Hi Manola,
We returned home on Saturday from our 3 weeks in Italy. I just wanted to let you know what an amazing time we had at La Penisola. The accommodations were perfect and were even better than we had expected. We can't say enough about Nora. She is such a hard working woman but she was never too busy to stop and chat or update us on the newest members of her herd (many, many baby goats were born while we were there). We felt very much at home there and are already planning a future visit. I would not hesitate to recommend the property to friends and relatives.
Thank you too for making the booking process so easy and for answering all of my questions. I have recommended InTuscany to family members who are planning on travelling to Italy next year.
Thanks again for helping us have a vacation we will never forget.
Hi Manola,
Just wanted to let you know what a
wonderful time we had in Italy and especially our time
at La Penisola! It was just as we had hoped it would
be and more! Our only regret is that we did not spend
enough time there! There was so much to see that we
spent way too much time in the car (on which we put
over 1500 kilometers!) We cooked three nights and it
was so lovely to sit out under the pergola (with real
grape vines!) and watch the sun go down and have our
dinner out there. Nora was the perfect host--enough
at arm's length that we felt we were really alone but
yet enough "hands on" so that we always had
what we needed. We bought quite a bit of her lovely
products for gifts back home. We made friends with her
cute cat named Daffodil who Nora says often does not
warm up to guests (but we are cat people!).
The surprise hot air balloon ride
was wonderful! Tuscany is beautiful on the ground but
from 3000 feet up it is spectacular! Robert and Liz
were gracious hosts as well--we had a lovely picnic
after the flight and then we went into another small
hill town for coffees. The hotel and restaurant run
by Roberto in Montisi was just fabulous--Brooks loved
the antiquities of it! I learned that Liz's children's
book--"Timothy Tib"--is illustrated with the
likeness of Rebecca's daughter! Our "basket mates"
on the balloon ride were a honeymoon couple from California
so it was the young folks and the old folks! I hope
that we set a good example for them of the success of
a long marriage! The husband of the couple had also
surprised his new bride with the balloon ride. When
they arrived at Robert and Liz's house and she saw the
big fans on the lawn out back, she asked what they were
for. Rich, the husband, was quick on his feet and told
her they were to dry the grass before they cut it! But
as we made our way down to the area where the balloon
was and she saw the basket, then of course she knew!
Our first week of the vacation was
also lovely. Cinque Terre we loved very much--we were
in Vernazza and our room hung out over the cliff for
a spectacular view! I worried about putting on weight
with all the pasta, bread and desserts but we had so
much cardio with hills and stairs that I think I may
have even lost a pound or two! Venice of course was
great--bought some lovely glass pieces at a tiny shop.
Padua we liked a lot--we think our oldest grand daughter
should attend a year of college there! It is very vibrant
with young people. I think we could have excluded Bologna
from the mix but since it was on the way and we had
just read a book that took place there it was a nice
visit. We added a quick trip to Pisa--since we were
so close it would have been a shame to see the tower!
And it really does lean--quite a bit! But I know it's
been stabilized.
On our first full day at La Penisola
Nora told us about the market in Panzano and the "philosopher
butcher" Dario. He was a trip! We also then moved
on to Greve for a wine tasting--that was a nice treat
too. On our way to the hotel for the balloon ride, we
stopped in Pienza. That is a very nice little hill town--seems
like it would be a nice place to live. Florence of course
was a great stop--we spent a lot of time shopping! I
got two leather jackets and three tops. Even though
I'm slim, though, I find I have trouble getting into
some of the Italian clothes--even the 46's were tight
around the back! We enjoyed Siena and San Gimigiano
a lot--that was the only day that we had rain.
Our only disappointment was Cortona
(you warned me!)--we didn't like it all that much and
ended up getting lost on the way back to Radda as we
were headed the wrong way on the autostrada. But other
than that and a very long flight home, the vacation
was wonderful!
I will mail you the little gift from
Florida--it just seemed to be easier than leaving it
with Nora to get to you.
Thanks again for all your wonderful
help--if you need a recommendation, please call on us!
Susie and Brooks
Weiss
Hi Manola. I had planned to e-mail
you sooner. We enjoyed our week at La Penisola in Chianti
in June. Overall the apartment was good. I still have
marks on my head from the low ceiling in the bedroom!!
(Just kidding) The one thing I would recommend you talk
to Nora about is the bedroom floor.
It is very unstable and feels like
it could break as you walk on it. It should be made
better as I'm sure it is bothersome to people. We were
a little disappointed that Nora wasn't more accessible
to ask about the area and things to do, but we could
see that she is a very busy person. It would have been
nice if she was a little more attentive to her renters.
However, we thoroughly enjoyed Tuscany
and the surrounding areas. The weather was perfect and
we had a wonderful time. Hopefully we can visit Italy
again. Thank you for your help!
Sincerely, Don & Dot Rieder.
Just a short
note to say hello and thank you for the wonderful week
we spend at Penisola at the beginning of July.
We had a great time and your place
served as a magnificent base for our exploration of
the Chianti region. There is always a bit of trepidation
booking something over the Internet, but the reality
of Penisola exceeded my expectations when I first started
looking for somewhere to celebrate Susan's birthday
in Italy. You have a very relaxed approach to your guests
which is totally in tune with the atmosphere of the
place and the idea of a vacation retreat. We thoroughly
enjoyed meeting you (and the dogs and goats!). I hope
the rest of your summer went well and trust that you
are booked up for the a long period in the Fall.
We hope to visit you again in the
future. Take Care.
-Brian Kienapple
For penisola house only.
What a wonderful place! Just what I dreamed of! The
views were spectacular. I loved sitting out on the veranda,
overlooking the valleys, vineyards, olive groves and
the small forests in between - enjoying the sunset.
There was certainly no need to buy any grapes, just
reach up and pick from the arbour overhead.
Right when I turned down the short
road through a little forest with trees covered with
moss and vines to your house, I knew it was going to
be a great vacation. It was an easy drive to Florence
and Sienna and, from your suggestions, we tried several
of the restaurants in the area, all great. We loved
cooking using local ingredients and the fresh herbs
from the garden right outside the door of the house.
All the wild sage filled the air with a wonderful, subtle
smell.
Your house was hugely comfortable.
I stayed in the room downstairs next to the dinning
room-kitchen. The great bathroom at the end of the hall
was extremely convenient. And the library with all those
books! Fantastic! With the phone connection for my lap-top,
I could keep in touch with all my friends in America
and not worry about the time difference.
Upstairs the master 'suite' was great!
A king size bed and another great bathroom. The small
bedroom with the single beds was not so small. I slept
so well with the sound of the stream near by and woke
up to the birds.
I remember one trip we took to Sienna.
It took about half an hour to get there and the ride
was spectacular! Such beautiful countryside. There were
so many different kinds of trees growing in the same
areas: cypress, pines, olives, all kinds, scattered
in together. Made for such beautiful colours. It was
so easy to get anywhere and there was no traffic in
the country.
So nice to have the town of Radda
only a half an hour walk through the forest then out
on the road. We got some great olives from there! Very
tasty. Glad to see the goats all over the forest and
hear then bleating a bit from time to time and their
bells. Nice to know they are all penned in and they
never got in the way.
Thanks so much for a wonderful time.
Your two month visitor, Pollyanna.
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