Accommodations Florence, Sienna & Pisa
 

We planning a trip to Italy next summer with our 13 year old daughter. Part of our trip will be to Florence, Sienna and Pisa. We would like to drive to these cities from one location. We have found that a spot with a pool is a major attraction for our daughter. Do you have any recommendations on a reasonably priced spot outside the city, say Florence? A farm would be great.

You can go to theparkercompany.com for a great listing of farm houses and villas.

One great place I have been to several times is Agriturismo Fonte di Sopra in Radicondoli. It has a small pool and it is close to Siena. While not excessively close to Florence and Pisa, you can still reach the two cities in one hour or less. Besides, in the area you can visit gems such as Volterra and Monteriggioni. You can contact direclty the owner calling the number +39 0577 793021. Giovanna is also a remarkable cook. For a 4 night stay (which includes 4 breakfasts, 3 normal dinners and one special dinner for new year's eve) we will spend 180 euro (180 dollars) each. Regular rate for one night stay + dinner and breakfast is 40 euro per person. All rooms have private bathroom.

Try LaBella Toscana, which rents farmhouses, et. al. around San Gimignano. They are extremely helpful, and will be able to answer any inquiry you may have. They found a farmhouse for myself, my wife & 3 children a few years ago. You can search through their listings online. www.labellatoscana.it

We stayed at a place with our teenaged daughter that not only had a pool and great view of Florence, but a St. Benard as well (we're big dog lovers). It's called Hotel Villa Belvedere at 9 Castelli 3 (tel. 055-222-501). You can walk to the Arno and I believe it was a short taxi ride into town (we had a car, but would highly recommend not driving in Florence, or any European city, for that matter). Also, the owners were very nice and helpful. The rooms were large and clean and the garden by the pool was nice as well.<BR><BR>(If you stay there, say &quot;hi&quot; to Big Max for us!)

Dear Tony,<BR>Last May, my husband and I and our 2 children age 19 and 22 stayed at a wonderful place called I Parigi B&amp;B. It's a restored medieval fortress in the tuscan hills in a town just south of Florence called Galuzzo,just a 15-20 minute bus ride. You can buy bus tokens from the owner. It is up quite a hill from the bus stop which is a little tiring at the end of the day.We paid 135 Euros/night for an apartment with a private bath,a large bedroom with a double bed and a sitting room with a sofa bed. The price includes a very good breakfast. The gounds are just gorgeous with an inground swimming pool. It was perfect location for driving to Siena and Pisa since it is very close to the highways for those cities. Information is on www.florenceby.com Enjoy tour trip!

<BR>Villa Rianascimento (not spelled right, but whatever the Italian for Renaissance is), about 15 minutes north of Pisa, if you want to optimize the pool experience. It is on a hillside with a magnificent view, and the huge sparkling pool has one of those vanishing edges, so you feel like you are suspended above the olives and vineyards. Little birds come to take drinks. Easy to get to Pisa and Lucca. Nice breezes, breakfast on the terrace. Rooms are kinda rustic, and the bathrooms are small (in the Annex, anyway). <BR> <BR>Maybe not so central, though. ..<BR>Pisa -- just 15 minutes.<BR>Florence -- just under two hours, maybe? <BR>Sienna -- we took a day trip to a town just north of Sienna (Castellini in Chianti) and it was fine, but kind of a long day.