“We had a great time in Italy. Charlie and Nancy, our Hosts, were wonderful. The Florence apartment is great and the Terra Toscana villa exceptional, simply beyond expectations. We have a few food and wine highlights to share. About 30 minutes away from Radda we had a great lunch and bought some excellent wine at Castello di Brolio (http://www.ricasoli.it/ and http://www.castellitoscani.com/brolio.htm). The osteria is near, but not attached, to the visitors facility. I suspect they have dinner also.

Nancy, our Host in Florence, gave us a great dinner recommendation for our last night, Trattoria Omero, and it is within walking distance of the home. Considering the wine we had, it is quite reasonably priced.

We also had a great wine, oil and Balsamic tasting at the villa in Radda put on by Tony Sasa. We later visited his enoteca in Florence where we tasted several wines (http://www.enotecapontevecchio.it/index2.htm).”
Member David Bulfer

“The Destination Hosts were incredibly proactive and some of the best I’ve had so far. When my luggage was lost, Nancy told us to enjoy ourselves; that she would own the situation and get everything resolved. She also took the initiative to make dinner reservations without us knowing because she knew we would have a hard time just walking into restaurants. I was very grateful because it was difficult and we had to use three of the reservations. Only rent a car on the days you want to drive to the countryside or to visit another city because the parking in Florence is impossible. We took our car downtown and drove around trying to find a spot for 30 minuets. We finally ended up driving back to Santuario de Galileo and called a taxi. Taxis are expensive ($20 one way to the city) but were at the property in less than 10 minutes. Santuario de Galileo was thoroughly furnished and absolutely beautiful. There were wall-to-wall information/guide books, which were very useful. Also when we arrived, Nancy and Melissa handed me an Italian cell phone to use during the trip. All in all, I loved the property and the trip! I am excited to go back and pairing the Florence properties with the Tuscan villa will be perfect!”
Member Mike Orlich

“If you love fine leather goods then Florence is the best place in Europe to shop. Pierotucci offers incredible prices and selection, but remember to bargain. There are several Ateliers that make superb custom leather goods. Be sure to plan ahead as you may need several fittings and expect to have it shipped home. Of course there’s nothing like a long lunch at one of the two Michelin-starred restaurants or wonderful pizzerias (in season think pizza Bianca with white truffles). The food in Florence is exceptional and the gelato is utterly addictive.”
Founding Member Ben Addoms