Splendid villa of unsurpassed charm in the fascinating Via di San Leonardo, a romantic street in the heart of the Oltrarno which gets its name from the Romanesque church among the oldest in the city and which overlooks Florence with its discreet villas surrounded by gardens sloping down towards the Parco della Carraia and Forte Belvedere. The original layout of the villa dates back to the 12th century, it was built together with the Church of San Leonardo to which it is connected through its apse and its catacombs. Both Dante and Boccaccio gave speeches from the pulpit of the church of San Leonardo. The ancient presence of the villa in the urban structure is documented by the Vasarian representation of the "View of Florence during the siege of 1530", a fresco in the Hall of Clement VII in Palazzo Vecchio, the center of power of the Florentine Republic until first half of 16th century, then the residence of Cosimo de' Medici who commissioned Vasari with its decorations between 1540 and 1550. The villa was later enlarged in the 16th century reaching its present size. Being away from the road, it is an oasis of tranquility just 10 minutes walk from the Ponte Vecchio and all major landmarks in the historic center. This enchanted garden surrounding the villa is reached through a discreet gate in the wall bordering the road, along a path on the north side of the church, with which the villa shares a perimeter wall. From here, a pergola overlooking the terraced gardens descending towards the lively district of San Niccolò leads us to the main entrance. From the hall, on the right we reach the dining room with direct access to the garden, the large kitchen, the laundry room, a bathroom and the cellar; while on the left we find the large living room with fireplace and then the office, both of which opening onto a large side lawn. From the stone staircase departing from the entrance, we reach the upper floor where we find the master bedroom with its own sitting area and private bathroom, 3 large bedrooms, a study and another bathroom, as well as a second small kitchen. Each room has a view stretching from the beautiful garden to the city center. The villa has a second side entrance leading directly to the first floor, so it is easily convertible into 2 units. It also has a 50sqm garage with windows at about 200m distance, and a large garden of about 1,000sqm. Rare opportunity in prime location and a unique context.