A Hidden Gem (Part 1)

After traveling for almost three months, I discovered that I am a small town girl after all. I needed a break from the hustle and bustle of traveling from city to city so I decided I wanted to go off the beaten path away from a city. For once, I am happy that something that I wasn’t searching for popped up on my phone. When I asked Italians in Genova about this place nobody knew where it was. I knew this was going to be my Bandon! Peccioli here I come! 

Just like Bandon, getting to Peccioli is challenging yet worth the effort. From Genova, I took a train to Pontederra and then had to catch a bus (according to the internet) to this small village. Well, the internet info was wrong! Luckily, there was a taxi nearby. 

As we drove further and further away from Pontedera and into the Tuscan hills, I knew I was going "home". My new home was spacious and located at the top of Peccioli. This meant it is six floors up from the main town. Yes, there is an elevator to reach the neighborhood where I would reside for three days. The taxi driver, however, knew Peccioli and delivered us to the front door of the apartment. I only discovered the elevator when I went to see one of the many artistic displays in the town. 

There are two elevators down into other parts of town. The older Peccioli, where we stayed, is at a higher elevation. You can see the historic wall that was left as a reminder of how the town developed. 

The elevator stops at an underground parking center where you can rent these small electric cars. Driving in the older village has restrictions.