Romantic Tuscan Riverside Cottage Close to Shops/Restaurants

My wife and I spent 4 nights in this lovely villa. As you can see from other comments this place is off the beaten path and takes you back in time in a very good way. You feel the real Italia. Specifically Tuscany. We loved the river. It was so soothing to sleep to or swim in (which I did every day). There are a few great restaurants around in different villages that you MUST try. The bakery is around corner within few minutes of walking distance (heading towards Equi Terme). We had fresh bread every morning . Down a few kilometers in the town of Gragnola there is a great grocery store with awesome fresh fruit, a butcher, and deli with tons of cheese to choose from. We picked up few items and cooked twice in the villa. We can't say enough about the place, the area and the whole experience. Thanks to Art, the directions to the villa was perfect, no GPS for us. I must admit that it would have been very challenging if we did not have our own car. We are looking forward to coming back and this time spending a little more time there. In the villa there are two very helpful books. One from the owners with their suggestions as well as letters from previous guest. I highly recommend reading them upon your arrival, they will help a lot with getting to know the area.

My wife & I spent 10 glorious days at Il Mulinello.The villa is in a very private locale,on the Lucido river & abuts to the National Park. The views from the property, alone, are spectacular. Windows are screened & shuttered keeping the cottage incredibly cool & bug free during our stay; when temps were in the 80's each day. A hiker or cyclists dream area.Wonderful food & gracious people in the surrounding villages.This northern paradise seems to escape the hustle & bustle of the more "Touristo" regions to the south,especially during peak European Holiday travel in August. Many mountain towns (medieval,walled,fortified) are accessible by foot,car,or train. Vino Casa was our drink of choice,wherever we dined. Do bring your appetite...the dinners are spectacular..each being a good 90 minute adventure..and you'll never be rushed! We dined out quite often,but prepared many meals at the cottage.The kitchen was fully equipped. We hope to return some day. P.S. Bring your English/Italian dictionarys & leave the Travelers Checks at home!

My partner and I just returned from Italy, where we spent two glorious weeks. We used the cottage as our base and toured throughout Tuscany. The cottage is located on the edge of a national park, about 1/2 mile from each of two charming mountain villages. We loved it here - some nights we stayed in and cooked, but on most we sampled the local restaurants for dinner. There's a bakery just up the road where you can get fresh bread every morning, and a mountain-top restaurant a ten minute drive away with a view to die for, and glorious food. If you want a romantic getaway, with great local food, hiking and tranquility, this is the place.

Not only was it thrilling to travel to Europe for the first time, but to 'step back in time' in Tuscany was an incredible experience. As a surprise birthday present for my husband, I started on my search with Tuscany.. a place I had envisioned visiting at some point in my life. I happened upon VRBO and Il Mulinello, literally having no direction whatsoever where this would take me. When I read the description of the villa (Il Mulinello), I stopped my search, knowing that I found the perfect place for me and my husband.

I must admit.... I did a very good job! Il Mulinello was clean, charming, and very functional. We found everything we needed in order to cook, shower, or just relax. There were great CD's to listen to, exercise equipment to work out on, incredible views of the mountain, the white capped river that rambled alongside the villa, and the aesthetically appealing landscape surrounding us that included beautiful flowers, tropical plants, etc., all lending to the natural beauty of this amazing villa nestled in the most seductive region of Tuscany.

Thank goodness for the navigation system we picked up at Pisa airport when we rented a car for the 9 days we stayed. It was easy to use and helped us in our travels throughout Tuscany and the surrounding areas.... we drove 1200+ miles!! From the villa, it's simple to get to so many interesting places.... Lucca, Parma, Massa, Pisa, Florence as well as our favorite trips to the local villages along the way. This area of Italy is so mind blowing.... the landscape is not to be missed!!

If we are to ever travel to Italy again, Tuscany and Il Mulinello will be on the top of our list! I can't say enough about the pleasure of staying in a beautiful villa as well as in a breathtaking area of Italy!

If you are looking for the real "Italian" experience, Monzone is a perfect locale. Far from the madding crowd this home is away from tourists, within an easy distance of the bakery for breakfast and town for a wonderful antipasti at Da Remo Ristorante.

Walking down the steps to Il Mullinello you will find a countryside oasis where the only sound at night is the roar of the river.