We spent four days at Salceta in June and left wishing it could have been four weeks. The views of the Valdarno hayfields from the garden, Marina’s vineyard, the surrounding olive groves and hills are all breathtaking, and we found it easy to relax and detach from our usually hectic lives amid so much serenity. The house is spacious, comfortable, and well equipped, and it’s even more beautiful than the pictures convey. With high ceilings and ample rooms, it’s quite a bit larger inside than it might seem, and the terracotta floors and Marina’s amazing eye for decoration make it warm and intimate as well. The kitchen, with its stone sink and trumpet-vine covered pergola just outside, was a highlight for us—rustic but very well-appointed with all the implements one could need, and a great place to gather the family to cook and share meals. When booking we were initially a little concerned about the remoteness of the location, but found the house to be the perfect base for exploring the region. It is definitely very rural, but there are wonderful farm restaurants (“osterie”) nearby, and we loved exploring the tiny, medieval towns in the surrounding hills. We also made memorable day trips to Arezzo and Florence (tip for the latter: drive to Montevarchi and take the train; parking is free in the lot behind the station), and ironically, we wound up cancelling a planned sojourn to Siena because time was short and we found we loved hanging around the house, pool, and grounds so much. Marina is the most gracious of hosts, warm and generous, and helped us by stocking a few necessities for our arrival, making dinner reservations at a nearby restaurant, providing excellent tips for grocery shopping, dining, and exploring, and generally making us feel welcome and at home. The wine made from her grapes, “Da Zero,” is fabulous. Signore Beppo, the gardener, put a couple of bikes in working order for us and on our last morning we discovered what will surely be a ritual for us on our next trip: a pleasant ride to nearby Compogialli where the small “tabac” is amazingly well stocked and serves some of the best coffee we had on our entire trip. In short, we give Salceta and its wonderful host our highest rating. We will surely return, and hope it won’t be long before we do!