People's Comments

Hi Elizabeth (Villa Alexandra)

I think all of us agreed it was one of the best and most relaxing holidays we have ever had. Alessandra and Steven were both charming and attentive hosts, and ensured that we were spoiled rotten in both the quality/quantity of food and wine and the high standard of accommodation. I almost felt embarrassed by how little I had to do as we were waited on hand and foot. My children had great fun with her 2 girls and they occupied themselves by swimming in the oversized pool, playing with the jack russell puppies, jumping on the trampoline, running around the property and visiting the horses, hens and geese!

Alessandra has impeccable taste and has decorated her home beautifully. We had all our meals outdoors at an oversized glass table with lovely views of the valley. The property is perfectly placed as it is down a dead end road so there is never another car in sight, yet it is just 30 minutes from both Florence and Siena (once you have found your way around). Our first adventure found us very lost yet we drove through some of the most spectacular countryside so no one was bothered! There are also many quiet spots to be found on the grounds should you want to escape from any sign of life at all (ie over excited children!).

They also have a wonderful selection of wines in their cellar and they were more than happy to share them with us as we are fellow wine lovers. Also, in case you felt like giving Mimi and Alessandra a break from cooking, there is a great family run restaurant just up the hill with an outdoor playing area for children to keep them occupied while you enjoy yet another 3 course meal!

We all have very hectic lives and more often than not, find it difficult to wind down on holiday particularly with young children and only a week away. Villa Alessandra and its welcoming family had the magic ingredients and all of us reluctantly left on the Sunday, with every intention of returning there as soon as possible! We also fell in love with one of the most fantastic dogs ever. Her name is Zulu and she is a Rhodesian Ridgeback...Alessandra has promised us puppies as soon as we move to the country.

I could go on for ever bit I am sure you get my point!

Thank you very much Elizabeth for organising the villa for us...

For anyone considering staying there, I cannot recommend it enough..

Regards
Debby Somerville-Cotton

Dear Elizabeth (Villa Cypress)

We stayed at Villa Cypress the first week of September, 2003. The pictures and descriptions of the villa and its grounds are accurate but don't do it justice. We were a party of 10 and everyone thought that this was a great villa. Very representative of an Italian villa.

Tile, marble, stone, shade trees, pool. The bedrooms were spread out enough in the villa that it felt like the villa was your very own. There are 2 living rooms, 2 fully stocked kitchens, 2 eating areas with seating for 10 inside and a great covered patio next to the villa. There is also an eating area above the pool with the Duomo in the distance. We used the covered patio every night to unwind from a day of sightseeing and to plan the next day and to just kick back and relax. Every day a pool person, a gardener and a person to clean and maintain the villa showed up in the morning. They were around but were inconspicuous unless we initiated the interaction. The whole experience at Villa Cypress was very enjoyable for all of us. Our Rome villa wasn't nearly as nice. We think that may partly be do to the fact that we were spoiled at Villa Cypress.

Thanks again for everything.

Mr. Jim Wing

Dear Elizabeth, (Villa Cypress)

Villa Cypress was everything we wanted and more. It was beautifully kept, with lovely linens, more bathrooms than we needed, outdoor dining, and our own olive grove-ette(!).I love showing the pictures to our friends and hear them say "it's a real villa!" Several in our group are dog lovers, and Dicka-da-dog has entered our permanent cast of characters when we re-live our trip.

He was a bonus. The pool was beautiful, and we had our promised view of the Duomo from up on the pool deck. Molte bueno! Thank you for all your help. We even got our cars, as you arranged, without much ado. Although, when we go again, I think we'll skip the cars. Driving was a little stressful, and for the money, we could have arranged tours or even a driver. Next time.

Our chefs were very nice. They did a beautiful job -- we felt like visiting dignitaries out on our patio, drinking wine, eating and laughing until all hours. I would certainly use them again, although the restaurant up the street was also delicious -- we went three times.

As soon as our finances recover, we'll be back. And we won't hesitate to recommend your group to others. Thanks again. And I'll send some pictures when I get a few minutes again.

Ciao til next time.
Fondly. Edwin

From Susan Cashman - Wedding in August 2002. Villa Monte 3

'We had the best time , the service in Siena was amazing - very emotional - everyone was crying! Then we went to one of the bars across the square for some bubbly and stayed there for a couple of hours. When we walked across the square again to get our car, everyone started clapping and taking pictures - it was like being a celeb....really funny.

We arrived back at the Villa at 2pm, they had set up umbrellas on the outside table and had champagne and nibbles there....which was lovely.

The dining room was totally transformed....the tables looked so beautiful. , Each place setting was so beautiful.. The food was amazing, when I got the menu I thought it was 5 courses and in each section there was an option....but no - it was the whole menu - roughly about 9 courses altogether.....everyone was amazed at the quality of the food and of course all of the estate wine is lovely - especially the white. Then the wedding cake - it was amazing....with a little couple on the top - gorgeous chocolate cake - it was really good. Just to be different I asked everyone to write a speech - to say a couple of words or whatever - so we had a couple in between every couple of courses - and again very emotional. Some people wrote poems and Mum wrote a song for me....it was great.

Just after cutting the cake - we opened Sergios and Anna's present to us - 2 amazing champagne flutes - such a thoughtful gift - I am really scared that I'll break them though.

The service from the waiting staff was very good too. I will write a little piece on La Selva and our wonderful stay there over the weekend, it just kept getting better every day we were there - truly unforgetable.

It could not of happened without you Liz and for that I am so grateful.

I am slightly lost now I am back here - it's horrible grey old London - very busy and everyone is just too cool - if you know what I mean. It's very strange being back in work too....oh well I'm sure I'll be in Tuscany soon again!!.

Hi Elizabeth! (Podere Orcia)

Just a quick note to thank you for your help in planning our time in Tuscany. Our mission was a success! We were married one week ago by the mayor of Pienza! It was a beautful day, the people charming and we recieved congrats in many languages! a perfect day. We do have some digital pictures and I will send some (as requested) when we get home to Seattle.

Podere Orcia was perfect - and Manuella a charming host. Thank you for finding such a nice place for us to be - The chef did a great job with dinner although we drank too much wine and could barely finish our meal! Quite the celebration - it was just right!

In Rome now and heading to the Amalfi Coast tomorrow - I am looking forward to the quiet and relaxation!

Thank you again for you assistance. I will send along pictures in a couple of weeks.

Best regards,
Nancy Mincher

Hi Elizabeth, (Villa Martinaia)

We made home safe and sound. You asked for a testimonial regarding our time in Tuscany so here is what we felt about the villa and our time there:

I want to thank you for all your help in creating a truly wonderful vacation for us and our friends. The Villa Martinaia was perfect. The house was beautifully furnished with comfortable beds, a well-appointed kitchen and cozy yet spacious living area. We loved the gardens and the pool was refreshing after a day of sightseeing. Your suggestion of bringing in a chef to cook our first meal was such a treat and a lovely way to begin our adventure in Tuscany. In every way we were so pleased with the villa and quiet country atmosphere. Thank you for making it so easy and enjoyable to work with you and your staff.

I really do appreciate all you did for us in making it such a wonderful experience to travel and stay in Tuscany. If ever I or my family and friends have the opportunity of coming back to Tuscany (and I hope I do before too long) I will be sure to contact you for accommodations or recommend you to my friends.

Arriverderci,
Francie

Melissa & Liz, (Old castle Estate)

We have returned from beautiful Italy, and want to express our sincere thanks for all you did to make it happen. Kim and I are sorry we did not get in touch in Florence. As it turns out, we shortened our daily activities a little...turns out that being pregnant makes one tired!!! (we found out after we planned our trip) But, if you are ever in Boston, please consider this an open invitation to visit.

We had a marvelous time! The Old Castle Estate was quiet, beautiful, and wonderfully located.

We found San Casciano to be a great town for all our needs. We tried all the food we could (went a little light on the wine with the baby on the way) and saw such beautiful sights and wonderful people. We felt right at home. The only thing I wanted to pass on is to warn people about trying to bring pork based foods back to the US. The airport Customs agents took my salami and my cinta sinese bacon!! I was heartbroken. But we did get to bring in wonderful cheese and some wine (for April!!) I could go on all day about how much we enjoyed ourselves. We will cherish our memories of Italy. Thank you Melissa again for being a fantastic person to do business with. We wish you the best.

Sincerely,
Daniel & Kimberly

Dear Elizabeth (Caruso Apartment)

The Caruso Apartment was a great find for us. The authentic artwork in the apartment made our experience truly unique. The Toffani family were wonderful hosts and very welcoming and helpful. We enjoyed our stay and had a truly unique experience and after 5 weeks felt like a local. Thanks again for all your help in finding this little slice of heaven, in getting us settled initially, and information about the area.

Mary especially appreciates the reference with your hair dresser in Firenze. Elizabeth I hope all is well with you and that business is good. We enjoyed our time in Lastra Signa and our entire Italian experience. I must tell you it is not easy to be back in the US with the events of the world after living in Europe for 6 months and experiencing a totally different attitude to world events. We will be back in the future and let you know when we do. I have attached a picture of a sunset we took in Senegal West Africa on the Island of Mir Loge in the Saluomne river.

Thanks again.
Ciao
Bill & Mary Gumpenberger

Dear Elizabeth: (Villa Monte 3)

Our holiday at the estate would be like a dream come true except that the reality was better than the dream. We planned a birthday celebratory week with family and close friends. Our villa was large enough for our party of 20 to have a little solitude when necessary and yet feel very together. It was the first time I've ever stayed at a villa in Italy and so I assume that many of the features like the stonewalls and floors and wood beams may be typical but there was nothing typical about the gorgeous textile used in the bedrooms. I remember looking at the photos of the villa before the trip and thinking if it is even half as beautiful as it looked that would be wonderful. It was more beautiful.

Our group settled into villa living very quickly. My husband and I had scheduled cooking classes for us as a birthday gift and others in our party signed up also. The chefs are very good teachers and excellent cooks. They did all the cooking for our birthday party the day of our last class and everything was delicious. They made a lasagne with béchamel sauce that is my particular favourite. Some in our group were early risers and would go off and shop nearby in Ambra for breakfast for the house. Others were sightseers and would go off to Sienna or San Gimignano. We checked out a few local restaurants including the one on the estate (very good) the first few days. After that since we had a few good cooks in the company, dinners started occurring at the villa every night, which suited me. I felt before arriving that I wanted to spend as much time as possible in the villa and my husband concurred. As the villa turned out to be better than we could have expected we did spend most of our time there. We had informed everyone beforehand that they all had the freedom to go off and do as they wished and they did but the villa and the pool were a big attraction. For the most part we all spent a good portion of the week splashing about the pool, including stretching a piece of fabric across the pool and playing games of water volley ball, gathering in the kitchen and eating and drinking on the terrace dinning area. We would start eating in the light and during dinner watch the sunset from our fabulous vantage point, and end up still drinking and smoking and talking till whenever. Speaking of drinking we drank the estate's excellent wine all week. My personal favourite was the Anne Di Fiori. We also drank lots of Evento. There is never a wine crisis at the Villa!

The villa is meticulously kept and very comfortable. We had a problem with the television one afternoon and the next morning a new television was installed before the CNN addicts could go through withdrawal. The pool was cleaned every day. We had a cleaner come in every day and she was very good and thorough.

The estate is very beautiful from the sunflowers nodding in the breeze on the way in to the sight of deer jumping through the vineyards in the early morning. It was very hot in Italy the week we were there but we were very comfortable in our villa and by the pool. Sitting by the pool and seeing the mountains in the distance was incredible.

I really can't say enough nice things about the villa. I also can't say enough nice things about Elizabeth Morris. She was extremely helpful in planning our holiday. She had many helpful suggestions and was extremely responsive to all our questions and requests.

Thank you very much Elizabeth!
Cathy Winkler

Hi Elizabeth (Villa Monte3)

It's me again! Just in case you felt a little lost without all my emails bombarding you...!

I'm back in Dublin but my mind is still in Italy! I had such a fabulous wedding day. It was great to finally meet you - thanks for coming down to be part of the day at Villa Monte 3 . We were watching some of the video at the weekend that Dermot's brother-in-law took, it was such a marvellous, idyllic setting. You chose well with the church too! Please thank once again the hairdresser, the musicians, the florist and the caterers on our behalf - they were all excellent. And of course, the photographer. He was very good, and a lot of fun!

Please could you let us know what we are to do now as regards getting the photos.

Thanks a million
Helen

Dear Elizabeth, (Villa Monte3)

Here following are some impressions regarding our recent Italian trip and especially the week we stayed at Villa Monte 3

The weather was wonderful!! June is a very good time for Americans who are travelling with young children since European children are still in school. The only drawback we encountered was that the Trattoria at the foot of Montbenichi hadn't yet opened for the season.

We had elected to take advantage of your offer to arrange for cooks to come in and prepare dinner for us on only the one occasion. Had we known how good that dinner would be and how modest its cost was compared to what we were spending in restaurants we would have opted to have them in every other day during our stay (there was enough leftover food for a second dinner hence no need to have them in every day).

The bedrooms were both elegant and functional; all are en-suite, the kitchen contained everything we needed; the living area was spacious and well furnished.

The Chianti grapes; grown, fermented and bottled on the estate are of uniformly excellant quality and were available for 6 euros per bottle (the best bargain we found in inflationary Italy!!). No security deposit was ever requested of us for the villa and when I offered to pay for two wine glasses that were broken, it was refused.

The biggest mistake we made was following a four day stay in Rome we elected to rent cars at the stazione Roma Termine and drive to the villa. Taking the fast train to Arezzo and rentingcars from there would have been far less stressful but we managed..

Bottom line is that we had a wonderful visit. Thankyou, Elizabeth for all your help!

Fondly.
Edwin

Thanks Elizabeth! (Villina Cottage)

Also, I wanted to thank you for all your help - you've been great.

I arranged a villa for a group of people about 3 years ago in Italy. It was through The Parker Company. I'm sure you've heard of them, they're good, reputable, but no where near the intimate/personal/friendly service I have received from you (and Meaghan). For that I thank you!

I'll be in touch when we return to tell you the wonderful time we had at the Villina Cottage !

Leslie Dacey

Dear Elizabeth (Villina Cottage)

We have just returned from the Villina Cottage. Please convey my compliments to the owner of the property. We had a fabulous time. If I can afford next year we would definitely like to.
Thank you for all your help.

Jenny Guerin

Dear Elizabeth, ( Villina Cottage)

Hopefully you remember myself and my sister, Leslie. We visited 'Villina Cottage' in Lucignano during the week of September 12, 2003 and stayed at the cottage for a week. First, we need to apologize for not having thanked you promptly and for letting you know how extremely helpful and hospitable Christina and her family were.

They truly made our stay in Tuscany most memorable. Christina was always there when needed, sent us to a wonderful restaurant and arranged an additional, fabulous meal cooked by her parents. In addition, the villa itself was magnificent - we were relaxed at all times with the most spectacular views day and night.

Regards,
Janice Hayes. USA

Elizabeth, (Casa dei lecci)

I wanted to tell you what a wonderful time we had in Tuscany! The villa was wonderful and perfect for our group. Rosemary was a huge help, and a complete pleasure to talk to. We had beautiful weather, enjoyed the pool as well as visiting Pisa, Florence, San Gimignano and the Cinque Terre. Lucca is a lovely place and I would recommend the area to anyone planning a visit to Italy. We had Leonardo come and show us how to make pizza at the villa in the middle of the week and it was great. He had 14 people so full that we couldn't move, and he was still making pizzas! Thank you so much for all your help and I sincerely hope to be able to do this again in the future!

Take care,
Jessica

Elizabeth ( Casa dei Lecci)

All I can say is Thank You. The place ( Casa dei Lecci) was fabulous. It was almost perfect...it was a little hot, but I don´t think you could have done anything about that. I will have nice things to say in a letter that will follow, but I just wanted to let you know that you were an important part of a very special vacation for myself and my family.

I am in Spain with the Bulls and will return in July. I will keep in touch.

Greg Schwartz

Piccolo Torrigiani

Just a short note to let you know how fantactic the Villa was. The girls who met us were so helpful, and the villa, pool and grounds were spectacular.

Will be back in touch to book again some time.

Big Thanks
Phil.

p.s. I have passed your info to a work collegue. thay are travelling around europe, mainly Italy later this year, so they may get in touch.

Dear Elizabeth, (Santa Maria)

I wanted to write to thank you all for making my family vacation so wonderful! It was an unforgettable experience.

The Tuscan region is such a magical place to visit, and your accommodations and service were nothing less. The villa ' Santa Maria ' that myself and seven of my family members stayed in was just gorgeous. We especially loved the beautiful patio area looking out on the Tuscan countryside and the authenticity of the décor and furnishings. It felt like we had stepped back into a much more romantic time!

The service all your staff provided was exceptional. We really appreciated you organizing a private chef to come into our villa to cook a traditional Italian meal for us. It was defiantly one of the highlights of our family vacation.

You were all so kind and made us feel like we were special guests on the estate. It is rare that you find services like yours that are willing to go the extra mile to make your stay as memorable as possible. The wine and extra virgin olive oil you make on the estate was just wonderful, we all wished we had brought back more bottles to the States with us!

Thanks again for your hospitality. It was by far the best family vacation we have been on, but not the last. We'll definately be back!

See you again,
Angela Bailey and Family

Dear Travel Tuscany, (Villa Mugello)

Our party of 16 stayed at the Villa Mugello in Tuscany for a week in April 2004. From the moment we arrived at the villa we were charmed and delighted. Raffaelle is a wonderful host, and Ermanda, a wonderful woman who cleans and cooks for the villa and apartments, delivered fresh bread every morning with a warm smile and greeting. She also made a fabulous meal for us on our last night, a meal we'll never forget, topped by a heavenly tiramisu!!

The villa was extremely comfortable, though be prepared to turn the heat on if you come in April or before. The kitchen is well-appointed, with two stoves and ovens, two refrigerators, coffee maker (drip and espresso), and two large tables that seated our party comfortably and allowed for easy conversation.

A covered outdoor seating area just outside the kitchen is perfect for meals on sunny days. Another picnic area in front of the villa makes a great gathering place on sunny days, with a fabulous view of distant mountains. The bedrooms contain two twin beds for the most part, with three containing double beds. One bedroom has its own bathroom, and there are plenty of other bathrooms for a full house of adults.

Two living rooms downstairs provide room for a large gathering or smaller groups. One of the downstairs rooms has a large open fireplace that makes a very cozy gathering area.

The views from the villa are beautiful. A few other villas can be seen in the distance. Olive groves line the road descending from the villa to the apartments that can also be rented by smaller parties. Stargazers and birdwatchers will be enchanted.

We are all looking forward eagerly to future stays at Villa Mugello, and to enjoying Raffaelle's hospitality.

Letitia Berlin
Albany, California, USA

Dear Travel Tuscany, (Pozzo Apartment)

Just a quick note to tell you that we had a great weekend. The accommodation was spot on, just what I had in mind and the location, with the view to San Gimignano was brilliant!! Luckily the weather cleared up for us, so we got to explore the area in the sun and spend a day in beautiful Florence.

Thanks once again for your help

Regards
Catherine,
Amsterdam.

Dear Elizabeth , (Castello Caldana)

A quick note to again thank you for all of your help in assisting us to arrange an absolutely fantastic stay at Castello Caldana. Everything was just perfect and we had a wonderful time. Jem is a treasure and I would recommend the cottage to everyone! We would love to be back there one day!

Warm regards
Nicole Smith

Hi Elizabeth, (Caruso Apartment)

Thanks for all of your help with the Caruso apartment.

Delores and I enjoyed our stay very much. The apartment is well appointed, spacious and in an ideal location to explore Tuscany. Being near Florence is also a big plus. The information in the folder was also very helpful. We walked over to the market on Friday, and we used the Ipercoop for our basic needs. Although the weather was a little cool in Tuscany, we enjoyed very nearly perfect weather in Rome and Naples.

Please give our best regards to Dr. and Mrs. Toffani and their daughter. They were gracious hosts. Mrs. Toffani served us coffee one afternoon, and she invited us in to see her beautiful house before we left. We enjoyed the bottle of wine form their vineyard. I am sorry that I was unable to converse with them in Italian, but Delores was able to get a few ideas across.

I hope that you enjoyed your visit to America.

Best regards,
George and Delores

Hello Elizabeth, (La Castagna)

Just wanted to drop you a quick note and say that everything in Florence at La Castagna was perfect. The owner was very nice and not knowing Italian, we couldn't tell his mother how good her lemoncillo cookies were...so pass on the information if you can. We had a fantasic time and were only sad in that we could only stay a week. The property is beautiful, the appartment was amazing and our experience was wonderful. Exactly what we had imagined Tuscany to be. And on a more specific note, we REALLY apprecaited the (what looked to be) brand new kitchen and washing machine. Thanks again for everything and we'll certainly be in touch when we go to Italy again.

Regards,
Andy

Hi Elizabeth, (Farmhouse Lilliam)

I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner, but we were in Switzerland for a week after our stay at Farmhouse Lilliam. I'm just getting caught up on my emails!

You are so right, the time passed much too quickly. Farmhouse Lilliam was a welcome respite from the tourist's destinations we visited in Tuscany. We always looked forward to returning to our private and peaceful cottageafter a big day of sightseeing. The house is very charming, comfortable, quiet and we loved the fact that each bedroom has its own bathroom. Ofcourse, in our opinion, the most wonderful things about this property are the incredible views, the spectacular setting and its peacefulness.

I also wanted to mention your professionalism. Your webiste is well designed and easy to use, the range of properties you represent is great, and your communications with me were always timely, which was most appreciated. In fact, I have already mentioned the TravelTuscany website to our neighbor who has last minute plans to visit in August.

Thank you again for your help and I hope to be contacting you again next year for a new adventure.

Best regards,
Lori Bryan, USA.

Dear Travel Tuscany (Villa Fiori)

Richard and I, along with 2 other couples, spent two perfect weeks at Villa Fiori. Elisabeth and her family made our trip most memorable and enjoyable. The accommodations were as we had dreamed they would be.

The accommodations were very private, yet Elisabeth was available and very willing each day to help us with any plans for travel and meals. Some of the best parts were Elisabeth, her family, her hospitality and her wonderful food. The cooking lessons were a real plus. The meals she prepared for us were delicious, reasonably priced and first class--better than any restaurant!! There is absolutely no reason to eat anywhere else in Italy. Richard and I had our 37th anniversary while we were there. Elisabeth prepared the most devine meal including fresh vegetables from her garden, champagne, special music, beautiful linens, flowers from her gardens, even rose petals spread on the table. It was a very romantic evening.

We were invited to use any of the home grown vegetables and herbs at any time. We were furnished with unlimited wines made from her grapes and the grapes of the area at only a fraction of the cost in the states. She even shared her special orange wine with us.

Elisabeth is a wonderful tour consultant. She was willing to make any arrangements and to give us the directions we needed for our day trips. The fact that she speaks English so well was a real asset to our group.

The pool and surrounding grounds were as pictured in all the books we have seen of the Tuscany countryside. It was so peaceful and refreshing to be able to return to 'Villa Fiori' each day after touring the area. Your website did not exagerate the beauty of the property. In fact, your book could not show its real beauty. One has to experience Villa Fiori!

It was a dream vacation. We hope to revisit Tuscany and Villa Fiori.

Martha Lytle

Dear Elizabeth

The house/villa is even nicer than represented in the photographs! That is always a welcomed surprise. The pool is wonderful and beautifully maintained. As a pool owner myself, I was extremely impressed with the condition and quality of the pool. The vegetation surrounding the house is fabulous...lavender, rosemary, trumpet vines, palm trees and evergreens. A true mediterranean experience.

The BBQ pit is much more than a BBQ pit. It is in fact the original oven used to supply the town with all its bread. The original owner was the baker for San Ginese. The "pit" is really an outside dining area.

The "pizza man", Leonello, was the gem of the place. He cooked pizza and bruschetta for 16 of us and made the evening for an 8 year old boy by letting him make and bake his own pizza in the oven. He has a heart as big as all Italy itself. No visit would be complete without having Leonello in attendance. Later Leonello returned with a gift for us, the special bread of Lucca.

The Tuscan dinner was another big success. It was beautifully done and very professional. The food was excellent. The staff was extremely gracious. Rosemary was fantastic. She couldn't have been any more accommodating to our group. Some of us arrived several hours early and she allowed them access to the house and pool. Then she put us onto a Lucca tourist guide who helped with our arrangements. Rosemary is a really kind, understanding person who adapted well to our large group and all its requests. She is a real asset

All in all, it was a great week. Many Thanks, Elizabeth!!

Sincerely,
Lucy King

The beauty of Florence, the Kindness and generosity of your family made this a special vacation.
Good Health, Good Fortun for all of you.

Molto molto Grazie !

Rocco Joseph Valluzzi
N.Y.C.

Thank you once again for a beautiful holiday home. we have had a wonderful time and you have helped to make it extra special.

Betty says you have "a little piece of heaven here".

Grazie di tutto e al prossimo anno!

With love from
Helen, Trevor, Isabel, and Eleanor Curry and Betty Jackson.
London

Thank you for your wonderful Hospitality.We've enjoied ourselves so much and admired the views from you beautiful Villa every morning. We will recommend this to all our friends.We'll write you in november; we want your olive oil! Love, your Miami friends. If you are ever in Miami, please call Lisette, Kurt, Micaelle, John

(Casa di Castagna)

We have been hiking in Europe for 12 years, Austrian Lakes, Black forrest, Lake Lucern etc.... but nothing can compare to our stay and hiking in Tuscany. We visited the wonderful medieval Cities surrounding the beautiful villa that we rented from you. We always go as a group of 6 (ladies only) and we were completely comfortable with our arrangement at the villa.

The best part was every afternoon or early evening we returned home, having bought fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese and meats and after fixing our dinner eating under the beautiful chestnut tree - it was bliss. The wonderful Chianti from the region helped our great active vacation. We hope to do again soon.

Hertha Lasky
USA

(Casale Giuseppe)

I had to write and thank you for the wonderful vacation we had staying on your beautiful estate. Our party was large - 9 adults and 2 children but the house was big enough to allow everyone to find a space of their own.

The gardens and the view were wonderful. It was very relaxing lying by the huge pool watching the horses grazing and trying to spot all the different wildlife as the sun set. I know how much hard work you put into making things just right for your guests - it was much appreciated.

Paul and Anne Biddle
Cornwall, UK

(Casale Giuseppe)

We were a group of 11 people (6 of whom have known each other since childhood, and 5 spouses), and we chose to celebrate an important birthday in Tuscany. One of the group did all the work and found the villa which met our needs in more ways than we could imagine. It was charming, comfortable, and had a wonderful atmosphere. The property was special with olive trees, horses, cows, and even "cinghiale". Arrangements were made to have Amel cook for us a couple evenings, but we found the dinners so wonderful and the dining room so accommodating, we had her cook 2 additional dinners. The meals included broccoli risotto, gnocchi, mixed grill fish (cooked right on the open hearth in the kitchen) as well as tiramisu and torta della nonna. Christina took great care of us. The location was excellent. We were able to easily visit Pienza, Orvieto, Siena, Arezzo, Monte San Savino, Lucignano, Florence. We also had a wonderful day trip to the Banfi winery for a delicious lunch and tasting. We enjoyed our tour by Giorgio, and the bus was very a delightful way to see the beautiful countryside and not worry about driving. We had a great visit, and please feel free to contact me for more information

Lyn Rosensweig
Verona, NJ - USA

Hi Elizabeth, (Villa San Castella)

We have finally returned after a most satisfactory holiday in Italy. I thought it was worth making a few comments about our stays in each of the two villas - so this note is in regard to Villa San Castella. All 5 of our party were very pleased with the quality of the villa, the location, the security and most importantly the helpfulness and availability of our hosts.

Compared to our expectations based on the website (which were high!!) we scored a 10/10. The blend of history and age with the modern facilities was a perfect fit. The immaculately maintained swimming pool was brilliant (the great weather helped here of course!). Our host, Lamberto, was great - being helpful when needed, not intruding on us but at the same time when we were in but at the same time when we were in the mood for a chat about the area or the history being willing to sit down with us and impart his excellent knowledge. This definitely added to our experience. His english and his tolerance of our poor italian worked very well.

We also found the location ideal for experiencing a large part of Tuscany and San Sepolcro was a hidden treasure that deserves more exposure. So we would be happy to strongly recommend the villa and location to others.

Rob Wyatt,
Australia