In San Francesco we have a discount supermarket, a pharmacy, a few restaurants, a petrol station, a couple of coffee shops and a private hospital. Everything you need for immediate survival!

But we also have some great restaurants within five-minute drive of home, arguably the best ice cream shop in Tuscany, possibly Italy, great coffee shops and some stunning architecture, including a Medici bridge.

Pontassieve is a larger town and features a large supermarket (Coop), as well as another discount store (Penny Market), a public swimming pool, and a train station with direct connections to Florence and Arezzo. Plus, there are a host of shops, a weekly street market held on Wednesdays, and many excellent restaurants, as well as plenty of places to pick up a light breakfast/lunch or snack when you want to keep things easy and breezy.

There is no shortage of towns to drive to (remember this is Tuscany and anything worth seeing is on a hilltop!).  Day trips to visit a town or area are very doable.

The towns nearby include Poppi, Stia, Pratovecchio and Bibbiena, going up into the Casentino hills behind our home. Then you can also choose the Valdarno valley going out towards Figline Valdarno, Reggello, Loro Ciuffenna, San Giustino Valdarno and Arezzo.

Whichever way you go, there is lots to discover, see, experience and taste!

Of course, Florence is just a 25 minute train-ride away (trust us, don't take your car).

We strongly advice Florence out of the full on summer months, it gets very hot and very crowded, and immensely stressful. But in cooler temperatures it is a wonderful city. We suggest that you do your research and find just a few places to visit, rather then becoming overwhelmed which can easily happen.

There are some excellent walking tours and apps too to help you make good use of your time there.

Right here, at our house!

Well, we are biased of course. But our home it a real home, with people, dogs, friends who drop in, so there are people to meet and people with whom you can spend time. But we are lucky to have a large home, the rooms are separate from each other and outside space and places to sit quietly and alone to read a book or have an afternoon nap are infinite!   The very best of both worlds.