Aaaaaah, Borgo a Mazzano. What a lovely town, rich in it's simplicity. We were SO glad to have chosen to stay in this small town where locals truly LIVE, rather than a touristy metro area. One would be hard pressed to stay in a fast-paced frame of mind here (unless you're driving ...that's a very different story!).
To say that this villa made our stay infinitely more memorable would be an understatement. The owner is a joy to work with and a great resource. The house itself is perfect, and has everything needed to cook and relax. 7 of us (3 young adults, one teen, a couple, and a grandmother) stayed quite comfortably. We could easily have accommodated either another couple or another child or two, as one of the rooms went unused until later in the stay while the 'kids' stayed in the AMAZING loft. A side note; if we are able to return, I'm calling dibs on the loft ;)
The first morning, we older folk awoke to a full brunch of local meats, cheeses, fruits, and breads from the town shops; bounty from the kids' earlier walk down the hill. We enjoyed our first cups of Italian coffee a'la the stovetop moka pot, with added local honey, while overlooking the breathtaking view. It was HEAVEN! Later in the vacation, we went wine tasting and let me just say that the view from the villa was even more gorgeous than any vineyard we photographed. We had a photo enlarged for a large wall at home.
Our time was spent traversing up and down the hill for our daily workout (don't forget the bug repellent), drinking wine (the wine shop in Borgo has vino on tap), training into Lucca (bike rental is highly recommended), venturing to neighboring towns, drinking and eating in various bars (aperetivo served happy hour style at many places), day tripping into Firenze (don't drive there - seriously), drinking local liqueurs and beers, exploring Cinque Terre (Oh My God, just beautiful!!), more wine, snacking on grapes (the terrace vines themselves make a great photo op), cooking over the fire (yes - cooking locally handmade sausage skewers over a roaring fire in the kitchen), and the kids even spent a full weekend in Rome. Two weeks was just enough to leave us wanting more. Our family matriarch, my mother, stayed the entire month accompanied by my nephew, and after my departure my sisters moved in for 2 weeks. Everyone wants to return :)
There was rain, so I would like to spend a summer or maybe a spring there someday to get that experience. Until then, Gracie Mille!!!!