There are many reviews of the wonderful times people have had at Cretaiole. So I won’t repeat much of what has been mentioned already. Traveling alone on my first trip to Italy for my 65th birthday, I was a bit apprehensive, but I needn’t have been.

Il Pollaio, my apartment and home for three weeks, provided all I needed for comfort and joy. Each morning I woke to sunshine streaming in to welcome me to a new day. The memories are many, but those that remain the strongest are:

I never locked my apartment door; it felt extremely safe and home-like at Cretaiole. Walking alone at night in Pienza felt very peaceful, too.

Isabella is a gem. She was very concerned when I became ill with bronchitis. She arranged visits to the doctor in Pienza and translated my medications & instructions (the doctor didn’t speak English). She also helped track down my luggage the airlines lost and was extremely helpful in many other ways.

Nighttime socializing with Luciano and other guests with his homemade grappa and vin santo in the veranda felt like spending time with friends. Love the twinkle in that man’s eyes!

The Hermitage tour and Isa’s telling of how Luciano and his son, Carlo, created Cretaiole is not to be missed.

Location! Fabulous view of Pienza, just a short drive away, and near many intriguing hill-top towns.

Tuscan food and wine are a food lover’s dream. Particularly the tomatoes and salad makings from the Cretaiole garden; Luciano’s gifts of fresh eggs and ricotta; Carlo’s cooking their homemade sausage and ribs over a log fire for the Pici dinner; and the Moriciani family wine and olive oil (my only regret was not leaving enough space in my luggage to bring some home). Three weeks wasn’t enough to sample all the fabulous food and wine the area has to offer.

I enjoyed my time at Cretaiole so much, I made a return two-week reservation in the same apartment for September 2012. This time my husband will be joining me on what feels like a return to my Italian home.