While I was over in Italy, one of the highlights of my trip was staying at this gorgeous apartmen t. Located just outside of the wonderful town of Pontassieve in Tuscany, this place was exactly what I was looking for. It was just outside Florence and we rode the train into Florence one day. We had planned on going again but loved this place so much we decided to hang out here instead. I found it on homeaway and it was everything I hoped for. The apartment we rented is one of five on the property. This building was a watchtower that was built in the 16th century, it overlooks vineyards, olive tree groves, and the town, nestled between the mountains. I stayed in the studio apartment which was the perfect size, it had a bed, a bathroom with a great shower (which was well appreciated after hostel showers, train rides, and dragging my suitcase all over town), a small kitchenette, and a terrace with a wonderful view. I absolutely loved the town itself too, if you don't mind walking you can get to the town in about 45 minutes or less (we did stop to take lots of pictures.) We felt truly immersed in Italian culture, we were the only tourists there, we hung out outside the cafe on the square and watched as the kids got out of school, the people got off work, and the old men gathered to talk and watch the bike races inside. Everyone was very friendly and we really enjoyed our time there. Jane, the lovely woman who owns the property with her husband was a wonderful host and went out of her way to make us feel comfortable. She has the sweetest daughter, Vita, who was a joy to talk to and Peggy the cat, who made appearances and really made me feel at home. If you get the chance to go to Tuscany, this is the place to stay, wonderfully priced, homey and clean, you'll never want to leave!
