San Miniato holiday cottage: San Miniato

We spent 10 fabulous days in La Ginestra. The host family were extremely welcoming and helpful with regards where to visit and what to see, and telling us the history of the area. Although they lived within the same enclosed gardens, with locked gates, we felt secluded and private and not overlooked by them or other guests to the apartment. The Villa was clean and well provided. We spent most evenings sitting outside overlooking the fabulous scenery of rolling hills and olive groves stretching for miles, but it was also comfortable to sit inside watching TV or playing cards. The location was excellent with easy access to Pisa, Florence and Siena, and other hilltop villages, albeit with a car. The roads to some of the hilltop towns were another experience - narrow and winding! San Miniato is well catered for with supermarkets and a range of restaurants, and a railway station which we used to take a train to Florence. It took away the pressure of driving into a larger town and allowed us to watch the beautiful scenery pass before us. Our advice is to book to go into museums before you leave home (quite simple online) as it saves on lengthy waits in queues when you arrive. We also enjoyed visiting the local markets to buy fresh produce and mingling with the locals. Our stay at La Vinestra allowed us to enjoy both a cultural and relaxing holiday for 2 teenage children and mum and dad. We all thoroughly enjoyed it.

We had the most wonderful time during our stay at “La Ginestra Villa”. We were greeted by the whole family and made to feel like we were the guests of honour and that they had been eagerly awaiting our arrival.

The cottage is delightful and deceptively large, and we particularly enjoyed sitting out on the rustically decorated terrace during the evening. The kitchen, whilst small, allowed us to cook a diverse range of meals for the six of us.

The whole place is tranquil and beautiful, and it fulfilled and exceeded our expectations in every way. The gracefully landscaped gardens have, as their central point, the most exquisite infinity pool with majestic unspoilt views of Tuscany and distant hilltop towns.

We are already considering returning next summer and immersing ourselves once again in this Tuscan paradise.