Vacation Rentals by Owner

Picture Perfect!

Guest: Myrtle (USA)
Date of Stay: 03/08/12 Review Submitted: 03/23/12

Thank you Massimo, for an extrodinary experience in your family home. It was just as the photos showed us and more. The hills offer a magnificent view day and night. The flowering trees and daffodils greated us on the approach up the road to Toninos place. We were so happy in this peaceful and elegantly redesigned farm villa. Daily trips to Lucca a pure joy and the food and quality of wines to choose from a dream come true. We loved it, and will be back next year. Thank you Will and Mary

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Tuscan Gem

Guest: JoAnn & Terry (Lincoln, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/19/11 Review Submitted: 11/11/11

We spent two delightful weeks at the villa. It was very comfortable for two couples. The villa was clean, charming and everything we were hoping for in our home away from home. It is perched on a hillside overlooking the valley below and what a view. This charming villa is in a very quiet area, an easy drive to Tuscany's best attractions. Massimo was also very pleasant, making recommendation for area restaurants, best parking, and general area information. We would love to return for another wonderful stay.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A true Italian experience.

Guest: John W. (STUART, FL USA)
Date of Stay: 10/14/11 Review Submitted: 11/05/11

Lovely quiet get-away with great views. We hope to return.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Lucca Portion of Vacation

Guest: Benny (Superior Colorado, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/08/11 Review Submitted: 10/20/11

We stayed in the farmhouse in October and were fortunate to have perfect weather. The pictures of the farmhouse are representative of what you will find. The road to the property is a bit of a challenge, but in order to get above the city to enjoy the views there must be some climbing. After making the drive a couple of times, it gets easier. You definitely need a car. The house is very clean and well maintained. We had been traveling for a couple of weeks before we got there and the washing machine was a welcome sight. The owner was very helpful and available should we need help or have questions. We used the farmhouse as a base for traveling to Florence, and the coast. Another use of the house was to allow some downtime from the big cities other tourists and hectic travel schedule we had before we arrived. When traveling to a place like Italy, it is easy to try to pack a lot into the days, and find yourself exhausted. The farmhouse was great for some peace and quiet, wine on the patio and cooking yourself rather than going out to eat. We visited the town of Lucca a few times, but we were glad to be able to return to the house above. We would recommend this property to friends and relatives. Our plans are to return and hopefully stay longer. This is a place where you really want to keep a secret so it is available when you want to use it again.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Tuscany at it's finest

Guest: Soyer (Minden, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 10/01/11 Review Submitted: 10/17/11

We spent one week at this marvellous place. It exceeded our expectations. The drive from Lucca through avenues of trees, then up the mountain to the charming stone house, we were both overwhelmed at the beauty and the beautiful little stone house. The house is very clean, with two bedrooms, two baths, tiled floors, beamed and stuccoed ceilings. It will suit one or two couples. We ate most of our meals outside on the tiled patio. Ate figs off the tree at the end of the patio for the first time. Good bakery at the bottom of the hill on the right and a grocery store further along on the left. Lucca is also a great town to stroll, shop, explore and eat. Drove to Cinque Terre and Lucca from here but trust me, you would be totally happy to spend the whole week at the villa.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A Tuscany farmhouse just as we imagined it would be

Guest: Esther (USA)
Date of Stay: 09/24/11 Review Submitted: 10/12/11

My sister & I enjoyed everything about our farmhouse stay. The house was as cozy as advertised. The kitchen was charming, the bedrooms cozy, and the view from the patio beautiful. The house was very clean and well equipped. Even though we knew that the house was on a hill, we found the road up the mountain a little intimidating at first but we were happy with our choice non the same. I would recommend staying there to anyone wanting an authentic Tuscan experience. The walled city of Lucca was fun to explore. The home owner was helpful and made our stay very pleasant.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful Taste of Tuscany

Guest: Bridget and Dereck (Salem, Virginia)
Date of Stay: 09/17/11 Review Submitted: 09/26/11

My husband, father-in-law, sister, and I recently spent one week in this quaint stone villa just outside of Lucca. I couldn't have been more pleased with our choice. Although, the road to the villa is at first intimidating, after a few trips up and down it is conquered with confidence and ease. Upon arrival I was charmed by the lovely landscaping around the perimeter of the villa: aromatic lavender, dangling grapes, ripe figs, full olive trees, and hardy rosemary. Massimo provided a tour of the villa and a gracious sampling of his locally grown olive oil to welcome us. After spending the previous week in the fast-paced cities of Rome, Venice, and Florence, this quiet retreat was much needed. We spent many nights just sitting on the patio gazing at the stars or the twinkling lights of Lucca in the distance. There were no road sounds -- only birds singing and crickets chirping. I would certainly recommend this vacation villa to anyone looking for rest, relaxation, and a more personal taste of Tuscany.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Paradise in Tuscany

Guest: Liz and Diego (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 08/05/11

Staying in this house made us feel like real italians. Massimo with all his interior design knowledge managed to create a home that is both practical and true to its history. We arrived in the evening and were totally overwhelmed the next morning when we opened the shutters and we were faced with paradise. Tuscany is beautiful, but Tuscany from Tonino´s house looks even more beautiful. The mountains, the church on the opposite mountain, and in the evenings .... the lights of Lucca at the bottom of the mountain and the masive amount of stars in the sky... There were days when we preffered to stay at the house instead of facing the crowds somewhere else. After visiting the nearby cities of Florence, Pisa or Viarregio we were desperate to get back to our little paradise. Hotels are for tourists, Tonino´s house is for travellers......Grazie Massimo!!!! we´ll be back!!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Tuscan Charmer

Guest: malissa (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 06/23/11 Review Submitted: 07/05/11

We stayed in this villa with friends for our mutual 25th anniversaries, in late June, 2011. The place is quiet and charming, surrounded by olive groves, with a lovely terrace shaded by a fig tree, and an arbor heavy with grapes, true to the pictures and description by the owner and previous visitors. High in the hills overlooking the lovely town of Lucca, reached by an adventurous gravel road, it was the perfect place to relax and reconnect with friends and spouses. The nearby towns and cities of Lucca (20 mins), Florence (75 mins) and Pisa (45mins), and the Cinque Terre (reached by train from La Spezia, 90 minutes), gave us plenty to see and do, when we could be coaxed off of the terrace. But, at the end of our days of exploring these wonderful places, we all looked forward to retreating to our hill-top paradise. Lastly, we cannot say enough about our gracious and friendly host, Massimo. Ciao, Massimo! Until we meet again...

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

An incredible week

Guest: Deb and Dan (Colorado, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/21/11 Review Submitted: 06/07/11

We had an incredible week at this wonderful house. The view from the porch was simply amazing. Every morning we would sit on the porch and drink our coffee and many evenings we ate our dinner there too. Without fail we sat and watched the night settle over Lucca in the distance. The property was very clean and extremely well maintained. Massimo, the owner, was incredibly helpful, informative, kind and generous which greatly added to our stay. Massimo has meticulously restored the farm house and it is something that one would find in a Thomas Kinkade painting. From the house we visited Lucca, the Cinque Terra, Viarreggio, and Lido di Camaiore (much better than Viarreggio). There are several good restaurants a short dirve from the house as well as Pizzeria's. There is a grocery store a short drive away too. The house is not large, perfect for a couple. It does have two bed rooms so it would comfortably sleep 4 people. The house has a convertible bed on the first floor and a bathroom on the first floor also. The road up to the house, like all roads in Italy, once you are off the main road, is small but we had no problems getting to or from the house. The only draw back to the house is that it is not within walking distance to anything, like a cafe, small shop, or pizzeria, but that is a minor trade off for the view. We would definitely recommend the house to others and if we go back to Lucca would stay there again.

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Experience

Guest: Wayne (Victoria, BC Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/30/11 Review Submitted: 05/14/11

This property is situated up on a hill overlooking a beautiful valley with the ancient town of Lucca in the background. The host has considerable knowledge regarding the attractions in the local area and is a great source of information. We stayed there with another couple for a week and wish we had planned to stay longer. The farmhouse is set amongst an olive orchard and is centrally located for many significant attraction ... medieval town of Lucca is a 10 minute drive, Pisa 45 minutes, Cinque Terre 90 minutes, Flornece 60 minutes ... shorter if you drive like the Italians! You will not be disappointed if you stay at this property. We will return!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

THis is true Tuscan living

Guest: penham (Sydney Australia)
Date of Stay: 12/24/10 Review Submitted: 01/11/11

If Lucca is on your list of destinations then staying at Massimo's little villa is an absolute must. He is truly wonderful and so helpful. His passion for his town and his house is second to none. He made us feel so welcome answered all our questions and told us so much history not only about the house itself but about the town. It is up in the hills of Torre which is about 10mins drive away from the heart of Lucca. The house itself has everything you could ever need, the beds were very comfortable and the welcome basket of olive oil (family made), wine and pasta came in extremely handy. We saw so many places while staying here. Everything is extremely accessible and you are very close to the autostrade entrances to take you anywhere you want to go. We will certainly come back and stay here when we return one day to Lucca. Massimo thanks you for a truly wonderful week in your beautiful house my kids will be talking about it always. Highly recommend you stay here for a unique Tuscan experience.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Charming Getaway In the Hills of Tuscany

Guest: Shel (Kansas City, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/16/10 Review Submitted: 11/13/10

My wife, adult son, and I had a wonderful week in the hills overlooking Lucca, a magnificant medieval walled city in northern Tuscany. The familiy's olive grove spread out below the house (don't forget to take home a bottle of their olive oil.) Massimo goes out of his way to make your visit a great one. He recommended a "locals" restaurant that was as good as any we experienced and at half the price of so-called fine dining establishments. It was the perfect place for day trips to Florence, Cinque Terra, Siena, San Giminagno, Lucca, and, of course, the rolling vineyards of Tuscany. It would make a perfect getaway without being too far from all things delicious. Note: a car is required to make the 20 minute drive up the hills. One can spend more, and can stay inside a city, but not get this true Tuscan experience.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Lucca area Villa /Farmhouse

Guest: Cape cod realtor (Falmouth MA)
Date of Stay: 09/25/10 Review Submitted: 10/08/10

We stayed here the last week in Sept 2010 and have high regards for this property. nothing fancy, but neat, clean and enjoyable.Close to City and with spectacular views of Lucca at night. If you don't mind tight and winding roads to get to the Villa then this will not bother you- but it is high up and winding. Bedrooms are adequate and clean, baths with one on on the 1st floor and 1 on the second are both shower stall type and clean, but small. Kitchen has 2 burner stove and is very adequate as you tend to eat out during the day and at night at the Villa it is a quick easy pasta or salad and wine. Stores in the area are the COOP which I would suggest in Lucca- the SMA near the Villa is not as nice and limited selections. bring along reading materials as not much TV access- even CNN is old news, but hey you are on Vacation/Journey right. The outdoor patio is nice and has many chairs etc , washing machine gets a little tricky to use , but once mastered you are all set. Has american coffee maker, hairdryer, toaster, microwave, and small refrigerator.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Monika W.
Date of Stay: 08/06/10 Review Submitted: 09/16/10

"I can only confirm the previous opinions - this place has a rare climate, this "spectacular view" from the description is really spectacular. The access road is "something" at the first time, typical beautiful "serpentine". The house is not big, but comfortable and well-equipped. The oryginal decorations (lot of eguipment and furniture were really used by the family in this house for a long time) let You feel the unique atmosphere of old, but leaving place. Olive trees,grapevines, old house made of stone - it really lets You rest. The Owners are really wonderfull people - kind, hearty and helpfull. Home-made olive is also worth to recommend. The location is really good to visit Lucca, or to rest at the seaside (about 0,5 h of driving). There are some really good local restaurants around. So - if You plan to "taste" some Tuscany not for tourists - this place is for You. We'll be back for sure."

Recommended for:

WHAT A VIEW...AND HOSPITALITY TOO!!!

Guest: Kentucky Woman (Houston Texas)
Date of Stay: 04/24/10 Review Submitted: 05/25/10

Just what we thought Tuscany would be... a gorgeous view of Lucca from the patio of a stone farmhouse in the hills!! The other couple and we loved it. The winding road takes you to the top where you'll enjoy the quaint but very comfortable accommodations owned by Massimo's family for nearly half a century. Each bedroom window opens to a view of the olive grove below and the surrounding hills. The gift basket of pasta, bread, local wine and the family's very own olive oil offers an easy but tasty meal that you can cook in the kitchen that overlooks the patio. A refrigerator, microwave, American coffee pot, dishwasher and washing machine provide the amenities in a very clean setting for your stay. Just bring the groceries and you're set for several days if you prefer to rest in peace and quiet. Massimo and his parents, Atillio and Laura who live nearby, are your gracious hosts ready to assist if needed. We were there six out eleven days in Italy and it was our favorite accommodation ...just as the photos had shown.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Guest: Ken
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 05/18/10

"I am writing 3 weeks after my 12000km return to Australia. I’m running off memory, photos and my travel diary. We arrived at night. The road from Lucca seamed to go up and up, and up some more. Massimo could hardly contain his excitement at what he was about to show us. His excitement was justified. The house is a perfect Tuscan gem, superbly furnished and presented. Before us lay the twinkling lights of Lucca, could it get better? Oh yes! The next morning the lifting mist slowly revealed all the delights of the house, the valley and distant Lucca. Oh no!, I’ve been bitten, I’m infected with that incurable Tuscan virus,........Qantas, where are you?"

Recommended for:

Beautiful villa with a gorgeous view!

Guest: 2 couples from Canada (Vancouver, B.C., Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 03/29/10

My husband and I stayed at Tonino's House with another couple and we all just loved it. The setting is breathtaking, and the villa is obviously decorated with love and care. We had everything we needed for our 7 night stay. Both bedrooms and bathrooms are well equipped, as is the kitchen, even though the feeling of simplicity and history is never compromised. We often cooked our dinner with fresh local ingredients, and always enjoyed the tranquil setting. Massimo is most gracious and left us with pasta, bread, wine, and olives from his grove. He is so helpful and kind and a very sweet man. We visited Venice, Florence, Lucca, Pisa and Cinque Terre while staying at the villa, and it was always lovely to return to our private little piece of heaven. An afternoon glass of vino with bread and cheese, overlooking the valley below is not to be forgotten. We found the road up to be quite narrow and winding in our rather large vehicle, but it is well worth the drive!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A bit of heaven....

Guest: an Italian at heart (Mankato, Minnesota USA)
Date of Stay: 06/13/09 Review Submitted: 04/11/10

This farmhouse will be forever, my favorite place. It's a little difficult to get to (winding, narrow roads) but well worth it. The view is spectacular as are the neighbors, the owners who are an interesting and sweet older couple who speak very little English. They had bread and olive oil from their olive grove waiting for us on the table when we arrived. The accomodations are exactly as in the pictures. We spent many mornings and evenings relaxing on the patio with the smell of the rosemary hedges and jasmine vines and the canopy of figs and grape vines. We could hear a cuckoo bird in the distance that would awaken us slowly in the mornings. It would have been very easy to never leave and just stay "at home" the entire week we were there. Having a perfect week weather-wise didn't hurt either. We were there the second week in June. Driving in Lucca isn't for the feint of heart. People drive fast and the roads are all quite narrow. What makes up for it is that the roads are lined with fragrant Linden Trees, and amazing scenery. Lucca has much to offer in the way of history, shopping, food and sightseeing. We parked outside the wall and it was a short walk to get inside. If you get there later in the day though parking spots are harder to find. My only regret is that I didn't buy some olive oil from Laura, the owner, to take home. She offered but we weren't planning on checking any luggage so we didn't think we could get it home. Silly us - our bags were too heavy on the return trip and we had to check them anyway. I would highly recommend this rental and wish I owned it so I could stay there forever!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.