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WHY LIVE YOUR TUSCAN DREAM WITH US? |
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| OUR DREAMY VACATION RENTALS • Town House IL CIELO (sleeps 4) • Town Suite IL NIDO (sleeps 2) |
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| SERVICES & AMENITIES | |
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| HOW TO LIVE YOUR TUSCAN DREAM • Weekly Activities and Program |
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| PLACES TO GO & THINGS TO DO | |
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| TUSCAN DREAMS FOR FAMILIES | |
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| OUR LOCATION & DIRECTIONS | |
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| ENQUIRIES & RESERVATIONS | |
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| Le Casine di Castello Piazza IV Novembre , 6 I-53020 Castelmuzio (Siena) GPS: 43° 08'29" N / 11° 39'50" E Tel./Fax (+39) 0578-748083 Cell. (+39) 338-7409245 E-mail: isabella@lecasinedicastello.com |
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If you have been a guest of "Le Casine di Castello" we would love to hear from you! Please add your comments by clicking here. |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Ciao Isa,
I have to tell you again, that we fell in love with Castelmuzio. It has a charm to it that I can’t put into words. We loved walking the streets in the evening and listening to the conversations from the apartment windows along with the clatter of dishes and silverware, and the mouth-watering aromas that filled the evening air. We felt like we were “home”, which is why it didn’t matter that we didn’t get to do “everything”. We did exactly what we had planned to do; savor the moment. … Warmest Regards, Vic 21 December 2011 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Isabella,
What a fantastic, and magical life you live….we were so fortunate to have you rescue us… Thank you and Carlo for allowing us to experience Tuscany in a very unique way Until next time… Bill and Lynn Enyart 5 November 2011 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Isabella,
Once again I cannot express to you in words how happy we were to stay here and honestly hope we can make it back at some point in the future. You and your family have definitely made our first trip to Italy (Tuscany specifically) unforgettable. I feel as though we have made life long friends, and am sad to have to leave here. Take care, and god bless. Rick and Linda Zizzamia 21 October 2011 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Ciao, Isabella. We have returned home to our home in Victoria, British Columbia, to find much cooler weather. Autumn has definitely arrived here! We are slowly acclimatizing to wearing warmer clothing.
We want to thank you for the wonderful introduction and guidance to exploring the Val d'Orcia. Fond memories will keep us company for a long time - of Cretaiole, Castelmuzio, your family's warm welcome, and the many villages, towns and roads explored. We plan to have a "pici night" with a group of friends including our Castelmuzio mates Sheila & Chery and Harold & Anita. Will you please email me your pici making instructions. Thanks! All the best to you and your family, Karin Macaulay 17 October 2011 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Hi Isa, Hope you and your family are doing well. Thought I'd share the pictures Vic took of our experience two weeks ago in preparation for your pici making class tonight. I especially like that last shot of Harold, one of the two men who stayed upstairs from us in Castelmuzio....he is having such a good time! We very much enjoyed our visit thanks to you and your family's warm hospitality. The time we spent with you helped to give us a true understanding of what it's like to work, live and love in Tuscany. Our last week in Italy was spent in the Cortona area, and although we love Cortona, we don't like the surrounding area nearly as well as we do Val D'Orcia. Can't wait to come back. Please give our regards to Carlo and Luciano! Lynn and Vic Johansen 13 October 2011 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Hi, Isabella. We are now home and I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful week. I feel like we learned more about Italy that week than we did in the other 3 weeks we were there. You said you would share your recipe for ragu if we requested it, so here I am. Also, would you tell me exactly what wording I should look for on the olive oil bottle to ensure it really is a product of Italy. Thank you again for everything you did to make our visit memorable. Terry Creeth 9 October 2011 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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This was our 5th visit to Pienza and first stay with Isabella and her family. We travel by bicycle and rarely spend time with English speaking tourists. As such, we approached our stay at Le Casine di Castello with some reservations. Well, we can't wait until we can return to Castelmuzio and to Le Casine di Castello. We have never stayed at an apartment that was so well furnished for cooking and touring, either in the US or abroad. We have stayed near Castelmuzio, but not in the paesino (better word than village to describe the location with 200 inhabitants) so we knew it would be fantastic for bike touring, half way between Montalcino and Montepulciano, with the whole Val d'Orcia right there.
What we did not expect was the variety of activities arranged with Isabella's friends and associates. Some we went to by bike. For others we hitched rides with other folks staying in Castelmuzio or at the agriturismo or with Ilario, Isa's friend who drives a local taxi. Ilario, by the way, is a fund of local knowledge and history and was extremely patient with my stumbling italian. It was unusually hot, for the time of year and we had some health issues, so we did not ride as much as we had planned, but our days were full, to say the least. Don't miss the visit to the family farm and romitorio, complete with Etruscan artifacts that the Italian govt won't let archeologist excavate...and hear that story and others. Being there in September meant we could still harvest tomatoes (the best ever!!!) and other veggies from the agriturismo garden. And by all means, take the pici making class and stay for the pot luck. You may even get to try Luciano's (Isabella's father in law) grappa and vin santo. The former is, well, is grappa. The vin santo is heavenly. Most of all enjoy Pienza and the most gracious, fun, lively family you may ever meet. All this and more at Cretaiole and Le Casine di Castello. Carol Bergson 1 October 2011 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Isabella, Just taking a short break between making the pici and cooking it for dinner. We got home last night and with jet lag I needed a task to just keep me awake and busy while doing laundry. We now have three meals worth of pici...what a treat. Thank you so much for sharing part of yourself and your family with us, as well as with your other visitors at Cretaiole. We can't wait to return, hopefully within two years. Please pass my regards to your father-in-law. All future vin santo will be a poor comparison to his! Arrivederci, Carol Bergson 25 September 2011 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Dear Isabella, Thank you so very much for helping us create a magical vacation! We've fallen in love with the Val d'Orcia, the wonderful people of Castelmuzio and Pienza, and of course the amazing Moricciani family! Your warmth, generosity and love for the Val d'Orcia allowed us to feel immersed in the culture, to feel like we were not just tourists but part of the community. Photographs fail to do justice to the beauty of the countryside and we loved spending time with your family, as well as meeting people such as Ulisse, Sandra and Fred who have such a deep connection to the land. We hope to return someday and wish you all well. Warm regards, Michelle Groenke 17 August 2011 |
| [ Il Cielo and Il Nido ] |
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Hello Isabella! I am just now getting organized and going through e-mails after our trip home. We had a wonderful time in Italy and our family agrees, you are "the hostess with the mostest" - you know how to make people feel welcome and comfortable - THANK YOU!! Thanks for taking care of our parking tickets and for the delicious and enjoyable dinner at Cretiaole! We also appreciate the information on the Brunello wine. Nick has commented many times how much he appreciated your talk during the Etruscan tour. He said it made him feel more connected with and gave him a greater appreciation for the Italian culture. Once again, thanks for the great memories! Love from the Steffen family, Mark and Lori 29 July 2011 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Ciao Isabella! I have returned from my summer in Italy and would like to have some friends over to share my adventures and make pici! I'm sure you are extremely busy, but I would be most appreciative if you could send me the recipe for pici and your ragu. I need to create a little cookbook of authentic recipes to place in our school library to fulfill the obligations of the grant I received to travel to Italy and would like to include yours with some pictures of the pici class. Jeff and I had such a wonderful time staying with you in early June (we stayed in Il Nido). You are an amazing hostess and your family is delightful. The week we spent with you was by far the highlight of my 6 weeks in Italy. I learned so much from listening to your stories and we both appreciated your passion and effort in making our stay so enjoyable. You are an extraordinary woman. Hope you are all well and having a wonderful summer. Looking forward to hearing from you. Tricia Gustaitis 5 August 2011 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Ciao Isabella! It is the first day home for us, sadly :-( We never had a chance to say good-bye and to thank you for our wonderful stay! We really enjoyed our time in Castelmuzio and the Val D'Orcia and hope we will be back again someday!! I admire all the work you have done to your homes and all the activities and family interactions you have planned for your guests adds a special touch! Take care and grazie again! Wancy & Jason 27 June 2011 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Dear Isabella, After leaving Il Cielo we were off to Sicilia. While we had a wonderful time there, we kept reminiscing about our time in Castelmuzio and at Cretaiole--nothing could top our week in Tuscany and we are already talking about when we can return. Thank you so much for all you did to make this vacation so memorable. Until next time...with our warmest regards, Nancy, Glenn, Ginger and Tom 30 May 2011 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Hi Isabella:
Just want you to know that Jack and I had a lovely time in Tuscany a couple of weeks ago and loved staying at Le Casine di Castello. Thank you so much for inviting us to the pici cooking class. It was truly a highlight of our visit. Next time we come we want to stay at Cretaiole! Looking forward to it in the future. Have a blessed holiday season and thank you again for your hospitality. The Linds 30 November 2010 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Ciao Isabella and Family,
Thank you for your heartfelt and beautifully written e-mail. I had intended to write to you as well and have not had much time since our return from Italy. Yes, I will be most happy to write my thoughts and impressions of our stay with you and your family as will Stephanie and Chris. You cannot imagine how much joy and awe I felt returning to Italy after a 41 year absence. My first visit was in 1969 when I had just finished college, and although I have many relatives in southern Italy, I have not returned until now. I promise that I will not wait so long to return again. You are an amazing and gracious woman, Isabella. I enjoyed everything very much about our stay. You taught us many things and warmly welcomed us into your family. I will always appreciate this most of all and never forget the memories of this. I have already recommended that others in my family make this trip and stay with you. Until we do see each other again in the future, I send you and all of your family many warm wishes for a wonderful Christmas season, and again, thank you for everything that you did for us at Le Casine di Castello. Best Regards, Rose 29 November 2010 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Hello all, I concur with the eloquently stated comments from Gaia, Tom and Liz. Val d'Orcia had its own magic which has now become a part of all of us. Arriving later in the week did not not require any time to adjust. I was enfolded in the love of Isabella and family, all of the guests who had become family and Gaia, Tom and Liz, my brother and sisters in the love of travel and adventure. Even after one evening my heart was full of wonder and love, my stomach was EXTREMELY full with indescribably delicious food and my head spinning from wine, vinsanto, grappa and laughter. :) I appreciate the generosity, the opportunities, the teaching and the cultural immersion shared at Cretaiole. My 2 1/2 days there presented gifts to me I will cherish always. Since I did not experience the full week I might find it necessary to return for the FULL experience one day. I only look forward to that. Thanks and love to all,
Teri Berglund 25 November 2010 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Ciao my friend,
I know Gaia responded for us and we hope you enjoy some of the pictures. We were blessed to have spent our first week in Italy with you because it set very high and authentically Italian standards for our entire trip. Our stay with you and your family was the highlight of our trip. Please give Luciano our warmest regards, we think of and speak of him often. Let him know we enjoyed the wheel of his pecorino for the remainder of our time in Italy. All of your/his families food and drink was everything that I had anticipated prior to our trip. I read recently that every prayer is made in the presence of the answer, the answer suggesting the prayer. Your were our answer. Hope you get a chance to cook the wild rice from Minnesota and perhaps have a hearty soup with the family on a cold winter day. Until next time we sent Peace and Love to you all. Tom 24 November 2010 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Thank you Isabella for your lovely note. You and your hospitality continue to be present everyday in my thoughts. We could not have had a more cherished time. When we left Val d' Orcia, we understood what you had said about Val d' Orcia being Val d' Orcia but that the tourist industry depicts all of Tuscany as having the beauty of your area which is not true. We experienced for ourselves the uniqueness and special beauty that can only be seen in your region of Tuscany. I have already told everyone I know that if they are ever planning a trip to Italy I will be available to help them plan their stay with you! I will be happy to post thoughts and impressions on your important web sites.
I will send you the link to some pics that I think you and your family will enjoy. Just yesterday Tom received the wine he bought at the women's vineyard and winery in Montalcino. It is sitting on the dining room table so constant reminders of you and Tuscany surround us! Warm regards from Minnesota! Gaia Fenna 24 November 2010 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Ciao Isabella!
Our stay was absolutely lovely, made so by the accommodations at Il Nido and the hospitality shown by you and your family! Now I am trying to convince my husband to consider getting on an airplane to Italy and spending a wonderful week in Tuscany with you sometime in the future (he hates flying!). Again, thank you so very much for making our stay so amazing! Had I known how wonderful the Val d'Orcia was, I would have stayed the whole 3 weeks there! Thank you again, so much! Vickie Cyr 24 November 2010 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Hello Isabella:
We are back safely in Canada and wanted to take a moment to give you and your wonderful family a huge thank you for all you did for us. We truly enjoyed the trip of a lifetime and your hospitality was so very much appreciated. In speaking with our family and Canadian friends, I find myself saying over and over that it seemed that we were treated like cousins of the Moricciani family. You welcomed us into your lives as if we were family and for this we are especially grateful. I know that you must hear many happy thanks from your guests so please let us lend our voices to that happy group. Thank you, thank you, Thank you! Please as well, let Luciano and Carlo know how much we appreciated all that they did to make our vacation special. Many Thanks Bob & Penny Emerson 1 November 2010 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Isabella, Carlo & Luciano,
We are home in Williamsburg, Virginia and still missing your wonderful hospitality and our stay in Il Nido. We truly had a wonderful week there. We now know that the Val d'Orcia is our favorite area of Italy and that Castelmuzio is our favorite small village. An extra thanks to you for the special care concerning my gluten-free diet with Luciano cutting my cheese and meats separately and you making sure your sauce stayed safe for me. A special thanks to Luciano for his fresh vegetables which I picked 3 times during our one week visit---delicious! The only negative is that I had to dispose of the olive oil in my cupboard when we got home------thanks to Carlo's expertise,no more of that cat p--- for us, only extra virgin from a specific Tuscan site. We hope to return to enjoy more time in your very special part of Italy. If you hear of any tiny apartments in Castelmuzio for sale or long term rental please let us know. Thank you again. With warmest regards and Ciao, Jo & Bob Hanny 28 September 2010 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Dear Isa,
Thank you so much for the wonderful week at Il Nido. It was better than we could have hoped for. The central location was great for all of the side trips we made and the dinners (Assumption Feast and Pici night) were wonderful and delicious. I will be trying to make the pici in the next few weeks and will let you know how it goes. Dinner at the Monastery was also a real treat and will make a good story! Your "tour books" were an incredible source of information and inspiration. I had some initial plans that went out the window after reading your itineraries; yours were so well planned out and we loved them! The trip to the Hermitage was so special, thank you for sharing that with your guests. I hope that we will be back to Italy in 2 years and if we are, I hope that we can come back to stay at Cretaiole at that time. Meeting your family and being included in the Assumption of Mary feast was really the best part of staying at Il Nido. We really felt a part of the culture for at least one night. Ahh, and Luciano : - ) what a sweetheart! He makes me want to learn to speak Italian so I could talk with him more. I know tomorrow is his 70th birthday so I am hoping you will pass this on to him for me: Caro Luciano, Buon Compleanno! Spero che la giornata e speciale e pieno di amore. Sei un ospite generoso e abbiamo amato il nostro tempo a Cretaiole, grazie. Con il caldo per quanto riguarda, Tori & Bill Nelson Thank you again Isa, you gave us such beautiful memories and brought Italy to life for us. HUGS, Tori Nelson 31 August 2010 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Dear Isabella,
You and your family provided so much warmth, hospitality, and enthusiasm that we're already talking about our next visit! I've been bragging about my score of 27 on the olive oil tasting... and I had really bad allergies!!! Next time I'll break 30! Maybe I can do an internship with Carlo. I hope you have a nice warm summer....... we don't want the grape skins to get too thin!!! Ciao! Jarett Kaplan 25 June 2010 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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We had such a good time at your apartment in Castelmuzio, we would love to return one day and will most definitely recommend it or your other sites to anyone we know who is going to Tuscany. We will send our pictures of the pasta making evening when we get ourselves organized.
Our stay with you was one of the highlights of our trip, we all enjoyed the apartment, meeting you and your family, and of course, Tuscany! Thank you for such a grand welcome, we felt very much at home and that you all wanted us to be there and to enjoy ourselves. Ellen and Mike Lewis 15 June 2010 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Isabella:
Thanks for taking time to send us a follow-up email message. We definitely enjoyed our stay at Il Nido and with the Famiglia Moricciani. Even though we had good times touring the major sites and soaking up the general ambience of Florence and Rome (before and after our week at Il Nido, respectively), it was our week with you, your family, and your Cretaiole guests that was clearly the highlight of our entire trip. Your organizational expertise, as evidenced by the week’s printed program/options and the very thorough and helpful notebooks (Itineraries; Folios), is nothing short of incredible. As we respond to the inevitable question from our Baton Rouge family members as to “ What did you enjoy most?”, we keep coming back to making pici with you and the luncheon with Federico at the winery, among other Pienza-connected events, as on the top of our list. Fond memories, all. Thanks for applying so much positive energy toward making our stay so special. We will have no hesitation whatsoever recommending Cretaiole and the Famiglia Moricciani to our friends and acquaintances for a future stay in Tuscany. By the way, our return flight from Rome to D. C. was delayed five hours in departing, ostensibly because of the volcano ash cloud. That delay, and a rerouting of the flight around Iceland, caused us to experience a near-24-hour travel day. You may remember that we “lost” our planned stay at Cinque Terre (and perhaps our pre-paid hotel room charges, too) because our initial flight from New Orleans was cancelled, forcing us to miss all of our front-end plane connections and thus our two-night stay in Cinque Terre. We were to have gone to Cinque Terre before Florence and Il Nido. We have yet to meet with our travel agent to work out any refund details (hotel, train tickets). Our agent had urged us to purchase trip insurance, a good move, as it turned out. Those unfortunate incidents will fade over time, however, in favor of our warm feelings for your hospitality and our Il Nido experience. Thanks for everything. Ciao, Ron and Jane Ross 14 May 2010 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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We had a delightful time staying in Castelmuzio. We loved all the activities that you planned, the views, the people the atmosphere. Thank-you so very much.
We have told our friends about you and hopefully some of them will get to go. Karen and Chris Bryant 1 December 2009 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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We spent August 29 through September 12, 2009 in the charming "Il Nido" apartment in the medieval village of Castelmuzio, Italy. Two weeks is definitely not enough time to enjoy this area of Tuscany. We had read many reviews before booking our visit and it's rare to find everything exactly as others reported, but in this case it was. All the other reviews described the quaint apartment and it's lovely furnishings, so there's no need to repeat them. Our apartment was very well equipped, very comfortable and the small garden area was lovely and private. The apartment even included a four burner real gas stove with two Italian coffee pots and a starter supply of wonderful Italian coffee - a great start to every day!! We would simply tell you that you can believe everything you read in TripAdvisor about this charming place.
We cannot say enough about Isabella Moricciani and her concerns for her lodgers. She has thought of everything to make your visit perfect in every way. She has many different activities planned if you choose to participate. Any activity that Isabella was leading was tremendously informative. She is very passionate about the Val d'Orcia area you are in. You will learn more from her discussions than from any guide book. There is also a wealth of information in the books she has prepared for her guests to use. Don't miss Isabella's tour of the family owned Romitorio which begins with her insight into the people of the area in a way that explains the culture and history of an interesting and deep rooted way of life. The tour of the Romitorio include artifacts of medieval, Etruscan and even earlier occupation of the site. Before you begin the Pici making class, she even gives you a nice background of pasta making. The meal that followed was wonderful. Making the pasta, then eating it with new friends at long wooden tables while enjoying a glass of their own wine, is truly a Tuscan dream. The Val d'Orcia is to us the most beautiful area of Tuscany, and, of course, all of Italy. There are so many charming hill towns all around to be explored and delightful meals to be enjoyed. We had never eaten black truffles until this trip and we can't wait to return to for a month in Il Nido and Il Cielo next fall to eat them again at "La Bottega delle Crete Osteria" in San Giovanni d'Asso. This was our fifth trip to Italy and never have we felt so safe in our lodging. We would be happy to share our experience with anyone interested in staying here. If you have ever thought of traveling here, stop thinking and do it! With Isabella's help you will have the trip of your dreams. Carole and Marston Brown 14 November 2009 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Dear Isabella & Family, As performers we understand passion! What you do every week is nothing short of astounding. You are putting on your own production and as we like to say in theatre, you are performing "FULL OUT!" That's a big compliment =) Sad to go, but happy to have met you and discovered your family's work. I could go on and on but it's best summed up by saying, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Also, we were wondering if you ship any of your products? We would love some more olive oil and wine before the Christmas Holidays. Yours, Sarah & Josh 2 November 2009 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Hi Isa, I wanted to thank you again for making our stay in Castelmuzio so special. I know it's been said before, but it's your enthusiasm and energy, and your obvious love for what the people and land of Val d'Orcia represent, that added so much to our experience there! And on top of that, of course it's just a glorious place. We are fortunate to have our daughter with her husband and 3 children (who all normally live in Portugal) spending a year living with us in Maryland. We haven't tried to make pici yet, but I'm looking forward to trying it out with them. I found your ragu recipe on your website to have with it. Hope you are all enjoying beautiful fall weather there and that the olive harvest goes well. With warm wishes, Molly Merrill 30 October 2009 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Dear Isabella and Carlos,
Thank you so much for your beautiful note following our visit to your lovely country. We all had such a wonderful experience. We were overwhelmed with the wonderful opportunities you provided for really feeling a part of the Val d'Orcia. We learned to appreciate the history of your land, family, traditions, wine, olive oil, Pici, and so much more. We had no idea how fortunate we were to be able to participate in the grape harvesting. It certainly was hard work but so much fun meeting and working along side your family, other guests and volunteers. And the gathering at lunch following the harvest was such a gift. Thank you for all your planning. We loved our little Villa. We had enough room for 5 of us and made use of the kitchen, laundry facilities, patio and the charm of Castlemuzio. I have tried to describe the unique experiences we had to my own family. I think the only way they will understand the experience is to plan another trip with with my children and grandchildren. It would be amazing. We wish you much success with the plans for your new Villa in Caselmuzio. It was fun to see the beginning of those dreams. Peace and Good, Sincerely, Maggie Clancy 27 October 2009 |
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Dear Isabella,
Peter and I are eternally grateful for the superior experiences that you and your family arranged for us. I will write more later, but wanted you to know that we cherish the fun and joy of our stay with you.
Ciao and grazie! Nancy Bryant 25 July 2009 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Ciao Isabella:
We have returned home to Virginia, and are recovering from our travels and catching up at work. I wanted to thank you for your wonderful hospitality and coordination while we were staying in Castelmuzio. We enjoyed our stay very much, including the several group events that you had arranged for your guests. Debbi’s parents thoroughly enjoyed the trip and we were glad to show them the most beautiful area that you get to call home. We will gladly recommend you to anyone that might be traveling there, and hope to return someday ourselves. I trust you found everything okay at Il Cielo after we left on Saturday. Please give our best to Carlo and your family. And thank everyone for their warmth and hospitality. Auguri e grazie Brian Burgher 8 June 2009 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Isabella, I have already raved about your country
place, Il Cretaiole. I also want to put in a good
word for Il Cielo, your two-bedroom apartment
where we stayed in Castelmuzio. It is a sweet and
comfortable haven. We enjoyed having a kitchen,
and made some great meals (frittata, pasta,
salads) that we enjoyed up on the terrace. It was
great to have a "home" base, where we could relax,
and make coffee in the morning. We did laundry,
and enjoyed all the lotions and toiletries you
made available. The lace in the windows and the
old wooden shutters framed great views - the half-bath
on the landing wins the prize for the most
beautiful view from a bathroom, anywhere, ever.
The village was great - we had a running contest as to who had the most gorgeous roses and the most historic door knocker. It was fun to feel a part of village life, to shop in the Co-op and have a cappuccino at the bar. Lively discussions about soccer and the weather drifted up from the streets, and church bells and horse hooves on cobblestone were the sounds we woke up to (well, and trucks heading off to work). Your binders of information were very helpful. Thanks again for making our stay so pleasant. Ciao, grazie, Anne Anne Lukin - Canada 8 June 2009 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Dear Isabella,
Brian joins me in wishing you, Carlo and your boys a Happy Easter from Colorado! We returned home on Friday night after extending our stay in Rome for a few days longer. Last week's L'Aquila earthquake was a reminder of how fragile and fleeting life is and how important it is to cherish and savor each moment with our family and friends. The survivors and victims have been in the hearts of many Americans we know since many contacted us for the latest news while we were traveling. We had such a wonderful and memorable time in Castelmuzio and the surrounding area and have shared this special place with friends and family who have asked about our stay there. Truly, you pamper your guests with all the thoughtful amenities and additions to the apartment and your guidance to the area's activities. We took some nice family photos on the terrace of Il Cielo a few days before we left and I will send them to you along with some other lovely photos of Toscana's landscapes when Brian has pulled them from his camera. Please keep in touch. Warmly, Mona Hart 12 April 2009 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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When planning my trip to Italy I discovered Agriturismos Cretaiole through Rick Steve's graffiti wall and was impressed with what I had read. Because of that wonderful review, my mom, my sister and I had an unforgetable experience in the beautiful area of Val'd Orcia. When I emailed Isabella, she promptly answered and although the rooms were full at her place she offered an apartment in the village of Castelmuzio. We loved staying there and we were very close to Pienza which was wonderful to visit. The area is just beautiful with plenty to see, wine to taste, delicious food and very friendly people. We also visited Siena, Florence and many towns right in the Val'd Orcia area. Isabella really provided us with so many options of how to best enjoy our stay that it made our trip very special.If you stay in Castelmuzio it is necessary to rent a car-a small one-gas is expensive!! Don't worry about the driving-unless of course it is in the big cities! Take the train in that case. Get an International driver's license before you go from AAA-quite easy. We flew into Rome and we had read so many things about crazy driving we all were anxious about it. Don't worry, the Rome airport is on the outskirts of the city and it wasn't too difficult to follow the main highway. The only thing that takes some getting used to is the very curvy roads with hairpin turns in some cases-not to mention very fast Italians and in my case my mother!!But honestly the adventure was fun:) Go on the wine tour Isabella suggests (Brunello wine I believe) and you will have a wonderful meal along with it. Really just go. Take in the absolute beauty of Tuscany. I will be going back without a doubt and I will arrange it through www.lecasinedicastello.com again...maybe I shouldn't tell everyone about it! Kim Clairmont - USA 28 January 2009 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Dear Isabella and family, Wishing you and your family a very Happy Christmas and New Year!! Well it's been a while now since we stayed in your beautiful Castelmuzio back in May this year. John and I and our friend Aileen really loved our stay with you and it was certainly the highlight of our Italian holiday. One thing I forgot to get from you was the recipe for the meat sauce you used on our pici night. Would you mind sending it to me? That was such a great night and we really enjoyed the meal and meeting the other people staying at the farm. We have such lovely memories of your beautiful Val D'orca valley and we would love to come back again some day. Greetings to all of you and we hope you keep safe and well in the New Year. Love, Kathy and John - Australia 19 December 2008 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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My wife and I just returned from our Italian vacation--a wonderful 5-week trip of a lifetime. We went to so many places--Rome, Florence, Venice, Lake Como, and Cinque Terre--but the week that stays in our minds the most is the week in Castelmuzio--staying in Il Nido at Isabella's place--Le Casine di Castello. We almost forgot we were tourists for that week--and almost began to believe we actually lived in Italy--THAT is how authentic it felt to stay at Il Nido in Castelmuzio, and with the guidance we got from Isa. Except for the language difference (and no, we do not speak Italian, although we intend to learn some and come back!!!) it felt like going to a good friend's hometown and finding out from the locals just exactly where to go and not go, where to eat and not eat, etc.
The people who live in this little village were very friendly to us--always nodding, smiling, and saying "buon giorno" (actually, just "giorno!") to us. The little grocery store, the Coop, had everything we needed and was only a few steps from our front door. Parking was easy--which is something, considering how most Italian villages are. And the location of Castelmuzio is perfect for people who want to see the Val d'Orcia and towns such as Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino, and Siena. Next time we come, we want to stay here and take daytrips to Assisi, Perugia, and Cortona. To know how great Isabella is, and the entire Moricciani family, you should also read the reviews for Agriturismo Cretaiole. But, we really are glad we stayed at Il Nido because we felt we got the best of both worlds--the activities and amenities of Cretaiole (the terrific pasta lesson and enormous dinner at Cretaiole, use of the garden at Cretaiole, olive oil tasting, etc., etc.) but also the authentic lifestyle of living in a Tuscan village. Isabella loaned us a cell phone while we were there, and she was always just a few digits away if we needed anything, or had a question. You absolutely cannot beat that! Her English skills are amazing, her knowledge of the area is incredible, and we felt so comfortable the entire time because we had her help whenever we needed it. Before we left, we were able to see inside Il Cielo, the large two-bedroom house upstairs--and it is definitely where we will stay if we convince our friends to travel with us next year. But, for just the two of us, Il Nido is our private little "nest"--and really feels like home to us. If I could think of a downside of staying here I would mention it...but, truly, I cannot think of one single reason not to stay here. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for the kind of experience I have described. Don and Liz Yates - Houston, TX, USA 25 November 2008 |
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My wife and I recently spent a week in Tuscany and stayed in a garden level apartment in the delightful village of Castelmuzio. The house we stayed in had been converted into two rentals with the upper level being a large spacious apartment. The garden level apartment where we stayed called Il Nido had a good sized bathroom with shower, a fully equipped kitchen in which we could make our own meals when we chose. Il Nido is perfect for a couple who like their privacy but is conveniently located in the village with a co-op (local food store) and a good restaurant where we enjoyed tasty local cooking, About half a mile down the road there was also an excellent inexpensively priced restaurant. The apartments are run by the family owners of the Agriturismo Cretaiole which is just outside Pienza. Isabella does an outstanding job of providing information and arranging tours and activities for the guests at Cretaiole and Castelmuzio apartments. It is through the contact with Isabella's family that Tuscany comes to life. The hill country of Tuscany offers a lot for the tourist but Isabella and Carlo make a stay with them a truly memorable experience and we have no hesitation in recommending a stay with the Moricciani family. Jim Liddiard - California, USA 23 November 2008 |
| [ Il Nido and Il Cielo ] |
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We recently returned from a four week stay at Le Casine in Castelmuzio (Castello), which is located near Pienza in southern Italy. My wife and I are of Italian descent and our goals were to live like Italians, among Italians and to enjoy the beauty and charm of Tuscany. In the most sincere and simplest terms, I can state that our expectations were exceeded far beyond the most optimistic presumptions.
We had planned this vacation for about a year and the planning was a daunting task. With the many beautiful Tuscan regions and literally thousands of options for accommodations, we knew what we wanted to do but were having difficulty in determining how to do it. Through the most serendipitous of circumstances a "friend of a friend" recommended that we contact Isabella Moricciani at Agriturismo Cretaiole in Pienza. We did so and this is inarguably the step that led to our success. Because we wanted to stay for four weeks, Isabella was having difficulty in accommodating us at Cretaiole due to prior reservations. Instead of being disappointed, I was impressed that Cretaiole was so fully booked. I was even more impressed when Isabella contacted me a week later and suggested that she could accommodate us at Le Casine di Castello, another property that she had in the area. I did an online search, saw the pictures, read the description of the property and the surrounding area, and immediately reserved it for our stay. Le Casine is composed of two apartments, Il Cielo (The Sky) and Il Nido, (The Nest). Again, owing to prior bookings, we were to stay the first three weeks in Il Cielo and the last week in Il Nido. Any trepidation that we had because of having to move was more than balanced by the individual charm of the two properties. Il Cielo was larger and had a very nice rooftop sundeck while Il Nido was cosier, had a great kitchen and bath and a comfortable courtyard just off the kitchen. It would be difficult to say which one we preferred Castelmuzio (or Castello to the local people) is a town of about 200-300 people located about 5 miles from Pienza and it was just what we wanted; a small Italian village, outgoing and friendly people, a market, some restaurants, safety and tranquility. A magnificently sounding church bell tolls the hour and half hour from 7:00 AM until 10:00 PM. It is conveniently located just minutes off the main roads to Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino, Siena, and Florence. During our stay we became acquainted with a number of the townspeople, with whom we were able to carry on reasonable conversations. We were on a nodding acquaintance basis with most everyone and we were the "due americani" that were regularly seen walking along the road to either Montisi or Petroio. We both enjoy cooking and one of my tasks was to buy fish from a traveling fishmonger who came every Wednesday morning to the village. His fish was always fresh and very tasty and I would be out there among the ladies of the village looking over the tempting array and trying to make the best selection. This area of Tuscany is arguably the most beautiful landscape of the region. It is called the Val D'Orcia (valley of the Orcia River) and it is what you see when you see paintings or photos of the Tuscan countryside. Sunrises and sunsets were breathtaking. We were there in September, so that the harvest of wheat was completed, grapes were just about ready for picking, and the olive trees, while fruited abundantly, would not be ready until the end of the year. Nearby are many stunning hill towns and villages. Many are famous for a particular wine (Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vernaccia di San Gimignano) and we had more than our share of all of them! And the food! You literally could not find a disappointing meal. The fare was simple, nourishing, and delicious. One of our favorite activities was to walk to a nearby town, have coffee and a sweet roll and walk back "home" to Castello. All of this describes the potential for a wonderful experience. There is one more element that is critical to truly enjoying Italy and that is having a host to advise you. We could not have had such a successful vacation without the counsel and guidance of Isabella. She is a bundle of energy, thoroughly knowledgeable and so well known and respected in the area. With her help, we saw many beautiful sites and experienced Italy to the fullest. Among the many activities she organized were trips to Florence and Siena, making (and eating!) the local pasta, "pici", a trip to a winery to sample Brunello complete with a magnificent meal in an ancient wine cellar and a tour of a working farm in Pienza, again, complete with a great meal. Just as importantly she helped us find places that were of particular interest to us and cautioned us on places to avoid. Never in our lives have four weeks seemed to pass so quickly. We are already planning our next trip and it will most assuredly be with Isabella, Carlo, and Luciano. Beverly and Regis Rocco - Powell, Ohio USA 5 October 2008 |
| [ Il Nido and Il Cielo ] |
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My husband and I had the most wonderful experience staying in the tiny hamlet of Castelmuzio with the most wonderful views of the Val d'Orcia–and we cannot wait to stay again at Le Casine di Castello for so many, many reasons!
This was our fourth trip to the Val d'Orcia, and we wanted to experience Tuscan hilltop village living. Our last two trips staying at Agriturismo Cretaiole were heavenly, and it was so tempting to stay there again–but we took the chance to experience something new because Isabella Moricciani (the same smart and beautiful woman who runs Cretaiole!) owns and also manages Le Casine. We knew we would be in good hands–and would have all of the same benefits and activities that we would have had at Cretaiole–all of her assistance (in perfect English–her multi-lingual skills are utterly amazing!!!) –and frankly, we saw this as a no-risk, exciting new way to experience our favorite place on earth. We stayed for two full weeks, first in Il Nido and then in Il Cielo when friends joined us for the second week. Il Nido, which means "The Nest", is perfectly named! This lovingly prepared nest for two is located a flight of stairs below street level, but this isn't a basement because the house is on the side of a hill. In fact, French doors off of the kitchen led to our own private garden in the back of the house. Even in the summer, we found Il Nido to be cool and comfortable–without air conditioning! Enjoying our garden, using the grill and comfortable lawn furniture was like having another room in the apartment. Inside the apartment is a cozy kitchen and dining area, a beautiful bedroom with four-poster bed, and very roomy bathroom and large shower. Isabella has thought of every necessity. We really enjoyed the breakfast basket full of goodies for our first morning after arrival. The cupboard was full of staples including plenty of coffee, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, spices, teas, delicious liqueurs (including lemoncello–yum!!), and more. My husband really got a chuckle when he walked into the bathroom–he knew I would love it–because it is full of "girlie products"!!! Lotions, shampoos, powders–all for the use of guests while they stay there. (So, ladies, if you love your good-smelling products but don't want to schlep them with you to Italy, stay here and you will be in heaven!) When our friends arrived the second week, we moved to the larger two-bedroom apartment upstairs, Il Cielo. Although it has just one bathroom it is enormous and the four of us found the accommodations extremely comfortable. The living room has a sofabed, which a larger group/family with some children could certainly make good use of. This apartment has its own laundry room (washing machine only) which was a godsend for us by the second week, and for the four of us. Isabella has provided drying racks for drying the clothes (apparently very few people use dryers in Italy, and these drying racks are the norm). The four of us really enjoyed the private rooftop terrace overlooking the ancient medieval village. It was fun to wave and greet the people walking down the street! And of course, just relaxing up there with a good bottle of wine, cheese, fruit, and prosciutto–well, there was no need to go to any restaurant with that kind of atmosphere right at "home". We enjoyed the free use of the mountain bikes (with helmets) to view the countryside. The location of Le Casine is terrific for early morning and evening walks. (If you are a very strong walker, you can go just a few km away and see the monastery where The English Patient was filmed, and tour the grounds and frescos inside by Sodoma.) Very little traffic, so much ambience!!!! One morning we went on a horseback ride on the Gladiator (ala Russell Crow!) trail, where the movie was filmed–just a few km away from Castelmuzio. The scenery was beautiful, and truly spectacular. Staying in the village–where do I begin and how can I convey the experience!? It is very small, but the people of the village are out and about–and they greet you with smiles and cheery "Buongiornos!" When we made our attempts to communicate with our measly Italian (and frequent use of the dictionary), they were so ready to help us and to speak with us. Staying for two weeks really was great because we saw the same people every day–and this gave us such a feeling of "belonging" to this tiny gem of a village. There is a Coop grocery store that takes maybe 2 minutes to reach on foot. It has everything you need to make simple (well, more than simple if you want!) Tuscan recipes–and more than adequate for basics such as milk, bread, fruit, veggies, cheese, meat, etc. There are two restaurants in the village with delicious food–one has simple Tuscan food, including pizza–the other is more sophisticated with outstanding items on the menu. This was a great combination of restaurants for our stay. When our friends joined us, we participated in the activities provided by the Moricciani family at Cretaiole–the highlight was the pici (pasta) cooking class led by Isabella and then the "generous" Tuscan meal that followed. And all of this was included in our rental price! We also enjoyed the tour of the Romitorio on the family's property in Pienza, and our friends (who really love to cook) greatly appreciated the oil tasting lesson provided by Carlo and Isabella. (Again, no extra charge to do these things! Amazing.) Our friends went to the hot springs in Bagno Vignoni (with a coupon given to them by Isabella with a 40% discount)–and they said they really enjoyed it. The location was perfect for the four of us because we wanted to go to Montalcino and Montepulciano for wine visits, hear the Gregorian chants at Sant'Antimo near Montalcino, see Pienza and the Renaissance buildings built by Pope Pius, and to make daytrips to Siena and Assisi. One day we went into Florence, driving to a little town south of Florence that Isabella told us about, parking the car for free, and taking the train into the heart of the city. It could not have been easier! We are already planning a return visit to this area, and will soon be contacting Isabella to make reservations for Il Nido. We miss "our" village, and cannot wait until we return! Ruth Brown - New York 18 September 2008 |
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Dear Isabella
Thank you for your kind good wishes which we return to you and your family. We have been home for several weeks and I am very sorry not to have written before to thank you for your assistance and consideration with the car. We had a lovely trip to Florence with Ilario, he was great company and was quite the tour guide for us on the way to Florence. We really enjoyed our brief stay in the village and the appartment was all we could wish for. Kind regards Libby Harlow 20 December 2007 |
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I just stayed in a wonderful apartment in Castelmuzio. The property is called Le Casine di Castello, and is actually comprised of two apartments, a larger apartment upstairs called Il Cielo, and a smaller apartment downstairs called Il Nido. I stayed in the smaller of the two apartments, Il Nido. It is charmingly romantic and has absolutely everything that is needed for a wonderful stay. There is a beautiful bedroom and very well-equipped bathroom with shower. There is also a great kitchen with everything that one needs either for a quick snack or glass of wine in the garden, or to cook an entire meal. The owners have given every attention to detail and provided absolutely everything from a bountiful breakfast basket to luxurious bath items. The owners are also very attentive and ready to help with anything, from a crisis (I locked myself out and they came at 10pm to get me into the apartment) to giving information on the area. I found the most charming thing about the apartment to be the attached private garden. The flower-filled garden is perfectly secluded and well-equipped with chairs for lounging and a table and chairs for dining outside. Both apartments are located in the ancient village of Castelmuzio. Castelmuzio is a very charming village with all that one needs for their stay in Tuscany....grocery store (Co-op), quaint restaurants, and wonderful friendly people. It is in a great location...close to Pienza, Montepulciano, Petroio, Montisi and numerous other wonderful hilltowns. If you want the perfect place from which to explore the Tuscan countryside and still want to have a very private vacation...this is the place for you. As a special note-on this trip I stayed alone at this location and always felt completely safe. This is a great apartment for either a couple or a person travelling alone. Susan Truitt - Indian Harbor Beach, FL USA 23 July 2007 |
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We cannot say enough about Il Nido at Le Casine di Castello in Castelmuzio - It is located five minutes from Pienza by car. It was recently restored a few years ago and comprises an open plan studio apartment with cozy kitchen, dining area, four-poster bed and a bathroom with large shower. The back door led us to a small private garden with seating, eating table and grille.
Note: A car is needed to visit the beautiful surroundings, the nearby charming towns and villages and to get a real taste of the Tuscan country-side. We were allowed to purchase the farm products (pecorino cheese, fresh eggs, raw ham, grappa, Vin Santo...) and to get all the same personal assistance that they give to their guests of Agriturismo Cretaiole. Our hostess, Isabella, was quite fluent in English and can tell you anything you want to know regarding local information! She helped us to experience Tuscany as the locals see it. Included in the apartment was a guidebook written by Isabella (in English) offering information on restaurants, museums, suggested itineraries, and other information you most likely won't find anywhere else. As a guest of their place, they offered: - a three-hour guided tour of Siena with a local professional guide who grew up in Siena - Isabella's husband, Carlos, is a professional olive oil taster for Italy. Both Isabella and Carlos gave us an olive oil tasting evening never to be forgotten! - and my personal favorite was the "pici" (pasta) cooking class followed by a tasting with the fabulous meat ragù of Liliana, Isabella's mother-in-law, in a traditional Tuscan family dinner! The family owns a Hermitage that was originally an Etruscan tomb, and later used as a hermitage by monks in the Middle Ages. So much history at our fingertips! Our days/nights consisted of having dinner with a local chef, touring an organic farm that is self sustaining, followed by a homemade organic lunch - the most amazing meal we have EVER had! The scenery was so amazing - you can sit on a lounge chair at Cretaiole and look out at Val d'Orcia all day long if you just need to relax. We cannot say enough about our stay here. We are planning our next visit when we can bring our children back in the very near future! Isabella was wonderful and helpful and her family is so caring and friendly. It was a trip we will never forget and one I cannot stop bragging about! Lisa Puffer - Massachusetts, USA 15 July 2007 |
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Several months ago, we contacted Isabella about staying at Cretaiole and she told us that they were basically full, except for a 3 bedroom that was more than we wanted to spend. She then told us about another property that her family owns, Il Nido di Castello, just outside of the very small, very wonderful town of Castelmuzio (about 10 minutes from Cretaiole and Pienza).
Cretaiole is a wonderful place, we spent lots of time there, and Isabella and the family and other guests made us feel very welcome. All the good things you've read here are true! The thing that I really liked about Il Nido though, is that it's much more private and quiet than Cretaiole. There are 2 apartments that Isabella rents, the downstairs studio which was perfect for the 2 of us, and an upstairs apt. with 2 bedrooms and a rooftop terrace. Also, the town of Castelmuzio was absolutely delightful. It's a tiny little town with a restaurant/hotel/bar, a Tabacchi, and an olive oil office. That's it, aside from the residents. There's also a co-op (grocery store) just outside of the town. Il Nido is definitely something that I would recommend to anyone looking for a peaceful Tuscan experience. Of course, the Cretaiole activities and experiences made this an amazing trip. Jeff Spring - Seattle, WA USA 25 October 2006 |
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What an amazing and warm person--Isabella! She knows how to conduct business in a professional manner, but still makes everyone feel at home and like a special friend, not just a paying customer! Our accommodation was excellent and the location proved to be the ideal base for exploring the towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano as well as all the small villages close by. We stayed 6 days in Castelmuzio. We felt like proper Italians in our own little village where the church bell still announces every hour. I recommend this wonderful place to stay to everyone who wishes to experience true Tuscan hospitality!
Tersia from South Africa 4 September 2006 |
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Thank you for connecting us with your delightful apartment in Castelmuzio on our recent trip. We had a perfect, lovely, beautiful vacation and couldn't have been more pleased. Morris got our vacation off to a great start when he picked us up at the Florence airport and gave us a great little tour of the area on our way to Castelmuzio. Isabella, you and Carlo were so warm and gracious, we really enjoyed talking with you and visiting Cretaiole and the romitorio outside Pienza. Warmest regards, Juline Koken and Daniel Garcia - USA |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Just a quick note to say that we had such a good holiday in your very lovely villa in Castelmuzio. The views were really gorgeous, and the villa itself is lovely, well furnished and decorated. We appreciated all the trouble that you took to make our stay enjoyable. We will recommend it highly to all our friends and anyone we know travelling to Tuscany. Kind regards Eileen & Dave Thayser - USA |
