Overall impression: Exceeded expectations. Lovely house in a lovely setting; great views and not overlooked.
Highlights: Villa, pool and garden were a perfect package. Plenty of space in the garden and under the loggias for each member of the party to do their own thing. We cooked most nights on the outdoor grill and took advantage of the warm evenings for long, leisurely meals. Around 10 pm we put out the lights and allowed the candles, the fire and the fireflies to entertain us. The pool was also appreciated by the martins and the bats which came swooping in every evening. 
 >>The village itself also had more than expected. On weekend evenings there is a ridiculously cheap pizzeria in the basement of the local bar/club (run as a a sort of co-op, think of a well-equipped village hall, booking recommended for the pizzas). There is a programme of ballroom dancing some nights in the tiled square outside - some competitive, some for fun. The tree in the corner of the dance floor adds an extra element of difficulty!
 >>The restaurant 'Borgo Antica' in the next village was fantastic. We drove up and left a car there overnight - the walk back using the track which snakes above the house is not recommended in heels, but only takes around 15 minutes. The way home was lit by fireflies....
 >>Shopping was a joy, although we used Rada and Figline as much as we did Greve. The supermarkets in Rada and Greve are quite limited and close in the middle of the day. The larger Co-op at Figline was much better, and has a local produce section selling great handmade pasta (open all day, and on Sunday mornings in summer). There is also a large car park behind the station at Figline which is useful for getting the train to Florence or Arezzo. The butchers' in Greve however provided the best steak any of us had ever eaten. The local shop in Lucolena is great as a back-up. 
 >>Weather was perfect: 30-35C and dry for most of the holiday. There was one fantastic thunder storm where we were able to watch the rain belts and lightening strikes on the opposite side of the valley from the comfort of our covered terrace.
Unpleasant surprises: Nothing to do with the villa. The car hire at Pisa airport was extremely busy when we arrived (it took us 3 hours to pick up the cars). We did have some problems with car sickness too.
Rebecca (UK)

FAQ - Foire Aux Questions

À quelle heure devons-nous arriver et repartir ?
Heure d'arrivée : 16 h 00. Si vous arrivez après 19 h 00, veuillez téléphoner
Heure de départ : 10 h 00
Pouvez-vous nous aider à organiser le voyage ?
Pour toute aide sur l'organisation de voyages en voiture, en avion ou en train, cliquez sur le bouton Se rendre en Toscane situé à la page d'accueil.
Les prix s'entendent-ils par personne, ou par villa ?
Le prix s'entend par villa.
Le linge et les serviettes sont-ils fournis, ou doit-on emporter les siens ?
Oui, le linge de maison et les serviettes sont fournis et inclus dans le prix affiché, mais emportez votre propre serviette de plage.
Le chauffage central est-il inclus dans le prix ?
Non, le chauffage central est facturé en fonction de la consommation et des besoins.
Y a-t-il une piscine ?
Oui, la piscine fait 13 mètres sur 6 et elle est ouverte de mai à septembre.
Y a-t-il un téléphone, un fax ou une connexion e-mail disponible ?
Non, mais la plupart des villes et des villages ont des cabines téléphoniques. Greve a un fax et un café Internet.
Y a-t-il des épiceries à proximité ?
Oui, Lucolena a une petite épicerie. 
À quelle distance se trouvent les aéroports ?
Florence se trouve à 40 minutes, Pise, à 2 heures, Bologne, à 2 heures et Rome, à 3 heures.