“My favorite vacation experience” My first trip to Podere Patrignone was in 1999, and I've been back four times since my initial visit. The setting is incredible, and the views extend to miles and miles of Tuscany. It's amazing to sit on the terrace and see the towers of San Gimignano far in the distance. The villa is located just 3 kilometers from Castellina in Chianti, a charming village with unbelievable shopping for leather goods (Cappelletti), artwork, and other wonderful Tuscan items. Patrignone is a perfect location for day trips to Florence, Siena, Montalcino, and many other wonderful towns filled with incredible history. Back to the villa...Simon and Verity are carrying on the tradition of Simon's mom Carla, who renovated this beautiful villa that was originally a 14th century farmhouse. The main house has 7 rooms (each with its own bathroom...no sharing!), a great kitchen, and lots of space for lounging and relaxing. I've stayed in the main house as well as each of the 2-bedroom apartments...each with its own kitchen and living area. They all are wonderful, clean, charming, and have beautiful views. This year I participated in a cooking class conducted by Verity. Even after multiple cooking classes that I've taken throughout Italy, I can say that this was one of the best learning experiences: Verity is a fantastic teacher, cooking all the courses was great fun, and we got to dine and wine on our results. She cooked dinner for all of us on our first night, and everything was delicious! There were 18 of us on this trip, although I've been here with as few as one other person. I have lots of other friends who are encouraging a return trip. This year was in the last week of May, but I think we'll return for a visit in September next year. Carla and Simon and Verity have created a paradise that continues to call to me even after all these years and visits. Podere Patrignone is absolutely amazing and I can't wait to return!

“Perfect base to see all that Tuscany has to offer” La Casetta del Borgo was the perfect location for my recent trip to Tuscany with my wife. The unit is located in a resort with plenty of amenities including two pools and a very nice tennis court with faux grass that can be used for a small fee. It is a 10 minute drive to Montaione where one can go for dinner or buy groceries to cook in the unit's kitchen. All the necessary utensils are available to do some home cooking and I enjoyed a number of home cooked dinners and a delicious breakfast every morning thanks to my lovely wife. The main resort building has a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, however I didn't try it out so I can't say anything about it. Paolo, the owner, was a pleasure to deal with. I was having trouble finding the location with my GPS so Paolo had me meet him at his home which is just off the highway from Florence and very easy to find. To ensure that I found it with no problem Paolo drove to the resort while I followed . Once at the resort he had the keys, a nice bottle of wine, and plenty of info about the local area ready for me. Since he knew that I had the flu he even had some flu medication for me in case I needed it! The weather was unseasonably cold when we arrived and the bedding wasn't sufficient, but Paolo came to the rescue and drove over in the rain with more blankets for us. You'll be hard pressed to find a better host at this type of vacation rental. The location was perfect for us as it was very quiet, yet was within easy driving distance of many towns and cities in Tuscany. Smaller towns like Montaione and San Gimignon were within a 10-20 minute drive and Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Sienna were all within an hours scenic drive. If driving into Florence remember that free parking can be found at the Piazzale Michelangelo which is located outside of the ZTL and is a short walk to the Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi and other old city sites. The views are also magnificent! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this property!

“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.

“Perfection in Tuscany” We spent a perfect week at this property, which combines the charm of a classic Tuscan villa with all the amenities of a luxurious modern home. The spacious, beautifully furnished villa and the adjoining guest house accommodated three families – a total of 15 people – in utmost comfort, with ample room for everyone to be occupied in their own preferred activities. We all enjoyed the villa’s private tennis courts and large swimming pool – dazzling under the Tuscan sun by day and beautifully lit at night – and the secluded grounds offered plenty of opportunities to wander off and find a favorite spot to just relax and take in the breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside and neighboring mountaintop villages (a visit to Palaia being highly recommended) as well as the spectacular sunsets. We would then all regroup for meals together, which were a pleasure to prepare in the huge, exceptionally equipped kitchen and most often consumed around the massive table in the garden. Our only complaint about the truly memorable week we spent at this extraordinary property was that it passed far too quickly.

“A Slice of Paradise” We stayed at Podere Patrignone for 5 days in September. It was wonderful to stay in a self contained apartment after 4 weeks of hotels in France. The farmhouse is charming, the apartments are unique and quaint, the countryside was picture perfect and the weather was unseasonably warm. Simon and Verity were such hospitable hosts, yet give the guests their own space. We thoroughly enjoyed the weekly meal Verity and Pam created for all the guests. You must have a car to truely experience all the hidden charms of Tuscany, and everything is so close and the quality of food and wine was impressive. Our favourite memory of staying at Podere Patrignone was sharing sunsets on the terrace with other guests and partaking of good wine, great conversation and so many laughs. We will be back for another slice of paradise.

“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.

“Ideal Tuscany accomodation” We spent five glorious days at Patrignone. We loved the location, perfect for visiting many of the small towns, and also Florence and Siena. Our 2 bedroom villa was beautiful, and everything we could have wanted. We especially enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of Simon and Verity, and their three sons. It made the holiday extra special. We will definitely be back.