The better the ingredients, the better the meal! The better the villa, the better the vacation!

Guest: Drew (Berlin / Prague / Los Angeles )
Date of Stay: 08/06/11 Review Submitted: 09/16/11

VILLA LA CHIUSA, quietly rests in a nook of Lucca Italy, boasting exactly what a villa should have: green wooden windows set against an aged Tuscan orange paint; a garden lined with lemon trees, shrubbery and flowers well groomed each day by the on-site handyman Mandy; a pool; rooms with ceilings that climb for days and painted in floral design from over 200 years ago; a living room with shelves of books in Italian and English and a piano to play chopsticks or Pavarotti singles to depending on your taste and talent; and of course a full size kitchen and linen room to do your wash and drying. It was this space I inhabited alongside my family. In the garden past the lemon trees beside the circular turquoise pool, we rested on the lounge chairs and read under the sun. Between chapters, we'd share prosciutto, Pecorino cheese, pears and iced tea; tell jokes; play with our Jack Russell and discuss whether or not we wanted Alberto - the in-house chef to cook seafood or steak. A novel decision, I wish to contemplate again sometime in the near future. I even had the pleasure of watching Alberto in action, methodically creating his delicious tiramisu, fried zucchini flowers and baked prawns. We ventured one day to the city of Florence, walked through the town market of Lucca and ventured into the depths of a marble mine in Carrara, which was magical. Florence and Lucca, as expected in August, were filled with tourists, but still as beautiful as ever. Yet after each excursion I was so excited to return home – return to Villa La Chiusa, where we could relax under a sunset, mountains in the background, wine in our glasses and our Jack Russell finally exhausted from chasing the bees, the birds and the tennis balls. This was a vacation in the truest form of the word. Louisa, her handyman, Mandy and chef Alberto made each and every one of us feel so incredibly comfortable. Yet without the company of my family, the food, the wine, the jokes, the sunsets and the relaxation would have been all for nothing. This was a perfect vacation in Tuscany.

Owner response:Dear Arthur so nice to hear from you- You and your family have been fantastic guests and.. Batzy....running here and there- grazie mille for the very nice words you say about your vacation at Villa la Chiusa, we always try to do our best to make our guests feel like home--I am so happy you had a great vacation in Lucca and hope to see all of you again..with Batzy- love and ciao to all of you Luisa

Recommended for:People with disabilities, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, tourists without a car, pet owners, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, families with young children.

Memorable vacation

Guest: Toni (Washington DC)
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 08/04/11

Three people from France, two people from California, two people from New Jersey, one person from DC, the perfect house to meet up and spend a memorable week together in one place. Louisa, who lives on property, is a wonderful hostess. Dorene, who lives in California but is from the region, was a perfect resource to help us plan our stay. We planned a very nice combination of relaxing at the villa and visiting the local treasures. We had a chef come our last night - rookie mistake - there were so many left-overs it was such a pity we didn't have more time to eat them. I also highly recommend taking a cooking class at the villa - also early on in the week - as we learned to make many wonderful dishes and had lots of left-overs too! Also high on the list were the personal guided tour of Lucca with Maria, and the private tour by Guiseppe of his bio-dynamic olive groves and vineyard. Also plan this early in the week so you have time to enjoy his wines nightly! Of all the Tuscan towns to visit, Lucca remains very authentically Italian since it wasn't discovered by tourists until only recently. If you go in July, make sure you benefit from the Lucca music festival featuring so many famous artists. Make sure to go into town and get authentic Lucca meatballs - the most delicious I have evern eaten. The villa is so wonderfully situated that you can relax at home, visit town, go to the beach, or explore the hill-side towns. The villa is also located near many thermal baths. This will be a vacation we will always remember!

Owner response:Caro Toni Having your International family and friends at the villa- was a great pleasure form me and for Dorene-I am very happy to know that you had a great time with tours, wine tasting and cooking class- drinking wine and a memorable vacation. Grazie for having discovered Lucca- still a protected island in Tuscany- hope to see you again - my best and ciao. Luisa

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

June Trip to Lucca

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/04/11 Review Submitted: 07/29/11

Our family spent a week at Villa la Chuisa in June, 2011 and our family is still talking about what a wonderful time we had in the Lucca area. Luisa's home is FABULOUS and she became a good friend of ours during our visit....most helpful with everything. The accomodations were wonderful and plenty of room for our family of 13. Our special "chef's" dinner was outstanding and Luisa's "welcome dinner" was outstanding also.....! Very fond memories of Italy and especially Lucca.

Owner response:Cara Kathy- Your enthusiasm was contagious for everybody-!! For your family and for me !!- I had a great time having you here at the villa and happy you have fond memories of Lucca- we will meet somewhere in the world - who knows !!! Grazie e ciao Luisa

Recommended for:People with disabilities, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, families with young children.

Fantastic experience!

Guest: Angie (Bridgewater, NJ )
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 07/28/11

We had a wonderful time while staying at this beautiful villa in Lucca. The owner is so very hospitable, thoughtful and kind. The villa is very well maintained, neat and clean. If you have cat allergies, possible exposure. With assistance from one of the owner's friends, very well organized, comfortable day trips were arranged to all the main sites that we had wanted to visit during our stay at the villa. We did not rent a car but used a local taxi service (van/mini bus) that transported us to our various sites. We were even able to get last minute tickets to see Elton John in concert in Lucca. I would highly recommend this villa to other friends/relatives. It was such a very special and memorable experience for me, my 2 siblings and our families.

Owner response:Cara Angela it was great to have you and all your family here and to know that you enjoyed all the trips that we have organized for you- we always do our best to make our guests' vacation a memorable experience- grazie mille for having come to the vill.Ihope to see all of you again in Lucca. love to you and all your family- ciao Luisa

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, families with teenagers.

Our Vacation in Lucca

Guest: Greg Eansor (Laguna Niguel)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 07/28/11

What a trip. It was one of the best vacation that we have ever had. Luisa's Villa and hospitality was second to none. There were 3 families with a total of 13. it is a huge villa on a perfect piece of land (pool) with a bunch of master suites, big rooms and showers. Great location. We had the chef prepare dinner a few nights for us - which is a must. We took day trips to Pisa, Venice, Florence and Cinque Terre. Luisa and Dorene arrange everything for us - we just had to pay and enjoy. The hospitality was first class. Luisa is near by and always there when you need her. She also has her property manager near by to assist us. We were spoiled - they even cleaned up the Villa and made our beds on a daily basis! other highlights - Wine (& olive oil) tour at San Martin Winery and Elton John concert in old town Lucca. We strongly recommend it. Greg

Owner response:dear Greg I am so happy you had a great vacation in Lucca and that you enjoyed all your actvities and tours around Tuscany- it is always a pleasure to have a great family like yours and to organize the vacation and the hopsitality at the best. grazie mille for your nice words about the villa, and your experience in Lucca- I do hope to meet you again sometimes at the villa - all my best and ciao Luisa

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, families with teenagers, families with young children.

An inspirational trip July 2010

Guest: annie (London)
Date of Stay: 07/13/10 Review Submitted: 07/26/10

The villa is huge! And very beautifully and traditionally furnished. The swimming pool was just the right size and the sun loungers were fantastic.... I spent a lot of time reading, sunbathing and swimming! Mandi (the caretaker) was there every day to make sure everything was spotless and I had fresh towels etc. I was lucky enough to go to the Puccini opera festival with Luisa (the owner) and I also gave a mini concert on her piano which is the downstairs living room of the villa. A lovely piano which I spent a lot of time practising on! Luisa was extremely helpful, showing me where there were good restaurants, shops and Gelitarias! I used the wonderful bicycle to get around and the journey to Lucca was very quick and simple. Lucca is a lovely town! I loved the huge wall built all around it where you can have a great view of the town. I had a great trip to Pisa which is only 20 mins by car and also Florence which is only 45 mins by car. The villa is perfectly situated and I could have also taken a trip to the beach very easily although I was content enough with the pool! I will definitely recommend this trip to people who want to do sightseeing and also enjoy a small typical Italian town whilst staying in one of the nicest properties I have ever seen! The paintings on the walls and ceiling, the beautiful carved oak furniture, the gorgeous silk fabric covered chairs... The list could go on and on!! Wonderful villa and fantastic location!

Owner response:Dear Annie it was an extremely nice experience to have you here at the Villa and organize a little concert for your friends and my friends-- noiw we have a musical link berween Villa La Chiusa in Lucca and and you in London, I will be very happy to organize more concerts with you - you are a very promising pianist and wish you all the best for your concerts in London- thank you for your lovely words and see you soon for next concert at the Villa- ciao Luisa

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, families with young children.

Guest: joan mcentee (washington dc)
Date of Stay: 09/29/08 Review Submitted: 09/29/08

I was the luckiest person in the world having stayed at this villa for a month. This was a birthday gift from my husband and son, and we had family and friends galore! Having rented several Italian and French villas in the past, this was by far the most magical and wonderful vacation ever. The villa is exceptionally well maintained, with modern bathrooms, fully a/c; fantastic kitchen,6 gorgeous bedrooms, sitting rooms and charming furniture. The grounds and pool are perfect-there are fruit trees and a patio where we had cocktails followed by the most wonderful dinner prepared by the fantastic chef, Alberto. But most of all, the best part, is the delightful, charming, amazing villa owner, Luisa. She makes sure that every detail is perfect, and knows everything and everybody in all Italy. Luisa's talents for knowing all the right places, and what needs to be done to make people love this villa, city and people---knows no bounds. We would bike daily into Lucca, for shopping, eating or just gelato. Though a car is not totally necessary, it helps if one wants to visit the surrounding area which is truly gorgeous. Lucca is a real medieval working city, so it doesnt feel "touristy".You can visit the numerous ancient churches, yet also buy some of the best cheese in the world. During our vacation, we visited vineyards, a beautiful, sandy beach, Etruscan ruins, hill-towns; we also went to the Opera, had wine-tastes and fantastic Tuscan cooking classes at the villa--and more, all the while eating and drinking the most marvelous food. The food market is in biking distance (bikes at the villa) and the housekeeper, Mandi, is so unobtrusive he is amazing! We also used the services of Dorene Luchessi, of Divertimento, who helped arrange most of our events--and was fantastic!!(Luisa recommended her, and made our visit the success it was.) Our group is fairly demanding--and there was not one thing that Anyone would have changed. This is a place that is so special, I really feel privledged to have visited it-- and would tell everyone that they will feel the same.

Owner response:Cara Joan- it was such a pleasure to have you, your family and all your friends in my house-it is a greta compliments for me to know that you felt - like home - grazie mille for all your nice words and hope to see you again in Lucca- all my love to all of you- Luisa

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Guest: Fran & Ernie Buck (Corpus Christi, Texas)
Date of Stay: 05/09/06 Review Submitted: 05/09/06

The group from Texas (Sandy, Blair, Sharon, Sandy, Ernie & me) had a fantastic time at this fabulous villa. There was room for all of us to roam. Alberto's meals are not to be missed. Thanks Luisa for sharing your villa with us.

Owner response:thank you to all of you for coming at Villa La Pergola and sharing your friendship with me- have a great Tuscan meals with the recipes you have- much love to all of you

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Guest: Sandy and Blair Sterba-Boatwright (Corpus Christi, Texas)
Date of Stay: 05/09/06 Review Submitted: 05/09/06

We have just come back from a week at the lovely villa and are ready to return and go right back. We had such a relaxing and wonderful time. The villa is enchanting. It is spacious, not only in its overall size, but in the size of the individual rooms. Although it is beautifully decorated, it remains comfortable and welcoming. I particularly enjoyed the eclectic book collection, finding a copy of The Tibetan Book of the Dead on the shelf next to a diet book called Sugarbeaters! The dinners by Alberto were fantastic! We always started with hors d'oevres and then went in to the main meal. His artichokes are to die for and we asked him back twice. One of the reasons we did not ask him back more is that we had so much left over, that we got two meals for the price of one! He not only cooks it all, but cleans it up and leaves us to revel in the memory of his lovely culinary ability. The villa is very conveniently located. Although one of our members had visions of biking everywhere, biking is not for the faint of heart or the out of practice. The cars come awfully close! But walking is reasonable and the villa is within easy walking distance of the center of the walled city (it is less easy if you are tired and laden with packages!-then, get a taxi!) The City is fantastic. I would love to go back and spend another week exploring the narrow streets, churches, shops and to climb a few more towers. We also tried both the recommended gelato and pizza and both were great. It was a wonderfully relaxing vacation in a lvoely setting.

Owner response:Dear Sandy and Blair it was a great pleasure to have you and all your friends at the Villa come back soon- thank you and ciao

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Guest: Anne Block (Los Angeles, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/08/06 Review Submitted: 05/08/06

It is with pleasure that I recommend the beautiful Villa La Pergola! I have been a guest in this lovely elegant house many times over the past eight years. The rooms are all large and comfortable with beautiful furnishings. Chef Alberto's welcome dinner is a special touch that sets the tone for a wonderful visit in Tuscany. Here, at La Pergola, one can truly experience living the life of a lucky Italian at its fascinating, gracious, delicious best! The location is ideal. Lucca (my favorite Tuscan city) is just minutes away, while Florence, Pisa, and the seaside can all be reached in less than an hour. Luisa Raffaelli, your charming hostess, can offer suggestions of places to see, restaurants, wineries, cultural events - all the things a visitor might want to know about in the area. Make your trip to Tuscany the adventure of a lifetime. Stay at Villa La Pergola. Sincerely, Anne Block Founder/owner Take My Mother*Please (*or any other V.I.P.) Tailor Made Trips and Tours

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