Went for the cooking class- had so much fun! Learned so much, and the food was so great, got to…read moreenjoy all the food we made and lots of wine. Our host and chef were great. We went with a group of family and friends and had a great time!

From the owner: Nell'amabile campagna di Chianciano, adagiata tra vigneti secolari e meravigliosi ulivi, avvolto…read moredai colori e dai profumi delle valli toscane...sorge Palazzo Bandino. Palazzo Bandino: nove appartamenti, quattro camere con bagno, servizio di I° colazione, ristorazione tipica solo su prenotazione, con la possibilità di organizzare lezioni e corsi di cucina e di vino per individuali e piccoli gruppi; visita alle cantine con degustazione e spuntini di prodotti tipici. Di recentissima apertura l'Area Relax "Sensi DiVini" con tanto di piscina idromassaggio riscaldata per massaggio dorsale, lombare e idro a cascata per il beneficio di tutto il corpo, vasca idromassaggio esterna riscaldata, percorso kneipp, doccia emozionale, sauna finlandese e hammam ( bagno turco). Ma questo non è tutto! Nelle tue vacanze benessere in Toscana potrai rilassarti nel raxul (hammam munito di possibilità' di programmazione personalizzata) e ricevere massaggi in cabina su prenotazione.

My husband and I were lucky enough to stay at Fonte Martino Guest House and Estate in October 2018,…read morebefore David and Toby began taking reservations. We stayed in the Montepulciano suite, which is in the main house, and were blown away by the amenities and care they took in making the room luxurious. The suite was spacious, modern, clean and had everything we needed to make us feel at home. The views from Fonte Martino of the Tuscan landscape, as well as a commanding view of Montepulciano, made down time at the Inn a pleasure and eye candy for my soul. The location of Fonte Martino was also ideal. A quick 20min walk or 5min drive, made excursions into town easy and fun. In addition to Montepulciano, Fonte Martino is also a easy drive to Cortona, Florence, Siena, Arezzo, Pienza and many other small towns that are nestled in the Tuscan countryside. I would highly recommend visiting Montepulciano and staying at Fonte Martino Guest House and Estate. I'm excited to go back!

From the owner: Exclusively situated 5 minutes from historic Montepulciano, Fonte Martino is the ideal destination…read morefor your Tuscan adventure. It's easy to understand why Rick Steves said, "Montepulciano is one of my favorites for exploring Tuscany and its wine country." Upon your arrival, you will be greeted with panoramic views of Montepulciano and the Tuscan countryside. With the most perfect weather, you will find yourself immersed in our beautiful gardens and relaxing suites. Designed to accommodate a limited number of guests with all modern comforts, Fonte Martino will provide lasting memories for your Tuscan holiday.

We had a wonderful stay at this villa in the Umbria/Tuscany region. We booked it because it met…read morealmost all of our requirements: size, cost, flexibility, niceness, and special organized events. The property has the main house and a guest house. We had the guest house for a week which had 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms (a good ratio so that couples did not have to share bathrooms). The property is very pretty and quiet. Close to the small town of Citta della Pieve for quick groceries and close enough for day trips to Rome, Florenze, wine tasting, etc....There is free wi-fi, 2 pools, a pool table, and a private drive. We did the "welcome dinner", Italian cooking class/dinner, and a wine tasting trip through the owner (Jacopo). All of them were great and reasonably priced. The welcome dinner was a prepared dinner for all the people on the night we arrived. A couple of ladies did all the cooking and cleaning! The food was delicious and it was great to not worry about all of that stuff when just showing up. He has his own line of wine and olive oil from his property which great. He leaves wine there and operates on the "honor system". Nice when you need an extra bottle or two. One note: there is no way to play music from phone or computer. So if you want music, bring a speaker or something. It would be pretty quiet without one. The main house is huge and I think has 9 bedrooms. I also had my luggage lost flying to Italy and Jacopo was also very helpful making phone calls to the Italian company and trying to get the bag back to me. I'd definitely recommend this villa to anyone.

What a cute and awesome place to stay! The nuns that run the guesthouse were like cute little…read moregrandmas who quickly learned my name and wanted to make sure I got a good breakfast and let me keep my car in their parking lot a little late. The rooms are simple, nothing fancy. The location could scarcely be better, right next to the basilica of St. Clare. There is an awesome garden that is a lovely place to read and the breakfast was one of the healthiest and most filling I ate anywhere in Italy. I'd come back here again and again and again!

Yeah. That's right. We did it. We stayed at a convent. In Assisi…read more Nuns, curfews and rules abound. Oh my! Wake your ass up to loud harp music playing on the entire PA system at 7am sharp. Get it on down to breakfast because you ain't sleeping - that harp music ain't stopping until breakfast is over. THIS IS SERIOUS, people! BABY JESUS IS WAITING!!! You better get your ass back to your room with your key visible on the wall before 11pm or you will be promptly locked out, no questions asked. Big Jesus said so. It may be hard to believe given such rules that these sisters were incredibly kind, welcoming, helpful and nice. But they truly were, they made our stay most memorable. A big plus is that if you plan to do the pilgrimage to St Francis' cave, this convent is exactly where you want to be in Assisi to begin the pilgrimage (as close as possible to the bottom of the mountain). I don't think there was a better view in all of Assisi than from our balcony. The convent itself is gorgeous from the outside - gardens included - and equally gorgeous inside. Until you get inside your room, then it looks like you are about to have day surgery. But, once we pushed our beds together and turned out the lights, the room looked really, really good. ;)

We had Florentine steak four times while we were in Italy and this place was our favorite. The meat…read morewas tender and rich and flavored with plenty of garlic and rosemary. The tagliatelle with mushrooms was fresh and delicious. They don't speak English here but we managed with pantomime and the few words we knew! Super friendly folks. A highlight of our entire vacation.

Stayed here in May 2007 during honeymoon trip to Italia, visiting Venezia, Firenze, Sienna/ Tuscany…read more& Roma over 2 weeks. The planned stay was for 2 night at this Villa, though little did I know it will be the best part of the whole honeymoon, even so that we extended the stay by 2 nights. Luckily it was right before peak travel season and we were able to; missed using their pool, since it was too early for the season. Host Franseco was amazing, really warm, welcoming and friendly. He showed me around, walked us through the legendary history of this castle through World Wars, his mother's amazing story of first ever woman to compete in the local horse race competition (forgetting the name), he even shared some especial local desert liquor with us one night... he made us feel at home, we even played with his pony (Jimmy?), his cat & he dropped us off the last day to the city center (he was going to watch a big club soccer match). Place is amazingly beautiful, small village, 2 restaurants (we loved the family run place- don't miss their ribolita...yum!!), very charming villa. We rented a scooter and rode around Tuscany/ Chianti region, checking out various villages in the area. Hands down, my best foreign trip ever, and the highlight was the stay at this villa & exploring Tuscany. I've been itching to go back since... hopefully some time soon, and this time- I'll make sure to go later than early May, so I can enjoy their amazing pool with a scenic view of the mountains, overlooking Sienna valley! Oh I'm getting the travel bug as I right this. Franseco was awesome!

We stayed here in 2010 and again this June and the experience has been just wonderful both times…read more The rooms are each a delight, displaying the finest Tuscan craftsmanship in centuries old structures displaying exposed timber beams and brick vaulted ceilings that create a richness for the senses not typically found in a hotel stay. The common eating areas and the bedrooms are spotlessly clean with a consistent attention to detail wherever you look. We've stayed in the large barn building with four wonderful double rooms adjoining a large common area that manages to like it's only or you. Outside, the view from atop the brick staircase is of classic Tuscan rolling fields and spired cypress trees. Tucked among a variety of manored hedges are a series of cottages each with their own yard areas that create intimacy and great variety to the common spaces. The effect is a green, manicured oasis surrounding an inviting and beautiful pool with some of the finest landscaping we'd seen to date in Italy The kids just love hanging out here all day and we have to really get motivated to see some of the rest of Tuscany. All the rooms are air conditioned, and wi fi is provided as well. Gianluca is the heart of the place and provides a personal charm and touch that made us feel more like family than guests. Breakfast is one of the best we'd had in Italy and Gianluca enjoys just hanging out and chatting if you're more sociable. There are a variety of ways to stay here; as a single family/couple over a few nights, with breakfast or as a group of 4-22 for a solid week with Gianluca arranging barbeques, dinners, wine tours, massages, yoga classes or just about anything else your group may want to do. They also host weddings and/or other special gatherings as you may need I haven't mentioned the actual location that this paradise; let's say it's about as well located as can be in Toscana; you're in Chianti country, 20 minutes to Multepulciano, near to Pienza, Montalcino and the thermal baths of Rapolano Terme (beautiful mud mineral baths), go at night when it's illuminated, it's magical. Cortona, Siena and Florence are 30-60 minutes away and the local towns offer a great variety of restaurants that Gianluca will recommend and personally guide you to if needed. In any case, need I say more, if you want to visit Tuscany and really want to experience a wonderful setting and personalized service, call Gianluca and make this a must see/experience when in Italy. Ciao

A very slow food place, the Locanda del Principato is a circle opened only 3 days per week…read more http://www.locandadelprincipato.com/ita/raggiungerci.htm Each night with a different theme. Usually for example on Friday night in autumn is the baby carriage served after dinner full of on made grappas! the fish, but for this week we will enjoy the white truffle cooked in all the best way from appetizer to accompaing the meat. The full dinner cost is 30 euro + wines and consist in almost 6/8 different dishes. Tip and cash are very appreciated (NO CREDIT CARD). Best of the area!! More info at http://www.umbriatuscanyreview.com/restaurant-review-2/a-very-slow-food/