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> SlowTrav > Italy > Vacation Rentals > Reviews > Tuscany South Review 458: TuscanHouse, Torre San Domenico
3bed/2.5bath house in Cetona, Tuscany South WhenOctober 19-26, 2002, 7 days LocationLocated in the beautiful village of Cetona. The vista from the villa were breathtaking. It was in a residential area, peaceful and quiet. Nearby AmenitiesOnly a few minutes walk to the center of town, but this required stamina to climb the steep hill on the return trip. It was not possible to park the car at the villa, so it was kept in a parking lot behind the school, a 5 minute walk. An excellant restaurant was only a short walk away (down the hill). Grocery shopping was nearby, but the better store was about a 10 minute drive. The autostrada and the rail station were about a 10-15 minute drive. Several other villages were nearby with excellant restaurants and shopping. The House/ApartmentThe villa is located in a newly renovated tower in the wall of Cetona. It was in excellant condition and comfortable. Telephone and heat were available at an extra cost. The villa is on 4 stories so stair climbing is necessarily a frequent occurrance. GardenA nicely placed private patio with furniture provided an over view of the Tuscany countryside. It was a bit cool while we were there so we did not spend a great deal of time enjoying this area. Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living AreasTorre was well very clean and well furnished, including some beautiful antiques. A clothes washer was provided. There was no clothes dryer, so getting clothes dry was difficult at the time this year, even though they were hung over the patio. Bedrooms/BathroomsThe beds were comfortable and very nice. 2 bedrooms and a full bath was on the 3rd floor, with a bedroom, full bath and a den on the 4th floor. There was plenty of hot water. KitchenThe kitchen was fully equiped including the basic necessities for preparing meals (spices, herbs, sauces etc.) with the only requirement to replace any item depleted. We surprised ourselves and cooked in 5 nights of the 7 we were there. There is a large table in the kitchen for dining. Problems or BonusesWe were pleasantly surprised with the beauty and quality of the villa. It would be a difficult place for anyone who had difficulty walking, especially up hill and the stairs. This at first seemed to be a negative for us, but we really enjoyed the ambiance of the town and it friendly people and the great exercise we were forced to endure. I gained 10 pounds with all the wonderful food - just think what it would have been without the hill and stairs. Agency and Representatives (and price)The agency was first rate. Everything was done as promised. Onsite we dealt with the owners, Sacha and Giuseppe who were delightful people and both spoke excellent English. All the information was accurate, except the need to walk up and down steep grades was not mentioned. Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?We would stay here again in a heartbeat and in fact we hope to be able to return in the next year or so. Sacha is a gourmet chef and teaches cooking. We have been promised a meal prepared by her upon our return. We have already recommended this villa and area to our friends. Things to do in this areaThis is a relaxing area with some beautiful villages in the area. The local wines were very good and we did not have anything but excellent food. In Cetona we ate frequently ate at the Osteria Vecchia, only a short walk from the villa. We were disappointed that there was no good place for breakfast and the bakery was limited. Chiusi is nearby and the Risteronte il Duomo on via Porsena 70 was excellant. Montepulciano was nearby as well and is a most charming village with excellant wines and ceramics. Day trips on the train or via the autostrada, which are near is convenient. It is 1 hour from Florence and just south of Siena. This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com. |
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