Italy magic in July

Guest: Sandy (Gloucester MA USA)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 01/31/12

We had a wonderful time at the incredible Villa Casabianca. The villa itself had an old world charm with modern conveniences. Our hostess Utta was very accommodating, meeting all our needs and then some! The pool was refreshing and the quiet walks were full of wonderful sights and smells. Cortona was a short drive away. I would stay here again in a heartbeat.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway.

Memories of a lifetime

Guest: Thurstons Mom (Gloucester, Massachusetts)
Date of Stay: 07/08/11 Review Submitted: 01/31/12

My friends and I had our annual reunion at the Villa Casabianca and we will cherish the memories forever. Jutta made us feel so welcome. The food, the setting ...everything was perfect. The house is spacious and filled with wonderful artwork. We spent every morning sipping coffee by the olive trees next to a built in pool. Thank you so much for everything. Loved Loved Loved it!

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

Memories for a lifetime

Guest: Chris (Laguna Beach, California, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 07/29/11

A group of 9 of us stayed at Villa Casabianca in late June/early July to celebrate my birthday and had an incredible time. The villa and scenery was even more beautiful than we had expected. From the moment we arrived Jutta and Roberto were most helpful and gracious. We too had cars and spent many afternoons exploring Tuscany, sampling all it had to offer. However we quickly realized, after being spoiled by the delicious welcome dinner that we had Roberto prepare, that almost nothing compared to being at the villa with our friends and family, relaxing, laughing, eating and drinking fine Italian wines. Thank you Jutta and Roberto, you truly helped make our trip one of the most memorable we’ve taken anywhere in the world.

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

One word for this place...Magical

Guest: Tmoney (Hermosa Beach, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 07/14/11

I just spent a week there in June with 8 other fabulous women also known as the council of 9. The villa exceeded my expectations and was a perfect set up for a group of 9 people. There was plenty of room whereas you never felt on top of each other. The pool is magnificent and completely private. We spent many nights on the patio watching the beautiful moon, drinking wine and eating delicious salami and cheese from the local market. Roberto and his dog Lila were fantastic hosts and really added to the whole experience. No matter what you are debating in your head about renting a car...you need a car and it's not that hard to get around. There are a lot of near by places to go by car which makes the location of this villa perfect. We are all already trying to figure out when we can plan our next trip there because it was just that amazing. Italians sure do know how to live!

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

A Magical and Memorable Experience

Guest: AngelinaPants (Redondo Beach)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 07/07/11

I spent an amazing week in this beautiful villa with eight girlfriends and am still basking in the glow of my life-changing experience. I miss Villa Casabianca terribly. We fully enjoyed its beautiful views, Lila the most amazing dog ever, the warmth of Roberto and Isabel, the charm of the villa, the pool, Cortona, the vegetable garden and the fireflies who performed for us nightly!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Some thoughts after a stay at Casa Bianca

Guest: weary traveler (California)
Date of Stay: 10/09/10 Review Submitted: 10/30/10

My comment to anyone going through the process of finding a villa or B&B in Tuscany, especially for the first time, is trust your gut. When the friends who were travelling with me identified Villa Casa Bianca as a possibility, I was hesitant from the beginning. The pictures I saw weren't that inviting, the place didn't seem to be walking distance to anywhere. Somewhere the rutted dirt road was mentioned, but I think that was in a review. But my point is, I really had enough information and my e.s.p. was sending me a message, but was overruled. Villa CasaBianca is not what I would call a Villa. It is a farmhouse --up a rather scary deeply rutted dirt road. And that is after a longer one lane road where you can meet oncoming traffic. The outside is not very well maintained -- beyond rustic. And the closest life is a B&B about 150 yards away. The inside is clean and well maintained. The kitchen is very nice and modern. However, the house is very dark -- I had to get out my flashlight to figure out the TV. Roberto could be helpful, but sometimes not. Realistically we made mistakes; for example, we didn't ask enough at the beginning and went through the rather embarrassing hassle over the extra heating charge. Wireless internet is only occasionally available, and that is when sitting on the porch outside, with a coat or blanket around you. But mainly it was my fault. I should have insisted on a place that **really** was walking distance to a town, or place for coffee. [NOTE: I think they ALL stretch the truth on that one!] For everything, we had to pile in the car, and there was no way you would want to navigate the windy, rutted road just to have coffee. When you left, it was for the day. Which reminds me, while we were there, we checked on a place we almost took. (Villa Nello) Ohhh, it was worse! Curves, one lane road, off another windy one lane road. If there is a next time, I will really check on the ingress and egress situations. Villa Nello may have been lovely, but was not able to find out. My fellow travelers were about to mutiny! My other choices for B&Bs worked out pretty well. Just read all the details and listen to the little voice that may be warning you....

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Villa Casabianca in July, 2010

Guest: Gainesville Gator (Gainesville, FL, USA)
Date of Stay: 07/03/10 Review Submitted: 08/11/10

My husband and I rented Villa Casabianca for 3 weeks this past July. It was an incredible experience. From my first exchange of e-mails with Kiki to the day of departure everything was perfect. The villa is beautiful with gorgeous grounds, lovely swimming pool, modern appliances, large rooms, well-furnished, etc. Roberto was very helpful especially in dealing with anything that required speaking Italian like our rental car which broke down! Our grandsons, ages 5 and 4 delighted in being able to go swimming and running around the estate after a long day of sight seeing. We took numerous day trips to surrounding towns including Florence, Assisi, Urbino and Siena plus Cortona was worth several days of exploring. During the 3 weeks, we had different groups come in each week resulting in 17 other people being able to enjoy the Tuscan countryside. They all raved about the villa. We ate dinner in each evening grilling out and eating on the covered patio. Most nights we were still there at midnight!!! The nights and mornings were cool even if the temps reached the 90's during the day. I can't say enough about how wonderful our stay was --- as my husband said "The trip exceeded his expectations!" Jutta, Roberto, Kiki and Isabele were there when we needed them and were always very helpful. I highly recommend this listing.

Owner response:It is always a pleasure to have happy guests and that makes us even more confident about what we have to offer: a great property, superb setting and being helpful at whatever your needs are.

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

A Perfect Getaway

Guest: Tinkchef (Providence, RI, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/15/10 Review Submitted: 06/09/10

In mid-May we had the pleasure of a week's stay at Villa Casabianca. It was raining when we arrived but the greeting we received and the beauty of the villa cancelled the concerns about a wet vacation! Over the course of the week, we had total privacy but knew that assistance was readily available if we needed it. Each of us (five women with varied interests) found aspects of the villa and grounds to appreciate everywhere. From the art throughout this special home to the walking paths, the well equipped kitchen, and our vacation companion Lyla, the beautiful white dog who guided us on trails and welcomed us home every night. It had been an unusually wet and cold May before our arrival. The rain made the Tuscan hills lush with every shade of green imaginable. Two cool nights were remedied by a fire in the generous fireplace built for us by "caretaker" Roberto. He was a constant source of assistance. Roberto is a great cook and we recommend having him prepare at least one dinner during your stay. We also recommend the house wine which is more than reasonably priced and very good. We were encouraged us to take vegetables from their garden which we did. The upstairs kitchen was great fun to cook in and nearby markets made shopping easy. It's important to note that a vehicle is absolutely essential if you plan on visiting the countryside. The directions to the villa were perfect. We did recognize on that first day that access up to the villa was a bit of a driving challenge but we got used to it after a couple of days. The villa outside the hilltop town of Cortona is well situated for daily drives to wonderful nearby towns such as Sienna, Assisi, Florence, Volterra. We had wonderful day trips and came home to a beautiful building with amazing sunsets. The owners of the villa have great ideas for daily adventures and are most accomodating. We will think of them all with fondness and would recommend the villa and it's proud owners without reservation.

Owner response:We at Casabianca do our best to make our guests feel at home in Italy providing useful information on day trips, helping out with any requests, preparing delicious meals and let the guest be part of this wonderful spot on earth. All of our guests have been always very happy and we were glad to be able to welcoming them at Casabianca and to welcome all future guests for a lovely, relaxing vacation.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Guest: Lorraine Fitzsimmons (Potomac, MD USA)
Date of Stay: 09/23/07 Review Submitted: 09/23/07

I cannot say enough about how lovely this home is and how gracious and generous the owners are! We (5 adults) stayed at the Villa and had tons of space and privacy. We never ceased to be amazed at the beauty of the landscape and the sunsets viewed from the loggia! Roberto's welcoming dinner was unbelievable in its artistry and tastes. Isabel was extraordinarily welcoming and helpful. The nearby town of Pergo has a grocery, pizzeria and gelateria. My son and his wife even hiked to Lake Trasimeno one day! Leila is gentle and friendly and made it feel even more like home. The Villa is beautiful and more than comfortable - Fantastic!! We had fresh vegetables from the garden and cooked at home several evenings! Grazie mille for a wonderful time.

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Guest: Roland (IA)
Date of Stay: 08/21/07 Review Submitted: 08/21/07

I highly recommend Casabianca. Location on the Tuscany/Umbria border, near Cortona, is perfect: splendid views, abundant fruit of the earth, flocks of birds, deep quiet. The house itself (we were upstairs in the main unit) has the benefits of antiquity, including charm and coolness on hot days, combined with a marvelously well-engineered restoration. The modern kitchen is a delight for a cook. And everywhere in this house you will find something beautiful to see -- the decor is ideosyncratic, artistic, and refined. Nearby are walks and runs, with wild blackberries along the path, and the owners' sweet dog, Leila, for company. The owners are kind, worldly, interesting, and attentive: Roberto cooked us a memorable meal, and Jutta was generous with her home grown lettuce, basil, and tomatoes. Lovely!

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