Overall: San Barberino is a great place to base Tuscany trips from and the villa is a comfortable, convenient home to come back to at the end of the day. We were so busy during the days that we didn't really have time to use the pool but I managed to squeeze in a quick dip one night after everyone else was in bed. It's down the hill from the house but the path and pool were well lighted. The air was cool so I didn't linger. On a sunny August day, I can imagine that was the place to be after a day of sightseeing. Enjoyed Most: Location, location, location. With a car we were less than half an hour from Volterra, San Gimignano, Colle di Val d'Elsa, Siena, and Florence (actually 40 minutes). Greve and all the "in Chianti" towns were a leisurely hour drive over the mountain. And the manager was wonderful, helping us arrange reservations to dinner and museums, giving us a copy of the bus schedule to Florence - very convenient - and telling us about the Internet access in the town library. Enjoyed Least: The back of the house, with 2 bedrooms and the kitchen, is right on the main road through town, so road noise was occasionally noticed, though usually not a problem. Waking up to the sound of people driving to work is not an unpleasant way to begin the day if you're on vacation yourself. At night, I was too tired from the day's travels to notice any road noise. The master bedroom - the one with the views off to the Tuscan sunset - had no problems with the road noise. Surrounding Area: Do take the manager up on the wine tasting offer. The owners of the villa also have a large vineyard and winery about 2 km outside San Barberino and they enjoy showing off the results of their life's labors. The day we went was also the first day of the harvest with the full moon the night before! and we passed the stems and skins of the first crush as we entered. They'd prepared a wonderful plate of cinghiale salumi, assorted peccorino cheeses, and Tuscan breads to accompany the first-rate wines that they served. The wines included a 2004 Chianti Classico and a 100 Sangiovese Super Tuscan - both wonderful wines. Nearby Events or Locales: You are in San Barberino and can walk up the hill to the small grocery store in 2 minutes, the wonderful Campenillino restaurant in 3 minutes, and the Bar on the other side of the hill in just 5 minutes. Because San Barberino is perched atop a ridge, you have wonderful glimpses of the the surrounding Tuscan landscapes as you walk through the old town. Tavarnelle is a short 2 km drive if you need the greater selection of the COOP grocery or want to try out another local restaurant Tips or Restaurants: The library is just up the hill from the villa, a 2 minute walk, and that's where you can get on the internet. Unfortunately, it's only open 4 hours each day since the librarian spends the other 4 hours at the library in Tavarnelle. The hours alternate from morning to afternoon. The kitchen is pretty well equipped - about the only thing we needed to bring was a cutting board.