PISA IS ONLY AN HOUR BY TRAIN from Florence so most visitors make it a day trip as we did ten years ago. Now that we have more time, more money and more patience we decided to stay a while.
Worth the Climb—Either Up or Down
Our “Mercanti Attic Apartment” is in medieval tower building in a pedestrian neighborhood near the Arno River about a kilometer from the train station. Despite Elisa’s detailed instructions we had a little problem accessing the lock box, totally my fault. Giuseppe, another resident, helped us lug our bags up the 45 stairs—molto grazie, Giuseppe. Once up the dingy staircase I unlocked the apartment and—SURPRISE!
Now we're cookin' with gas!
The interior looks like a glitzy remodel job right out of HGTV. It has the kind of kitchen cooks dream about, a spacious living area and a loft with the most comfortable bed of the trip. The bathroom is small, upscale and very functional—it looks like it was part of the original building. Both the air-con and wifi are great and there is a grocery store on the corner and plenty of restaurants (Italian, anyone?) in the neighborhood.
This will be our home sweet home for three nights.