We could not have had a better time on our visit. This was due to all the
assistance we received from the Cinelli family, yourself, and all the
friends and relatives we met. We are most grateful.

Although I included a note to the Cinelli family with the check, please
express our gratitude when you speak with them.

With warmest regards,

Jim & Sue Hauck
402 Scutt Road
Greenville, NY 12083

Podere Torricella is located just 20 km. south of Florence and is comprised
of 10 apartments. We had a large group - five families with a total of seven
kids, ages 6-13. We rented five two-bedroom apartments (two apartments had 2
bathrooms) for two weeks in July 2001. We all found our apartments to be
very spacious and spotlessly clean.

Our apartment had lovely beamed ceilings and terra cotta tile floors
throughout. The bathroom consisted of toilet, bidet, sink and shower stall
and we had hot water whenever we wanted and good water pressure. The kitchen
was fully equipped and we were able to cook simple meals, make toast and
coffee with the utensils provided. Much to our dismay, there was also a
television where you could watch CNN if you so desired! There was a covered
patio-type area across from our apartment and we ate many dinners there. We
had a small refrigerator and a cooktop with four cooking elements - there
was no oven or microwave, and although it said on the property information
that there was a barbeque, there really wasn't one that was usable. We had
plenty of thick towels and the bedding and towels were changed once during
our two week stay. The furniture was comfortable.

For the whole two weeks we were at Podere Torricella, each day the weather
was hot and sunny. However, we found at night we could open the windows wide
and were able to sleep very comfortably if we kept the windows and shutters
closed during the heat of the day.

TIP: After dark, only open the windows when you've turned off the lights as
there were mosquitos.

Surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, the property itself sits high on
an isolated hill, reached down a dirt road about 2-3 kilometres from the
small village of Cerbaia. In this town we were able to buy groceries, wine,
fresh cheese etc. As well about 7-8 km. away in the town of Montelupo was a
great Coop (grocery store) with a vast array of food and it was open 7 days
a week (not even closed for siesta). We made several trips to this store for
incredible cheese, cold meat, foccaccia, etc. A car was essential to rent
this property.

Podere Torricella had a good sized swimming pool with chaise lounges and
umbrellas, a ping pong table and a washing machine on site. The views from
the swimming pool area were spectacular and on a few evenings we brought our
food up and ate around the pool. In any case it was a great spot to meet at
the end of the day and enjoy a glass of wine while sharing our day's
experiences with one another. Several in our group remarked how much they
actually enjoyed preparing simple meals right in the apartment because the
ambiance and location was so beautiful. There is a lovely restaurant on the
property and we enjoyed a few fantastic meals there - I believe the only
wines served there were the ones made on the property and they were very
good.

Podere Torricella was well located, particularly for visits into Florence.
Oddly, my husband and I didn't venture into Florence this trip but the rest
of the group did and they all drove in with little trouble. Most places we
visited were within an hour's drive - Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra,
Montecatini, Colle Val d'Else, Monteriggioni, Chianti. And the delightful
towns of San Casciano and Montespertoli were just 10-15 mins. away. We also
ventured a little further afield (about 1 ½ hrs.) - one trip to Forte de
Marmi and one day trip to Montalcino/Pienza. We tried to subscribe to the
slow travelling method!

One request: if you do rent this property, please pick up a box of cat food
and feed the sweet, stray gatto (cat) who lives on the property.

Last Notes: Surprisingly, we didn't have to pay a penny upfront - we sent
our credit card numbers and paid when we left. We could also charge the
restaurant charges right to our room. Every single one of the five families
on this trip unhesitatingly recommend this place for the price, beauty,
facilities, cleanliness.

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Name: Omar Hoek
E-Mail: Supplied

Dear Cristiano,

I would like to thank you via this e-mail for the excellent time we have
spend in Villa Altoviti beginning of this month.
and would like to thank you also for all your efforts to find this nice
place to accomodate us.

We were hosted very warmly by Sergio on his premises and we will surely
return .

best regards and see you soon ( also to Sergio)

best regards
Omar, Nieves and Luka HOEK

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Name: Jim & Mitzi Maxwell
E-Mail: Supplied
Comments:

Dear Dr.Cristiano

thank you for your hospitality.
We loved the apartment you chose for us.
It was our favorite place to stay while visiting your beautiful country. We
plan to return in 2 years and would love to stay at Podere Torricella again.
Sincerely

Jim & Mitzi Maxwell
(Aptos - California)

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Name: Mr. Phu ngo
E-Mail: Supplied
Comments: SAN FRANCISCO,CA USA

Comments Villa Il Turco

What an enchanting villa. The pictures do not do this
house any justice. It is breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly clean. The
grounds and the surrounding countryside are amazing. There is even a working
vineyard and a cellar underneath the house! Waking up every morning was a
much anticipated event. It is also so we situated. We were 15-20 minutes
outside of Florence by car and the surrounding towns within 2 hours are
enough to keep anyone enthralled. Our 2 week vacation should have been 1
month. The family that owns the villa are the nicest people on earth. They
were gracious, helpful, fun, etc. They also run one of the best restaurants
in the entire area. If you are into food and wine, there is also an amazing
restaurant in Cerbaia. It's called La Tenda Rossa (The Red Tent). Be
prepared to pay a lot, but it will be the most amazing dining experience
you'll ever have.

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Name: Angela Richman
E-Mail: angelarichman@hotmail.com
Comments:

Dear Mr. Castellani, My husband, another couple and I were in your beautiful Villa Altoviti this past October. I will never be able to say enough of your lovely home that we rented. We all lead a very hectic life and this was the perfect get-away location for us. We were very close to Florence and the autostrada, therefore traveling from the villa was never a problem.
It is very convientely located and had wonderful restaurants near by. We were in Florence in less than one half hour and traffic was never a problem. Now about the house itself!!!! It was absolutely beautiful. The accommodations were much more than what we expected. The view from the patio was breath taking.
I personally would have preferred to stay at the house the whole week and enjoy walks along the hills, or read a book on the patio or simply relax in the most peaceful setting I have ever experienced.
I can never say enough about Villa Altoviti and have told all my friends about it. It was truly one of the best vacations we have had in some time.

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Name: Karl & Laurie Shanholtzer
E-Mail: shanholt@ezwv.com
Comments:

Dear Mr Castellani,

There is no way to express the pleasure we experienced at Villa Altoviti!
Senore and Senora Tofani were Kind and gracious hosts. Please thank them again for us the wonderful welcome gifts.
The home surrounds you with history, yet the spacious apartment we stayed in was immaculate, there was alot of attention to detail. The property was a dream with the manicured gardens, a chorus of bird songs and vistas of Tuscany hills.
We hope to return soon and we are telling or closest friends of this wonderful property.
Very truly yours
Laurie Shanholtzer

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Name: Wendy Carter
E-Mail: supplied
Comments: Villa Il Turco

Dear Cristiano,

We just got back from Lake Como and are happy to be home, finally. But
we had an absolutely perfect stay at Villa Il Turco and thank you for everything you and your family did to make it that way.

I wish we could have stayed another week. We hope to see you again sometime, at the guest rooms across the street from the Villa.

My best to you, Wendy Carter

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Name: Judy Elliott
E-Mail: Supplied
Comments:

Dear Cristiano

A belated thank you for a lovely week spent with your family at Podere
Torricella. I can't believe that it was over a month ago that we were
there!! I have some lovely pictures that I need to get scanned and will
e-mail them to you.
Hope this finds you all well and in the middle of a booming season! Please
give regards to the rest of the family and thank them all for all the help
with the car (in the ditch!) and for all the fabulous hospitality.
We will definitely be back.
Best regards
Judy Elliott

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Name: Stephen Lewis
E-Mail: steveannette42@hotmail.com
Comments: Villa Il Prato

We had a great holiday. the villa was fantastic and Mr Frau was an
excellent host.
We will use your agency again.

Grazie - Steve Lewis

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Name: Noreen Moynihan
E-Mail: Supplied
Comments:

Dear Cristiano
I am e-mailing to thank you for your hospitality last Friday night. Our stay in Villa Eleanora was fantastic. Antonio was just wonderful - so friendly and helpful. But the highlight of the week had to be the birthday cake! Everybody agreed it was delicious. Thank you and thank you for the wine which you gave to us. We did buy some bottles
on leaving along with some oil but it is so difficult to transport back to Ireland. Your restaurant was truly beautiful it was a superb choice on our part on which to finish our holiday.

Who knows perhaps we will see you next year. Regards. Noreen Moynihan.

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Name: Siobhán
E-Mail: Supplied
Comments:

Dear Cristiano,

Just to let you know that we really enjoyed our stay at Villa Eleanora & in Italy, no doubt we will visit again. It was everything we expected and more.

Kind regards,

Siobhán

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Name: Jay Fargher
E-Mail: Supplied

Comments:

I wanted to contact you to let you know that we thought La Loggia was beautiful and the owners so nice and helpful.
Thank you for helping us have such a lovely holiday in your country.
Dr. James Fargher

######################################

Name: Kevin Kelaher
E-Mail: kmkdmd@attbi.com
Comments:

Ciao Cris,

We arrived home last Thursday evening and have just about recovered from jet lag. I wanted to write to tell you what a wonderful stay we had at Podere Torricella. The beauty of Tuscany is almost
unbelievable. We took many pictures but I'm sure our cameras did not capture what our eyes saw. The food at your restaurant was some of the best we had during our entire stay in Italy and Stefano
helped to make our dinners there memorable. Your father is a gracious and accommodating host. We will recommend Podere Torricella to anyone we know who plans to visit Tuscany and hope that
sometime in the not too distant future we will return to Tuscany and Podere Torricella.

Regards,

Debbie

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Name: Robert and Rebecca Ewart
E-Mail: Supplied
Comments: IL FIENILINO

27 July 2002

We really enjoyed our stay and would love to come back.

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Name: Richard and Robyn Deighton
E-Mail: Supplied

Comments:

Dear Cristiano,

You may remember that we booked through you La Loggia in Montaione recently.The purpose of this e-mail is to thank you for what turned out to be a really wonderful week.The property is really beautiful (almost new) and very well equipped with a delightful garden and surroundings including the pool. The people who own the property (we dealt with Cheti) are charming and helpful and the
nearby town of Montaione is pretty with a good "Super Marcato" and some good restaurants.

At the end of our drive is a Tavernetta which has good and cheap Pizzas and is also an excellent restaurant in it's own right - we ate there 3 times.Your instructions to get there were very precise and we drove straight to the property without getting lost. Another point is that this location is very close to some lovely hill towns and is well served by the local rail service. We sampled the excellent local wines and they were very much to our taste - also great value. So thank you once again for all the help you gave us and for finding this wonderful gem for us. Please feel free to use us as a reference for the Villa and for your excellent Renting service. We will recommend you to all our friends.

We are back in New Zealand now but will always have the wonderful memories of our time in Tuscany - we loved all of Italy but the week at Colli 2 was the highlight. If you are ever in New Zealand, please contact us by e-mail as we would be very pleased to show you some Kiwi hospitality.

We thank you once again and wish you every good wish for the future.
With kindest regards,
Richard and Robyn Deighton.

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Name: Cyndi Morgan
E-Mail: Supplied
Comments:

Dear Christiano, Thank you so much for your recommendation to La Loggia. We loved the house and Katie and her parents are just he kindnest people, I think had we met her parents earlier in the trip we would have had them over for a meal, they were just delightful. The only thing we missed was a telephone but next time we go to Europe I think we will bring our cell phone.
Thank you again, I will be sure to recommend you as a travel planner to others.
Cyndi Morgan

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Name: Steve
E-Mail: Supplied
Comments:

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your recommendation of La
Loggia - it was outstanding. We have many fond memories of our trip to
Italy and in particular Tuscany and Florence. Chaty (I am mispelling her
name) was very helpful.

We plan on returning and will look you up before we do.

By the way, what are your thoughts on Calabria? My father was born there
and I would like to see his hometown - do you know of any properties in that
area?

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Name: Patricia and Ronald Curtis
E-Mail: patnron@surewest.net
Comments:

We have reserved Villa Eleanora for two weeks Sept 2003. This will be the
first time we have used Renting in Italy!!! We are very much looking forward to our time at the Villa and exploring the Tuscany region.

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