Our vacation rental reviews
The location is perfect
Originally published on Slow Travel
###Location
Casina di Rosa is located in the small village of Civitella Marittima. It is a small house situated on top of a storage space or garage (owned by someone else), which we never saw used. The house is very quiet, and the only sounds we heard were of the local people when we had the windows open. The location is perfect, as the town is just off the highway that runs between Siena and Grosseto. The town people are very friendly, and only a few speak English.
###Nearby Amenities
The town is small and very easy to walk about. In the town are two bars, two very small grocery stores, two bakeries, a butcher, and a shop selling fresh pasta. Two restaurants are also in the village, one of which is the wonderful Locanda Nel Cassero. The village of Paganico is only about 10 minutes drive, and has a large Coop grocery store. There is a weekly market held in the town also.
###The House/Apartment
The house was built at the end of the 1800s. It was very quiet and enjoyable. There is a kitchen with a dining area within, a bedroom, a sitting room (with a sleeper sofa) and a bathroom. There is also a small room which contains a washing machine. The house was in very good condition, with a very updated bathroom.
###Garden
The porch has a nice sitting area. It is small, but had two chairs, and was a nice area to sit, enjoy a glass of wine, and watch the locals walk by.
###Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas
Everything in the house was perfect. It was extremely clean. It is furnished with a lot of antiques, which added to the feeling as if you were staying at a friend’s house.
###Bedrooms/Bathrooms
The bed was very comfortable. There was a wardrobe which contained extra blankets and pillows. There was one bathroom. It was a nice size, with a sink, toilet, bidet, and small shower. Large towels were provided.
###Kitchen
The kitchen was stocked with everything you could want. We cooked almost every night, and had everything needed. There is a four burner gas stove with an electric oven. Italian-style and American coffee makers were provided, along with an electric teakettle. We were provided with basics such as sugar, salt, pepper, spices, and the owner’s grandfather’s olive oil (which was wonderful!). There is a fireplace in the kitchen, which we did not use. There is small table with chairs placed around for dining.
###Agency and Representatives (and price)
We booked on the website directly with the owners. They are both extremely nice people, who both speak perfect English. The house was exactly as represented on their website.
###Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?
We would absolutely stay here again, and recommend it to everyone. It is a very affordable place that provides a quiet and relaxing place to stay, but is in close proximity to the highway which makes it very easy to visit the surrounding areas.
###Things to do in this area
We had rented a car in Florence, and drove to Civitella Marritima. You really do need a car to make the most of your visit to this area. We took day trips(by car) to Siena, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Sant’Antimo Abbey and the coastal area of Monte Argentario.
The restaurant right in the village is Locanda Nel Cassero. We only managed to eat there one time, but it was very good and we would have gladly eaten every meal of our vacation there.
One of our favorite days was spent with Carlo. This tour was set up through Gloria and Marcel, the owners of Casina di Rosa. We spent the day doing wine tasting and visiting a cheese farm. We went to three wineries, one cheese farm and purchased some wonderful wine and cheese. We went to Carlo’s house for lunch (he owns a farm and agriturismo) where he prepared a “light lunch” for us; it included bruschetta with tomatoes, chickpea soup, sliced tomatoes with oil and salt, frittata with onion, peppers, zucchini and cheese, sliced peaches and an assortment of cheeses. And of course water and wine. He even took us to a new monastery being built called Siloe. It was in the most beautiful setting, with wonderful panoramic views.
