When my husband and I decided it was time to take a family trip to Tuscany, we contacted our friend Alice Tetelman. She could not have been a better choice.

We were a party of ten: my husband and I, our three sons and their wives and our twin grandsons who are 10 years old. With Alice's help. we selected a villa in Chianti Classico - La Corte di Campalli - which was a perfect fit for our family. We had six bedrooms and five full baths. The ground floor was spacious and well furnished and the kitchen, a delight, with plenty of room for 10 of us to linger over breakfast The dining room and courtyard were just right for dinner. The pool was a welcome attraction, particularly for the children.

The owners of this property, Simonetta, in particular, spent an entire morning taking us around the vineyards, olive groves and winery, and Fanny, a local chef, provided us with three excellent dinners and a memorable Sunday breakfast.

La Corte de Campalli is well located about 10 miles north of Siena, so we were able to take day trips to that city, to Florence and Assisi, Lucca and a number of smaller towns in that beautiful region.

Over the course of several months, Alice provided us with information on a number of subjects from rental cars to restaurants. The latter was a specially helpful list because she took into account that we were traveling with children but still wanted very good food. She offered tips on shopping, transportation and a number of properties that might have suited us.

We had a truly splendid vacation, and Alice was a perfect guide. We have recommended her firm to many friends and will continue to do so.

Patricia S., Maryland

This was our first trip to Italy, and we were blown away by the accommodations at La Flora. Located just a short drive from the train station in Lucca, this wonderful villa had all the modern ammenities, comfortable and top of the line furnishings, but at the same time retained the old Tuscan charm that we were looking for. The rooms are enormous, and there are several sittings areas on each floor that gave everyone in our large group (9 adults) some personal space to unwind. Several mornings, we strolled along the aquaduct that runs adjacent to the property. We even picked some fresh lemons from the potted trees on the propery! The weather was rather cool for June in the beginning of the week, but by the end of the week we did use the room air conditioners in the bedrooms at night.

Alice of Italian Vacation Villas was a fountain of information and truly listened to what we were hoping to have in our rental. The recommendations that she made (both for location and the villa) gave us exactly what we wanted. The travel information packets that she sent us before the trip were also very helpful, and we referred to them several times during the trip. Her professionalism and attentiveness was superb. This was a trip of a lifetime!

Our first experience renting an Italian country villa (though we have rented city apartments in the past): thanks to Slow Europe for helping us to learn about Italian Vacation Villas and to Alice Tetelman for steering us to Villa Etrusca outside of Orvieto on the Umbria/Lazio border. We found the villa exactly as advertised and the personal attention to detail from both agency and owners to be precisely what we hoped for. Being able to deal with an agency with a U.S. base was a plus for us, and Alice's responsiveness at all stages--from initial inquiry through final confirmation of details (over a four-month period)--met every expectation.

At Villa Etrusca, the owners stay nearby in the area when the villa is being let, and are personally available to offer assistance--from restaurant recommendations to help with any problems that arise. They were both charming and extremely helpful, and of great help to us.

This is a beautiful and extremely well-appointed property with exquisite furnishings, sublime linens, excellent staff, a large pool, and a private bath for each bedroom. While this is a large property, it is very comfortable in scale--large enough so that our big house party did not feel crowded, but still warm and welcoming.

The location is also great. We had the market town of Bagnoregio within 5 km, the train station and access to the A1 in Orvieto within 15-20 km, and the spectacular lake towns of Lago di Bolsena within 10 km.

In this day of Internet bookings, working with a company like Italian Vacation Villas that offered personal attention and tailored the property suggestions to our needs made this a winning proposition for us. At the same time, we appreciate the fact that Italian Vacation Villas puts their listings online with open access, so that we could check out some properties online in advance to get a sense of what appealed to us and what was in our price range.

So thanks again to Slow Europe, Alice Tetelman, and everyone at Villa Etrusca!

This was my second villa using Martin's company, and he gave us exceptional service once again. Villa Flavia is an incredible Tuscan estate between Siena and Florence, perfectly situated and beautifully landscaped. Planning on more Tuscan villa rentals in the coming years, and Martin will be my first phone call.

A group of seven friends spent a week in Solaria in September 2008, and we couldn’t have been happier. The villa is spacious and pleasant, on a hilltop with a balcony looking out over the surrounding farms, vineyards and, on the horizon, towers of Siena. This proved to be the perfect spot to enjoy a brilliant sunset after a day of hill towns or hikes. Though the weather was getting cool by September, we also made use of the swimming pool below the balcony, which was not due to close till the end of the month.

The house is beautifully appointed and comfortably laid out, with minimal stairs, unless the group uses the bedroom/bath on the top floor. We occupied all four available bedrooms and were happy to have a separate, though not en-suite, bathroom for each of those on the mezzanine floor. The dining room accommodated us with room to spare, and the one home-cooked meal we opted for–which turned out to be prepared by our charming and vivacious hostess–was so plentiful that we enjoyed leftovers a couple of evenings later. Our own meal preparations were limited to breakfasts, and the kitchen, while not spacious, was more than adequate for the purpose.

Martin was very helpful not only in selecting the property but also with information and tips about the region. For example, thanks to him, we found our way to a car park on the outskirts of Florence, thus avoiding the discomfort of driving in town. Settling into a special place for a week or two is a great way to visit Italy, and we will be back to IVV and Martin the next time we’re ready for that treat.

We had a marvelous time at Agresto. Siena, of course, is a spectacular destination, and we have stayed in a variety of accommodations in the vicinity in the past. Agresto is hands down the loveliest. Its position on a hillside a couple miles outside the center is quiet and secluded. The views on all sides are breathtaking, one of which being the skyline of Siena itself, its 13th century tower jutting into the sky. The little house itself is gorgeous, rustic charm incarnate. The two bedrooms are spacious and well-appointed, the sitting room comfortable with about 100 satellite TV channels in all languages. The kitchen is small but perfectly adequate and there is a washing machine in a little shed outside the back door. We were traveling with my elderly parents and they had no trouble with the small number of steps to the downstairs bedroom but clearly this property is not suitable for disabled clients or those with tiny children.

Apparently a bus runs close by so you could get into town or further afield that way, but we had a rental car, which I highly recommend for Tuscany as you will want to get out an explore all those little hill towns.

Dealing with Italian Vacation Villas was pleasant and Alice was helpful. The local staff was available if needed but unobtrusive otherwise. I would certainly book through them again and will absolutely stay in Agresto the next time I have a week in Tuscany.

I'm a South African living in Bermuda with a passion for Italy. I rented this absolutely adorable medieval stone apartment in the gorgeous village of Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany, for the entire month of May 2009. Alice Tetelman was an excellent resource and provided absolute support for the trip, by answering all of my travel questions and also providing required visa letters etc.

This beautifully furnished rental include 3 bedrooms, a kitchen with washer, dining room, living room, 1.5 bathrooms, a cute garden and a barbeque.

The pictures do not portray the beauty and quaintness of the place - from the babbling brook right outside your front door, to the women of the village hanging their washing out on the lines religiously each morning, to becoming very good friends with the butcher who doesn't speak any English, to waking up from an afternoon siesta to the clanging of the church bells every day at 4:30pm, to the delicious Chianti Classico - I could go on forever.

This is a great rental if you are looking to stay in a town where you can just "feel" the Italian way of living and be within walking distance to grocery stores, butcher, cafes and some of the best restaurants ever. This little village is not touristy, and there is no English spoken, so be prepared for a wonderful adventure and to speak a few words of Italian. It is also an excellent central venue for day trips to Florence, Siena, Radda in Chiani, Castellina in Chianti, Greve, Cortona, Orvieto, Montepulciano, Montalcino, Castello del Lago and so much more.

For trips further away, drive 20 mins to Montevarchi, park the car and take the train to Florence/Rome/Venice.

For excellent events, you have to go to Panzano (about 20 mins drive) for a fantastic meal experience at Dario Cecchini's restaurant, Solociccia. And for excellent wine tasting tours and cooking classes (with English-speaking guide and they'll pick you up from Renaiola) call Simonetta and Paola de'Mari at Toscana Mia. For walking distance restaurants don't leave out Carloni, it is 2 mins walk and the food and wine is brilliant. And ask the butcher for some "piquante salsiccia" and the cheeseman for some "pecorino fresca" (cured spicy sausage and fresh sheep's milk cheese) and enjoy it with some Tuscan break and EV olive oil.

There are just so many good things to say about the place but I'll leave you with the fact that I'll definitely be returning.

A winning silent auction bid at a fundraiser led our group of four adult travelers to Siena and Villa Agresto courtesy of Italian Vacation Villas. Martin of IVV provided invaluable travel information and tips and offered advice on other locations as we travelled through Italy. His guidance made us feel as if we were seasoned Tuscan travellers.

Agresto was everything we wanted and more -- stylish, comfortable, and Italian Country. It was a perfect base for travel throughout Tuscany: Florence was an hour away by car, and we took one day to visit many quaint towns to the south. Siena was only ten minutes away. The house, nestled in an olive grove, had plenty of space for four adults and was well equipped. Staff at the property were ready with answers to all our questions. Each morning we enjoyed magnificent views as we took our coffee on the terrace. A great way to start the day. This property is definitely recommended by our group.

I arranged the villa rental for a bike group of 12 people. Martin was extremely helpful in selecting this property. I did not have any experience with villa rentals in Italy. For most of our group, it was the first time to Italy. The villa is located in an operating vinyard. The owners were absolutely terrific. They assisted us with local arrangements and advice. The villa is in a great location. Close to Florence and closer still to Siena. Easy driving. The vinyard offers lots of space for hiking and just plain wandering. The pool was not open (out of season, also the weather was cool). Make sure you ask the owner for a tour of the vinyard and the other facilities. It is extremely educational and informative. For most in the group, the owner's tour was the best part of our trip. We took advantage of the local chef (Fanny) on two occasions and we were not dissapointed (several of the group wanted to stay an additional week just for the meals). The vinyard's wine is terrific, make sure you try it. The pictures in the brochure / web site do not do this villa justice. The location is idyllic. You won't make a mistake renting this villa.

We worked with Alice from Italian vacation villas to find the perfect home to rent for our extended family of 7. I had very specific requirements for our stay and Alice did a tireless job suggesting various properties and answering my many questions. She seemed to be giving me very honest feedback and when I finally found the house we rented, I knew it would be right and it was .

We stayed at Il Mulino which is a recently converted old mill. It was done with simple, clean lines and the pictures matched the interior perfectly. The property managers, Carla and her husband Geramundo ,while not english speaking, could not have been nicer in trying to meet our every need. Carla cleaned the home every day and cooked a lovely dinner for us one night which she served on the back patio. The town was well located for the area we wished to explore which included the Chianti region, Cortona, Pienza, Sienna and Florence. The house was situated outside of a charming small town where they had several good restaurants.

Alice provided a good packet of information before we left and we used her suggestions on tour guides and restaurants.

I would rent from Italian Vacation Villas again and would most certainly return to Il Mulino. Frankly of the several companies I contacted-- I am an obsessive researcher--it was clear to me that Alice was giving me the most honest insights which I really appreciated.

My husband and I have actually been able to stay at Molino del Ponte on two separate occasions: in 2006 as a couple renting the absolutely beautiful lower floor apartment, and then again in 2009 when we rented the entire house for a week long vacation with our daughter, son-in-law and out two grandchildren. We find this stunning, beautifully kept property so relaxing and easy to be in that we are renting the house again in the summer of 2010 so we can spend two weeks with both of our children and their families.

How do I begin to describe the property of Molino del Ponte, a place even more beautiful than the pictures in the catalog? The stone mill has been meticulously renovated into living spaces that delight the eye and provide ample space. The house is wonderfully cool with the mill run still running under it. The spacious grounds contain beautifully maintained flower gardens, a lovely pool, gazebo, and wonderful new barbecue, all meant to add to the quiet and relaxation.

Perhaps one of the most wonderful parts of a stay at Molino del Ponte is the welcome one receives from the owners when one arrives, and the the opportunities to talk with Pietro, the groundskeeper, who not only does his job exceptionally well, but who is also full of warmth and charm.

Molino del Ponte is centrally located so that one is only minutes away from lovely little hill towns and only 45 minutes from Florence, a half hour from Sienna. We also discovered that we were ten minutes from Radda (the place where we shopped on a daily basis) and five minutes from one of the best restaurants we have ever eaten in, a place called Ponzenelle in Lucarelli, a tiny town literally a kilometre down the road from Molino del Ponte.

This property is literally a little bit of heaven. If we sound like we are in love....we are!

We stayed at La Flora for two weeks in June/July 2009. It was fantastic from the beginning. Martin was a great source of information, guidance, and security through the whole process. My family had many criteria to meet in looking for our vacation stay and Martin was an integral part in meeting those criteria. La Flora was exactly as pictured and as Martin had described since he was familiar with the property.

His guidance on places to eat in Lucca and points of interest was right on the mark. The information packet that was sent before we left was extremely helpful with listings of restaurants, sites, shopping advice, etc. We felt completely at home at La Flora. Dee, the manager of the property could not have been more kind and helpful. This was our family's sixth trip to Italy and we will, of course, be going again. We will most definitely be using Italian Vacation Villas in looking for our next home away from home!

I had a wonderful experience working with Martin from Italian Vacation Villas for my spring 2008 rental in the Chianti area of Tuscany. Martin could not have been more helpful in providing information about properties and recommending houses based upon my group's needs.

Our eventual choice, La Fontanella, provided a fantastic home base for our daily road trips around the region. The house was immaculate, well-maintained and surrounded by olive orchards ... almost as if we became part of a real-life travel brochure. Best of all, we had a wonderful time socializing with the owner of the house, who was extremely accommodating and helpful. I really cannot recommend this agency enough and look forward to our next trip to Italy to utilize its services again.