Have fun, people. Florence is certainly a very good place to meet. I've been there in 2000 and enjoyed the rich culture of architecture, art and food.

If one of you needs an insider tip for another vacation near Florence, I can recommend Castel Franko di Sopra, it's about 40 kilometers far from Florence and a real gem. We booked an apartment back then tagged as "agricultural vacation home". I hope, those people still run that beautiful place. Its a little up hill and you need some driving skills.

Greetings from Hamburg!