Convitto della Calza

Our stay at the Convitto della Calza was part of a packaged pilgrimage tour that I went on through several countries in Europe in August 2010.

Our room had two twin beds and bedside tables, a desk, and a small tv mounted towards the ceiling. My first thought upon walking into our room was that the place was very spartan. The only "decor" was a crucifix on the wall and small painting. Otherwise, our room was clean and comfortable. The bathroom was a decent size, with a bidet and standing shower, and there was a hair dryer provided. They still have actual keys to the rooms (as opposed to key cards), and the locks are a little tricky - you have to turn the key several revolutions before you can lock and unlock the door.

There is A/C in the room, but there is a window in the room and in the bathroom if you would rather have fresh air.

There is supposed to be wi-fi in the room but I was unable to access it with the password that I had been provided with, so I ended up using their free Internet computer in the lobby. The only caveat was that it was an Italian keyboard, so I had to figure out where some of the keys were.

Breakfast included croissants, yogurt, cold cuts, cheese, and hard boiled eggs. We were also provided with dinner, which included pasta as a first course, a meat and potatoes/veggies second course, and fruit for dessert. The food was pretty good but nothing really stands out as being memorable.

There is a nice court yard with chairs where you can lounge after dinner if you like. The hotel is just steps away from the Porta Romana, one of the ancient gates of the city. The Boboli Gardens are also fairly close but we did not get to visit. Convitto della Calza is about a 15 minute walk away from the Ponte Vecchio bridge that crosses the Arno River and from the historic center of the city.

Unique Quality: The Convitto della Calza was a former convent. There is a chapel on the grounds but I do not believe it is open to the public. We were fortunate enough to have an opportunity to celebrate mass in this chapel. The staff also allowed us to see the "Sala Franciabigio" which used to be the nuns' dining room. There is a beautiful "Last Supper" fresco as well as other paintings inside.