Category: City guides

Lucca in a day

Your ultimate guide to Lucca You’ve been preparing for months: read every blog, followed every insta post and even started online Italian lessons. Your research has paid dividends and now you have a plan of ‘must sees’ on your Italian adventure, and of course that includes heartstopping Lucca! Except there’s a catch: your favourites all […]

Address:

Via fra Canti 1

Sorana

51017

Pistoia

Find us on the map using what3words (click below):

///augment.major.warranties

Contact us - we'd love to hear from you!

Phone: 07809 615725

email: info@casa-castagna.com

FAQ's

  • How many does the house accomodate? We have a strict maximum capacity of 4 persons
  • Is there a minimum age? We only accept bookings from guests 21 and over
  • Do you accept infants/children? Due to the nature of the property and garden we only accept children over 10
  • Do you allow pets? We have a strict no pet policy
  • Is smoking allowed? We have a strict no-smoking policy everywhere (including garden)
  • What time is check in/out? Check-in any time after 16:00 and check-out 10:00
  • Do you provide linen and towels? A bathsheet, hand towel and swimming hammam towel is provided for each person
  • Is there a washing machine? There is no washing machine, however the nearest laundromat is 15 mins away
  • How will I gain acess to the property? There is a keysafe and you will receive the keycode 7 days prior to arrival
  • Is there air conditioning? We do not have airconditioning but by following our instructions for keeping the house cool, ie closing all windows and shutters before the sun hits the house, it is very easy to keep the internal space very cool
  • Is there heating? For the cooler months there is a very efficient woodburner (wood provided free of charge) and large radiators in the bathrooms
  • Is the house suitable for wheelchair users? The house and village are not suitable for those with mobility issues

There is very good mobile phone signal from the house, however in certain internal areas this may be restricted by the very thick, 400+ year old walls. There is also good signal from the garden. We would also advise using a wifi enabled messaging service such as whatsapp in conjunction with mobile.

Please note that fibre optic cables haven’t quite reached us yet and that wifi service in a medieval village can be subject to some fluctuations.

  • Where are the nearest airports? Florence and Pisa are both an hour’s drive (full detailed driving instructions are sent 6 weeks prior to arrival)
  • Do I need to hire a car? We highly recommend hiring a car – although there are buses to our nearest large town, the services are fairly limited and to get the most out of your stay, a car is advisable
  • Is there parking available? There are two free village carparks (the nearest is approx 200m from the house)
  • Am I able to charge an electric vehicle? The nearest electric chargepoint is about 10 minutes drive away in Pietrabuona. For other chargepoints please see this site: https://www.electromaps.com/en/map?qsearch=pescia

 

 

The house is fully equipped, including hair dryer, iron and ironing board, plug-in mosquito repellent, kettle, espresso maker, dishwasher, toaster, swimming towels, coolbag, picnic blanket.

The terrace is furnished with outdoor table and seating for 6 and two loungers.

We also provide enough consumables for your first few days – coffee/teabags/dishwasher tablets/toilet rolls/olive oil/salt and pepper.

 

 

The house is stocked with the basics – coffee, sugar, tea etc.
The local bar has a few essentials available for purchase however the nearest basic stores are a 10 minute drive in Pietrabuona with an alimentari, butchers etc.

We highly recommend making a stop at the biggest supermarket, Esselunga, in Pescia which is conveniently en-route to the house (highlighted on the directions PDF attached to your booking email). Opening hours are 7.30 to 21:00 (20:00 Sundays)

There are two further major supermarkets, Co-op and Lidl, and a weekly Saturday morning market in Pescia (highly recommended) with ample fresh produce.

 
 
  • How do I make a booking? You will find availability by clicking on the ‘book now’ button on the top right of this page. There is a facility to make an instant booking or you can contact us via email
  • What are your booking terms? On making the booking we take a 20% non-refundable deposit. The balance of the payment is due 6 weeks prior to arrival
  • Can I pay by credit/debit card? Yes it’s very easy to use our secure online payment facility – either use the ‘book now’ button or we can send you payment details via email.
  • What are your cancellation terms? We take a non-refundable 20% deposit at the time of booking. If you wish to change your dates more than 6 weeks prior to original arrival date, we are happy to try to accomodate this subject to the difference in cost. Please note that only one change of dates will be considered, and this must be within 6 months of the original booked dates
  • Is there a cleaning charge? There is no cleaning charge for 2 guests however additional guests will incur a £25 charge. The house should be as you find it – specifically, rubbish removed to the bins, crockery clean and put away (or in the dishwasher and on a cleaning cycle). We will place a pre-authorisation on your card of £250 as a security deposit against any damages or additional cleaning charges should these arise.
  • What are your covid policies? As covid is now a known risk, we will only offer a full refund (or change your booking dates/offer voucher) if Tuscany or your country of residence is subject to lockdown. We do not offer a refund for disinclination to travel/cancellation due to contracting covid etc – please ask for our full booking terms here. We STRONGLY advise that you take out travel insurance and are happy to provide details to your insurance company should the need for claim arise.

There is a comprehensive list of recommended places to visit on the sightseeing page of this website.

We will also send you a link to our digital guidebook 7 days prior to your arrival, which provided all the information in a convenient app

2021 Casa Castagna - all rights reserved
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