Recommendations for a summer in Tuscany

Dear Friends,

Many of you will be thinking about where you are going to go on holiday this summer.

For this reason, I wanted to talk about two letters I received from readers, who asked me to share their experiences with accommodation in Tuscany on the blog.

Villa Vignacce

The first letter is from Caroline S, who stayed at Villa Vignacce in the summer of 2012, a house that we have frequently talked about on the blog before.

�Hello Giorgio! Thanks to your advice we had a perfect week in Tuscany, and above all Villa Vignacce was a revelation, a little piece of heaven that we will certainly return to as soon as possible.

We enjoyed a week in the Camino apartment. It is on the first floor of the building, and everything from the decoration to the structure of the apartment is in typical Tuscan style.

The hospitality of Annalicia, the owner of the property, was simply phenomenal. She offered us a really beautiful house in an authentic and historic estate, in which attention had been paid to every single detail: soft bedding and towels, a fully-equipped kitchen, original, old-fashioned furniture, completely refurbished bathrooms and a well-stocked library.

Furthermore, the gardens were very beautiful and perfectly maintained. The swimming pool gave incredible views of the mountains and being there was like enjoying a haven of peace. The colourful rose garden and the orchard are the icing on the cake and make the estate truly unique. The location is ideal for discovering Siena, Asis, Cortona, Montepulciano, Pienza or San Quirco d�Orcia, as well as the other beautiful places nearby. We will go back again, without doubt, and I would sincerely recommend it to other travellers!�

I would also like to publish the recommendation that Jos� Manuel P gave.

Podere Galilea

�In July 2012 I went on holiday to Tuscany with eight friends. We enjoyed the lovely towns, the delicious food, the tremendously hospitable people and the perfect climate. Anyway, I would like to highlight that the best memory that has stayed with us is the accommodation we chose. We had reserved an agrotourism place called Podere Galilea. It�s set amongst vineyards, and there are apartments and individual rooms. The owners are Florio and Marta, a charming couple who went out of their way to make sure our stay became an unforgettable memory. The breakfast is 100% homemade, and amongst other delicacies it includes tarts and cakes made by Marta, cold meats from the region, coffee and fresh fruit. Furthermore, two times a week they prepare dinner for the guests who would like it, and although you pay for it separately it really is worth it. Marta makes pizza and pasta (be sure to watch how she makes it!) and Florio takes care of the barbecue, while explaining funny local quirks to you. In the area around the house, there are lots of restaurants, and Marta and Florio will be happy to recommend the best ones to you!

The swimming pool in the vineyards is fantastic! Although the owners aren�t on the estate for the whole today, they give you the keys to get in and out when you like.

We used the place as a kind of headquarters from which we could travel around all of Tuscany and I just wanted to recommend it to everyone who follows this blog because the experience was so perfect in every aspect.�

To finish I hope that this information will be helpful for all of you who are planning a holiday in Tuscany!

Kind regards,

Giorgio