5/5 Excellent
Jeremy P., Truro, United Kingdom
25 Jul 2018
Ideal family accommodation in a beautiful setting.
We knew our family holiday (7 of us, 3 generations) was going to be special, but it was much more than that because of the wonderful hospitality shown by Alessandra and Anna. The villa was perfect. With 35 -40 degree outside the kitchen and living spaces were still cool enough to socialise and eat. There was more than enough shade to enjoy the outside spaces too.
Alessandra met us on arrival (even though we were 1hr 30min later than expected) and took time to show us round, we were welcomed with a cold bottle of locally sourced white wine, and a large bowl of local fruit perfectly ripe.
Everything about the house was as described - if not better. Comfortable, practical and more than anything, beautiful. The lovely Tuscan style building over four floors was always lovely to move around in. Note* For those that have mobility issues the ground floor has two bedrooms, the kitchen, bathroom and a living space - which should be everything you need - in easy access.
The nearest large town, is a fabulous hill top old commune with loads of history. It has a busy train station which means getting in to Rome is a lot easier than by car. Orte to Rome is about 40mins and with a BIRG ticket (12 Euros each) you can get a return ticket (any time of the day) and all the public transport you want in Rome (Metro and Buses for the whole day). On another day we took a car journey to Florence. If you hire a car and want to go to Florence then we would recommend getting the park and ride Tram stop at Villa Constanza, just outside Florence. Its very easy to park and the Tram journey is great fun too. Florence is beautiful.
From the villa you are in driving distance of Lake Bolsena, and also Ovierto an ancient hill top city with the finest Gothic cathedral that Europe has to offer. We also ventured to Porto Santo Stephano - a Monaco-esque yachting / fishing port.
All in all this villa is the perfect setting to enjoy a holiday close to home or by train or car to venture further afield. Thanks to Anna and Alessandra for making us feel so welcome. It was lovely.
Other practical things to note - washing facilities at the villa worked well, so washing clothes and getting them dry was easy (there's also an airer if its raining outside). The dishwasher was great to have, wifi worked well in the living areas (and most of the house). Cooking was made easier by having the oven and hob, with plenty of different metal pans, crockery etc.
Jeremy P.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018