Hotel in Florence, five minutes from Santa Maria Novella

Hotel San Giovanni, Florence

This hotel in Florence is a five-minute walk from the Santa Maria Novella train station making it extremely convenient for your arrival, and with all the city's monuments and galleries to be found within this central zone it is also in an ideal location for sightseeing. The nearby Duomo, designed by Brunelleschi and finished in 1436, is still the most distinctive feature of the Florentine skyline. From close-up the elaborate coloured marble facade of the church is striking and if you step inside you can see terracotta reliefs by Luca della Robbia and stained-glass windows by Donatello. Just next door to the Duomo is Giotto's Campanile (bell tower), which you can climb for picturesque views over the city.

The Uffizi Gallery, also within walking distance of the hotel, holds Italy's most important art collection and is well worth the queues. The most famous work on show is Botticelli's Birth of Venus, but there is also a vast range of well-known paintings by artists such as Cimabue, Da Vinci, Caravaggio and Rembrandt. If you tire of galleries and churches, there are plenty of other ways to pass your time in Florence, such as taking a stroll through the ornamental Boboli Gardens, or picking up some local delicacies at the covered food market, the Mercato Centrale.

The Hotel San Giovanni offers all the basic comforts you need at an affordable rate. Rooms are bright and airy with high ceilings and large windows. All are furnished in a traditional style and many have parquet flooring or original frescoes on the ceiling. You can choose between en-suite or a shared bathroom, depending on your budget, and breakfast is also optional.

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Double room from €50