Last summer, my husband and I rented a car for 3 weeks and descended from the small French town of Mandelieu southwest of Cannes to Italy stopping wherever we felt like and without a planned itinerary. After three wonderful days spent in Forte dei Marmi and Marina di Pietrasanta in Tuscany, we decided to enjoy the city of Florence for at least one night.
A friend living in the city who knew far too well my appreciation for exquisite stays recommended a private town mansion belonging to a notable Florentine aristocrat, Marquis Lorenzo Niccolini di Camugliano who after accurate restorative measures, recently opened his palazzo, AL PALAZZO DEL MARCHESE DI CAMUGLIANO, to offer hospitality of a bygone era.
My unraveled curiosity about the palazzo and the upcoming open air concert of Yann Tiersen at Piazza della Santissima Annunziata after sunset in this Italian capital of Renaissance is my imminent priority.
We are in the historical neighborhood of Santa Maria Novella close to via Tornabuoni. We enter a narrow via del Moro and stop at number 15 in front of a beautiful iron fence. Could this be our place? There are no signs of any sort. Everything is so secretive… I love it. My husband, like all man, is annoyed -where in heaven is he going to leave the car – and wonder how the Marchese and ancestors managed to deal with transportation around in such narrow alleys . The answer comes at once and parking-luggage issue seems to be addressed by a young man who came walking opposite our direction with an iron key and a cell communicating (we assumed) with the staff of AL PALAZZO DEL MARCHESE DI CAMUGLIANO.
“This is how”, I reply my husband and head to the sumptuous yet low profile marbled entrance staircase. As we enter, an elegant woman shows us an inviting courtyard where hot brewed coffee cookies, teas, two kinds of freshly squeezed juices homemade jams and brioches are ready to be enjoyed. She only need our passports, she’ll take care of the check-in formalities.
We sit on wicker chairs under a centennial oak tree. The woman lets us know that our room the “alfreschi ” will be fixed in less than a hour. Other than that, a mother and daughter are sipping tea without apparent rush. Every detail around the house is intricately designed, creating a cozy and unique environment. The living rooms and the winter garden offer ambiance of an incomparable experience.
We are now taken to our suite and the moment the light reaches my eyes from the just opened door, I look around speechless and in disbelief. Never had I seend such delicate frescoes in a bedroom. The four-poster bed and fireplace surrounded by cherubs holding fruits and flowers, the old wood parquetry, the mirrored wardrobes, and heated marble floors of the bathroom with impeccable white linen towels and elegant toiletries give me a sense of living a Renaissance romance. And maybe t’s not just a sense… maybe I am actually experiencing it!
AL PALAZZO DEL MARCHESE DI CAMUGLIANO
Via del Moro,15 50123 Firenze Italy
Tel:+39 0552654578 Email: info@palazzodicamugliano.com
Dinner Tip : Eat the best zucchini pasta in town with Parmesan cheese cross the street at Trattoria Gargani
Joelle Maslaton Oster
Founder of Joelle Magazine and Studio Joelle, an interior design practice in New York. She writes on art, design and the places in between.
BOOK WITH JOELLEMORE FROM JOELLE MAGAZINE
Read our Privacy PolicyAlso on Substack: Where Is Joelle?
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More