Great location, quality people
Review Submitted: August 11, 2009
Date of Stay: June 2009
Paolo and his brother Stefano were gracious hosts, welcoming us with homemade wine and olive oil. Their hospitality was extended throughout the Mt. Amiata region, which is just south of the main tourist thoroughfares and is therefore less trafficked, less crowded, and less expensive.
Castel del Piano makes a wonderful base of exploration, relatively short (though very windy) drives to Montalcino, Pienza, Orvieto, Siena and La Marema on the coast.
Perhaps the best part about the home, however, is the Dorcia Valley itself, a deeply lush reserve where everything from wild fennel to blueberries grows in the open. If you walk down the path to the base of the valley, you'll even find a fresh-water stream that makes for idyllic bathing in the hot summer months. We joked about having our Adam and Eve moment, frolicking in the gentle currents amid a steep marble ravine.
We loved the home's wood-fired oven, and the big windows that swung out from the stone walls, letting in the sunlight and fresh Tuscan air. At night we could hear the clatter of goats and the occasional trundling cow.
This rural home is perfect for urban dwellers sick of traffic, noise and people. Just take a glass of Stefano's wine, climb up on the deck overlooking the valley, and enjoy. It's the Tuscan vacation we dreamed about and were lucky enough to experience.
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