Highlight of Our Trip to Italy

Guest: Peggy & Bill (San Marino, CA/USA)
Date of Stay: 09/24/11 Review Submitted: 12/19/11

The three weeks my husband and I stayed in this absolutely lovely apartment, Le Mura Etrusche, were the highlight of our trip to Italy. The scenic view from our front door was the view other tourists came to photograph. We overlooked the town of Cortona climbing down the hill to the surrounding plain of Arezzo farmland. The garden and overlook from the adjoining Etruscan wall were beautiful oases from which we enjoyed coffee and "our Cortona". Hosts Patrizia and Lucia were welcoming and went out of their way with thoughtful, helpful information and friendship that made our experience of a Tuscan hill town more than we'd even dreamed. We thoroughly enjoyed, also, the olive oil, liqueurs, preserves, and a dinner of other delicacies prepared by Patrizia. The apartment is tastefully decorated with antique pieces and colorful accents with television, DVD and CD players in the living/dining room. The Siemen's stainless steel kitchen is a delight to work in. The glass and stainless steel bathroom is avant garde in design. The queen size bed is comfortable with dimming lights and a reading lamp for bedside reading. There are plenty of warm covers when needed for cool nights, and clean linens are provided weekly. The town is full of beautiful, old buildings and especially churches for exploring from the winding, narrow streets that are well worth the considerable climbing. The churches contain the art of Fra Angelico and other lesser known local artists. The artisan shops, restaurants with their stand-up coffee bars and outdoor eating areas, the small grocery store for picnic supplies, the bakeries and gelato stands, the park for passeggiare (strolling) and the farmer's market on Saturdays make for a rich and wonderful experience of Italian culture. (Don't miss the porcetta sandwiches at the market if you eat pork and the Perugina chocolates if you don't!) And, of course, Bramasole, the house from Under the Tuscan Sun is nearby. The countryside is full of picturesque cypress and olive trees, and in the distance is Lake Castiglione. Bus service runs regularly from Cortona to nearby Camucia for the major grocery store, COOP, and the train station for day trips to other hill towns. Two hours north by train is Florence and two hours south is Rome. We hope to one day return and bring our family with us to experience the joys of staying in Le Mura Etrusche. We tell everyone about our trip and recommend these accommodations to them all! Ciao!

Owner response:Hello Peggy, thank you very much for your wonderful review, and soniamo very happy that coming into our apartment was a nice experience for you, I thank also the time spent together and I hope to one day know your family. The apartment was perfect when you started. Thanks again for the heart

Recommended for:Girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

A Piece of Heaven

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/13/11 Review Submitted: 12/18/11

We stayed a week this summer in this beautiful apartment. I can't say enough about our kind and generous hostesses, Patriza and Lucia. They not only welcomed us to their wonderful home, but made us feel like old friends. The apartment is immaculate, airy, and walking distance to the center of town. Down hill to town, uphill back. However, that's an Italian town. We only used our car once during the week because we wanted to experience Cortona, so we walked everywhere....but many towns are a short drive away. The bathroom and kitchen are modern, with numerous special touches like home-made jams, liquours, honey, and olive oil. Every gadget you could think of is in the kitchen and WORKS. We cooked many meals in the evening (great pasta shop in town), took our walk on the cobblestoned streets (enjoyed a concert one night a few streets away from the apartment), and then sipped our lattes as we watched the sunset from our front door steps. When we left, Patriza and Lucia both kissed us good-bye and gave us gifts to remember our fabulous week...limoncello (husband's favorite), photos, and a calendar (that is on my desk right now). Believe me, this is a piece of heaven. We hope to be back someday. We are seasoned travelers and have been to Europe many times....could stay here for a month.

Owner response:Dear, what a pleasure to receive your great review, try to finish early limoncello, so navete an excuse to return to Cortona!! See you soon.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

skibum (Maine)

Guest: Jeanne and Keith (Topsham, Maine)
Date of Stay: 09/16/11 Review Submitted: 10/19/11

My husband and I spent a week in Umbria and then wanted to spend a few days in Tuscany because we love it so much. We picked this place because it looked so charming and we had not spent any time in Cortona on our previous trips. Cortona was a lovely city, albeit very hilly and a steep climb to our "home". Lucia and Patrizia were the most gracious, charming and fun hosts we could ever want. We arrived in the afternoon to a lovely 4 course lunch in their home. Patrizia does not speak much english,but she was such fun and so kind...and a great cook. Our kitchen was stocked with some homemade limonocello and some jams she had made, along with bread and fruit and everything we would need for our first morning. The apartment was spotless, comfortable and very modern. The kitchen was contemporary as well as the bath. The fixtures were top notch...plus wi-fi was installed. As old as the home is...it is completely modernized. The sunsets from the garden and walls were stunning. Rudy, the dog was a gem. On the day we left Patrizia gave us some fig jam she had made because she knew how much we love the Italian figs. She is so kind. It was an easy drive into the heart of Tuscany....Siena or Greve or San Gim. The walk into Cortona was a breeze, but the hike back up, well lets just say , make sure your legs are strong. Overall , a delightful stay and lovely hosts.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, sightseeing.

Perfect combination of Cortona city location and quiet garden with stunning views

Guest: Petra (Amsterdam)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 10/12/11

We (family with child age 14) were looking for an apartment with a garden but within walking distance of restaurants and shops in Cortona. To our surprise we did find one which also had very good (excellent) reviews. Too good to be true! As the apartment was already booked in the week we planed our visit, we even changed our travel plans. We were not sure about the size of the garden, as that is difficult to judge on basis of the pictures. Believe me: it is huge! The views are stunning and you can move the (deck) chairs around to find sun or shade as you wish. The apartment itself is spacious, nicely decorated with a new modern kitchen and bathroom. It is very quiet. The owners, Lucia and her mother Patricia are very warm and welcoming. We had a wonderful meal in their home. They even send us some pictures which we received some weeks after our stay. We highly reccomend this appartment. Our next visit to Cortona will definitely include a stay in this perfect place!

Owner response:we raccomend this guest it's a perfect family, love and friendly. the daughter of highly educated.We look forward next year with your friends. Thank you for making your knowledge

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Fantastic Experience, Wonderful People and Beautiful Place.

Guest: Samantha (Boston, MA)
Date of Stay: 05/29/11 Review Submitted: 08/24/11

My husband and I stayed here for a week at the beginning of June and had the most wonderful experience. Patriza is a very gracious hostess and she really went out of her way to make us feel welcome. We were on a two week vacation through Italy, Paris and Amsterdam and this was by far the most special part of our trip. The accommodations are very comfortable and the house is great. The bathroom was very up to date and clean, and they have a modern easy to use kitchen. Patriza's gardens in the back are beautiful and I enjoyed sitting out there, with a glass of wine and my book while enjoying the tuscan sun. The walk into town is definitely steep but a great way to burn off all the wine, truffles, pasta, cheese and all the other wonderful cuisine Cortona has to offer. Everything from the lunch we had upon arrival to the festival she invited us to to later that week was so awesome, authentic and fun. We felt that she respected our privacy perfectly but also made us feel very welcome. Her dog Rudy is adorable (and gave me my dog fix b/c i missed our so much) and although we didn't get to meet Lucia because she was away, we had a great experience working with her on booking our stay. It happened to be my birthday while we were there and to say that Patriza went out of her way to make it special is an understatement! We have traveled all around Tuscany and Cortona is a very special place and our favorite destination in this area. Thank you for a wonderful stay and I know we will definitely return! Hopefully Linda and Gordon will be there again too! Grazie! Sam

Owner response:Dear Samantha, I hope to have you again as our guest to be able to get to know you. I am very sorry to be left for their honeymoon during your stay. I knew you were special guests. See you soon

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, sightseeing, age 55+.

Tuscan Holiday

Guest: Nature Lover (Arkansas)
Date of Stay: 06/15/11 Review Submitted: 07/06/11

My husband and I choose this property because we wanted to experience Italian culture, not just visit the normal tourist areas. Our time here greatly exceeded our expectations. Luccia met us at the train station, made sure we would be comfortable in the apartment, and gave us a tour of the gardens upon our arrival. Everything was exactly as described and pictured. It is a comfortable, newly updated apartment that was immaculately clean with the most beautiful gardens outside for us to enjoy. Patrizia and Luccia were the friendliest, most helpful owners we have ever rented a vacation home from The advice of places to visit and local events to attend were just what we were looking for. The dinner prepared by Patrizia was wonderful. We enjoyed our visits to Lago Trasimeno, Orvieto, Arezzo, and especially the many days roaming the streets of Cortona. Our favorite activity was sitting on the Etruscan walls or on the front step watching the sunset while listening to the local church bells. This apartment is appropriate for anyone, even having a swimming pool for those with children. I will definitely recommend this rental to any of my friends who plan to visit Italy.

Owner response:Our friends of the duck dinner !!!!!!! Perfect people who have full respect for all, hoping to see us the next time the first week of July for the great festivals of the duck !!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for insertion into your blog, and for photos!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

A Wonderful Visit

Guest: writingmoney (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 05/20/11 Review Submitted: 06/08/11

The Etruscan Walls apartment as it is situated right at the top of the town of Cortona. The walk home from restaurants is steep, but worth the effort, as the views from the gardens and the front stoop (where I loved to sit and watch the sunset) are beyond spectacular. The house has character in the original fireplace and stone walls, but the kitchen and bathroom are state of the art and very well equipped. We had one too short week in this lovely apartment, graciously hosted by Patriza and Lucia. They were very helpful, directing us to restaurants and arranging ffor a wine-tasting at a nearby vineyard. Patriza made us a delightful Italian lunch which we booked after tasting her welcome basket of home made preserves and lemon cream. Parking is close. You can drive right to the door, and if brave enough right into town, but we chose to drink and climb. The location is great for touring Tuscany and Umbria. There is a beautiful (and horizontal) walk out through the Porta Montanina that leads to a cafe and a different delightful view. I would recommend this apartment to my friends.

Owner response:Thank you for your review and your advice, hoping to give you yet another reception in our apartment. We wait you and wait your friends!!

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

Wonderful stay

Guest: Anne and Tom (Kamloops)
Date of Stay: 05/09/11 Review Submitted: 06/03/11

We can't say enough about the hospitality we received at the Etruscan Walls. We feel like Patrizia and Lucia are now family. This apartment in a home built in the 1300's and beautifully renovated, was a treasure and we feel so fortunate to have stayed there. There is a large garden with incredible views behind the house and we enjoyed relaxing there. The apartment had everything we needed, no detail was overlooked. We had a cooking class with Patrizia that was such a great experience. She is truly an artist in her kitchen. Cortona is one of the most beautiful places on earth and we hope to return someday.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, sightseeing.

May 14-20 2011

Guest: kathy (Portland)
Date of Stay: 05/14/11 Review Submitted: 05/31/11

My husband and I were very pleased with our stay here and with the lovely hillside town of Cortona. Lucia and Patrizia were the perfect hosts for our 6 night, 7 day tour of Tuscany. The apartment was large and beautifully remodeled with modern amenities and personal touches. The honey, home made olive oil and elderberry liquor were especially wonderful! We rented a car in Camucia and were able to make easy day trips to Siena, Florence, Assisi, Orvieto and Monepulciano and still make it back for the sunset and dinner and wine in town. The steep walk back up the hill after dinner helped to keep us from gaining weight from all the eating and drinking and provided us with some great laughs and memories! The last night of our trip was spent with Lucia and Patrizia enjoying the most amazing home cooked meal....may I suggest the Pici with crumbs? Yummmyyy!! We speak almost no Italian, but were able to have a lively conversation with our most gracious dinner companions. The assortment of homemade liquors after dinner and dessert were especially wonderful!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, sightseeing.

A magical place

Guest: Moriatti (Victoria, Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/30/11 Review Submitted: 05/17/11

We spent a week in May with Lucia and Patrizia. Words cannot describe the kindness and hospitality we received from these wonderful ladies. Not to mention the food Patrizia prepared for a our family reunion. The five course Tuscan dinner rendered us speechless. The gardens are wonderful with a stunning view to the surrounding countryside. The Etruscan wall is literally part of the garden. We enjoyed many unforgettable sunsets from the wall. The house sits on the top of the city away from the busy part of Cortona. Yet, a short walk from the center. Lucia and Patrizia's recommendations were spot on. See our review of Trattoria Dardano on Tripadviser. The apartment was immaculate and the kitchen is completely set up for home cooking. Compliments from Patrizia's kitchen were waiting for us in the fridge. It is a perfect location for Tuscan excursions or just stay home and relax in the garden. Patrizia and Lucia, thank you and see you soon.

Owner response:Hello dear friends, Attila how's your cold !!!!! I'm finally cured! Thank you for making your knowledge and have spent some wonderful days with you. thanks for the recipe of the syrup for summer drinks that will remind us of the time spent together. We wait still here with us, maybe in the summer so we can arrange a barbecue in the garden and eat meat with the sunset lights up the table!! A hug from Cortona

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.