We decided to travel to Italy early in the season, so as not to deal with the heat of the summer or the crowds of tourists. I can’t tell you how we found Casa Portagioia on the Internet, but we’re glad we did. We started our trip in late April and first visited Rome, which was a wonderful start to the trip, then rented a car and drove to Casa Portagioia. Getting there was interesting and fun. We traveled by car with another couple and followed Terry’s directions to the letter. It was something like a road rally, but the directions were perfect. When we arrived, the weather was somewhat cool and a little rainy, but the hillsides were magnificent and the Casa’s buildings were beautiful and tasteful
...Read More
Terry greeted us and showed us around, then left us to unpack and relax, allowing us to de-stress from the 3-hour trip, which hadn’t been all that stressful. We were impressed with the completely renovated accommodations, which featured new tile bathrooms and a wonderfully furnished sleeping room with antique reproductions, a tile floor, and homey area rugs. The rooms easily surpass most hotels and offer a serene, very clean, and comfortable place to unpack and stay awhile! It was apparent that the owners took great care in providing every amenity that offered comfort and familiarity to home. My wife and I were traveling with her cousin and his wife, and I would venture to say that the Casa was a collective favorite of our 3-week trip to Italy, France, and Switzerland.
Since we arrived after dinner, we had wine and cheese that evening in the main house, around the fireplace sitting area, and relaxed and talked to Terry and Marcello, who were accommodating and helpful with information about wines, places to visit, and directions.
We had breakfast in the dining area the next morning, and I won’t spoil the surprise, but be sure to order Terry’s coffee. Marcello’s special breakfast was perfect and artfully presented. We attempted to order sunshine, but our friend Audrey provided that, bringing it from California. Unfortunately, it was too cold for swimming, and in our 3 days, we did not have dinner at the Casa. But, I understand from the other guests we talked to that the dinner is fantastic. We used the Casa as a base and traveled to Siena and many other places within a 1- to 2-hour drive and always made it back before nightfall, except on the last night. Traveling by car at night on the narrow roads made it somewhat adventurous and fun, and we found the Casa perfectly.
We were sorry to leave and wished we had more time to spend at Casa Portagioia. The price was very reasonable, and we would recommend it to anyone who wishes to have a quiet, restful time in a beautiful setting with fantastic accommodations. We hope to go back at some point and wish Terry and Marcello the best.
Read Less