Villas in Tuscany & Umbria Since 1998

Girasole di Ama
Quels ont été les point forts de vos vacances? Le calme de la location, l'accueil, les paysages magnifiques et la météo !!
Quelle est votre impression générale concernant l'hébergement? PARFAIT : accueil super chaleureux, location impeccable, très calme, correspondant parfaitement à nos critères de demande, situation idéale. Nous ne manquerons pas de la recommander à des amis ou connaissances.
Avez vous eu de mauvaises surprises? NON
Avez vous d'autres commentaires? Continuez à garder cette location sur votre site. Elle est parfaite. Et continuez à travailler avec Virginie qui est d'une efficacité remarquable.
Christine ANQUETIN
France
Mai 2011

Girasole di Ama
Wat waren de hoogtepunten van uw vakantie? wijn- en olie proeven bij Daniela; buiten ontbijten in de zon, met alleen vogelgeluiden in de omgeving; de wandelingen in de omgeving (een hiervan uit de To Tuscany informatie map in het huisje)
Wat vond u in het algemeen van uw vakantiehuis?    We vonden Girasole di Ama een geweldig huisje. Het is gezellig ingericht, van alle gemakken voorzien en ligt op een prachtige (midden tussen de olijfbomen en druivenranken) en rustige locatie. Daniela is een hartelijke gastvrouw die ons gastvrij ontving. Ze heeft ons van alles verteld over olijfolie en chianti
Hebt u nog onaangename verrassingen meegemaakt? nee
Hebt u nog andere opmerkingen? Wij komen terug! In Girasole di Ama of een ander To Tuscany huisje
Arjen Velzel
Netherlands
April 2011

Girasole di Ama
Was waren die Highlights Ihres Urlaubs? Siena mit ihrer schönen Altstadt das Kloster Monte Oliveto Maggiore die sehr gute toscanische Küche in einer einfachen Osteria
Wie war Ihr Gesamteindruck von der Unterbringung? das Haus war super,alles was mann zu einem erholsamen Urlaub braucht die Einrichtung war mit sehr viel Liebe zusammengestellt die Lage wunderschön
Gab es unangenehme Überraschungen? nein
Haben Sie andere Anmerkungen? Frau Bencini spricht auch Englisch ,zwar nicht perfekt aber um sich zuverständigen hat es gut gereicht
Michael Kitowski
Germany
Juni 2010

Girasole di Ama
What were the highlights of your holiday? Wine tasting with the very friendly and informative Daniella
What was your overall impression of the accommodation?    Very clean and provided every thing we could wish for The welcome was excellent
Did you have any unpleasant surprises during your stay with us? No
Do you have any other comments regarding the accommodation or service? Just that we had a brilliant holiday in lovely surroundings
Janet Crockford
United Kingdom
August 2010

Girasole di Ama
What were the highlights of your holiday? Waiting for the wild boar to run through the vineyard every night, mummy boar and her babies. Also the fantastic lightning storm that we watched from the terrace for more than two hours.
What was your overall impression of the accommodation?    It was fantastically clean and Daniela the owner was an absolute delight she welcomed us from the moment we arrived and my husband made himself very comfortable on her terrace sampling her wines, myself preferred the Vin Santo. Daniela had added little touches such as suppling washing powder and toilet paper as well as leaving water and wine in the fridge. You could tell she is very proud of Girasole.
Did you have any unpleasant surprises during your stay with us? Our second villa being double booked but it turned out better as we were able to return to Girasole.
Do you have any other comments regarding the accommodation or service? Girasole is a fantastic place to spend some quality time relaxing and we intend to return there next year.
donna casbon
United Kingdom
July 2010

Girasole di Ama
What were the highlights of your holiday? Evenings in the porch eating local foods.
What was your overall impression of the accommodation?    Perfect
Did you have any unpleasant surprises during your stay with us? One small scorpion, but in Budhist fashion we trapped him and set him free outside
Do you have any other comments regarding the accommodation or service? Wish we could go back tomorrow.
Robert Dean
United States of America
September 2010

What were the highlights of your holiday? The scenery - particularly around Chianti. The food was great. Loved that we were only 5 minutes to the local resturant. The people were more than friendly.
what was your overall impression of the accommodation?    It was good. Very clean and comfortable. Daniela was an excellent host. It was mentioned that her English was limited - we found her quite easy to speak with and understand.
Did you have any unpleasant surprises? No
Do you have any other comments? We found Griaole di Ama the perfect size for two. Loved the fact that we were on our own but knew that the family were just near by if we needed anything. Great location to the local villages and resturants..
Paul & Carmel McMahon
Australia
October 2009

Was waren die Highlights Ihres Urlaubs? Die sonnigen, ruhigen Tage, das feine Essen, einfach alles, besonders unser hübsches Häuschen Girasole (Sonnenblume).
Wie war Ihr Gesamteindruck von der Unterbringung? Ein ausgesprochen schönes Plätzchen für Ruhe, Erholung, Ausflüge, Spaziergänge. Wir wurden freundlich aufgenommen, dann aber, wie wir das auch ersehnten, ganz in Ruhe gelassen, am Ende der Ferien wurden wir nach nettem Gespräch wie Freunde verabschiedet. Das Häuschen ist sauber und mit allem ausgestattet, was man braucht. Der TV ist im Schlafzimmer, vielleicht nicht grad ideal für das wunderschöne, hohe Bett, er wär besser in der Stube/Küche.
Gab es unangenehme Überraschungen? Es gab Besuch von Käfern und Grashüpfern :-) Im Garten Schnecken und Frösche, wir haben auch Schlangen gesehen :-)
Haben Sie andere Anmerkungen? Wir würden gerne wieder im Girasole unsere Ferien verbringen und danken herzlich für die Freundlichkeit und dafür, dass diese Ferien uns immer in bester Erinnerung bleiben wird. Liebe Grüsse Franziska
Roger Lex
Switzerland
September 2009

Was waren die Highlights Ihres Urlaubs? Die Touren nach Siena, San Giminiano und natürlich Florenz. Nach Florenz unbedingt Bahn ab Montevarchi benutzen ( einfache Fahrt = 4,20 €; das ist ein Viertel des DB-Preises!) und Zielbahnhof SMN in Florenz liegt optimal.
Wie war Ihr Gesamteindruck von der Unterbringung? Das war wunderbar. Einschränkung: In der kompletten Küche fehlte der Backofen.
Gab es unangenehme Überraschungen? Die Insekten verschiedener Art (Skorpione, Tausendfüssler) im Bad waren gewöhnungsbedürftig, haben aber den Gesamteindruck nicht geschmälert.
Haben Sie andere Anmerkungen? keine
Werner Müller
Germany
September 2009

What were the highlights of your holiday? The small hill towns that are not even on the map.
what was your overall impression of the accommodation?    very good
Did you have any unpleasant surprises? No
Do you have any other comments? We loverd Girasole and the friendly helpful Owners.
Deborah Rossi
United States of America
May 2009

Overall impression: Girasole di Ama was absolutely wonderful! Daniela was a very accommodating and gracious hostess who greeted us with a wine tasting. The villa was lovely,very clean and private. The surrounding area was beautiful and we enjoyed walking around the vineyards and watching the sun set. Kitchen was well equipped, bed was very comfortable and
location was central to everything we wanted to do in Tuscany!
Highlights: Daniela had told us about the bus from Panzano into Florence so we drove to there and parked then took the bus into Florence for the day.No stress about parking or driving into the city. Also enjoyed San Gimangnano and Radda. Its very hard to pick highlights when everything and everyday was so perfect!
Unpleasant surprises: Nope!
Claudio (Canada)

Michela,
Just wanted to provide feedback on our stay last week at Girasole di Ama.  My husband and I had a fabulous time on our trip - the villa was exactly as described on the website (except for not having an oven) and still exceeded our expectations.  Daniela Bencini is a very pleasant lady and easy to deal with in regards to the villa (her english was more than sufficient for us to understand) and we very much enjoyed doing a wine tasting with her, where we learned about her family and the history of the vineyard.  
 We also thoroughly enjoyed having private chef Andrea Giusti come out to cook us a dinner at our villa - his food was excellent and his company was very enjoyable. 
But the highlight of our experience in Chianti was the cooking class we took with Simone at Restaurant Malborghetto - Simone gave us some wonderful Tuscan recipes and was extremely personable.  We would highly recommend his cooking class to your clients.
On our first day there, my husband tried to use his GPS to locate the villa, but the GPS lead us to a gravel road in the middle of nowhere.  Luckily for us, Susan Steele with To Tuscany happened to be driving by with her husband and stopped to give us correct directions to the villa.  Just one more example of how helpful To Tuscany was for us before and during our stay in Chianti.
Many thanks for helping make this such an enjoyable experience - my husband and I look forward to using To Tuscany again in the future.  
Trish (US)

Dear Lisa
The accomodation was just what we ex pected,your web site was very good. As to your service,again very good.
The family made us very welcome,there when needed,but left us to enjoy the quite location,There wine is worth the trip.
We are always looking for this type of property Thank you Tony

Overall impression: If anything it was better than described - and the owners were so welcoming and friendly and took a pride in ensuring the property was perfect and we were content.
Highlights: The peace and tranquility of the property - and the welcome from the owners
Unpleasant surprises: Nothing at all. Slightly more detailed information in the property about location of local services (we only found the Co-op in Radda late in the week!) and ideally a few more walks etc would be handy - but I'm being really picky in even mentioning it!
John  (UK)

Dear Dympna
Just a quick response to your e-mail. Using the Australian vernacular, everything was bloody fantastic. Your service, continuous contact, etc was excellent and the accomodation was better then expected.ie the internet doesn't do it justice. The cottage is absolutely perfect for a country escape and the hospitality of the owners is warm and most welcoming....a perfect holiday.
Regards
Chris and Sue (Australia)

Overall impression: Met our expectations from pictures on the web site (just right for 2).
The setting gave us the space, privacy and peace we very much wanted.
Central for touring the Chianti region.
Butterflies in the garden were wonderful.
Would like to have seen a visitors book to learn from other users recommendations and experiences.
Highlights: Reception and wine tasting given by the Bencini family on arrival at the winery. A very kind and warm welcome. Also gave us the opportunity to stock on Bencini produced olive oil and Chianti Classico Reserva wine (it's been a favourite wine for years - hence the visit).
Puccini opera and Pink Floyd Concert on the same night (at Lucca) - unexpected!
Meals at the Malborghetto restaurant (Lecchi-in-Chianti).
Wall-to-wall sunshine.
The Chianti/Tuscany scenery.
Unpleasant surprises: None
Best wishes
Mick
[Our comment - We would also like to thank Mick for the photos he took of Girasole di Ama and has graciously allowed us to use on the website]

Overall we were very pleased. The cottage is very clean and comfortable. Daniela and Luciano were very helpful and when we had a small problem the heating they came and fixed it immediately. We enjoyed watching them work in the vineyards and pruning the olive trees. It was also nice to have ready access to the excellent wines of Casa Nouva di Ama. One night while I was grilling some steaks Luciano stopped working and came over with a bottle of wine for our dinner. Can't find that in any hotel.
The highlights for us were all the small things we learned and the people we met. After two months we knew the dry cleaner, butcher, newspaper stand, pharmacist, best place to buy shoes, where to find great gelato and even better pizza. I should not leave out our favorite restaurants, Tre Porte and Malborghetto,, where we were treated like regulars or the small cafes, Dante and the Chianti Café, where we drank way to many café americanos and ate to many pastries. Overall the best trip to Italy we have ever had.
James Gardner

Girasole di Ama is a very sweet cottage that is clean and comfortable. It's in a beautiful setting and is very quiet. The kitchen is well equipped and the bed is very comfortable. It was nice to have a washing machine.
We really enjoyed visiting the many beautiful medieval towns of the Chianti. They were so beautiful, as was the surrounding countryside. And the history and architecture were fantastic.
We also were glad to have a kitchen in the house because it was fun to prepare dinner. Il Poggio (this restaurant is now closed) was also a highlight -- what a terrific restaurant, and right there in walking distance only about a mile from the cottage.
Thank you so much for helping us arrange it! We had a truly lovely vacation.
Lila

Thank you for your email regarding our stay at Girasole di Ama.
Firstly I would like to say that we were more than pleased with our accommodation. The cottage was perfect, well appointed and very comfortable.
Luciano and Daniella are very professional and so kind. Tuscany and its people are charming and this leg of our trip was I think our most favourite, closely followed by Venice. We did enjoy our stay in a convent in Rome also. The sisters were so gentle.
Please find our comments on the following:
Service:        We found your service was excellent. Linda Page was wonderful.
Accommodation:    The cottage as I said was perfect.
The area was beautiful, quiet and secure. Luciano was very helpful.
Setting: Perfect. We were alone, yet close enough to local villages for coffee and brioches! Il Poggio (this restaurant is now closed) restorante is great and only just across the road. Beautiful food and charming people.
Michela, we feel that "To Tuscany" is an extremely professional organisation and would certainly recommend you to our friends.
Many thanks again.
Michele

(Girasole d'Ama) Very nice, just like the web pictures. All home
comforts, plenty of hot water, good cooking facilities. Friendly helpful
owners (it's amazing how you can communicate without a word of each
other's language!) You could have praised it more highly in the
information as I didn't appreciate there was a dishwasher.
Peaceful location, yet close to small villages and only a walk from one
of the restaurants. Why not spell it out more clearly? The lovely Il
Poggio (this restaurant is now closed) is within walking distance, the others are not. Take a torch if
you go at night as we did - there are no lights at all!Wonderful wine tasting and buying session at the Bencinis - more like an
afternoon with friends than a commercial transaction.
Thank you for such useful and comprehensive information on how to get
the most out of PRADA outlet shopping nearby - although it was bad news
for my credit card.
Thanks for a lovely holiday,
Best wishes,
Karen

Dear Sean
Nancy and I met with the Italian class we had been attending before coming to Tuscany and spent over an hour discussing the beauty and excitement of our trip to the cottage. Now we have most of our pictures back and so we were able to show the vines and trees beginning in April when they were barren right up to our return when they were lush and full. I think that even if we had known more about the geography and topography of the region, we could not have chosen a better, more central location.
In addition, the cottage was everything we could have wished for and more; beautifully detailed and equipped, impeccably clean and tidy and set in a landscape which perfectly depicts the true beauty of the Chianti hills.
As for the Bencinis, what can I say to properly describe this special family. Words like kind, generous beyond belief, helpful in every way seem somewhat inadequate, give our kindest regards to your family and to the Bencinis along with our best wishes. Robert

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

At what time should we arrive and depart?
Arrival time 16.00 if you arrive after 19.00 please telephone
Departure time 10.00 am
Can you help with travel arrangements?
For help on travel arrangements by car, by plane or by train select Reach Tuscany from the home page.
Are the prices per person or per apartment?
The price displayed are per apartment.
Are linen and towels provided or do I need to bring my own?
Yes linen and towels are provided and included in the price displayed.
Is the central heating included in the price?
No, the central heating is charged on consumption when required.
Is there a telephone, fax, email connection available?
There is an Internet café nearby in Radda.
Are there local grocery stores?
Yes within 3 miles. 
How far are the airports?
Florence 1 hour, Pisa 2 hours, Bologna 2 hours, Rome 3 hours.
When do I get road directions?
Directions are provided with your final confirmation, after full payment is received.
Where do I find the directions?
The directions can be found as a link on your final confirmation email. They can also be accessed by logging into your booking details using your useremail and password.