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Customer Reviews
Overall:
We had a great experience. The steep walk to and from the villa was challenging at times. I missed not having a car to go to other areas .
Enjoyed Most:
The views
Enjoyed Least:
Steep hills. Isolated without a car.
Surrounding Area:
The views when walking.
Tips or Restaurants:
Good walking shoes
Kathryn , October
Overall:
Wow!! What an incredibly beautiful residence! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay within the walled city of Cortona. The villa is quite beautiful and has a breathtaking view! Staying at this villa was so much more enjoyable and comfortable than staying at a hotel. We loved the amount of space and the arrangement of the rooms and common areas.
Enjoyed Most:
I don't think I have ever seen a more beautiful view!! It was wonderful enjoying our morning coffee and sitting out in the garden looking out over the Tuscany valley! So quiet, and so beautiful! We also appreciated that Ombretta and her husband told us about the history of the villa.
The rooms were spacious and clean. There were plenty of fans to help with the hot temperatures. The villa was beautifully mantained, exceptionally clean, and had all the dishes etc.... that we needed. The garden was lovely!!
Enjoyed Least:
Walking up the steep streets was challenging, but I wouldn't have traded it for anything!! ) There was not one thing that we didn't enjoy about Villa Cortona.
Surrounding Area:
We loved wondering around the narrow streets of the city (watch out for the cars though), and being among beautiful buildings that are centuries old. We really enjoyed visiting the Etruscan Museum in Cortona. We also visited many sites in the surrounding areas from Florence to Vigni Bagnioli (sp?) and Montepulciano. We participated in several organized tours and this was wonderful because the guides were able to give us lots of information about the area and the history, and we were able to see many places. We also REALLY enjoyed the various artists (photo, painting, music) that were featured in the Cortona On The Move event.
Nearby Events or Locales:
Camucia. We didn't walk there because it seemed the road down the hill/mountain was too narrow and not meant for pedestrians. We didn't really need to walk to Camucia though because Cortona had everything that we needed.
Tips or Restaurants:
I would suggest that any renters simply park their car outside of the walled part of Cortona and walk in the city. This is what was recommended to us and I believe it was the right thing to do. Some of the restaurants that we enjoyed and would highly recommend were Il Cacciatore, La Loggetta (both fine dining), and Beerbone.
Directions:
A woman by the name of Samuella walked us there, so it couldn't have worked out better!
Catherine, August
Overall:
This was an amazing villa dating back to the 1200s. It is beautifully maintained, offers a great central meeting space and living area, and large, private bedroom and bathrooms. The grounds and views are stunningly beautiful. We ended our days outside, watching the sunset and drinking wonderful Italian wines. Heaven!
Enjoyed Most:
Its history, the views, the fabulous gardens, and the comfort. It truly felt like a home away from home.
Enjoyed Least:
The parking access, but that's Cortona! And no WiFi. But everything else was perfect.
Surrounding Area:
We loved being able to walk down the hill into Cortona ... and since it was a very steep hill, we certainly got our exercise. There were a number of restaurants and wine shops available. The retail shops were also great. We loved watching the children play soccer in the piazza, all the people walking with their dogs, and the atmosphere in general. We walked through the town, sightseeing, visiting the churches and the Duomo, and also walked the "flat street," visiting the parks frequented by the natives. It also served as a good central location for trips to Orvieto, Florence, Siena, Banfi, and a number of other small towns we visited.
Nearby Events or Locales:
Our villa was located on the top of the hill in Cortona.
Tips or Restaurants:
We rented a WiFi enhancer so we could access email and the internet.
GREAT FINDS Stop at Molesini's Enoteca Wineshop and do a wine tasting with Marco. Fabulous! They make it very easy to purchase and ship wine home.
We had dinner our first night in Cortona at Locanda al Pozzo Antico Ristorante, which was outstanding. We sat in a courtyard area that was beautifully lit. The steak was wonderful, as was the veal.
We had a lunch experience on Sunday at Trattoria Dardano. Paolo Castelli, the owner, makes everyone feel welcome. Many of the people at lunch spoke only Italian. They are regulars who come every Sunday after church. It was lively, we shared wine with the locals, and the food was extraordinary.
But the highlight of our trip was when we had the Personal Chef of Cortona come to our villa to cook dinner for my husband's 60th birthday. We booked it through RentVillas. The appetizers included zucchini soup with parmesan crisps, caprese salad, and bruschetta. The gnocchi in duck sauce was wonderful. And their own version of tiramusu was delicious. The main course, veal, was also wonderfully seasoned.
Directions:
We were met by the owner and taken to the villa. So obviously there was nothing you could do to improve that experience!
Check In Out:
The process was very easy and everyone was warm and welcoming.
Mary-ann, September