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Back to Villa di Piazzano
Dear Jessica,
We had a WONDERFUL trip to Italy with a wonderful stay at Villa Piazzano (a beautifully restored villa) outside Cortona. We did day trips and especially enjoyed going to Spello and out on Lake Trasimeno to Isola Maggiore on the ferry. The wildflowers were all in bloom and our drives were beautiful. We also enjoyed driving to the eastern coast to Senigallia for a delicious seafood lunch at Ristorante L'Ancora and another our last day on the opposite coast in Fiumicino at Ristorante Bastianella. Our best meal was dinner at Ristorante Taverna du Lupo in Gubbio. We thank you for all of your assistance in planning our trip.
Nancy and David S.
Hello Girls,
I can't believe that I've waited over 6 weeks to get back to you about one of our best trips ever to Italy. The Villa de Piazzano in Cortona was off the beaten path, which made it even lovelier and romantic. A tree-lined drive that we walked every day made us feel so 'Italian'. The city of Cortona was just minutes away, as were several small Tuscan towns worth visiting.
We recommend you to friends, and to people we meet in Italy who ask, "Where are you staying?" "How did you find that hotel?" We hope they use you, you are a wonderful resource for travelers who like the 'out of the ordinary' places, as well as touristy places.
Thank you for helping to make our trip most enjoyable. We give InItaly.com five stars. You guys are the best.
OH!! And our car reservations were easy, even with the trade over in Lake Como. Thank you.
Regards,
Forrest & Jan P.
Dear In Italy,
We had a wonderful time in Italy. This was the first time we visited in October and the weather was perfect. The Villa Di Piazzano was wonderful! It was our second visit and it was just as lovely if not more than the first time. There were a few changes made in the three years since we had been there and they were all good. We had a very relaxing time at the villa and a great time exploring the Tuscan area. I would like to comment on a restaurant in Cortona. We had dinner there. It was a Hostaria. The name is "La Buccacia" and it was so enjoyable. I highly recommend it. The food and wine were great and Romano the owner was very entertaining. His wife did all the cooking and his nine year old daughter helped with waiting tables. We felt very much at home there and we thank the Villa Di Piazzano for the recommendation. We have many fond memories of our trip and will definitely return to Tuscany again and to the Villa Di Piazzano. Thanks for your great website. This was the second time we used it and it is wonderful!
Judith E.
Hi Jessica,
There was not much information on Villa di Piazzano on the website when I made the booking, but it turned out to be our favorite out of the 3. The location of the villa was spectacular, the rooms large and beautiful, and the restaurant served some of the best food on our trip. We had dinner at the villa both nights. It was also ideally situated for touring with easy access to many of the Tuscan hill towns as well as the Umbria region.
We truly had a memorable trip and until I found your website I was very frustrated trying to find information on the types of accommodations I was looking for. I have already recommended you to several friends.
Monica P.
Dear Jessica,
We had a wonderful time in Italy! In fact, we are already looking forward to our next visit!
The best parts:
1. our three private tours -- the Vatican Museum with Luciana, introduction to Florence with Lucia and the tour of the Uffizi with Natalia
2. our stay at the Villa di Piazzano
3. the courtyard at the Hotel Ponte Sisto
The worst parts:
1. the accommodations at the Casa Fiorentina
2. the food at the Rome Airport Hotel
I almost didn't book the private tours because they seemed so expensive but, I'm so glad that I did! We really enjoyed meeting these lovely women and sharing in their knowledge. I highly recommend these tours to anyone who wants to get a deeper understanding of the sites. As a former art history major with a husband who is a painter, it was particularly wonderful for us to have someone with whom to discuss the art work more in depth. Even our 14 year old daughter was interested!
We can't say enough good things about the Villa di Piazzano. The location, the service, the accommodations, the grounds, the food -- everything was perfect. And it was so nice to have the option to eat a gourmet dinner at the Villa. After a long day of sightseeing, it was wonderful not to have to get in the car again to go out for our evening meal every night. The Villa is in our personal "top three" inn experiences.
Many thanks for your help in arranging our trip. I have already recommended your site to several friends.
Sincerely,
Margaret B.
Hello Jessica,
We're still savoring the enjoyment of our trip -- a very successful one, in no small part due to the help of InItaly. Thank you so much!
Every one of the three hotels we booked through you turned out very well. Our favorite, by far, was the Villa de Piazzano -- it's a true gem. The owners could not be more friendly and welcoming, the villa and its surroundings are beautiful, and the food and service outstanding. We'd go back there in a minute.
The car booking worked fine, as well. We would recommend InItaly heartily -- and have -- to anyone we come in contact with!!!
Thanks again...until next time,
Ann C.
Hello David,
Sorry for the delay in answering. We did have a wonderful trip but more importantly, we are so happy to have found your site. I would trust anything on your site having used some of your property and advice on this trip. We will certainly recommend it to others.
To answer your questions:
Villa di Piazzano was by far the most pleasant surprise
of the places we stayed. I picked it without recommendation when another
property was filled and could
not accommodate us and I must say, I am really glad they could not. The Villa
is all it advertises and more.-from the cypress-lined drive into it to the
antiques throughout the entire property,& the many public rooms with comfortable
couches to just sit back and relax ,sip some wine, read a book or just enjoy
the surroundings. I am often heard to proclaim that "It's all in the details" and
the Villa takes that statement to heart. The rooms are spacious with amazing
amenities while still maintaining old world charm. The views across the grape
and olive fields are incredible. The heart of the property is Alessandra and
her family. Alessandra's love of the villa transfers to her guests. We looked
forward to our nightly chats with her about our day's travels. You truly feel
you are a guest in her home. We especially enjoyed touring the villa with her
and learning about the original renovations to the property. She makes elaborate
dinners 6 nights a week for any guest who wishes to take advantage of dining
on property. We cannot sing the praises of this property loudly enough.
This was not our first trip to Italy but certainly
one of the best thanks to the hints and advice from your site. We appreciate
your help.
Dee F.
Hi Jessica,
Villa di Piazzano was wonderful - great accommodations in a spectacular setting, and close to the wonderful village of Cortona. The only thing I would pass along to future guests is: clearer directions - took us about 5 minutes to realize the 1st large house we passed on the dirt road to the Villa was not it - the directions say to ignore a similarly named spot, but we still didn't get it ...
Thanks,
Sheri W.
Hi,
We loved both the Grand Hotel Villa Balbi and the Villa di Piazzano. I think our favorite was the Villa de Piazzano. It was lovely! So peaceful and quiet. The last night we were there a thunderstorm rolled through and the villa lost electricity. It only added to the atmosphere and we ended up meeting lots of nice people and eating our dinner by candlelight. During dinner the lights came on and we were able to have some pasta which was delicious. The room was beautiful and the hosts were so friendly and gave us a tour of the place, the wine cellar too! We loved it and would go back next visit to Italy. Our only bad experience during our trip was that our cell phones did not work. We rented two of them. We had two cars and at one point we went to two different places. We wanted to be able to communicate during that time, but we were not able to call each other's cell phone. We called the help number and were not able to reach that also. We kept getting a message that said there was no such number available. The car rental went smoothly but we had a hard time finding the drop off location in Florence. All in all we had a fabulous trip. One we will not soon forget. Our family enjoyed visiting Rome, Florence, Venice, Sorrento and my husband and I had some quiet time in Sestri Levante and Umbria. Thank you for all your help and we would surely use Italy.com for our future visits to Italy.
Judy E.
Dear Julie Sassano and InItaly.com:
Our trip to Italy was absolutely wonderful and amazing! All of the arrangements we made through you were perfect. All of our accommodations far exceeded our expectations! Thanks to you!
Even our car rental was a pleasant surprise -- we were first upgraded to a Mercedes compact, and when we had problems with the brakes on our first car, we contacted Europcar in Florence and they told us to come back in and upgraded us to a Mercedes sedan at no extra cost (...I hope). Luckily we were in Chianti and close to Florence at that point. The only trouble we had was finding Europcar -- it's really hidden in the maze of Florence side streets -- very difficult to find if you aren't taking a cab there. But the very best part was the beautiful places we stayed -- we loved them all -- especially Villa de Piazzano and Villa Belvedere.
Villa di Piazzano in Cortona was the most exquisite!!! -- truly elegant and perfect in every detail -- from the beautiful setting to the gorgeous furnishings to the huge bouquets of white lilies and their fragrance that permeated the entire atmosphere. And John, Adrianna and Alessandra were so warm, helpful and cordial, we felt like we were visitors in someone's home rather than in a hotel. Again, our room and bath were huge and everything from the bed linens, to the furnishings to the draperies to the bright pink and white tile in the bathroom were very tasteful and absolutely lovely. We couldn't believe we were so fortunate to experience this wonderful and remarkable place.
And thank you, thank you, thank you InItaly -- especially Julie and Kristin. You provided wonderful service and everything was just as you promised -- No, Much Better!!!! We will return to your site, because we will go back to Bella Italia -- and we are recommending you to all our friends and acquaintances. Mille grazie!
Very warm regards,
Angela T. and Barbara M.
Dear Kristin,
I couldn't even begin to tell you how wonderful Villa Piazzano was. The drive down the Tuscan cypress lane was so inviting and the villa itself was elegant, clean and inviting. This place had those nice little touches that makes one know that they have taken every effort to accommodate you and make it special. We enjoyed meeting and chatting with Alessandra and her family and particularly loved the day we spent resting by the pool while viewing the grape and olive orchards just beyond the gate. We were served lunch on the terrace that included smoked wild boar from up the road and wine from the vineyard next door. What a treat! We couldn't say enough good things about this place! It is definitely on our list of places to visit again and the prices were very reasonable for the service and accommodation.
We ate at two restaurants recommended by you in Cortona and loved them both. Osteria del Teatro offered a great setting, great food and a fair price. Taverna Pane e Vino was a treat! A casual setting with the BEST Tuscan soup you can imagine!
Cathy & Spud A.
Hi Julie,
Villa Piazzano was great! The owners were very helpful in making dinner reservations and giving us directions. They even arranged to have our dry cleaning done and delivered back to us very quickly. The rooms were lovely and large and the grounds were nicely landscaped and peaceful. The villa was nestled in an agricultural valley and the small town of Pergo nearby had a pizzeria, small grocery store, two bars and a lovely restaurant which served creative local cuisine. The hill town of Cortona was within a 15 minute drive and is very picturesque with many restaurants and shopping choices. We drove to Assisi for one of our outings, and then to Gubbio the following day where we had lunch and rode the funivia (a small tram) to the top of the hill to visit the cathedral of St. Urbino. His body is preseved in a glass coffin above the altar! We also drove to Todi and Terni, where we had a wonderful lunch overlooking the valley below. After a detour through Spoleto, we arrived at an interesting site that our children had asked to see - the mummies of Tarantillo - 14 kilometers outside of Terni - and visited Marmore Falls, a must see, along the way. Another one day trip was to Deruta to order pottery. The only comment that is less than positive about Villa Piazzano, is that it is extremely quiet and when traveling with children, this can be a minus. We reminded our children constantly to keep their voices down, to walk quietly, etc... There is a lovely pool which helped to keep them entertained.
Thank you for your help with this booking. We are interested in trying another villa next year. We would love to be on a hillside and have access to hiking trails. We would again need two rooms, a pool, breakfast, nearby restaurants and maybe a different area of Italy. We are interested in esploring the western coast of Tuscany. Can you make any suggestions?
Ciao and Grazie,
Vanessa S.
Dear Cynthia,
Villa Piazzano was fabulous. The Villa is as gorgeous as the photos depicted online. The welcome we received was very nice as we entered and the hostess said, "you must be The Bitners", and then she proceeded to make a reservation for us at a trattoria in Cortona for lunch. The place was called "Fufluns" and it was a great start to our visit in Cortona. Nice pizzas and salads and wine in a very warm, comfortable atmosphere. Our room at the Villa was most comfortable and spacious and very quiet. The surrounding countryside is breathtakingly beautiful. The entire Villa was a pleasure - from breakfast (simple cakes, rolls, cereal, yogurts, coffee, tea) to the beauty of each of the public areas one walks through to get to room or to dining room. We spent most of our time in Cortona and ate dinners there as well, so we did not eat at the Villa. But it smelled wonderful. So I would highly recommend The Villa Piazzano. WE spent our 2nd day visiting Assisi. So, it is a very reasonable drive from the Villa to Assisi. Once in Assisi you really need to plan to spend the entire day to truly take in all that it has to offer. Thanks for your part in arranging our accommodations and sending the map along with suggestions of places to eat and visit. I only wish we had more time to enjoy the wonders of Italy. We want to go back in the future, and will definitely contact In Italy when we do!!
Ciao,
Sharon B.
Dear In Italy,
In response to your message, let me say yes, we loved Villa Piazzano. To begin with, the villa is beautifully situated, quiet, with nice landscaping and great scenery. We had no problem finding them, given your clear instructions. Our room was even nicer than we imagined, and in fact, the whole place was clean, warm, beautifully appointed and appropriately refurbished. We had a wonderful meal cooked by Adriana, and met some of the other guests at this time. Although all the amenities, as I have described, were great, the foremost thing I will take away from our stay was the genuinely warm hospitality demonstrated by our hosts. I would recommend this establishment to any of my friends, and I hope that we can revisit them someday.
Yours truly,
John and Linda K.
Dear cynthia,
We had a delightful stay at the Villa. the staff were pleasant and could not have been more helpful. We had dinner there one evening. It was tasty but there was no advance menu and no choice. That is about the only criticism I would make. I would not hesitate to recommend a stay there to anyone planning to visit that area!!
Best regards,
Anthony R.
Dear In Italy:
The Villa di Piazzano is a magical place, and to be married there was truly a dream come true. The beautiful Tuscan country setting, eloquent rooms, fabulous food and wine, great music, etc. are only a few of the details that made our wedding magical. Our family and friends cannot say enough about the experience. It's difficult to believe it's over, but the memories we have will stay with us throughout our lifetime.
Our days at the Villa were romantic, relaxing and fun, and our wedding was perfect. We will never forget how special it was to be there with our family, friends, and our new friends the Wimpoles. We feel so fortunate to have found the Villa di Piazzano. No other Italian Villa could compare.
Sincerley,
Shay and Johnny P.
Thanks Julie,
We had a lovely time in Italy. Villa di Piazzano was better than we expected - lovely big rooms, so quiet and beautifully furnished. The staff were all very helpful too. We ate at the local restaurant Relais La Corte dei Papi and the local trattoria, as well as one night at the villa - all lovely food.
Another hotel we used was Villa del Parco in Rome (we didn't realise till later that it was available through Initaly). It was great - easy to get into the centre on the local buses and we had a lovely new bathroom including a massage shower (not in every room yet). The best thing however was the very helpful staff - they were fantastic.
Regards,
Sandra M.
Dear In Italy,
Only 10 days after we returned from Italy, I left to spend a month in Benin, West Africa, to do volunteer work. And I have been playing catch-up ever since! But meanwhile we have sung the praises of the Villa Piazzano everywhere we've been. It was fabulous!! The location was perfect for what we wanted to do, the accommodations were just splendid, and our hosts were so welcoming and friendly. (We even were honored to be adopted by the family cat!) From the Villa we were easily less than 2 hours away from all the towns we wanted to visit: Assisi, Orvieto, Perugia, Montepulciano and Siena. And the room made me feel like a princess! We didn't get the room we'd requested, the previous guests extended their stay so it wasn't available, but after a little juggling we got another huge, wonderful room overlooking the gardens.
In addition, I have been telling people about your site. I found it most helpful. My sister would like to make a similar trip as we did, and I strongly encouraged her to check out your site to get some info. She & her husband have never driven in Europe, don't speak Italian, and had the curious plan of driving from Tuscany to Sicily. I think they are heading for disaster (as well as a rather soggy ride!) and strongly recommended they check out your site before they make any decisions. I think she'll trust you more than me!
All the best, and thanks again for your help.
Denise T.
Cynthia,
We were very happy with our experience. The Villa di Piazzano is a lovely, peaceful location that was very "children friendly." Alessandra and her parents were wonderful hosts and most pleasant on a personal level. We also enjoyed the many other guests we had a chance to meet from around the world while we were there.
We certainly hope to be able to visit again in the future.
Best regards,
Joe P.
Julie-
I just returned from Italy a couple of days ago. Our stay at Villa di Piazzano was delightful! The property is beautiful, and our room was lovely. The owners are great hosts. We took advantage of their offer to provide dinner one night, and found it to be excellent and a real bargain! It was also nice to meet other guests. The location of the property is excellent. I was surprised to find it so close to Cortona--guess I hadn't read all the information carefully. The only negative I can think of is the condition of the lane to the property. It is rough and narrow, but after driving it a couple of times I learned to avoid the worst of the holes. In summary, our stay at Villa di Piazzano was one of the highlights of our trip. I will definitely return there the next time I stay in that area!
Thanks for your help in making the arrangements!
Karen W.
Dear In Italy,
We couldn't have enjoyed our stay more at the Villa di Piazzano. All of the glowing comments your previous travelers have written about the Villa didn't prepare us for the warmth and generosity of its owners nor for the beauty and peace of its surroundings. One thing we didn't know was that we could request dinner every night. We had two. They were the best dinners we had during our entire trip. Adriana is a fantastic cook! Our room was big and comfortable and we left the windows open so that we could hear the nightingales singing in the cypress trees.
Cortona is a lovely town, unspoiled by too many tourists, yet it was warm and hospitable to those of us that found our way to its gates. We would recommend this area especially to those travelers who are tired of the overcrowded and overpriced. Cortona, Arezzo, Perugia, and Orvieto, all contained some many wonderful art treasures that it seemed too much to absorb in just five days.
Thanks again for your wonderful service. We will certainly use you again in planning our next Italian adventure!
David S.
Dear In Italy,
Villa di Piazzano was a nice contrast to Rome (I loved Rome though).The villa and setting is very peaceful. They were doing a fair amount of landscaping and the pool was not available. This did not pose a problem for us though. The family was very professional and helpful in making suggestions when asked. The food prepared at the villa was quite good. In Cortona, go to Pane & Vino. It's in one of the main squares and the Tuscan soup is great. Our favorite day trip was to Montepulciano. The drive there and town were wonderful.
Marie B.
Dear Julie,
Yes we are now back home in England after a lovely trip. We adored Piazzano and its owners were wonderfully friendly and helpful. It was very comfortable and perfectly placed for southern Tuscany/morth Umbria. After the spacious rooms here, we found our room at Pambufetti very small and cramped, otherwise it was a nice place, but we far preffered Piazzano. Thank you for finding etc for us. I will send you more info later when I have given it some thought, ie restaurants etc.
Yours,
Amanda E.
Dear Cynthia,
The Villa di Piazzano was devine. The owners were lovely people extremely helpful and chatty - the accommodation was superb and we were offered an upgrade due to some cancellations. However the standard room we had booked was so lovely and we took it as opposed to the Suite offered!! We had dinner there one of the nights which again was very entertaining as we were seated with other guests.
Thanks again for everything and I have recommended the site to loads of my friends!!.
Regards,
Margaret F.
Dear Cynthia,
After spending 11 days in Italy, mostly in small rooms, we were absolutely ecstatic to find ourselves at the Villa di Piazzano. Driving up the country lane lined with tall cypress trees on both sides, I knew, at least, that the structure would be impressive. The manor house was quite imposing, but the warm welcome we received made it seem as if we had just come "home".
Allesandra, her mother and father were incredibly charming, hospitable and helpful. Our rooms were spacious and well appointed, and the bathrooms superb. They had just finished installing the pool and were still not finished with the plumbing for the air-conditioning. However, the nights were cool and we were quite comfortable. Our last evening in Italy was probably our best because of where we chose to stay. Tired of eating in restaurants, we bought several items for a "picnic dinner " and asked our hosts if it would be alright to eat on the tables in the courtyard. Not only was it OK, but they offered to set the table for us with their lovely china and stem ware. Wow! We ate in the cool twilight of the Tuscan countryside, relaxed and feeling incredibly lucky to have found Villa di Piazzano.
Thanks for the referral. I should have done the rest of our trip from your site. Next time!
Yours truly,
Rochelle S.
Dear In Italy,
As for the Villa di Piazzano, what is there to say about heaven on earth. Beautiful place with beautiful people. Our room during our stay, Il Lecceto, faces the front of the Villa and has fabulous view from any window. To wake up in the morning with the birds singing at our window everyday was such a treat. Alessandra and her parents do everything in their power to make you feel happy and relaxed. Our first night there they recommended a fabulous restaurant, La Corte dei Papi. This is a must for anyone staying at the Villa. They will call and make reservations for you. It is run by two brothers who know what they are doing. Deliciously creative menu with an extensive wine list. We will definitely be back. Our experience at the Villa di Piazzano can be summed up in one word, magical. Thank you again for all your help. We have recommended your web site to everyone we know who might be planning a trip to Italy and you will definitely be hearing from us again.
Hayley R.
Dear Ghia,
Our trip to Italy was quite amazing! The Villa di Piazzano was absolutely wonderful. Rooms, hospitality superb. As we were doing day trips in the area we found the location to be perfect. The town of Cortona which is 6 km away from the Villa had a wonderful choice of restaurants, and was in itself a beautiful untouched town. We loved it! Thank you for your good work in helping us get there! It will surely not be our last trip to Italy, and we will contact you without hesitation for the next one.
Kind regards,
Sharyn & Steve F.
Dear Ghia,
Thank you for your "welcome home" note. You are right: we did have a marvelous trip, and Italy was indeed fascinating, relaxing and exciting. One of the highlights of our trip was our stay at the Villa di Piazzano. I am almost afraid to tell you how wonderful it was for fear of starting a stampede to the place. It seemed like an undiscovered gem, and we'd hate to find a waiting list the next time we go there. The people at the hotel were warm, friendly, helpful and caring. And the hotel was beautiful, and its history was fascinating. It was a bit pricey for the area, but well worth it for the serenity of the place and its surroundings.
We were driving, and the Villa di Piazzano is very conveniently located. It is just outside of Cortona (with its Etruscan history) and very near Lake Trasimeno which is a rather large lake with islands in it which one can visit by taking the local boat service. (We didn't have nearly enough time to investigate the lake area, but plan to on our next trip.) Also, within easy driving distance, there are many places to visit such as Volterra where they craft the locally-mined alabaster into all sorts and sizes of objects. San Galgano is not far: this is the site of the original "sword in the stone" legend where a disenchanted knight thrust his sword into a stone (where it still remains) and, on being unable to remove it, took this as a sign from God that he should renounce warfare and found an abbey - which he did.
Also within easy driving distance is Bagno Vignoni, a little town whose central piazza contains a huge thermal "bath" (no longer used as such). And just behind the town thermal springs (mentioned in Frances Mayes' book "Bella Tuscany") run down a hillside. We took advantage of this spring and soaked our travel-weary feet in the hot stream. It was delightful and made us feel like we could walk forever. Too bad we didn't get to do this much, much earlier in our travels around Italy. We were told that there are plans to reconstruct some of the smaller "baths" fed by the thermal stream. I hope so!
All in all, the Villa di Piazzano is a wonderful place. Away from the hustle and bustle of the towns, but not requiring a week's minimum booking like the agritourism places, which we found a major turn-off. I hope on our next visit we can manage the time to stay longer, but many of the agritourism places we saw were out in the middle of nowhere and being there for a week would be stifling and boring.
But, ssssssssh! Please don't tell anyone else about this marvelous place. We'd like to keep it all to ourselves.
Best regards,
Mary H.