We're thinking of planning a trip to Italy next year. This year part of our France trip included a week in Menerbes. We'd like a similar experience in Tuscany. Here's what we loved about our place in Menerbes that we're hoping to find somewhere in central Tuscany:

1) The town is high on a hill with great views and is small. (Menerbes has a butcher shop, bakery, grocery store, 3 restaurants and a bar all within easy walking distance from our "home.&quot

2) Our lodging was a home with a large deck and a view of the Luberon mountains. (Outdoor seating with a view is important to us, whether it's a deck or small balcony.)

3) We were within easy driving distance to other quaint hill towns which we loved to visit, and also from one to two hours by car of larger cities we wanted to visit, like Avignon, Aix and Cassis.

Can you recommend a similar place in Tuscany? In France we ended up moving 6 times. (Paris hotel, Menerbes, Cassis, Castellane, Avignon and back to Paris.) It was fun, but for the next trip we're trying to narrow it down to 3 bases--Rome, Tuscany and Cinque Terre.

I would appreciate any ideas you might have. Thank you!

If you are going to Florence then I have a wonderful countyside recomendation. You can rent a beautiful apartment at a Tuscan villa called La Meridiana. The villa is surrounded by crypress and olive trees and over looks the vineyards. From the villa you can see Brunelleschi's Duomo and Giotto's bell tower. The villa has it's own private garden, terrace for bbq and swimming pool. It is 9 km from the center of Florence. They make wine and olive oil a stones throw away at the main building known as Il Palazzo. Apartments are also for rent there. My friend Dorianna runs both properties. You will definately need a car as it is an authentic experience. Calling from the US the phone number is 011-39-055/630-127. If you have any questions, I will be happy to assist.

Does either place have a web site or e-mail address? They both sound great!

Glad you asked. I was searching for the web address and just found it. You can get info at www.ormanni.It. I have not yet checked out the site. Let me know if you have any other questions. I lived at La Meridiana for a time and dream about it nightly as does my husband. I was just there a week ago to check up on the place. More beautiful than I even remembered it to be. If you have a proublem getting in mention Calamari and I am sure Dorianna will do everything she can to assist you.

For heavens sake, I just checked out the Ormanni website and it is the wrong place. It looks very much like the ones I was telling you about, but mine are in Bagno a Ripoli a sub or Florence. This company must represent other villas as well. I am going to try to call Dorianna tomorrow. The fax from the US is 011-39-055-630-301.

O.K. This is typical. The Ormanni.it website is the website of the people who own and market the Villa and the Palazzo I was telling you about. You can request information about La Meridiana and Il Palazzo through their e-mail address listed on their website. They just do not yet have a page set up devoted to these properties. The photos you do see however, are very similar. For a moment I did think they were the right photos but the wrong location.

i would try lucignano a small walled town in eastern tuscany. it is thoroughly charming and well situated for day trips to pretty much anywhere.

it is within a half hour or so drive of arrezzo, cortona, montepulciano and a somewhat longer commute to sienna and san gimignano. actually it is sort of a mini san gim without the attendant tourists.

they have their own website.

Location is key in Tuscany. I prefer the area south of Siena. Look at slowtrav.com to see specifics and reviews of rentals in that region. We are going for our 12th trip in Oct. and will be staying in Montalcino for 3 days and Montefollinico for another 2 days. You can also look in Pienza, San Quirico, and Montepulciano for other options. Slowtrav is your best source.

I loved Menerbes too!