Entire home

The country house in the middle of a small green valey

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Fridge, oven, stovetop, dishwasher
Outdoor spa tub
1 bedroom, free WiFi, bed sheets
Unclassified image, 4 of 27, button
TV, fireplace, DVD player, books

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 4100 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Pet friendly
  • Barbecue grill
  • Air conditioning
  • Kitchen

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

The country house in the middle of a small green valey

CASA DEGLI OLMI (House of the elms) in the heart of the tuscany countryside at just a few kilometres from Florence,Pisa, Empoli ten minutes from Vinci Leonardo's birth place.
The apartment has been recently renovated maintaining the original characteristics of the traditional Tuscany country house ,red brick floor, wooden ceiling ,traditional brick fire place surrounded by a never ending garden.
The house includes out door patio, kitchen and large living room with fire place, the large family bedroom in a mansard floor as a en suite bathroom.
The garden offers various opportunities for out door fun such as volley ball, tennis for the childrens delight, barbecue and naturally full comfort for total relax in the green hills surrounded by elm trees.
Our natural bio-food personally produced and the possibility of total relax are the main features of our country holiday home.
Vito and Caterina your hosts, offer the possibility of tasting Tuscany food and drink , lunch or dinner can be prepared upon request leaving a mark to your unforgettable stay.
WE OFFER POSSIBILITY HAVE KITCHEN SCHOOL (PASTA FRESCA)
SELECTED WINE INCLUDED
WINE TOUR IN CHIANTI MONTESPERTOLII AREA-to come to agreement on the price.

Keywords: Country House

Property manager

Soldo Vito

Languages

Czech, English, Italian, Spanish

Add dates for prices

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Car required
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • Bedroom
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 1 bathroom
  • Bidet
  • Hair dryer
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Fireplace
  • Living room
  • Separate dining area

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Music library
  • Stereo
  • TV with cable/satellite channels
  • Video library

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Patio

Laundry

  • Laundromat nearby
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • Welcoming cats and dogs only
  • 2 pets total

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Designated smoking areas

Services and conveniences

  • Housekeeping (limited availability)

Location highlights

  • In a rural location
  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • Near a hospital

Things to do

  • Cycling nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hunting nearby
  • Winery tours nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 1,076 square feet

Similar properties

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Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 2:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs and cats only
2 total pets
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
Note from host: Suplemento per la pulizia finale per animali 50 €

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
MONETIZATION_ON

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

We should mention

All guests, including children, must be present at check-in and show their government-issued photo ID card or passport
Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 5000, due to national regulations; for further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation
A car is required for transportation to and from this property

Property is also known as

The Country House in the Middle of a Small Green Valey Empoli

About the neighborhood

Map
Empoli, Toscana

What's nearby

  • Stadio Carlo Castellani - 12 min drive - 8.2 km
  • Montegufoni Castle - 21 min drive - 16.6 km
  • Antinori nel Chianti Classico - 33 min drive - 28.0 km
  • Historic Centre of Florence - 34 min drive - 34.3 km
  • Piazza di Santa Maria Novella - 35 min drive - 34.7 km

Getting around

  • Empoli Station - 9 min drive
  • Florence Airport, Peretola (FLR) - 37 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Fattoria Palaia - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪Ristorante Tokyo - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Il Rifugio - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪La Locanda di Ortimino - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Molo 73 - ‬12 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The country house in the middle of a small green valey pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 2 total).

What time is check-in at The country house in the middle of a small green valey?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The country house in the middle of a small green valey?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is The country house in the middle of a small green valey located?

Situated in a rural location, this vacation home is within 6 mi (10 km) of Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista, Civic Museum of Paleontology in Empoli, and Museum of the Collegiate Church of Sant'Andrea. House Museum of Ferruccio Busoni and Arno River are also within 6 mi (10 km).

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The country house in the middle of a small green valey Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 25 out of 28 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 28 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 28 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 28 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 28 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Erik B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The best place to go for a relaxing holiday in Italy
Our time with Kati and Vito was simply unforgettable! The house is beautifully situated and offers everything you need for a relaxing vacation. The rooms are spacious, very clean and furnished with great attention to detail. We were particularly impressed by the large garden, which simply invited us to enjoy it. We also used the barbecue facilities as often as we could. Kati and Vito were on hand to give us great tips for excursions during our stay. They are also incredibly warm and open-minded. They were also incredibly open-minded towards our dog. Thank you very much for the great experiences, evenings together and wonderful conversations. We will definitely be back.
Stayed 13 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Carol S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful experience!
The house and garden were lovely and relaxing. Vito and Katerina were amazing, welcoming hosts, ready with anything we might need and concerned for our comfort and experience. Vito spent an afternoon telling us of olive oil production processes and italian wines. We would most definitely plan to return!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Margriet B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A perfect stay
We have enjoyed our stay in this house very much. It's quiet, there is a lot of space in and around the house and it is a perfect location to explore the environment. The owners, Vito and Kate, are very nice and helpful. On request they cook for their guests and that is highly recommended. Margriet and Angela
Stayed 21 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Celestin K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great accommodation
Great accommodation. The house is very quiet in the nature, the garden is very big and very well kept. You also have the possibility to buy fresh vegetables, homemade olive oil or eggs from the chickens, we even got zuchnini for free and had access to many different herbs in the garden. Vito and his wife were very nice and helpful hosts. who live right next door. But that was really not a problem, because you really had your privacy and could also turn on the music in the evening without any problems. Always happy to stay again!👍
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

4/10 Poor

Jacqueline F.

Liked: Cleanliness, location
Disliked: Check-in, communication, listing accuracy
Very disappointed.
We were greeted by Vito and his wife with a warm welcome. However, we were soon told that our stay did not include heat - that we would have to pay extra for heat. The apartment was cold - it was only 10 degrees and rainy when we arrived. We turned the heat on so we could warm up and left it on overnight, although we turned it down for sleeping. We were lectured on using the heat again the next day and told we were going to have a large bill at the end if we kept using the heat. As a result, we were cold and uncomfortable our entire stay. We left after only 4 days, even though we paid for 7 days.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Maria H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
At Home in Tuscany!
Our stay with Vito and Katerina was nothing short of amazing. For context, we are two 24 year olds wanting a relaxing (but fun) Tuscany vacation, and we got it! Vito and Katerina could not have been nicer, and we felt like family from the moment we met. The property is gorgeous, with sprawling fields, chickens, and lovely cats who welcome you. It was the perfect way to experience Tuscany. Many small towns are within driving distance, making it an ideal location! Also, the proximity to Florence was great and made it so easy to travel every day to new locations! The best part about our stay was Vito and Katerina. They made us feel right at home. From making us full course Italian meals to providing eggs from their chickens! Also, Vito got into the car with us and showed us around some local wineries. We truly had an unforgettable experience. I smile every time I think about the late nights staying up with Vito, talking about Johnny Cash and Rod Stewart. They gave us an experience that is hard to find elsewhere. We hope to see them again in our lifetimes; we will always remember what a fabulous time we had at their home! Thank you so much for everything Vito and Katerina!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

We loved our time with Soldo and Katerina!
We stayed with The Vito family at their country home in June, 2012 and loved it! For my wife and I, it was a way to celebrate our ten year anniversary and it was everything we hoped for. We want to go back! We loved the lush country setting, being able to walk to the olive orchard and well, live the Tuscan life. We ate Tuscan food they cooked for us, they showed us ways to cook the Tuscan way. Soldo was warm and inviting and so helpful for us as we planned trips to Florence, Pisa, San Gimignano and forays into that lush countryside of Tuscany. We would recommend people set aside 7 days if they can, there is just so much to see. And read a little about Tuscany on the internet. You're going to be living it at Casa Degli Olmi...The pictures of the place were representative and I guess there are videos about the country farm now too, so that helps visualize what a special place they have. You are invited to live the Tuscan life as much as you want! Much better than something commercial! They were very accomodating to whatever our schedule was and happy to help out with any questions we had about great places to go and the history of this area. We enjoyed playing with their daughter Federica and their dog Kelley too. Our seven year old daughter had a great time playing tennis and hide and seek and fetch with the dog.. and she is high maintenance, so that is high praise! Our special needs four year old son liked exploring the yard and playing with Kelly, the dog. It was GREAT for our family to be here, where we could just relax and not deal with traffic and big city living. When we got home to Colorado, we started cooking with olive oil and aromatic herbs more... We wouldn't change a thing about our stay there and hope to be back in a year or two!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

David S.

Amazing Vacation
How to describe our experience in Tuscany? Breathtaking, beautiful, and friendly all come to mind. Vito and Katerina have created such an experience for the traveler that you will never forget. Their hospitality was second to none. Always ready to give advice on where to visit and how to get there, they were the perfect avenue to enhance our experience in Tuscany. The apartment is spacious, well-decorated, and has everything you need to enjoy your Tuscan experience, especially the kitchen. Vito and Katerina produce many vegetables, salads, and herbs on the property and were more than happy to share it all. The property is expansive, with olive trees and local wildlife. A trip to the top of the olive tree hill is a must as the view of the rolling Tuscan landscape is breathtaking (right in your own backyard!). They even produce their own olive oil and lovely artichokes in olive oil and herbs. We all sat down to a wonderful meal together one evening after having a pasta-making lesson. It was magnificent. Katerina was eager to share her recipe ideas; her reputation as a master in the kitchen was evident as the food was absolutely delicious. The local area of Empoli and Montespertoli are must-sees. While you are very close (30-45 minutes) to the major centres of Pisa, Firenze, and Sienna, the local area was just as fun to visit, especially Montalcino and San Gimignano. There was even a local wine festival which Vito visited with us, sampling wines from all of the Chianti-Montespertoli wine-producing area. For wine lovers out there, this was a fantastic way to get to sample such a variety of fantastic wines from the region. The time changes every year so ask ahead. The family of Vito, Katerina, and Federica (their daughter) were so friendly that you immediately felt like you were at home. Their dog, Kelly, would even greet us every morning while we were having coffee on the terrace. They have created a place where you can easily relax, explore, and indulge in all that Tuscany has to offer. We highly recommend staying here and are returning next year for another visit!

10/10 Excellent

Ruben P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Naturaleza y relax en la Toscana
El alojamiento es muy agradable y cómodo. Lugar ideal para unas vacaciones, alejado del ruido y en contacto con la naturaleza. Las camas son muy cómodas, perfecto para un buen descanso. Comedor grande y acogedor y un buen jardín. Muy cerca de Florencia con el tren de Empoli / Florencia. Hay salidas cada 15'
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Wim t.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Heerlijk ontspannen in Toscane!
Hier kom je helemaal tot rust! Mooie locatie en voldoende ruimte in en om de vakantiewoning en grote tuin. De woning is sfeervol, schoon en van alle gemakken voorzien. Zeer geschikt voor dagelijkse uitstapjes (Florence, Siena, Volterra, Pisa etc.)in het prachtige Toscane. Gastheer Vito en zijn vrouw Katerina zijn zeer aardig en behulpzaam en voorzien je desgevraagd ook van goede tips. Superaanrader voor diegene die in alle rust wil ontspannen.
Stayed 21 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Veronique T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
mooi huisje
mooi huisje vriendelijke mensen goed gelegen om Ferenze te bezoken met de trein
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jens M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy
Traumquartier
Den Aufenthalt bei Vito unsd Katy haben wir sehr genossen. Allein die Optik des Quartiers mit den großen, alten Balken und der gemauerten Kücheneinrichtung, wunderbar. Das Haus ist auch ganz liebevoll eingerichtet, mit vielen unterschiedlichen Lampen, vielen Bildern an den Wänden und großen Mengen Infomaterial. Es war uns möglich den ganzen parkartigen Garten zu nutzen, inklusive der vielen tollen Kräuter. Ganz besonders möchte ich die Gastgeber Vito und Katy loben, die immer für uns da waren, sei es mit Hinweisen zu unseren Ausflügen oder mit immer neuen Kostproben aus dem Garten, auch das biologische Olivenöl von den eigenen Olivenbäumen war spitze.
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Susanne T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Toskana pur
Unser Urlaub war einfach toll. Lage super ruhig. Alles sauber und gepflegt! Grosse geräumige Wohnung im Toskana Stil. Unsere Gastgeber Vito und Katharina waren super nett und zuvorkommend! Supermarkt in der Nähe. Zum nächsten Bahnhof 15 min mit dem Auto. Von dort kann man ganz leicht Florenz,Siena, Pisa usw für kleines Geld erreichen. Sehr gut möglich, sogar sehr wahrscheinlich dass wir wieder diese Wohnung buchen.
Stayed 12 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ruth d.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Alles wat je wil
Het huis is een goede uitvalsbasis om Toscane te ontdekken. Vito en Kate maken je vakantie onvergetelijk. Ze zijn attent en helpen graag. De diners die ze voor ons hebben verzorgd waren zeer goed en erg gezellig. De aandacht die ze ons gaven was leuk.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Ursula S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Es war so erholsam und wunderschön
Vito und Katharine sind tolle und einfühlsame Vermieter. Wir wurden sehr herzlich empfangen und durften den großen Kräutergarten nutzen. Das fanden wir nicht selbstverständlich. Vielen Dank für tolle Rezeptvorschläge und gute Tipps. Wir haben die Ruhe auf dem traumhaften Grundstück sehr genossen. Um die Toscana zu erkunden ist das Haus ideal. Vito und Katharina: Gracie Mille!
Stayed 17 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Anette R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Ein Ort der Entschleunigung!
Wir haben uns vom ersten Tag an zuhause gefühlt bei Vito und Katharina . Ein wunderschönes Haus , eingebettet zwischen hügeligen Feldern. Wundervolle herzliche Gastgeber, die man einfach mögen muß. So manches Mal haben wir mit den beiden ein Glas Wein getrunken und haben philosophiert über Gott und die Welt.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Benedikt L., Münster, Germany

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Balsam für die Seele
Wir möchten uns herzlichst für den tollen Aufenthalt bei Vito und Katarina bedanken. Das Haus und das Grundstück haben wir genauso wundervoll vorgefunden wie beschrieben. Die Umgebung, das Haus und vorallendingen die herzliche Art der besonderen Gastgeber war genau das, was wir uns erhofft haben. Einzigartig. Wir haben unseren Aufenthalt sehr genossen und viele nette Stunden auch auf dem Grundstück verbracht. Wir werden wiederkommen. Danke Vito& Katarina. Mit besten Grüßen aus Deutschland, Benedikt & Merle & Topolina
Stayed 10 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jacqueline s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Communication
Traumhafte Ruhe
Wir waren als Familie mit 5 Personen in diesem schönen Ferienhaus. Es war wirklich wundervoll. Kate und Vito waren tolle Gastgeber. Begrüßt wurden wir von Hühnern, Kelly, der Hündin, 2 Katzen und Geckos.😊 In dem Ferienhaus war alles da. Was vielleicht fehlte, waren Fliegengitter an den Fenstern, da wir alle in der Nacht von Mücken zerstochen wurden.😏 Auch gibt es keine Klimaanlage.Nur ein Ventilator sorgte in der Nacht für ein klein wenig Abkühlung. Leider brachte es in mancher Nacht , nicht sehr viel. Toll war auch, dass wir uns frische Kräuter aus dem Garten pflücken durften. Wir würden jedem das Haus empfehlen. Danke noch einmal für die wundervollen 2 Wochen.ciao
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Annemiek H., BREDA

Het huis was erg schoon. Super fijn bed en genoeg ruim
Wat hebben een fantastische vakantie gehad. Niet alleen het huis, maar zeker ook Vito en Katherina die er alles aan deden om het zo fijn mogelijk te maken. Proeven van wijntjes, goede tips waar je deze kan kopen of leuke uitjes in de omgeving. Vito wist het! Het is een echte aanrader dit huis. Ancora,Vito e Katharina: Molte GRAZIE!
Stayed 11 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Christian W.

Tolles , ruhiges Haus nit guter Ausstattung
Ein tolles Haus in zentraler Lage - perfekt geeignet um alle Ziele in der Toskana gut zu erreichen und gleichzeitig fernab aller Hektik - hier kommt man wirklich zur Ruhe - Vito & Katerina als Gastgeber (nicht Vermieter) kümmern sich um jedes kleine Anliegen
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Reiner B.

Toskana pur!!!
Wir, 2 Erwachsene mit unseren beiden Hunden, haben den Aufenthalt, Juli 2017, bei Katerina und Vito wirklich sehr genossen. In dem Landhaus, gemütliche Ausstattung, mit seinem wirklich riesigen Garten haben wir den Toskana-Urlaub erlebt, wie wir ersehnt haben: Ruhe, freundlichste Zurückhaltung und Unterstützung der Vermieter, reizvolle Ausflüge nach Lucca, Pistoia, Florenz, Greve ... und traumhafte Abende auf der Terrasse mit Chianti uvm. Mille Gracie Katerina e Vito!!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Brigitte W.

Lovely place
We found the house exactly as described - quiet, large and well-equipped. The best thing, however, is the large patio and the huge, well-kept garden. The very best things, of course, are the hosts: Vito and Katerina have such big hearts! Living next door, Vito is always available, but careful not to be intrusive. Of course, he knows all the good places to see in the area, but he also knows what herbs to use in the kitchen and will always have a drop - or more - of good wine for his guests to try. Thank you for an enjoyable week!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Zachary S.

Highlight of Our Trip to Italy
I would like to lead off by apologizing to our incredible hosts, Vito & Katerina, for the VERY late review. Our trip was almost 6 months ago and the fact that we are just now writing this view is embarrassing, particularly given the extreme graciousness and kindness shown to us by our hosts. Now on to the review... The property was one of our favorite places to be during our entire trip, which is really saying something as Italy is full of beautiful scenery. The place is exactly as described, and then some. Well appointed, clean and cozy. Truly everything we could ask for. To say that Vito and Katerina went out of their way to make us feel welcome is an understatement. From samplings of their very own home-grown/wild produce to a family-style dinner complete with several bottles of local wine and plenty of great conversation well into the night, we truly felt like we were leaving good friends behind when we departed. I can't recommend this property/Vito and Katerina enough. We sincerely hope they are available to host once again the next time we are in Italy, because there is no chance we're leaving the country without staying here again, if at all possible. Thank you so much for helping to make our first trip to Italy extra special. Warmest Regards, Zack and Silvia
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Newell B.

Newell and Joan
We loved our home away from home in Tuscany. Casa Degli Olmi was very attractive with beam ceilings,brick floors and a well equiped Tuscan kitchen. The house has absolutely everything you need for a comfortable stay. The location is perfect. It is close to Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano and lots of other beautiful Tuscan Hill Towns. Vito and Katerina are perfect hosts. They make you feel right at home. They have a charming daughter Frederica and a golden lab (Kelly) who comes to greet you every morning. Katerina is a gourmet cook and they prepared wonderful dinners for us. Vito was glad to share his knowledge of the local wines with us. After touring the country side all day what a wonderful, relaxing place to come home to. We are coming back to Tuscany in a couple of years and will definitly stay with Vito and Katerina again.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Devang S.

Enjoyable stay at Empoli
My husband, I and our two teenage sons arrived in Empoli on Thursday June 6th. Road leading up to the house from main road is country but the owner has signs to help you find the house. it is well situated in a country setting - very peaceful. Owners are wonderful. first day we reach there around 2pm and since we didn't have any other plans, upon our request Veto graciously joined us to give us a tour of winery and tuscany area. we are so glad we had the oportunity to experience this. He showed us how to tell if a wine is good and brough us wine for the family. he also gave us lettuce from his garden and i was already using basil and rosmery from the pots right outside of our apartment. They seemed everready with everything we needed. very enjoyable and worth stay. we visited Cinque Terre by CAR and Florence by train from Empoli. on our way to Venice from Empoli, we visited Farrari museum in Maranello - so glad we could go there as especially both of our sons enjoyed it. One thing i would mention is to not depend on the internet. it wasn't a big problem for us as we knew we were in country. the other thing is to make sure you put mosquito repellent which the owners provide before slipping. again its country and expect these things. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Empoli which allowed us to experience central italy life and would return if we had the opportunity. we would also recommend it to our friends. Hema