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Back to Casa La Tuscia
Dear In Italy,
We had a lovely time at Casa La Tuscia. It was the right place to be while we recovered from jet lag, & I really wanted to see the Etruscan sites.
We did have a hard time finding the place. Instructions said to turn at the grocery store, but as we arrived in the dark, and the grocery store was set back (with a smaller sign than I am used to here in the States) we had a hard time finding it. I phoned from a public phone in town (I had bought a phone card at the airport just for this possibility). I was told to turn back and try again.
We used the pendulum technique perfected on previous trips to Italy, back & forth in shorter and shorter and slower and slower swings, until we finally found what we were looking for.
I suggest that you mention in future instructions that the grocery store is set back on a small square with a church and a pizza place. There are no other small squares before you reach town.
In the end, we made good use of the grocery store. We were sent to a restaurant that was across the street from the grocery store. After asking two people for directions (and I am fluent in Italian) we finally discovered the place -- the lights were off because it was closed -- and it, too, was set off the road a bit. What with jet lag and all, we ended up buying dinners (cheese, bread, fruit, etc.) at the grocery store, & we were allowed to use the dishes and the kitchen (no microwave of course).
Lydia M.
Dear Jessica,
Thanks for your e mail. Yes we had a wonderful time at Casa La Tuscia, it was all we expected and more. Our host and Peppino were most helpful, and could not have made our stay more comfortable. It was such a pity that our stay could not have been longer.
The Casa La Tucia and its location are absolute gems and should really be a well kept secret, however we will, reluctantly tell our friends.
Thanks to all for a wonderful holiday.
Kind Regards,
Graham C.
Dear In Italy,
We called ahead and alerted them to our arrival about 6pm - the directions
were a little hard to track but we found the turn on the second pass. Our
host greeted us that evening and, except for a few minutes the next morning,
we never saw him again! The real "host" was Pepino, who was the
sweetest man altho he didn't speak a word of English. (I enjoyed this as
I got a chance to practice my Italian but others might not.) It was a lovely
setting and very quiet and peaceful, as we had hoped. The room was a little
disappointing - our "king" size bed was not held together even
by a fitted sheet, and there was a huge "valley" in the middle!
The communal sitting room was large tho completely separate from the house
and a bit on the dim side. (Not enough light for hand applique!) Our room
could not be locked while we were in it, say, at night, which was a bit odd;
although we certainly felt safe I guess we are used to locking our hotel
rooms, etc. There were two killer spiders on the loose in our room- at least
2 inches, I am not kidding - and quite a few other insects. We never saw
a pool, playground, or laundry facility as advertised, altho to be fair we
didn't ask. Still, we had a very good time! We would not return here, altho
I cannot say enough good things about Pepino.
I have recommended your website to many others since we used it for our first
trip to Italy in 2002, and I will certainly use it again for our next trip.
Grazie mille!
Warmly,
Christine T.
Dear Jessica,
We had an amazing time in Italy. Our visit wouldn't have been the same had
we not had wonderful hosts at Casa La Tuscia. Our stay in the country at Casa
La Tuscia was absolutely wonderful. Giuseppe was so much help with planning
our days. It was the perfect location for day trips to visit some beautiful
places. Just a short train ride to Rome and a quick trip by car to Umbria.
On our way to visit Orvieto and Todi in the Umbria reigion we made a detour
to Civita di Bagnoregio where we visited the hilltop town that you can only
reach by a footbridge. It was truly amazing!!! There was the sweetest elderly
lady who has obviously lived there her whole life who showed us her yard and
all her treasures. At the end of each day it was nice to return to the property
where we were greeted by Chee Chee, the host dog. I would love to go back and
stay longer at Casa La Tuscia. Giuseppe and his groundskeeper Pippino were
the best.
Our trip was wonderful. A week in the country then onto a week in the city.
We had the best of both worlds and couldn't have done it with out the help
of In Italy Online and our wonderful hosts at both locations.
Tammy R.
Dear Julie,
B&B La Tuscia was wonderful. I especially like the location. Very quiet and out of the way. After spending a day in Rome it was very pleasant to return to La Tuscia. The Ada room was adequate for our needs. After being in some very remote parts of Sicily, it was quite refreshing to have a toilet with a seat and great running hot shower! The landscaping was also pleasurable. Almond trees (I think) surrounded the villa. Scores of lavender were planted all around our room. Guiseppe (Pepino), the caretaker, was a wonderful help. Breakfast every morning at 8:30 on the terrace, he took us to the train station in Capranica (only ten minutes away) - very convenient, hosed off our car each morning as the dirt road left it quite dusty. We were treated very well. Guiseppe, the owner, was very accommodating. He told us of a great restaurant - Aguilerra - only five minutes away. It is set in caves. Very delicious, the service was wonderful but make sure you know how to speak Italian! He also told us of a wonderful summer concert series taking place in the nearby town of (I forgot - but Giuseppe would know). The swimming pool was great! It is a nice walk to get to the pool (includes stairs) so be sure to wear sturdy shoes (bathroom located near pool). La Tuscia is near Lago di Vico. If we had more time we would have liked to explore more around the lake. It is beautiful and there is a forest preserve there, too. There is also a lovely park in Catania, near the train station. I don't have any complaints and my first trip to Italy was, so far, the trip of a lifetime for me. I'd go back in a heartbeat. Thanks to you and initaly.com my trip was very special and even more memorable!! Keep up the good work!
P.S. The directions were also great! Communication from initaly.com was prompt and extremely accurate. Thanks!
Laura C.
Dear Julie,
B&B La Tuscia was outstanding. We do not have much experience with Italian B&Bs but we do have years of experience with B&Bs in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Germany. The owner was gracious but we did not see much of him. Peppino, his help on the estate, and his wife spoke no english but with our broken Italian we had a wonderful stay. We were pointed to places to visit (pictures to come), and were warmly greeted on our return each evening. One evening we brought a picnic dinner and ate in the back yard with Peppino's grandchildren playing next door. We felt at home and were teary-eyed when we left after three days.
Thanks again,
Stu H.
Dear Julie,
We had a wonderful trip to Italy and Casa La Tuscia was wonderful. We did not see much of the owners, but Pepino and his wife were an absolute joy. They spoke no English but with our broken Italian we got along very well. We are both happy grandparents. It is a beautiful setting, relaxing and comfortable.
Thank you for helping us find them.
Stu and Judy H.
Dear In Italy,
Of course all of Italy is superb. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Casa La Tuscia. Giuseppi is an outstanding host. During our stay, he was available to help us with anything we needed, including great ideas on where to go, and yet my wife and I felt as though we had the place to ourselves. It was a great respite from the sometimes frantic pace of visiting Rome. The countyside around Casa La Tuscia is at once a charming and exciting place to be, with so many quiet rural roads and fascinating hill towns to explore. We found a magical place one evening when we stumbled upon the small village of Romano Barbarano. I don't have my map with me with which to pin point the lacation but it is within the borders of a national park southwest of lake Vico. Also within the borders of the park is an Etruscan ruin for which the park is named. When my wife and I arrived, no one else was about and we found ourselves alone amidst two-thousand year old dwellings that had been carved into the sides of a lush green gorge. It is a timeless place. Because we found it so late in the day, we did not have as long to explore as we would have liked. The time we spent there in the light of the setting sun, however, we shall treasure as the finest of all our time in La Tuscia.
Thanks for making our visit to Casa La Tuscia possible.
Another region of Italy that my wife and fell in love with was the Almafi coast, particularly the village of Ravello. We intend to return absolutely for words do not describe and memories do not sustain. Ironically, from the clifftop views of Ravello one can see the historical residence of Torre Sarcena. In researching our trip to Italy we found (through In Italy) this historical residence. We knew we wanted to stay there but you informed us that it was fully booked for the time we would be there. Now having seen it for ourselves (from a lovely distance) we are already making plans to stay there. As soon as we are prepared to book, well in advance this time, we will contact you.
Thanks for everything so far,
Ken G.
Dear In Italy,
As for our other choice, Casa La Tuscia, we chose this place because we needed to be close to the Rome airport to meet a group early in the morning and drop off a rental car. It was convenient, an hour to Fiumicino by car, so it served our purpose. We had never been to the Lazio area so it was new to us. Cant say I would recommend spending much time there, not as outstanding as Tuscany or Umbria. Dont think I would go back.
B&B La Tuscia is a nice farmhouse with the owner living on the top floor and the rooms on the main floor. We were the only guests at the time. Rooms were clean and basic. Giuseppe, the proprietor, speaks excellent English and was very nice. Peppito, his helper, spoke no English, but we communicated quite well. He tried very hard to do everything he could for us, even getting fresh figs off the tree when he saw me lustily looking at them! He was delightful. The farm is a lovely spot, with beautiful, quiet grounds. Beautiful masses of lavender line the drive. It is off the main road, up a long dusty gravel road. We stopped in the town to ask directions and a little man drove us right to the driveway. Wonderful, friendly people in the town, although the town itself is nothing special. Breakfast was acceptable, we ate out on the patio. But, the accomodations themselves must be described as very basic.
Once again, thank you for your help in our trip preparations and we do anticipate using your services again.
Fran j.
Dear In Italy,
B&B La Tuscia was a great find! We enjoyed our stay there and found it all very comfortable. The breakfasts were great! The location was quiet and peaceful. Guiseppe and Pepino were very helpful and went out of their way to ensure we had a memorable visit. We spent the two days visiting Etruscan ruins and museums and on Guiseppe's recommendation, went to Tuscania for the Good Friday procession. It is a wonderful town and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We had to drive back to Rome to pick up friends at the airport and of course all roads lead to Rome, so it was no problem leaving from Capranica.
The only thing I would suggest is for you to include an arrival time - we were not sure when we were expected and did not get there until about 4pm. By that time, they had about given up on us. Otherwise, it was a nice, slow introduction to Italy. Not too far from the airport and Rome, but worlds away from the usual tourist route. Too bad the weather was not as welcoming.
Marikay B.
Hi Julie,
We stayed two nights at Casa La Tuscia and really enjoyed it. We called when we arrived in town and our hosts came and showed us the way to the B & B (which would be really difficult to find otherwise), where we had a wonderful, huge room with a great view. It felt more like a cottage than a hotel room (guests stay in one of two buildings which are separate fromt the main house), which was a really nice surprise. Our room didn't have a phone or TV, but did have a stereo with a few CD's available. Although we didn't use it much, there was also a kitchen with a small fridge, stove etc. so you could cook your own meals if you wanted to. Our hosts took excellent care of us, brought us a good breakfast at whatever time we requested, which we could eat either in the room or on the patio right outside our front door.
While staying there we found a great restaurant called "La Corte degli Anguillara" (recommended by our host who actually drove us there so we could find it, which was really nice), in Capranica. It's built into the side of a cliff and has a medieval, cave-like atmosphere inside. Very good food at reasonable prices, excellent service. One note of caution: if you take the train to Rome, make sure to watch closely for the Capranica stop on the way back. We returned by train at night and found that many of the small train stops (including Capranica, which has a really small station) don't seem to have a sign up marking the stop. In our case it was dark when we came back, and we ended up missing the stop to Capranica. Because it was late there were no trains returning that night, we ended up getting off at Viterbo and taking a cab back to Capranica!
Best regards,
Gillian S.