Wonderful. (That's the most apprpriate assessment) Brought my 83 year old mother on her desired Under The Tuscan Sun pilgrimage. Visited Cortona, Bagno Vigiani, Trensime, Arrezzo, more Vineyards and oil growers than can be listed. The villa is self sufficient, happy, full of light, a step back hundreds of years in time. Ewe the villa onsite manager was welcoming, helpful, and always around to check in. William, the owner, checked in with us via chat every other day and was concerned for our continued happiness. Stay here. Don't fear anything. Simply.. wonderful. Doug

Had such a lovely time relaxing, wonderful weather and a gorgeous house with everything you could possibly need. Communication with William and Uwa was really easy, thanks so much!

Had such a lovely time relaxing, wonderful weather and a gorgeous house with everything you could possibly need. Communication with William and Uwa was really easy, thanks so much!

The house is enormous, with outdoor eating not far from the house and a pool. It’s lovely in many ways - lots of stone, history, and beautiful furnishings. It‘s peaceful but you need 30 minutes to get to any bigger road. We were disappointed with some of the maintenance issues - peeling paint and plaster, water stains from a dodgy shower (no cabin or curtains) algae in a children’s bedroom, malfunctioning pool umbrellas, etc. There is a fine line between rustic / charming and run-down. However, communication with the owner and the on-site caretaker was no problem and issues were addressed quickly. Overall a nice place for a holiday.

Great house, we spent a wonderful week!

We looked for a place for catching up with friends and we succeeded. We have been sitting on the square terrace-with-a-view for hours and hours, in the dining room with the open fire when the evenings were a bit colder, and in front of the huge pizza oven alongside the swimming pool, after our synchronous swimming competition. Kitchenware was fantastic, the rooms were beautiful, many quiet places in- and outdoors for one’s own moment to read a book or sleep in a hammock. We used the grotta for singing and watching Italian movies. We also enjoyed culture and nature in the surroundings (Gubbio was one of the biggest surprises), but found out that it took some time to travel to all those beuatiful places. Being on the hill has its prize, and sometimes we were confused about the different little roads leading to the house (or not). We had some persistent problems with the watersystem, but Uwe was always reachable and willing to help. In short, great and beautiful house, perfect for meeting with family and friends.

Fattoria San Lorenzo is a beautiful home overlooking the Niccone valley. We were there for a lovely week with our extended family who had flown in from all around the world - many enjoyable hours were spent either seated by the terrace drinking wine or playing by the pool. Uwe was happy to help with anything we asked - I have to say he went above and beyond firing up the pizza oven on a 30deg C day! In addition, William was a great host with very good communications prior to our arrival and always happy to respond to our questions and requests eg helping to arrange chefs to provide dinner one night. Thank you Uwe and William for making our family reunion so special!

Fattoria San Lorenzo is a beautiful home overlooking the Niccone valley. We were there for a lovely week with our extended family who had flown in from all around the world - many enjoyable hours were spent either seated by the terrace drinking wine or playing by the pool. Uwe was happy to help with anything we asked - I have to say he went above and beyond firing up the pizza oven on a 30deg C day! In addition, William was a great host with very good communications prior to our arrival and always happy to respond to our questions and requests eg helping to arrange chefs to provide dinner one night. Thank you Uwe and William for making our family reunion so special!

We had a wonderful time. The house has a magnificent balcony, with stunning views across the Niccone valley, and a delightful dining room for cooler or stormy evenings. We have been renting houses in Italy for nearly 30 years, and one thing we especially enjoyed was the slightly cooler air (and no mosquitos!) up on the hill. If you are looking for easy access to the great cities, churches and sights you will have to program in a 30-45 minute drive. But if you want magnificent views, solitude, and long walks or runs then it is hard to top this place. At night we saw porcupines, deer and wild boar in the forest. Very special. Communications with the owner were first-rate. He was very quick and helpful with any questions or concerns. Highly recommended.

We just lived the Italien dream! For us it was the mix of rustic charm, cultural immersion - it’s not often you get to live in a traditional tobacco farm with the luxury of high ceilings, fine sofas, terraces and pool time. The house is a real testomy to sympothetic restoration with original features and masonry. We were four families with 8 kids and never felt on top of each other and when left on our own (just the three of us) we didn’t feel like we rattled around. Stunning views, I’m sure there’s plenty to explore but we rarely left the property (more like a very small hamlet!) although the local winery did get a visit as did the pizzeria which were nearly as good as the pizzas we made by the pool on the enormous pizza oven!! The perfect place to escape and spend quality time with friends and family. Already planning the next big birthday bash!!! So many happy memories, thank you

We enjoyed a wonderful two weeks at Casa Padronale. The house is beautifully situated with a delightful and calming view over the valley; the heat of summer, which is fairly intense at the bottom of the valley, is reduced by the breezes that generally flow up the valley walls. Early mornings and long evenings are the best times of day. We invited several friends over the fortnight to share the holiday and found the house to be ideally suited to sharing by 3-4 couples with kids. The house is spacious enough (for example, with two living rooms on different floors) to accommodate a big group of friends who are willing to share shopping and cooking. The kids made full use of the swimming pool and could easily retreat to the second living room in the evenings if they wanted to spend time together. The adults usually ended up reading in the shade during the day, making day trips for sightseeing or sitting around the spacious outdoor dining table, enjoying the view, food and conversation until late in the evening. Umbertide and Cortona are each about 45 minutes' drive for food shopping. I should mention that, since we arrived on a Saturday when shops were already closed for the weekend, the caretaker Uwe (resident next door) had already by prior arrangement bought ample high quality food and wine which was waiting for us in the kitchen. Uwe was most friendly, helpful and knowledgeable and well networked in the area. Highly recommended. Ian and Birgit

We visited Citta Di Castello as part of our family Summer holiday with two other families, a total of 16 people, inc 7 children and 3 babies under 9 months, the house worked perfectly for this large group of families, with room to spare, and there were three cots and highchairs. The house itself is charming, elegant and spectacular, while retaining a cosy and homely feel, perfect for settling in to enjoy our stay. The views were wonderful and if you're luck enough to see the low lying cloud within the valley in the mornings you're in for a breathtaking treat. The house is perfect for staying put and doing nothing but relax and enjoy the pool and house facilities, however there is plenty to explore in the local area, including Lake Trasimeno which we visited on a couple of occasions. We had a few sat nav issues early on, which lead to some bumpy track adventures, but this only added to our experience and the charm of being at the top of the hill. The house keepers were friendly and welcoming and always happy to help and offer advice. We also enjoyed a few meals out at the local restaurant within the valley, which was always welcoming with great food. We all thoroughly enjoyed our stay and were all sorry to leave. We hope we will get the opportunity to revisit in years to come, and we look forward to seeing how the surrounding barns and buildings may evolve. .

William and Uwe looked after us so well, answering questions, fixing any problems and sharing tips about the local area. The kids loved pootling by the pool, catching lizards and chasing butterflies. A week of pure relaxation.

We had a wonderful time. The house has a magnificent balcony, with stunning views across the Niccone valley, and a delightful dining room for cooler or stormy evenings. We have been renting houses in Italy for nearly 30 years, and one thing we especially enjoyed was the slightly cooler air (and no mosquitos!) up on the hill. If you are looking for easy access to the great cities, churches and sights you will have to program in a 30-45 minute drive. But if you want magnificent views, solitude, and long walks or runs then it is hard to top this place. At night we saw porcupines, deer and wild boar in the forest. Very special. Communications with the owner were first-rate. He was very quick and helpful with any questions or concerns. Highly recommended.

A wonderful rural retreat from which Perugia Assisi Cortona and many beautiful historic Umbrian and Tuscan towns and villages are easily explored. The borgoo is a calm oasis set high on the Umbrian hills with stunning views over the beautiful Niccone valley. It is warm and welcoming with large airy rooms and a typical country kitchen with modern appliances and every kitchen utensil you could imagine. The guardian knows the area well and is friendly helpful and an invaluable source of local knowledge. The owner is very helpful and really wants his guests to enjoy Umbria as much as he does. We had a lovely week exploring the area and returning "home" to San Lorenzo often to delicious locally prepared meals. These can be ordered in advance and delivered or cooked in situ by a delightful local lady. Absolutely amazing to have a dinner served in the baronial dining room after a tiring day of sightseeing! The guardian was also able to shop locally before our arrival. in an adjacent valley is an authentic family run pizzeria which deserves more than the one visit we managed! We had a wonderful week of exploration and relaxation and are already very much looking forward to our return to San Lorenzo next year

A wonderful rural retreat from which Perugia Assisi Cortona and many beautiful historic Umbrian and Tuscan towns and villages are easily explored. The borgoo is a calm oasis set high on the Umbrian hills with stunning views over the beautiful Niccone valley. It is warm and welcoming with large airy rooms and a typical country kitchen with modern appliances and every kitchen utensil you could imagine. The guardian knows the area well and is friendly helpful and an invaluable source of local knowledge. The owner is very helpful and really wants his guests to enjoy Umbria as much as he does. We had a lovely week exploring the area and returning "home" to San Lorenzo often to delicious locally prepared meals. These can be ordered in advance and delivered or cooked in situ by a delightful local lady. Absolutely amazing to have a dinner served in the baronial dining room after a tiring day of sightseeing! The guardian was also able to shop locally before our arrival. in an adjacent valley is an authentic family run pizzeria which deserves more than the one visit we managed!We had a wonderful week of exploration and relaxation and are already very much looking forward to our return to San Lorenzo next year

We had a magical week here. The house itself is so big, and old and beautiful that it seems to have a personality of its own, which creates within you peace and gladness. On a more practical note, the rooms are cool and clean and have lovely furniture. The kitchen is well-stocked with everything you need to cook enormous meals for large groups. There is a dining room inside in the manner of a baronial hall which remained cool even in the August heatwave, but there is also a table outside with the most beautiful view - the photos do not do it justice. In short, this is not one of those properties which fail to live up to the on-line promise; quite the reverse. It delivers even more than you hoped for. Wonderful!

We had a magical week here. The house itself is so big, and old and beautiful that it seems to have a personality of its own, which creates within you peace and gladness. On a more practical note, the rooms are cool and clean and have lovely furniture. The kitchen is well-stocked with everything you need to cook enormous meals for large groups. There is a dining room inside in the manner of a baronial hall which remained cool even in the August heatwave, but there is also a table outside with the most beautiful view - the photos do not do it justice. In short, this is not one of those properties which fail to live up to the on-line promise; quite the reverse. It delivers even more than you hoped for. Wonderful!

We’ve just returned from our second holiday in two years - we can’t get enough of this wonderful house in simply stunning location. It’s spacious enough to fit at least four or five families without getting on top of each other and it’s the perfect antidote to city life, it’s just so quiet and feels delightfully remote. There are lots of nooks and crannies to explore, a brilliant pool that’s very safe for the kids as well as lawns and play area and different beautiful locations to eat. The caretaker can organise local cooks and childcare on request and nothing is too much trouble. Highly recommended.

The farmhouse where we stayed is a wonderful authentic Tuscan Borgo with tall ceilings, exposed beams and cool spacious feel and parts of the house that you can disappear off into and gaze out across Umbria. It is set on a quiet hillside amongst the old farm buildings, a pretty court yard and terrace. We spent most of our time at the pool, which is perfect for kids as it is fenced and has great views over the valley. We enjoyed eating out on the terrace in the mornings to watch the mist rise over the valley floor and evenings as the sun lights up the surrounding hills, we also enjoyed hunkering down in the kitchen or medieval dinning room on colder nights. This place is perfect for families and as a base to explore some of the local Umbrian or Tuscan villages and towns. The owner and the couple who are caretakers were very friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend this place.

A brilliant venue for a gathering of old friends and our assorted children - and by the end of the week the farmhouse itself felt like a friend! There was plenty of space for us all to spread out, both inside and out, as well as to come together for communal dining. The terrace and well-equipped kitchen were particularly appreciated. We loved the peaceful hilltop setting and expansive views and the pool was a godsend in the heatwave. The owner was very helpful before we travelled in providing all the information we could possibly need - even fixing a chef for one evening who treated us to a delicious meal - and the caretaker and his wife helped us feel immediately at home as well as introducing us to the history of the house and local area. Thank you all very much!

Stunning south facing hill top position overlooking the beautiful, rural Niccone Valley. The property compromises a traditional Italian farmstead which William, the owner, is lovingly renovating building by building. The main farmhouse is generously proportioned with plenty of living and sleeping space spread out throughout, a stunning high vaulted dining room and a beautiful outdoor terrace overlooking the Niccone Valley. The views from brakfast on the terrace with just the Cyprus trees and odd castle peaking through the mist on the other side of the valley will last long in the memory. This is a fantastic holiday home for large families / groups of families and provides for a genuine rustic Umbrian experience far away from the bustle and worries of modern life. Suitable for young children with plenty to keep them occupied during the day (pool, tyre swing, walks and abundant wild life (plus dvd etc when all else fails!)) and well positioned to allow for short trips into the valley and some of the local towns and hill top villages including Umbertide and the stunning hill top Cortona at the head of the valley just into Tuscany. A fantastic holiday to unwind, spend time with your family and friends and forget about it all.

We went away with a number of other families and the property is ideal for group family get away. There's plenty of breakout space with two sitting rooms and a lovely dining room with a big wooden table perfect for colouring in on, plus it's really well equipped for kids with 4 high chairs, 2 cots and lots of really sweet kids crockery and cutlery. There are also sturdy stair gates in place and although we weren't there in the wintertime, it was good to see that there was a really good fire guard for the wood burning stove in the main sitting room too. The house is lovely and cool in the daytime too which is perfect for when it gets a bit too hot for little ones down by the pool. There were four families in total and it was easily big enough to accommodate us all as there's so much space both inside and out. When they weren't at the pool, the kids loved playing on the rope swing in the back garden and we also set up a hammock between a couple of trees which was very popular. There was also room in the driveway to set up a short tennis court which the kids loved playing in the early evening. The owner was really easy to deal with and very helpful and there's also someone on site to help out with any queries. We asked if they could stock the kitchen with a few bits for us and they were very accommodating in this respect and they also helped put us in touch with a local chef who came and took over the kitchen and cooked us two delicious dinners which was a real treat. Breakfasts and suppers on the terrace were an absolute delight with stunning views of the mist draped valley in the morning and the pink sunset on the hills at night. There's also a barbecue there which was very useful. It really feels like a home away from home and not a rental place. The kitchen is extremely well stocked with pots and pans and every kind of kitchen gadget you could ever want or need and there's lots of wonderful antique furniture and comfy sofas to sink in to at the end of the day. The best thing about it for me though is that it's totally quiet – there's no cars, no road noise, no planes - just birds tweeting and crickets chirping and the sound of happy children splashing by the pool.

We spent one month here with just us 5, then two other families w young children, then two weeks with parents and siblings and for all its been such a wonderful place. You can have enough privacy and choose to spent time together at the pool, at the beautiful farmers kitchen table, on the terrace or in the comfortably arranged lounges, all with sweeping views of the Umbrian country side and sunset. The manager on site is very helpful and warm. In summer the days get nice and warm (or hot) but the evenings and mornings are cool which is so nice.

We stayed in this beautiful farmhouse over the Easter Holidays with friends and had the most wonderful time. There were quite a few of us and many children but never did it feel crowded or overrun. The views are spectacular and the grounds the perfect place for an Easter Egg hunt. It was a great base to explore the area and we went to the beautiful towns nearby - Assisi was breathtaking and well worth a day trip. In the evenings it was wonderful to return to the house, light the fires and sit and talk the night away in the stunning dining room. It is blissfully quiet and if you are looking to stop the world and get off it for a week then this is the place to come! We will be returning soon - we hope!!

We visited for a long weekend which just wasn't long enough to enjoy this charming property and certainly not enough time to even begin to explore the area - we will definitely be back! The property itself has been lovingly maintained in keeping with its history and is wonderfully rambling, allowing everyone their own space when needed with the charming sitting rooms and dining room providing space for all to get together. The bedrooms are spacious and airy most with stunning views over the valley. The outside offers plenty of spaces to eat and entertain or simply to sit and take in the spectacular views. For walkers, runners or cyclists there are miles of tracks to follow. It is the perfect location to explore the beautiful historic towns and villages of Umbria and Tuscany - something we intend to do when we return soon.

We - three couples plus assorted children - had a wonderful week at Fattoria San Lorenzo. The house managed to handle all of us beautifully, with numerous bedrooms, bathrooms, sitting rooms and terraces allowing everyone the space to be together or apart depending on how raucous the children got! The kitchen is also brilliantly equipped, which is not always the case with villa rentals, and the dining room is stunning. Being March the weather wasn't very reliable but it did mean we had an excuse to light the fire in the dining room over dinner, which was pretty special. The views from the villa's terraces across the valley are stunning and the surrounding towns (Montone in particular) are absolutely beautiful and well worth investigating. I cannot recommend this place highly enough.

We had a very very good time in the Fattoria San Lorenzo the first 2 weeks of august. Despite the hot summer in this part of Italy, we didn't suffer that much as we had the pool to cool down and the nights were not that hot at this altitude of 600m. The place is not so easy to find but you have to deserve a little bit the views around and the calmness of this beautiful place. The house is a very old farm, has a lot of cachet but is also very fonctional. Very well equiped and furnitures are perfect for a big amount of persons. I had to manage 2 groups of 12/14 people for each week and we did not have big problems to allocate rooms or to let each people live his own dolce vita each morning :) The pool is really nice with this lightely salty water. Paddy was a perfect, discrete and helpful neighbour. Beware of some other neighbours such as insects and wild boars sometimes... This is wild country :) Around, you have so much to visit, that i will not start a list. Just to say that we particularly loved Perugia, the capital of Umbria, which remained a medieval city but is also lively and full of students ; and the Trasimeno Lake just on the other side of the mountain.Assisi, Gubbio, Orvieto, Cortona are already classics... And don't forget Citta di Castello, Mercatale, San Leo Bastia to have a Spritz or a good pizza at the end of the day ! Hoping to come back in this wonderful place someday !

This is a fantastic place to spend a week chilling out or exploring the nearby towns of northern Umbria and Tuscany. Our group of nine (including three kids five and under) had an amazing time chilling out by the pool, napping behind the shutters and eating al fresco on the terrace drinking the local wines every night. From the terrace and some of the rooms there are incredible views across to the north. On one clear day we could easily see the Apennines about 50 km away. One great thing about the rooms is that there's not a dud among them so we didn't have any arguments about choosing who should sleep where! They all have good views and are of a very decent size. We explored some great local towns that were all within an hour or so's drive including Cortona, Montone, Arezzo and Perugia, which are all less touristy than many Tuscan cities but have just as much charm and some really great value authentic local restaurants. 100 percent recommended. We'll be back for sure!

A perfect spot to explore both Umbria and Tuscany, with the luxury of a beautiful villa set in gardens perfect for relaxing, lounging near the pool and dining alfresco with our 3 children. The fireplace inside is incredible, fire lite dinners were one of the highlights of our stay.