Overall: This vacation was memorable. I hope to be back next year. Once you go, you don't want to leave. Enjoyed Most: The peace and quiet was so relaxing. Just to sit on the patio at night with a glass of wine made the vacation wonderful. The caretakers Claudia, Rita and Franco were so nice. On arriving they gave us a bottle of wine from their vineyard and it was excellent. So were the other wines and the Vin Santo! On another day they knocked on the door with a homemade fruit torte. They couldn't have made us feel more welcomed. It was like we were family.The kitchen was great to have so you could cook your dinner if you didn't feel like dining out. Each villa had their own private area to enjoy. So we had dinner outside a few nights. They also had a grill in case you wanted to barbeque. Enjoyed Least: Our apartment didn't have a screen on the windows. I noticed that the upstairs apartments had them. The bugs however weren't that bad when we were there. Surrounding Area: The area was so nice and the people were extremely friendly. San Gimignano was so close, as was Siena. Also, theChianti region is right there. If you get a chance go to Lucca . It was a wonderful town. Pisa was about two hours away. Visiting the towns were great day trips and and gave you time to get back to villa to relax by the pool before dinner. Nearby Events or Locales: The nearest town was Staggia. You really did need a car to get around. They did have a small supermarket , the Coop. If you travel a little further to Poggibonsi you can go to the SuperCoop. They had everything there! Tips or Restaurants: You don't need to bring a thing. The apartments are fully loaded. You share a washer with the other guests. Great restaurants in Staggia are Babette and La Corte del Goloso. Both are close by. If you like fish go to Babette and just have the chef bring you out food. It was wonderful. The gnocchi at La Corte del Goloso just melted in your mouth. If you go to Trattoria della Rana in Staggia just order the pizza. If you are in Florence go to I Due G Double G's. It was right by the train station. Amazing. Directions: Directions were good. You really had to pay attention. to the road signs. Check In Out: Rita checked us in and she was so kind. Claudia then checked up on us the next morning. They were wonderful.