Nouveau commentaire déposé pour Villa Carolina situé à Barberino Val D'elsa, Toscane, Italie.
Date location: samedi, 31 mars 2012.
Locataire: Palma L. (Santa Clarita, CA, United States).
Évaluation du locataire: 5/5.
Détails de l'évaluation:
Villa Carolina was simply amazing! Situated on a quiet country road, this property offers a breathtaking view of Poggibonsi, a Tuscan town that is situated perfectly for visiting Florence, Siena, and San Gimignano. There is a bus station and a train station in Poggibonsi, but a car is highly recommended so you can visit wineries and really get to see the Tuscan countryside.
The owners, Gabrielle and Lucia (and their beautiful daughter, Carolina) will greet you upon your arrival and will take care of anything you might need such as recommending places to visit while in Tuscany. They are so kind and helpful; yet, although they live on the second story, they will give you total privacy. Lucia even drove us to the train station in her van to pick up our friends. They take care of business matters in their quaint office and will even give you a little gift. Their English is good enough to understand everything you need to. You will find a menu inside the house if you choose to have Lucia cook for you. She can also provide you with morning espresso or arrange for you to take a cooking class.
The house is beautiful and decorated with original paintings, many of which were created by Gabrielle himself. Each of the three bedrooms is spacious and comfortable. One has a bathroom en suite, the other two each have a full bathroom just outside their doors. I loved opening my bedroom window to hear the birds each morning! There is a living room with a large flat screen TV offering Sky TV, but honestly, with so much natural beauty around, you won’t be inside watching TV. The kitchen is adorable and has a table big enough to seat 8 comfortably and a sofa that also makes into a bed. We cooked up and enjoyed some unforgettable meals there. There is also a BBQ outside and two more tables and chairs so you can enjoy a lovely meal outdoors while listening to the fountains splashing in the infinity pool.
The grounds are gorgeous and include a lawn, infinity pool, hot tub, laundry room, BBQ, outdoor tables and chairs and a breathtaking view of the countryside. Willow trees grace the property, the infinity pool is trimmed with lovely statures, and the playful swing hanging from a tree is inviting, even to adults. The birds will sing you a chorus every morning and throughout the day. In the evenings, you can sip wine while looking at the twinkling lights in the valley below, listen to the splashing fountains, and imagine for a moment that you can stay there forever. You will feel like a local living on a hillside in Tuscany.
There is a nearby superstore called Pam’s. You can’t miss it. It is actually one of the turn-offs in the roundabout! You will be able to find groceries, local wines, and various sundries there, but they close at 8:00 PM. Make sure that you take a train into Florence on at least one day. You won’t want to drive there due to the many streets where cars are not allowed and the possibility of getting a photo ticket in the mail once you get home. The train was a great experience and it is easy to walk to the Uffizi, Academia , or city center from the train station. Make sure you get your museum tickets online before you go so you can avoid the lines. (Called using info in Rick Steve’s books.) You can pick up your Uffizi ticket at door C which is near the end of the long ticket line. Take the time to visit the other hilltowns nearby too. Sample their wines and shopping. And take a day or two to visit local wineries and taste the amazing wines and olive oil. You will find an unbelievably huge street fair in Arezzo on the first Sunday of each month. And don’t forget to try the gelato in every town you visit.
Villa Carolina provided the most wonderful, centrally located, clean, comfortable, welcoming, charming, peaceful place for us to spend a blissful springtime week in Tuscany. We highly recommend this property and its gracious owners Gabrielle and Lucia. We hope to stay there again.
