citizens to take its lofty Renaissance accomplishments for granted, but successive generations of visitors have come here to grasp its magnificence and leave with their cheeks flushed by the city's gilded beauty.

A few short steps from Santa Maria Novella railway station stands Florence's Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore), Europe's fourth largest church and famed for its orange-tiled dome. The Baptistry, with its soaring Campanile designed by Giotto in 1334, traces its origins to the 4th century with its provenance inscribed on bronze doors. Meandering, cobbled lanes lead to the Piazza della Signoria and its famous Palazzo Vecchio, a monumental icon to the city founders' independent republicanism.

Close by, the Galleria degli Uffizi houses Italy's greatest collection of paintings, its magnificent interiors exhibiting priceless works including Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus', where he reveals the lithesome grace of his mistress who posed as a model for many of his presentations of pagan goddesses and saintly madonnas.

Walking through Florence, an overwhelming number of historic places reveal Michelangelo's statuary and lead curious eyes to pry at Palazzo Pitti and its Boboli Gardens graced by ornamental lakes and dominated by a hill on which Forte di Belvedere warns amorous couples against the intrusion of vengeful husbands. From Piazza della Signoria avid shoppers can discover the ancient quarter of San Lorenzo (named after The Magnificent). Here rises a 19th century palazzo built in stone, iron and glass consecrated to the Tuscan passion for food with galleries of butchers, greengrocers and pasta counters.

Huddling round this is a maze of al fresco stalls, retailing high quality leather goods and stylish apparel, and for those in search of the ultra chic, the district of Oltrarno, traditionally an artisans' quarter, has become one of the most illustrious fashion centres in the world.
Smart boutiques line its Borgo San Iacopo, whose tributary lanes are punctuated with exclusive restaurants, cosy bars and trattorie, specialising in delicious traditional Tuscan cuisine. Crossing the River Arno on the Ponte Vecchio, an ancient bridge crammed with jewellery workshops and goldsmith's shops, is a must during your stay in this Renaissance capital of Tuscany.