“Spacious with breathtaking views, an incredible experience” I stayed here while travelling Europe with my wife on our honeymoon. We wanted a true Tuscany experience and finding La Balconata was an absolute gem!! Pictures simply can't do this location justice, it is everything we could have hoped for and more. Reading a book overlooking the mountains is a unique, peaceful experience. The perfect getaway location if you want to avoid staying near tourists and children(!) The house is huge with tall ceilings, very clean and comfortable. It feels like Tuscany inside and out where i think the hosts have taken good care in keeping with a rustic, homely feel. I can imagine it's very cosy during winter. You need a car here. It's a convenient location for visiting nearby towns and villages to really soak in the spirit of Tuscany. Lucca is a fantastic city well worth visiting and if you fancy sunbathing on the beach, i recommend Viareggio. There was simply too much to take in during our short stay but we'd certainly come back. Not only was this a favourite spot on our honeymoon, it was also one of the cheapest

“Under theTuscan Sun” There are no words to describe the beauty here. When we drove up to the house, we thought there was a mistake. Surely this beautifully restored "Under the Tuscan Sun" farmhouse with majestic views of rolling hillside towns dotted with cypress trees, olive groves and vineyards as far as the eye could see could not possibly be the right place. But it was!! So much more than we could have imagined. Expected to see Diane Lane strolling down the road arm and arm with that crazy blonde at any time. The house inside is just as beautiful. Plenty of room...simply and tastefully decorated with everything you need for a very comfortable stay. The pictures really don't do it justice. Ann and Charly are warm and caring hosts...always quick to help our stay more enjoyable. Would absolutely recommend without hesitation!

“Beautiful House with awesome View” My friends and I stayed here in late april/early May. The weather was perfect and we easily took the train to Florence, Lucca, Pisa and Rome from here. The house itself is beautiful and fully stocked. No need to pack extras, there were umbrellas, travel books, and even a ceramic flat iron to calm my frizzy hair. The balcony is a great spot to relax and enjoy the view after a long day of sight seeing. There is a quaint Italian restaurant a short walk away with great food. You can eat there or take it back to the house. Just a short taxi or bus ride takes you to the train station where you can travel to any other Italian cities.

“Family Memories” Our stay was everything we expected and more. The villa was beautiful and very comfortable for our family of 8 (4 adults & 4 teenagers). There was plenty of room for everyone, including 3 different tables where we could all dine together. We cooked most nights and had everything we needed. We loved having a full-size refrigerator and a washing machine. The location was very convenient to grocery shopping and the train station for our day trips. The scenery was incredible and we enjoyed relaxing by the pool. Our hosts were very attentive and helpful. They gave us very helpful information on the area and arranged a wonderful chef for an evening. It is obvious the Della Santa family takes great pride in their property and wants to make sure their guests are happy and have everything they need. We highly recommend this property for a memorable vacation.

“Great” we had a great time the house and owner are great people and we loved the location xx

“A jewel in the heart of Tuscany.” Booking very easy helped by the owner. Apartment exceptionally comfortable with all the facilities we required. There was no problem moving in thanks to being met by Fabio when we arrived. A beautiful location with amazing views of Tuscany. An ideal spot for touring and visiting the many medieval towns in this area.

“Great stay in Tuscany” Nora and Fabrizio were wonderful hosts. Their house is beautiful and spacious. It is very clean and comfortable. We stayed two nights and had wonderful conversations with the hosts and other guests. They had guests from Russia, Germany, India, France, and Italy while we were there. We had a wonderful time. It is a great place to go to Florence, Pisa, or Volterre. Did I mention they have a beautiful deck with killer views of Tuscany? We highly endorse the Special - Scenic Tuscany Room.

“Lovely home and amazing view!” Friendly welcome, home with everything you need so you feel immediately at home. Even better than the pictures on the website. When you return from your trip to Lucca, Pisa or Florence you can relax in the comfortable swimmingpool with amazing view on the valley.

“Fantastic holiday at Villa Maura” This is our second visit to La Scuola in Tuscany and our group consisted of four adults. It has an ideal location for sight seeing, being close to Pisa, Florence, and Lucca, not to mention the vineyards and wine tasting, but you do need a vehicle as it is special in its remoteness from urban life. It is in a beautiful setting, within the rolling hills and picturesque scenery you expect from the area. There is a swimming pool to be shared by the few apartments but it is mainly very quiet for a relaxing day with a good book. We have stayed in both an apartment and the Villa Maura which is an exceptional property with all the facilities a family could need. Both met our needs more than adequately. Tiziana the proprietor gives exceptional customer service and this year she helped us with a series of visits with local dignitaries and local places in the area in our efforts to establish some things of unexpected but special historical interest to my family. She has, on both our visits, offered her time and service to help us out. Tizzie even arranged our first basket of shopping to ensure we had groceries for our arrival as it was late in the day and at the weekend. We enjoy a balance between touring and relaxing and this gives the opportunity to do both. If you don't wish to drive into cities there is adequate railway provision locally to get where ever you wish to go. The town of Fuccechio has an open air market each week and there are large local supermarkets close at hand. There are detailed information packs in the Villa and apartments to help you. I would highly recommend this property as a base to chill out or as a base to see the wonders of historical Tuscany or as for us, a chance to do both.

“Unforgettable vacation at It Trebbio” We rented Il Trebbio for 12 days in September. We were very pleased with the accommodations. All rooms were spacious, well furnished, and immaculately clean. The views of Barga, the valley below and the mountains across were spectacular. The owner was very friendly and easy to work with. We also appreciated the small gestures offered upon our arrival such as a basket of fresh fruits and vegetables and a bottle of wine, and as we arrived late, hungry, and unfamiliar with the area, we were given escort to a local restaurant. I would highly recommend this place to anyone wanting to spend a week or a season in this wonderful area of Tuscany aldo Magri

“superbe apartment at a suberbe place” We stayed at the lovely old town of San Gimignano a year ago. Everything was perfect. We received a warm welcome by a nice old lady. The apartment is just next to the central square in the pedestrian area. In summer you can even enjoy opera, theatre and music performances from one window of the apartment. Inside everything worked fine including a free washing machine. Payment and organisation worked smoothly, strongly reommended!

“picturesque villa with gorgeous views” We were a large group of 9 adults 2 toddlers and a baby from The Netherlands and we spent a great week in this beautiful house located on top of a hill overlooking the Tuscan hills. The home owners Celia and Enzo are the kindest people there are. The house is very big, clean and well maintained. The pool is a great asset to this place with plenty of chairs. The little village of Benabbio is a short walk away from the house. In the morning I walked along a shepard's path amidst the olive trees to collect the bread I had ordered the day before. For other groceries you can go to Bagni di Lucca which lies directly down the hill. There are a lot of interesting places to visit. I liked Lucca best. We also went to the beach 2 times. It is more than an hour's drive but well worth the visit. All in all, a great week for all of us, and I can recommend this place to any company.

“Let's Go Back Soon!” The villa is beautiful, cheerful, and we felt at home. Ilaria keeps Podera very clean. Podera is fully equipped and updated. Ilaria and Rafael are the best hosts one can imagine, full of useful information about the area. They are very attentive. Ilaria showed us a 20 minute shortcut straight into a free parking lot in Florence! We did not have enough converters and Rafael went right out and bought some for us. They are both very accommodating and speak fluent English. I cannot say enough about these wonderful people. Their two boys, ages 4 and 6, are also charming and sweet. However, they are little boys and can be a bit noisy when playing, but Ilaria keeps them in line! The main town, San Casciano, is lovely and quaint and only a few minutes from the villa. There is plenty of history in the town. What we also loved, besides the terrific food, wine, the little outdoor market and the pasta shop with home made pastas, is in the evenings, families are out and about in the streets, enjoying a meal or espresso and meeting up with friends and neighbors. The children are with their parents having fun, no iPods! San Casciano felt like home. We had several dinners there and loved walking around. By the way, be sure to know the Italian for the days of the week or you may get a parking ticket ;) We planned on going back to Italy, south next time, but because Ilaria and Rafael are so great, and Podera La Villa so charming, we may decide to stay at Podere La Villa again, rather than somewhere else. It is in a perfect location to visit other towns. We went to Florence, Siena, Orvieto, Livorno, San Gimignano, Cirque Terra and Montapulciano! The only drawback was the wifi is wireless and is from the upstairs apartment, so we had to sit in the living room to get a signal. It was very hot. Wish we could have sat outside at one of several lovely seating areas.

“Country Heaven” I am a city boy and never relized what I was missing in the countryside. This place was exceptional. There is so much room here and the openness is refreshing. The apartment is extremely well appointed and stocked. I was not used to open windows, but I quickly became a fan. To be able to look out your window, without screen or glass was exhilarating. The main bedroom window was the perfect picture frame for looking at the big dipper. Sunset was amazing. Waking up in the morning to sunshine and open windows was life changing. After having breakfast and while waiting for the ladies to get ready, I found myself laying on the bed in absolue bliss. So much so that during my peacefulness, I fell back to sleep. I have never done that before. The location is well suited for day trips and Florence is amazing. You may want to find an alternate way into the city since parking is expensive. I would definately consider going back to this location to explore more of Italy. I would even consider helping antonella during the harvest of olives. I could get used to this kind of life, which is the best compliment a city boy could give. Thank you antonella for a magical stay.