The location is very convenient for day trips

by Sallie, U.S.A.

Originally published on Slow Travel

###Location

Casina di Rosa is located in the village of Civitella Marittima between Siena and Grosseto on the SS223. The location within the village is great, and the general location is very convenient for day trips.

###Nearby Amenities

Everything you need is within walking distance of the house. Unfortunately, we spent too much time on the road, and not enough time in the village. That will change on the next trip!

###The House/Apartment

The house was built in the late 1800’s, and is in a quiet location. It is in great shape.

###Garden

There is a small outside sitting area by the door … quite private. It was always nice to come home at night and see our outside light burning!

###Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas

The furniture was in good shape and quite comfortable. The house was spotlessly clean. There is a portable gas heater which we used mostly in the kitchen, but one especially cold night we put it in the hallway to warm the other rooms. There is also a small electric space heater which takes the chill from the bathroom in no time flat!

An extra word here about the washing machine … I loved it. And there is a clothesline just outside the kitchen window where your clothes will dry in no time in the morning with the sun on them.

###Bedrooms/Bathrooms

The king size bed was very comfortable … nice and firm, and there were plenty of extra blankets for the cool November nights. There is a huge armoire where the extra linens are stored, and there is plenty of room (and hangers) for your clothes. Gloria left us fresh flowers on the dresser. They were beautiful. The bathroom was of a good size, and the shower was bigger than the ones in the religious guesthouses where I have stayed.

###Kitchen

The kitchen is where we spent most of our time, as we had the sitting room made up as an extra bedroom. There’s a gas stove, woodburning fireplace, small refrigerator and all the pots/pans/kitchen gadgets/dishes/flatware you could possibly need. Two of us worked well together in the kitchen. We only ate dinner out one night, so we cooked a lot.

###Problems or Bonuses

Gloria and Marcel furnish the makings of a traditional meal … as the shops are all closed on Sunday. There was also a bottle of wine, and a cruet of wonderful olive oil …. which we finished before week’s end! They have a cell phone for rent which is really inexpensive (at least by U.S. standards), and the few times we needed information, we called and they graciously helped out.

###Agency and Representatives (and price)

We booked directly with the owners. Communication was excellent. They speak fluent English and were very, very helpful. Casina di Rosa is exactly as published on their website and we believe we received excellent value for the cost. Our week in November was EUR390.00 and included a tour to a local olive grove, including two olive presses and a home-cooked meal! We were made to feel like new friends rather than tourists.

###Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?

Yes, yes, and again, YES. I would, and have, recommended Casina di Rosa to anyone who is traveling to Italy. I am planning to return this fall with my adult daughter, and possibly a grandchild or two!

###Things to do in this area

The village of Civitella Marittima itself is interesting … narrow, hilly, winding streets. Nearby is Casal di Pari, Pari, the hot springs of Petriolo, the village of Paganico, Roccastrada and much more. Farther afield are Siena, Florence, Pisa and the Tyrrhenian Coast. So much to see, so little time … it calls for a multitude of return trips.