We are visiting Italy for 3 weeks in October of this year and have been trying to locate a villa or home in Tuscany to rent. I have not had any luck so far, any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Dear Jerry! <BR> <BR>Please e-mail me at [email protected], I might be able to get a nice villa/home for you. I work at he ourist office of Radda in Chianti and we have over 200 properties in our database. Please state: number of people, budget and special requests. <BR> <BR>Regards, <BR> <BR>Roxanne

Try these guys: <BR>http://www.italiareservations.com/ <BR> <BR>We were thoroughly pleased with our one week stay at the larger of the three places listed. They are very close to one another on the side of a mountain above the Niccone Valley on the Tuscan-Umbrian border. <BR> <BR>Very clean and well appointed with fabulous views and within 15 minutes of food shopping, too. <BR> <BR>Within one hour of Cortona, Assisi, Perugia, Deruta, etc.. 1 1/2 hours to Siena. Very private, but within driving distance of all those lovely hill towns with the great little restaurants. <BR> <BR>Especially in October, you'll enjoy the fresh porcini mushrooms and never eat another portabella. <BR> <BR>Bring lots of film for your camera--the sunsets are remarkable!

In May, we stayed a week at a beautiful villa between Castellina in Chianti and Radda in Chianti. It was the best travel experience of our lives. The website for this villa is www.tuscanenterprise.it/fontanel.htm <BR> <BR>Take a look at it. There are four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a very large kitchen. <BR> <BR>Have a great time!

Try www.theparkercompany.com We rented from them last year, an apartment in Chiusi, and were very pleased. They have loads of properties and were very helpful and seemed up front about describing them. But don't delay, many will be already booked. September and October are very popular, as you are no doubt finding out. The best properties rent a year in advance.

The Landmark Trust in England owns a 16th century Palladian Villa just south of Vicenza which we rented with a group back in June, 1995. They spent 8 years and 8 million dollars rentivating it. It is large and sleeps 16, but you can sometimes rent parts of it. The Landmark has a website: www.landmarktrust.co.uk

Try www.domani-usa.com - - to save time, you might want to try their toll free number, and feel free to ask for Larry Haase directly (the "dad" of this family-run and owned site/enterprise). <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex