Every time I drive down Via di Centanni on my way to the airport after a week or more at Residence Centanni, I am looking forward to my next vacation in these wonderful surroundings. I is like home away from home for me.
I found it by chance about ten years ago and since I try to come to experience the spring, where everything is so fresh and the cuckoo is cuckooing close by, and/or to enjoy the autumn with the special colours of the harvest.
Living and working in a big city, as I do – well, it´s Copenhagen, but even so – I appreciate to be close to Firenze without having to stay there, and to be in a sort of urban countryside with the typical Tuscan landscape with soft, cascading hills, stonepines and cypresses, beautiful views and charming villages.
I enjoy to walk or borrow a bike to explore the neighbourhood , to rumble in a bus 33 down to the center of Firenze or simply to relax with a book in the shadows of the olive- and figtrees by the pool. And to end the day in the restaurant with another delicious meal.
The main attraction of the place is of course the pleasant Bianchi-family, who really knows how to make you feel at home.
Friends, colleagues and family is no longer saying : “Bagno a Ripoli – again?” , when I tell where I am going for vacation, for many of them have been there with me or gone by themselves on my recommendation, and several of them still talk about the stay at Residence Centanni as ther best vacation ever and plan to return.
Like me.

Our family have stayed at Centanni on a number of occasions now - and so have many of our friends whom we have referred. We keep going back, as we absolutely adore the place. We are a family of 5 and it has been important for us to feel that we are in an environment which is safe, spacious, tranquil and homely. Centanni offers all of this. The family who run the residence are incredibly generous and warm. The residence is not far from central Florence using any transportation - public, your own car or bicycle. There are no horns or screams to waken you - unlike central Firenze - it is beautifully quite - most important where children are concerned! We have not tried the golf course - however, there are tournaments played there! There are gorgeous walks and bike rides from Centanni down dirt roads overlooking the stunning Tuscan countryside. The family running Centanni are extremely helpful. The food offered in the restaurant is superb and the restaurant itself overlooks a vineyard. Our family cannot recommend this place highly enough!

We stayed just outside of Florence is a little town called Bagno a Ripoli for our June 2004 visit. Centanni is just beautiful perched amoungst rolling Tuscan hills of olive groves and Cyprus trees. My husband and I stayed in room 52, a two room suite. This room was originally suggested as a family suite and I am so glad the prices were low enough that I nixed that idea as it would have been rather small for the 3 of us. My son had the room below, number 54. It was charming (to the point we almost wanted to exchange rooms with him.) It had a sunken bedroom area and with the tile floors, was quite cool and inviting. (Though I liked 52 as well - you could see Florence from our window.) There is a laughable golf course and a swimming pool, but mainly it is so tranquil and away from the tourist laden city! In addition, the hotel restaurant is a spectacular place to dine and my son insisted the best Gelato he ever had. For those nervous about staying outside of Florence without a vehicle, there is a bus at the end of the driveway, number 33 bus that take you directly into the city, very near the Galleria dell Accademia. If you miss the stop, the next one is just half a block away. We never had a problem getting to and from the place using the public transportation system. The staff was extremely friendly and accomendating. In the winter - they offer cooking lessons. The next night we ate at La Gargotta, located on Via Vicchio e Paterno, 19, Rimaggio, Bagno a Ripoli. This simple Trattoria has a covered terrace on the opposite side of the road, which in warm weather, is just lovely, as the view looks out over the Tuscan valley and very picturesque church is just down the hill for those sunset shots. Truly, the lemon ravioli was the best meal we had in all of Italy. I am so happy we opted to stay out of the city for this visit to Florence!