What is a Residenza D'Epoca?

What Italians call "Residenze d'Epoca", which literally means "historic residence", are usually hotels or B&B that are nestled inside a building of historical value. Palazzo Vecchietti is one of them since it is has the pleasure to host its guest in a magnificient palace that belonged to the Vecchietti family, one of the most important families in Florence. It was designed by Giambologna, a mannerist sculptor and architect who the family had lodged an patronized.

Guests of the residenze d'epoca are often thrilled by the fact that in that same hall where they are standing, many important historical characters were standing as well. Palazzo Vecchietti for example was also mentioned by Dante Alighieri, the author of the Devine Commedy, to be one of the most prominent palaces in Florence. Just think that for a period it hosted Botticelli's "Sant'Agostino", now preserved in the Uffizi museum.