Giacomo’s apartment had THE most character of any of our stays on this trip. It’s clean, cozy, and modern, in a building that is old enough to have a staircase made of stone, with steps that are slightly worn in the middle from years of use. On your way up, look for the magnificent view of the nearby Duomo...painted onto a windowless wall in a trompe l’oeil that gave us a chuckle every time we went up. (It was also good to pose next to for a picture to send to family).
Inside, the apartment has an open living area where we enjoyed our breakfasts. Up 3 steps is an ultra-efficiency kitchen. Take a left at the kitchen, and a small staircase leads to a loft, where our climbing-enthusiast son was happy to sleep, while having a commanding view of the living area and hallway.
Our other son took the bedroom at the end of the hall and loved the privacy it afforded. Heading back to the living area, you’ll find the master bedroom halfway down the hall, next door to the combined master bathroom and laundry room, which features a fully enclosed shower with walls done in rustic tile.
Across from the master bedroom is what might be called a half-bath, except that (1) it’s even smaller than a half-bath, at about 16 square feet, and (2) it still manages to fit in a shower: a square glass enclosure about 2 feet per side.
It’s fun to wonder what used to be where this apartment is now. The fresh plaster has been removed to expose brick in places, such as a hearth in the master bedroom that was probably an actual fireplace at one time. There are little surprises, like the one-foot square window just below knee level to the right of the kitchen sink, from which you can look down on the via between this building and the one across from it.
The location is great; we were able to walk to the meeting point for our tour of the Academia, the Duomo, and Ponte Vecchio. Also right near by is the Uffizi Gallery, and plenty of good places to eat. We ate at one that Giacomo recommended, and it was good: and at another one we just found while walking around, and it’s been the best meal of this trip so far.
The compact layout of this apartment, plus the absence of elevators, means that it’s not for people with mobility considerations. But if stairs and occasional tight spaces or low ceilings are not a problem, you’ll enjoy Giacomo’s place like we did.