Bernardo met me at the caffe beneath the apartment-- the caffe itself is quite charming and staffed with very kind people, who greet you every morning and evening as they tend to their busy day business. The entrance to the apartment is located next door and then reached by an elegant antique elevator.

The view from the apartment itself is worth the stay. Just feet away from Orsanmichele, the apartment offers a private view into the museo on its upper floors, which is closed to the public all days except Mondays. Thus, the Nanni di Banco and Donatello works are like private possessions out the window.

The apartment itself is fashioned smartly, mostly in IKEA, with the entrance room serving as a kitchen/dining/sitting room and the second room as a bedroom/studio. The bathroom is small and functional-- the shower is old school Italian, so some might need instruction on how it works.

But the best part is the location-- out the door and practically anywhere in a maximum of 15 minutes by foot, but only steps away from most of the city's most precious cultural icons.