The Vecchiettis were wealthy fur traders and merchandisers. They were also one of the first families to establish themselves in the capital of Tuscany, Florence.
The family was likewise politically powerful — so much that some of the family line held very important offices in the Florentine Republic.
The Vecchietti family was so fabulously wealthy that their properties covered an entire block in the center of Florence extending from the arch of Piazza della Repubblica all the way to Palazzo Strozzi.
It was here that in 1578 the senator and patron of the arts Bernardo Vecchietti asked Giambologna, whom he had hosted and subsidized since his arrival in Florence, to construct his residence: Palazzo Vecchietti.
Giambologna built this historical palace incorporating in the building's center the beautiful cloister that was part of the construction that was present before.
From the first floor, it overlooked a fifteenth-century small-scale lodge embellished with fine graffitos that probably were the works of Lippi and di Andrea del Castagno.
All the villas of the family, including, naturally, Palazzo Vecchietti, were locations where troves of prestigious works of art were housed—including the Sant’Agostino nello Studio, Botticelli's masterpiece found today in the Uffizi art gallery.
THE CHANT THE DEVILS
On the corner between the façades of the historical palace, Giambologna positioned the Stemma della Famiglia, that consists of five silver ermines on a blue background, a symbol of incorruptible purity, and a bizzare flag carrier in the form of a little devil made of bronze.
The original of this artwork is in Palazzo Vecchio.
MODERN TIMES
The palazzo has passed from one owner to another finally being possessed by the Nencini, Giusfredi and Magni family.
It was also entrusted to the Belle Arti, so that it could be restored in accordance with the most precise details which faithfully imitated the original design.
For these reasons Palazzo Vecchietti still conserves today artistic remains of the highest value.
Cornices, furnishings, furniture, and perfectly regenerated medieval fireplaces blend today with modern accoutrements in the common areas and in rooms and suites. They express a unique and matchless mood not found anywhere else.
A room at Palazzo Vecchietti is like no other luxury suite in Florence.
The sixteenth century building that once belonged to the powerful Florence Vecchietti Family today boasts 12 impeccably restored rooms and suites where contemporary style blends with fine elegance.
It is just like the home you wish you had.
The bespoke wooden and leather furniture merged in the sunny natural light makes you feel safe and warm.
The gorgeous chocolate marble bathroom - with linen and cotton towels and sensual scented products exclusively designed for Palazzo Vecchietti – invites you to indulge.
The rooms even feature a hideaway equipped kitchenette and a fabulous wardrobe room.
The Leonardo da Vinci Apartment is the home that all dream of having — truly an explosion of space and absolute elegance.
On one side there are the lounges with medieval fireplaces composed of restored stone, then the bedroom with private bath and the well-equipped kitchen.
On the opposite side, there is a fabulous 32-square-meter terrace facing the inside courtyard of the palace.
Here guests might relax and pass their leisure time, between one excursion and another, reading a good book or sipping a glass of prestigious Chianti wine.
The ceiling, with reinforced wooden droopy beams painted in white, makes the Lorenzo the Magnifico Apartment capable of creating that enveloping atmosphere found only in a private home.
In the center, there is the grand living room, where the refitted velvety soft blue sofa stands out very distinctly.
Adjacent to it is the double bedroom with bookshelves upon the walls and elegantly furnished in chic styling.
If you wish to relax, there are two independent bathrooms: one with a shower and a Turkish bath; and, the other with a bathtub.
Behind a false glass door is hidden a fully-equipped modern kitchen where guests might prepare snacks and private dinners in full autonomy.
Or, simply mix a delicious martini and sip it surrounded by a host of exceptionally beautiful artifacts.
In the Palazzo Vecchietti Suites you are permitted to dream. That is because each of the Suites have the flair of a princely residence.
Facing Via Vecchietti and Via degli Strozzi, the Suites are found to be all that one would expect of a Noble Design: with enormous lighting, with large windows that appear to touch the ceilings, a place where one time the private rooms of the family were located.
To surround you with a cozy atmosphere, furnishings are in prune and cream-colored fabrics. The bathroom is decorated with a sumptuous burnished marble.
The kitchen is patterned with Portuguese stone mou. The living room with a soft velvety dark sofa and well-stocked bookshelves from which you might select something exciting to read.
In the Penthouse Suite daylight invades the large spaces, filters the atmosphere creating a veneer of warmth that gives the sensation of being draped in gold. The dark blue tapestry offers a pleasant contrast both pleasing to the eyes and the touch.
Hidden from sight, you will find a kitchen decorated with precious Portuguese stone. This is a little culinary oasis where you might experiment with the local recipes that our staff will be happy to share with you. If you wish to relax, there is a vast gamma of things to do.
There is the grand hall with velvety sofas and the bathrooms - one of which offers Turkish baths.
And to amaze you even more, there is the private terrace.This splendid patio offers a unique panorama upon the roofs and churches of Florence. Florence is right in front of you. Right below you! So magnificent as you have never seen it before.
As soon as you enter the Roof Deluxe Machiavelli, you will have the impression of being in a small-scale private residence.
Savor the perfumed sheets of the large matrimonial bed, stretch out on the sofa, then prepare something delicious in your well-equipped kitchen. An aperitif for two, an elegant dinner. Or just a sandwich for the family.
Open the door and you will find yourself on a private terrace suspended on the rooftops of Florence.
Inhale the fragrances of the lemon plants. Look at Palazzo Strozzi just a puff away. Sit at the wrought-iron table with a stupendous view of Florence.
Michelangelo, Masaccio, Brunelleschi, Cimabue, Botticelli, Dante Alighieri: each of the Deluxe rooms of Palazzo Vecchietti renders homage to one of the many world-famous figures of Florentine culture.
Team loves the idea that you can awake in the morning with the feeling of being part of history.
Each Deluxe, in itself, is a world apart: tapestries in lavender, plum-coloring and intense, soothing blues surround you.
These colors induce pleasant dreams and put you in a good mood.
Then there are the wardrobes in which you might get lost. Bookshelves stocked with volumes you can enjoy reading while relaxing on a sofa.
Velvety cushions to clench as you watch television. Large bathrooms with showers that sprinkle you as if it were raining. Lovely fragrances to accompany you after your refreshing bath.
At Palazzo Vecchietti even breakfast is an extraordinary experience. The staff will serve you coffee or tea prepared on the spot in elegant porcelain cups and saucers - just right for not losing that sublime aroma.
You decide whether you wish to begin the day with fresh fruit and honeycomb just taken from the beehive; or, with a rich plate of select cold cuts and scrambled eggs, greens and mozzarella, yoghurt, smoked salmon and omelettes.
Or, perhaps you want to have a breakfast all’italiana, with warm croissants and fresh pies just taken from the oven of the trusted bakery - naturally accompanied with an espresso coffee!
Breakfast is served from certain hours, but if you prefer, you might want to ask to be served in your room at whatever hour...free of charge!
If you leave the hotel in the early hours of the morning, the team can prepare, upon request, a delicious breakfast box to carry with you.
Gluten-free and vegetarian dishes are also offered upon request.
07.30h - 10.30h
The hotel's staff knows how to direct you to the most important wellbeing centers carefully selected by the management.
The staff will be at your disposal in recommending and booking an external Spa center nearby.
If you want to stay in shape while on holiday you will find some of the best Fitness Center in Florence near Palazzo Vecchietti.
The truth is that perhaps even a month would not offer the possibility to appreciate and familiarize oneself with the culture, the art and the magic of this land. Staff loves challenges, and even if you only have three days to stay in Hotel, they will organize for you a truly genuine stay.
Days of pure beauty, divine cuisine and wines, scenery that will leave you aghast, shopping — a treat of romanticism and Tuscan enjoyment for the entire family.
TOURS & EVENT ORGANIZATION
A stay at Palazzo Vecchietti will keep you always active.
The staff can organize for you whatever activity, event or excursion you wish to enjoy.
Guided tours in the most-visited Florentine museums, wine tours in Chianti with visits to Monteriggioni, Siena and San Gimignano and wine and food tastings can be easily arranged for you.
Also there are personalized tours to Pisa, Lucca, Arezzo, Grosseto and in other major tourist stopovers in Tuscany.
Team can arrange for you a private guided tour around some of the most beautiful wine destinations on Earth.
Begin the day with a visit to one of Florence's magnificent museums - just a few meters from Palazzo Vecchietti.
Choose one of the exhibits of modern art being presented at Palazzo Strozzi - right in front of the residence.
The hotel happily accommodates your pups with a pet-set exclusively for them. The kit is composed of games, a cover, and a bowl with goodies for them to munch on.
At sunset go to Piazzale Michelangelo where you can see, right before your eyes, the magnificence of Florence.
This is the right occasion to go shopping in one of the many shops and boutiques in the center.
You might also want to take time to stroll along the Arno river.
PALAZZO VECCHIETTI
Via degli Strozzi 4 50123 FlorenceItaly