We had a terrific stay at Casa Due Torri. The hosts, Marie and Lorenzo, could not have been better and made our time in Vicopisano a vacation we will never forget. The medieval village is very interesting in and of itself but the location allows you to easily tour olive farms, visit Pisa, Lucca and, of course, Florence.
When Marie and Lorenzo learned we wanted to go to Florence for the day, they recommended that we book Paul Costa, of Paul Costa Tours, as our tour guide and what a wonderful recommendation that was. Paul is so knowledgeable about Renaissance history it was a treat to have him help us understand the history of Florence and, in particular, the reasons for the creation of the David. Paul gets you into the museum to see David with absolutely no wait and explains its history in an engaging and very memorable way. We would highly recommend booking a tour with Paul.
Marie and Lorenzo also organized a cooking class for us with a wonderful chef, Olimpia. The class was held at their beautifully renovated home and Olimpia was an excellent hands on teacher. The meal was amazing (thanks to Olimpia) and it was such fun to sit down and dine with Marie and Lorenzo who shared more history of the area with us. A cooking class with Olimpia is an absolute must.
We would also recommend touring the medieval castle that is in Vicopisano. The local tour guide is very passionate and knowledgeable about the Castle. You are able to climb to the ramparts with him as he walks you through the Castle’s history, including a room that contains the journals of Castle’s commanders going back hundreds and hundreds of years.
Marie and Lorenzo met us on arrival, walked us through the house and gave us background and information on the area. They have created a wonderful book on recommended restaurants and things to do in the area. They also pointed us to a local butcher shop that has marvellous cheeses and meats and sells wonderful wines and prosecco at very reasonable prices. Marie and Lorenzo were excellent hosts and we would highly recommend staying at one of their properties if you are planning a trip to Tuscany - you will be well looked after. Casa Due Torri is a beautiful place to stay - very comfortable and perfect location.
My wife and I spent a couple of weeks in September in this most comfortable and well appointed house. We did not have a car but managed to get around pretty well by bus and train. Taxis are not in abundance in Vicopisano! However, when we wanted to visit restaurants further afield Marie, on a number of occasions organised the restaurant to pick us up and return after our meal. What terrific service!
The apt. size is very roomy, and equipped with everything you need. It was very nice to be able to do laundry half way through our trip. There is a double swing on the terrace off the master bedroom. It was lovely to sit on the swing, glass of wine in hand, with a light breeze blowing through your hair. It felt very calming. There is a large grocery store that is 10 minutes away by car, if you want to fix some meals. Lorenzo and Marie, who are the managers of the property, were very helpful in guiding us in places to see and eat out, etc. They truly went the extra mile in help us out on our first trip to Italy.
We stayed here for three days. The apartment was clean and well kept. There were excellent information and directions on the use of everything and details of all the places to go. There were four people in my party including two teens and they loved every minute of it. Unfortunately we didn't visit the castle as we went with limited time till closing. We dined out on the patio which was beautiful. Lavinia was a great source of resource and was also very patient, answered all my questions and took all my texts and phone calls. We plan on returning and staying longer so we can truly appreciate the house and the area better.
Marie and Lorenzo were very welcoming and helpful during our stay. The apartment was very clean and well equipped, which more than met the needs of two couples, we ate/ sat out on the balcony quite often. The house book contains lots of useful information covering local amenities and how to get to various places of interest by car or public transport eg Pisa by bus and Florence by train. The village is very interesting to wander around, a visit to the castle is worthwhile along with a visit to the olive farm which was very enjoyable. All who we encountered in local shops, bars and the tourist information centre were friendly and helpful - especially the lady in the Fantasy Market. We would recommend this apartment and Vicopisano and would like to return in the future.
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We loved our time at Casa Due Torri and particularly the medieval town of Vicopisano. We were already fans of Tuscany, but had previously stayed further south so this offered us the chance to explore a new area.
A direct flight from East Midlands, Pisa airport is around 20 minutes from Vicopisano, so we found getting there by hire car was pretty straightforward – even with the Italian way of driving.
Upon arrival we were shown around the house and then given a full guided tour of the town by Marie, who took her time to show us all around the village and introduce us to the local food and beverage providers. This was a great start.
Getting into the village centre is a 10 minute walk max from the property, and we spent some lovely evenings in the local bars of Borgo Maggiore and Giovanni at Enosophia, where we were really looked after. Just a few doors down from Enosophia is an excellent pizzeria (the name escapes me), which has a few sit in tables.
We thoroughly enjoyed the local aperitif of Aperol spritz - a mix of Prosecco, and Aperol which is a bitter orange liqueur, before moving on to the incredibly cheap and very quaffable local red wine. We also joined in with another local custom, Apericena – this is a cold buffet of snacks and nibbles such as mini pizza slices that are served complimentary with drinks.
What really helped make our holiday was the help advice Marie and Lorenzo (the property managers) gave us over the course of our week there. Nothing was too much trouble from reserving us a table at one of the fine restaurants (Osteria di Ceppato, which was excellent), to helping us order local pre-cooked food for our Sunday lunch from Testi the butcher – the lasagne was delicious.
We explored the local area and visited Marina di Pisa a couple of times, as well as travelling slightly further afield to Lucca. Lucca was lovely and we took a walk around the city walls which encompass the entire city. That was a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
I didn’t fancy the traffic, so we caught the bus into Pisa to visit the Tower. This took about 45 minutes and the bus stop is in the village square. Not a bad way to see Pisa and the surrounding area, but we decided to come back early afternoon. Unfortunately this coincided with school finishing time and meant we had to stand all the way back, so avoid the 1pm-ish return bus.
This is a great place to spend a holiday. We found everywhere so warm and friendly and particularly welcoming to children – especially to our 5 year old son whom they seemed quite taken with – speaking of which, Marie if you’re reading this please say, “ciao bella” from Jack to all his Italian ladies
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Friends getaway | Families with young children |
Staying at Casa Due Torri in Vicopisano was a wonderful experience. The house was beautifully kept and fully equipped. Having two bedrooms and two bathrooms with a central living area and kitchen made it ideal. Each bedroom had it's own balcony as well. The town of Vicopisano was the most wonderful little town of old towers, breathtaking views and warm friendly people. I could have spent my whole Italy trip here! The managers were so helpful and thoughtful, from maps to detailed information of local sights, they provided it all. I would easily recommend this place to anyone interested in seeing Tuscany and staying in a wonderful location while doing it.