1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Picking the juiciest oranges I’ve ever come across from the trees outside our cottage, cycling round the medieval city walls of Lucca, eating too much ice cream, looking down onto San Gimignano from one of the towers, the kids climbing olive trees in the grove around the cottage….I can’t choose just one!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
This is a wonderful place for a family holiday. Luisa, Colin and their son Max (the family who own the two holiday cottages on the farm) are wonderfully generous and welcoming people, and we really enjoyed staying with them. The views from the cottage are amazing – throw open the shutters in the morning and gaze across the olive groves to the valley below with the leaning tower of Pisa in the distance – just fantastic! The olive grove was a wonderful place for the kids to play – climbing trees, playing games, letting off steam and seeing nature close-up. The farm is midway between Pisa and Lucca, both about 20 mins drive away. We enjoyed exploring both, but especially Lucca, which had an amazing atmosphere (despite a lack of parking spaces!). Renting bicycles for a lap of the city walls was a perfect way to spend the afternoon for adults and kids alike!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
The cottages have solar panels on the roof; the water comes from a private spring; fruit (amazing oranges!), salad and herbs are available to be picked by guests from the gardens; and the waste is re-cycled, so hopefully the environmental impact is as small as possible. We certainly ate-out a lot in small, family-owned restaurants.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The holiday was just what we were looking for. The cottage was wonderful – perched on a steep hillside (6 hairpin bends to negotiate on the way up through the olive grove!) with fantastic views. The children were constantly entertained by the nature around them. The accommodation made a practical base for exploring northern Tuscany, with Pisa and Lucca very close by. Florence was only an hour away by toll-road. We also did a couple of day-trips to Vinci and San Gimignano (worth it, despite being quite a long drive).
Farmhouses in Tuscany – Review #4
November 29th, 2009 . Posted in GuestsNo Comments »From Responsible Travel
By Jacqueline Birt
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Picking the juiciest oranges I’ve ever come across from the trees outside our cottage, cycling round the medieval city walls of Lucca, eating too much ice cream, looking down onto San Gimignano from one of the towers, the kids climbing olive trees in the grove around the cottage….I can’t choose just one!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
This is a wonderful place for a family holiday. Luisa, Colin and their son Max (the family who own the two holiday cottages on the farm) are wonderfully generous and welcoming people, and we really enjoyed staying with them. The views from the cottage are amazing – throw open the shutters in the morning and gaze across the olive groves to the valley below with the leaning tower of Pisa in the distance – just fantastic! The olive grove was a wonderful place for the kids to play – climbing trees, playing games, letting off steam and seeing nature close-up. The farm is midway between Pisa and Lucca, both about 20 mins drive away. We enjoyed exploring both, but especially Lucca, which had an amazing atmosphere (despite a lack of parking spaces!). Renting bicycles for a lap of the city walls was a perfect way to spend the afternoon for adults and kids alike!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
The cottages have solar panels on the roof; the water comes from a private spring; fruit (amazing oranges!), salad and herbs are available to be picked by guests from the gardens; and the waste is re-cycled, so hopefully the environmental impact is as small as possible. We certainly ate-out a lot in small, family-owned restaurants.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The holiday was just what we were looking for. The cottage was wonderful – perched on a steep hillside (6 hairpin bends to negotiate on the way up through the olive grove!) with fantastic views. The children were constantly entertained by the nature around them. The accommodation made a practical base for exploring northern Tuscany, with Pisa and Lucca very close by. Florence was only an hour away by toll-road. We also did a couple of day-trips to Vinci and San Gimignano (worth it, despite being quite a long drive).