Ancienne maison de campagne récemment restaurée - beau jardin privé - panoramique

The view from the Zoli Country House may be among the most beautiful in the world – valleys, mountains, olive groves, vineyards and Tuscan villages. Our family of seven (six adults and one high school junior) spent one month in this spacious villa during late March and April of 2015 and we each kept returning to the yard to take in that wonderful view.

If you have dreamed of renting a villa in the Tuscan hills the Zoli Country House is it. First of all the villa is huge! There are four bedrooms, two living rooms, two baths and a kitchen with the biggest fireplace you have ever seen. The eating area features a dining table worthy of the Waltons and where we enjoyed many Tuscan inspired meals. Secondly, the villa is ancient. The floors are tile throughout and the walls must be a foot thick. You will swear that you have been transported back in time.

There are many areas to enjoy outside with seating areas located on several different levels of the yard.

We have tried to take to heart the admonition to “live like a local” and we certainly did that during the month that we stayed in Fornello.

When we first arrived we had the feeling that perhaps we had chosen a place to stay that was just too remote, too far out from Florence and Fiesole. The roads are narrow and not well maintained and even though Fornello is just 17 miles from the Florence airport it takes an hour to drive there. However, as we adjusted to our life in the countryside that feeling went away and we embraced the quiet life of a Tuscan village. You cannot have the experience we had if you stay in an American type hotel in the middle of Florence.

A few other thoughts:

• Having a car is mandatory. There is a bus that passes the villa several times each day but we could never figure out the schedule and it takes an hour to get to Florence on the bus.

• You will also need a GPS.

• The town of Sieci is six miles away and you can purchase groceries, fill with gas and take the train to Florence from there. Parking at the train station is free and the cost of the train to Florence is 2.50 Euro each way.

Finally, Marco and Maria and their family (owners of the villa) were so kind and helpful both during the months leading up to and during our visit. We very much appreciate their hospitality and friendship.

The house and grounds are exactly as described on the website - a beautiful ancient home restored with all the modern conveniences. The setting is spectacular, with amazing views of Tuscan fields and hillsides. The location is a great starting point for exploring Tuscany by car or train (the Sieci train station with frequent 2,5 euro service to Florence is a short drive away). We were a group of 8 friends and enjoyed outings to various local towns and markets as well as trips for some of us to Siena, Volterra, San Gimignano, Pisa, Bologna, Padova and Venice - all within easy reach. We had some delightful home-cooked meals - all necessary cooking supplies and utensils were on hand - and also enjoyed Il Nappino in nearby Santa Brigida. Marco was very helpful, both in advance of the trip and while we were there, meeting us at the airport and responding to questions when we arrived. We would love to return, perhaps when the weather is warmer to enjoy the pleasant gardens.

Country home full of a long history dating back hundreds of years. Home of stone, 5 bedrooms, 2 stories, kitchen, and big fireplace which wasn't functional. Marco was a great host. One must have a car as many villages & train in area. Fantastic views from upstairs windows! Antiques everywhere - love patios and huge yard. Very quiet - the villages & locals charming. Thank you Marco!

We've stayed in Zoli CountryHouse for 4 nights in Sept 2014 together with our kids and friends .

We all enjoyed the beautiful Tuscan view, but more than that we enjoyed the spacious and tranquil house and its 11th century history!!!

Our host was very hospitable, but at the same time he gave us freedom to enjoy the property among us.

Thank you for being a trustful and friendly host!

We were a family of 9 that spent a wonderful couple of weeks at the Zoli house. A car is necessary for local travel and to access the train station at Sieca for transportation to Florence. There is plenty of free parking in Sieca and the trains come somewhat regularly! Marco provided us with a very good reference for a cooking experience with Marzia. We enjoyed walking to the local villages and exploring the countryside. This is truly a place to relax and enjoy Italy.