July 18, 2011
Mariana, New York
What an Experience

Dear Patrizio, we stayed at Podere Palazzo last week, and it could not have been more truly inspired and genuinely lovely time. Your creativity, sense of humor and warmth in the design, decor and landscaping were so delightful to be in for a week. We really enjoyed the restaurant recommendations and excursions in the folders too (as well as the photos detailing your restoration process) - they were each and every one terrific. What an experience you have created for people to visit Tuscany!

May 2011, Oregon, USA
Sally and Tony
Beautiful experience

First, above all, Podere Palazzo exceeded our expectations, no mean achievement, as your web site is terrific. A beautiful experience of a lifetime! We enjoyed all of your recommendations. We liked "La Foce" gardens, especially the transition between the formal landscape to the natural woodlands. What an amazing job they did to nurture all those plants in the Crete of the val D'Orcia! And, of course, having a view of the zig zag of the cypress across the valley, was fun as we saw that on all the tourist images of Italy! "La Parolina" restaurant near the house was a superb treat and most memorable! We also loved the three towns Pitigliano, Sorano and Sovana. Thank you!!!

November 2010
Lorraine, Austin Texas
Gorgeous villa

Thank you for restoring this gorgeous villa in the most beautiful location in Italy for my 40th birthday getaway! Not that you did it for me but i can pretend! Meg and i had a fantastic time here using it as a base for exploring all of the beauties of Tuscany and Umbria...and always the lights of Podere Palazzo to welcome us "home". Would love to return here someday. Grazie mille.

December 2010
Elena, Italy
Villa fantastica

Carissimi Patrizio & Mark la vostra villa e' fanstastica in ogni singolo dettaglio. Apprezzati soprattutto i libri (ho letto con tanto piacere "shopping in the Renaisance"). Ci sono i veri gioielli "Bergman and De Grazia", bellissimi i mosaici e fantsatica la vista! Ci torneremo qui con ntanto piacere!

April, 2011
Sara & Friends
Magical time

Our time in Italy was amazing. We had a truly magical time and Podere Palazzo was everything we had hoped, and much, much more. Starting our time there with the heavenly meal that Valeria made was such a perfect beginning and the rest of the week...she could not have been kinder or more generous. The weather could not have been better and the home, the food, the wine... All absolute perfection. Patrizio, I cannot thank you enough for all that you did to help us with our trip. We passed along Podere Palazzo's website to numerous people. and I have several people who have begged to go with us when we go back ...because we will be going back!!!

September 2010, Georgia USA
Lynda Conway
Fabulous time

We had a fabulous time at Podere Palazzo!! Looking at the before & after pictures was interesting. Patrizio, you are a talented artist to create Podere Palazzo! Thank you for sharing it with us. You thought of every detail when building the villa, from placement on the lot, to having the shower face a window so you can admire the countryside & sheep in the field while showering. I felt like I was looking at a painting. I loved the metal staircase, I felt I was playing a musical instrument everytime I walked down the stairs. What a treat Valeria cooked for our arrival dinner. I would recommend this to everyone! She did a wonderful job. It was also nice to have the groceries there when we arrived. Iside & Romano's brunch on Sunday & the cooking class was a great & delicious feast. We ate leftovers the next night. The pizza at Gianfranco was the best we had the whole vacation!! We followed many of your itineraries, went to Orvieto twice. One of the trips was Siena with lunch & tour at Divole vineyards. There was so much to see & do that we really needed another week to just relax at the house! Thank you

August 2010, New York USA
Jennifer Abrams
Truly magical...

We had a once in a lifetime experience. It was truly magical. The house was amazing and we really enjoyed visiting the surrounding towns, eating like pigs and taking in all the beauty of the region. Your sister made us a delicious dinner...one of my favorites. Only to be followed by Gianfranco! My boyfriend did have gelato everyday! Now we are on strict diets!!! We must stay in touch!

July 2010, USA
Cindy
Magical Experience

Our entire family had an absolutely magical experience. The beauty of the house and the surrounding landscape cannot be put into words, but you already know that! Our son loved building fires in the outdoor fireplace every evening for our extended family dinners. Our daughter set the table for dinner, using different placemats and plates for a different “look” at each meal. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his naps in the hammock. We loved sleeping with the open windows and trying to identify all the unfamiliar bird calls. There were so many places to go and things to do during the day that we could easily have stayed another week and still not done it all. Podere Palazzo is truly a special place and we so loved having our chance to go there. Thank you for creating it.

June 2010, Hawaii
Mary Capwell
Special experience

From the moment we drove up the driveway, we knew our experience was going to be very special. The house has such a lovely hilltop setting with endless sky, soft hills in a hundred shades of green all around, fragrant flowers everywhere and such total peace and quiet... The house itself has perfect elemental qualities- mellow aged stone, large rooms, sunlight, and a feeling of air and space everywhere. You did such a sensitive job restoring and creating! We loved so many things - the windows with their strong shutters, each which framed a distant "picture", the high ceilings and tall doors, the rustic floors, the delightful and different showers in each delightful and different bed/bath. The kitchen and portico were so fabulous - dinner preparation began each night as a group effort at about 6:00 pm and I don't think we got up out of our chairs until till midnight or 1:00 am! Those dinners were truly memorable for all. Of course, the blazing fire, maintained by our 15 year-old grandson, added to the ambience that kept us there. We had planned to go out for dinner a couple of nights, but never did - our "home" was too wonderful to leave! The well-designed garden was my favorite. How lovely to have as much fragrant lavender as one could want, a variety of beautiful roses, herbs and spring vegetables all at once! Baby artichokes, fresh peas, green beans, 3 different types of lettuce and little zucchinis abounding. Rosemary as a shrub surrounding the pond! And all so well-tended each day by Palmiro. Our 7-year old grandaughter was particularly taken by the garden - that's where she gravitated at the beginning and end of each day. Iside provided a truly fabulous wine and cheese tasting for us. She was the perfect teacher and we will never forget the bounty of those beautiful platters of cheese so well paired with their distinctive and delicious wines. One beautful, sunny and memorable morning, three of us set out to buy some things for a birthday dinner. We drove to Aquapendente and visited the bakery, the butcher shop, the cheese and charcuterie shop and the produce market. Our Italian and their English were both pretty rudimentary, but we communicated successfully through very informal sign language and lots of smiles and good will. Wonderful! It was a highlight of our trip. Patrizio, I know I am not capturing all there is at Podere Palazzo. I just know that everyone in our family thought it was an absolutely magical and unforgettable place! Thank you for providing this experience for us.

October 2009, Canada, Australia, USA
Peter & Friends
Excellent Adventure...

What an excellent adventure & way to spend a 45th Birthday with friends. A wonderful experience...Italy opened her arms and embraced us. This week will always be remembered as an amazing holiday due to your beautiful relaxing villa!

October 2009, Oregon
Laurel
Perfect Place...

Dear Patrizio & Mark we have enjoyed our stay with wonderful weather ...we love your house. We made day trips from here and it was the perfect place to develop a taste for Toscana and beuatiful Italy. The welcome dinner was really wonderful...grazie Valeria!

September 2009, Toronto Canada
Rhonda and Richard
Paradiso sulla terra...

Questo e' il pardiso sulla terra! we have enjoyed our time at Podere Palazzo so incredibly! This is really heaven on earth. We drank, we ate, we danced, we laughed, we reflected and discussed, we sang, we swam, we walked and hiked, we toured and really celebrated Rhonda's Bday in a very special way. The views are amazing, your taste impeccable and this is really a dream come true for all our friends! Grazie mille.

September 2009, Oregon US
S & C Smith + S & C Seiler
Art...

As an art major i saw so many beautiful paintings of Tuscany that i thought the artists had romanticized the views. Now I see the Romance is in the view itself! Thank you for allowing us to share your beautiful home, vision and foresight. Your world class renovation has produced a venue of complete tranquillity and beautiful vistas that we enjoyed more than we can express. Grazie

June 2009
Mignon and Family
Grazie mille

Dear Patrizio and Mark Podere Palazzo is truly amazing...from the landscape to the restored Podere, to all those well thought-out details! I'm leaving this part of Italy taking beautiful memories away with me. Thank you so much.

August 2009, USA
Carol Ann
Enjoying Podere Palazzo

I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I enjoyed staying at Podere Palazzo recently. The location, views, thought and care that were put into the building of this wonderful place are amazing. Day trips in Tuscany, Lazio and Umbria were enhanced by the welcoming place we would return to each evening to gather and enjoy local foods, wine, vegetables and herbs from your garden. It truly was a trip of a lifetime and the perfect place for the extended family to reconnect.

August 2009, Germany & USA
Maria & Family
Wonderful Home...

Hello Patrizio, First of all let me tell you how wonderful your home is. The pictures do not show the beauty of the house...you have to see it! Sitting on top of the hill with the beautiful Tuscan countryside all around it is truly a jewel. We were fortunate to experience a full moon during our stay, watching the moon come up over the wooded hill and the starry ski was just an added pleasure. I spent a lot of time just sitting by or in the pool enjoying the nature around me. All the little special touches you put into this place surely make it very special. All of my family also enjoyed it tremendously. We had some great meals and long evenings outside by the fireplace. The garden and pond and of course the pool made it so much fun for everyone. Here are some of the places we visited and loved: Sorano & Pitigliano – charming little towns Orvieto & the caves Siena was getting ready for the horse race 8/16 Perugia & Assisi, Montalcino & the Fort Wine Cellar Tour at Fattoria dei Barbi Lake Bolsena Winery tour of Le Casalte, a private small winery near Montepulciano I would have liked to go to more places but I also wanted to spend time at the Podere Palazzo. I guess some day we will go back! Thank you so much for all the help you gave us. Your staff there was great. Please let them know we appreciated all their work.

August, 2009. USA
Christopher Kreb
Place to relax

I just wanted to let you know that we loved staying at your wonderful house in Tuscany. My girlfriend is pregnant (expecting our first child) and we could not have imagined a better place to relax for two weeks. We took some great day trips to Siena and Montepulciano, as well as overnight trips to Verona and Florence. It was always a pleasure to come back to the house. The pictures do not do the house justice. You did an amazing job restoring the house and the landscaping is absolutely beautiful. Perhaps someday we will be lucky enough to stay there again. Until then, please know you made us very happy by sharing your home with us.

May 2009, Baltimore USA
Susan and friends
Exceeded our high expectations!

Everything from the vistas, the wonderful B-Day dinner Valeria cooked, to the luscious pool exceeded our high expectations. Fantastico vacation!!! Thank you so much. WOW! We really enjoyed your house and the countryside. Future residents: you must do the cooking lesson, NOT to be missed. Then go to Iside & Romano at La Parolina for dinner! Grazie mille. Susan, Rob and Kristin

May 2009, London UK
Fiona, Ray & family
Wonderful week.

We had a wonderful week staying in your beautiful Villa. The weather has been lovely, the views are amazing and the pool and garden delightful. And the house....you should be rightfully very proud of what you have achieved. It is truly outstanding! Special thanks to Laura, the fabulous chef who cooked such Italian feast for us. We also loved cooking outside on the fire! Best wishes.

March 2009, USA
Jeroen, Stephanie and Hamish
Wonderful place...

What a wonderful place. It is really a Palace! The area is quintessential Tuscany with rolling hills and cypress trees. It is the most comfortable house we ever rented especially with a larger group. Spacious bedrooms and living area + we especially enjoyed the library in the house with the architecture books and everything about Italian & Roman history. Even though we were there in February/March we could sit outside in the sun. Thank you also for all the wonderful recommendations for dinner...I think we visited all the restaurants and loved them! Hamish is almost 3 months old and already loves Italy + we met all his European family at the Palazzo!

October 2008, New York USA
Lisa and friends
What a celebration!

Patrizio & Mark, To say that this 40th birthday celebration has been magical is an understatement! Your Home is homey but also a testament to your keen eye for design. The setting is breathtaking + we've not only been rejuvenated but have had the opportunity to rekindle old friendships and make new ones. To future guests: take advantage of the Cooking class with chefs Iside and Romano (spectacular!) as well as the traditional Sienese fare made by Laura (delicious!) We all hope you enjoy Podere Palazzo as much as we have!

October 2008, Milan, Italy
Sonia
Perfect complement...

Podere Palazzo is the perfect complement for a get-together with friends and a romantic and intimate stay with your loved ones. I have been so lucky to stay there during different seasons, and I love it: in the summer the bright light in the spacious rooms and the quiet of the outside invite relaxation. Spending a morning in the beautiful pool, or a lazy afternoon dozing on and off in the hammocks near the pond recharges your senses. In the winter, the crispy air and the charming surroundings are a great prelude to an evening spent near the fireplace, enjoying the comfort of the living room. Whatever the season, the kitchen is one of my favorite places: it is such a pleasure to have all the comforts and space to plan scrumptious meals or a simple feast, while sipping a glass of wine and catching up with your best friends. The fantastic restaurant La Parolina (only 5 minutes away, in Trevinano) with the perfect chefs and hosts Iside and Romano, will grant you the wish of an unforgettable meal, crowned with desserts that you will remember for months to come. Podere Palazzo is really a splendid place to return to and to step into the rhythm of the Italian countryside. The villages and towns of the area will provide a crash course in the arts and the joys of the local festivities: I could hardly forget dancing in the streets at the "festa contadina" in Acquapendente, or eating in one of the open air tavernas at the Palio of Citta' della Pieve.

June 2008, Chicago, US
Jeff and Regina
Week of delights.

Thank you again for sharing your wonderful house with us. The entire week was a delight. Not only is your house and property amazingly beautiful and comfortable, but its location is ideal for exploring nearby towns and villages. I think Southern Tuscany and Umbria is so much prettier and more interesting than Northern Tuscany where all the Americans tend to flock to. Loved both Orvieto and Montepulciano. Civita di Bagnoregio was fascinating. Enjoyed San Casciano di Bagni - and a lovely dinner at Daniela. Great outing to Saturnia with a relaxing soak. Lovely walk along the lake in Bolsena. We were regulars in Acquapendente and really enjoyed the non-touristy feel of it. And lots of time relaxing at Podere Palazzo - swimming, reading, talking and laughing - and way too much eating and drinking. The dinner and cooking class with Iside and Romano was great fun - and the food was superb. Again, I can't say enough how much we enjoyed it! My father in fact, who's not known for effusive statements, labeled it the nicest place he's ever stayed!

July 2008, Chicago IL.
Greg Wootton, Age 7
A fish in the pool...

I want to be a fish in the pool, i want to be a wild boar in the field and a person in the house.

September 2008, Tucson AZ.
Jean and Duane
Coins in the pond

On the first night at Podere Palazzo we were treated to a wonderful fireworks display out of Acquapendente to accompany the brilliant stars (you can see the milkyway!) and a gorgeous view of Mars! We loved Gianfranco Restaurant in Trevinano, great introduction to local food and culture! Try it, you may even see Danilo (custodian of PP) there. We visited many small towns locally along with Siena, Florence and the coastal town of Talamone. We kept many wine shops, cheese shops and gelaterie in business! All excellent! Beautiful views, perfect sunsets, lovely home and a very relaxing pool. We all threw a coin in the pond...we are hoping it works like the Trevi fountain!

September 2008, Havertown PA
Marie and Bill
Trip of a Lifetime

Patrizio, We just wanted to thank you for letting us stay in your beautiful villa - what a trip of a lifetime. Your place is unbelievable - I think we took pictures from every angle. The views, the beautiful decor, comfortable beds, great bathrooms, everything about it was just perfect. Your sister cooked us a fabulous dinner and was so hospitable and friendly. We had such a great time exploring all the old little towns nearby with the great restaurants, shops and markets, drove to Siena and spent the day sightseeing, did a great wine tour in Montepulciano (Cantina del Redi and Contucci) and Montalcino (the Fanti wine tour was superb) and had lunch and shopped the market in Pienza, ventured on the train to Florence, drove to the coastal area of Orbetello (beautiful), and spent many hours just relaxing at your villa. Lots of good food and wine too! There was not a flaw in the trip - just perfect. Again, thank you for your hospitality and for all of your help while we planned our trip.

September 2008, Chicago US
Robert and Randy
Amazing Experience

Amazing experience! Your home is spectacular. I hope you get lots of opportunities to enjoy it yourself! …We loved the house, the setting, and all of the towns we visited nearby as well. Our gratitude to Iside and Romano for a wonderful evening of cooking and dining.

June 2008, Chicago US
Sawin Family & Friends
Bellissima...Perfezione!

La nostra vacanza era non solo bellissima, ma perfezione! Grazie mille a Patrizio e Mark! We had anticipated a gorgeous and relaxing vacation at Podere Palazzo, but we came away with so much more! (Sanity & serenity, for starters!) The house and grounds were simply idyllic for 3 families to enjoy with plenty of room for all to find our favorite spots. While the hours by the pool provided the best bonding moments for kids and parents alike, we also immensely enjoyed the picturesque (and thrilling) drives in our zippy Italian cars to the many enchanting hill towns nearby. The kids passed the time in the backseat by reading the excellent guide, "Kids Europe Italy Discovery Journal" by P.L.Byrne, and we enjoyed the many helpful guidebooks and literature left by other travellers at the house. Valeria's warm and welcoming check-in, Aldo's knowledgeable (and cute) advice at La Parolina, Martina's bubbly (and cute) babysitting and Danilo's attentiveness all contributed to our unique and intimate Italian experience. Still basking in the glow of our trip, we find ourselves already scouring maps of Tuscany, Umbria & Lazio for the next dozen or so towns that will beguile us on a future visit. Between the sights, the food and the absolute tranquility that the villa has to offer, we truly lived "La Dolce Vita" during our stay at Podere Palazzo!

May 2008, Chicago US
Michelle and Chris
Great Holiday

We just wanted to thank you for all of your help in making it a great holiday for all of us! We look forward to going back if you'll let us! There is such a great warmth about the house which makes it easy to "feel" Italy and the Umbrian and Tuscan rural landscape! The welcome dinner was fantastic and everyone enjoyed the meal. Please pass our appreciation and heartfelt thanks on to Valeria for making such a great dinner our first night...there was no better way to start things out. We did a lot of your recommended day trips and tried some of the restaurants. Everyone loved Trattoria Gianfranco in Treviano. We went back there twice. Chris & I and another couple went to the Mondo X monastery for dinner on the last night. It was beautiful and we really enjoyed the meal although we were extremely full afterwards. We also tried the Trattoria Toscana in Acquapendente and it was very good.

September 2007, Detroit MI.
Meghan & Family
A dreamscape

When my family stayed at Podere Palazzo, I felt like I was living in a dreamscape. There's something so magical about the home, sitting on top of a hill, presiding over the beautiful landscape like a natural part of the surroundings. The inside is like a showcase for the outside. It feels as if the house was built just to look out the windows. It is impeccably designed and decorated with a modernist aesthetic and interesting art, but the real draw is how it interacts with the beauty of the land. Podero Palazzo is the perfect place for relaxing and connecting with yourself (and family) and if you can peel yourself away from the pool it's also a convenient launch pad for exploring the rest of Italy.

October 2007, Champaign IL.
Andrea & John
Spectacular!

Your villa is spectacular. The fabulous website does not begin to capture the elegance of your home. We did not want to leave! Your recommendations for villages to visit were also outstanding! Trevinano was so quaint. The little inexpensive restaurant (Gianfranco) is still one of our favorites to eat at and the people there were so gracious. We also ate at La Parolina. Unbelievable!! Iside explained the menu to us personally. We had the suprise fixed menu with wine. Never had anything better! Again, our stay in Tuscany was more than we could have imagined! We definitely want to come back soon! Grazie for a great visit!

August 2007, USA
Reinisch Family
Wonderful stay

Our family of 6 had a wonderful one-week stay at Podere Palazzo last August. The house and the views were fabulous. The entire set-up worked well for all ages. The grandparents relaxed all day by reading books outside on the patio, while the children were happy running around the property and swimming. All of the finishes in the home are spectacular, the beds very comfortable, and the showers perfect. The kitchen works very well for preparing large dinners. We ended each of our evening sitting around the wonderful outdoor fireplace. We hope that we can return again! We also loved the restaurants in the area: we recommend Daniela and Blue Eyes in San Casciano. The cooking class from the chefs of La Parolina was wonderful and they taught us how to make a wonderful veal dish. Also, our 2 kids loved the thermal pools in Saturnia.