Guestbook

LaPorcilaia: A perfect home with wonderful hosts.

5/5

Stayed ‎Sep‎ ‎2018

Anthony W.

Giulia and Malcolm are wonderful hosts, and their home is simply lovely.

Giulia responds to contacts very quickly. She is Italian/English and Malcolm is English, which helps people like us who do not speak Italian. The couple are very welcoming, and provide many guide, history and activity notes to ensure you make the most of the fabulous location. A car is essential.

Their huge home is completely renovated and beautifully furnished. It has every item you could want, and everything works perfectly.

The peaceful location is a wonderful base to explore the amazing 'hill towns' of Umbria, Tuscany and Lazio. It is also a wonderful place to just sit on the balcony and relax in the evenings, and enjoy the fabulous food and wine that you can buy in the markets of the towns nearby, whilst watching the farmers working away in the distance.

We have stayed in many VRBO properties throughout the world: a few equal to but none better than LaPorcilaia.

Perfect for many reasons

5/5

Stayed ‎Jun‎ ‎2018

Tim M.Indiana

This villa is a slice of heaven. It is perfect. Plenty of room (1400 sq ft) and very accommodating for 2 couples. The kitchen is well equipped and had plenty of room. The view of the lake and countryside is breathtaking. The charm of the sheep and their pleasurable bells provided our morning concerto. We toured the countryside for a month and enjoyed every day. Being halfway between Rome and Florence, the location is perfect. We found the villa reasonable enough that we didn’t hesitate to take overnight stays at the coast and Florence with the benefit of just an overnight bag. All of this said, the place, the view, the countryside is all secondary to the gracious host Malcolm and Giulia. Their kindness, generosity, and expertise was appreciated immensely. It was a trip of a lifetime.

Owner's Response:

This is a beautiful review! It was wonderful to meet you all and spend some time with you. I hope we are able to keep in touch. All best wishes,

Malcolm and Giulia

Don't pack a corkscrew

We consider ourselves to be seasoned visitors to Italy. We’ve travelled and stayed in some lovely places, as lovely but none lovelier than the region of Lazio in which is La Porcellaia and, nearby, the Lago di Bolsena. We have also found ourselves delighted by the charm and generosity of character of those who have graciously made their houses available to us. But no hosts have exceeded Giulia and Malcolm. We found ourselves in an apartment ideally located for access to the allures of the region, one with a wonderful view upon it, and one in which the fastidiousness and imaginative attention to detail of the owners had supplied us with every means by which we could live and function with the easefulness that one wishes for a holiday. Region, prospect and the charm that originates only in human warmth and generosity of spirit have made of our recent visit to Italy a precious memory.

jjslawson Edinburgh

Andreas B.

Es war ein wundervoller Urlaub im Herzen Italiens.

Die Wohnung liegt sehr ruhig und abseits. Sie ist super ausgestattet und es mangelt an nichts.Es war die am besten ausgestattetste Wohnung, die wir bisher hatten. Alles ist sehr sauber - drin und draußen.

Bei der Ankunft waren im Kühlschrank neben einer Flasche Wasser sogar ein Liter Milch und eine Flasche Wein aus Orvieto.

Die Vermieter sind sehr nett und helfen gern mit Ausflugstipps. Dabei sind Sie zurückhaltend und unaufdringlich - aber immer erreichbar.

Wir waren regelmäßig in Bolsena zum Baden (heißer Sommer) oder abends noch einmal zum Essen. Die Fahrt führt über eine kurvenreiche Strecke in ca. 10-15 Minuten hinunter zum See.

Trotz des heißen Sommers (2018) waren die Temperaturen erträglich. Im Haus ist es durch die dicken Wände auch ohne Klimaanlage kühl und draußen weht immer ein kühlender Wind vom See hoch.

Die in der Wohnungsbeschreibung angegebenen Reisezeiten sind alle sehr optimistisch ;-)

Deshalb waren wir von den Fahrzeiten überrascht, die man in dieser Gegend auch für kürzere Strecken benötigt. Die Straßen sind fast alle schmal und kurvenreich, so dass wir z.B. bis zum Mittelmeer (Talamone) fast 2 Stunden brauchten. Auch nach Rom sollte man die Autobahn nehmen. Wir haben z.B. in Rom für eine Nacht ein Zimmer genommen.

Der nächste Ort ist Bagnoregio - Fahrzeit ca 5-10 min. Im Ort gibt es dann einen kleinen Supermarkt und in der Dorfmitte einen guten Bäcker.

Einziger Wehrmutstropfen: Die Zufahrt zum Haus ist ein langer "Feldweg" mit Steinen. Das Auto darf auf keinen Fall tiefergelgt sein, sonst setzt man auf.

Die Wohnung ist uneingeschränkt empfehlenswert!!!!

Submitted ‎26‎ ‎Sep‎ ‎2018

Great property within lovely surroundings

5/5

A large, comfortable, fully equipped top floor apartment with excellent extensive views over the surrounding countryside and Lake Bolsena beyond which is a short drive away.

We arrived during a long period of very hot dry weather. We were delighted to find that gentle breezes from the direction of the lake helped to keep things comfortable during the many hours we spent on the balcony for meals or just relaxing with a glass of wine taking in the sunsets over the lake.

The property was a good base for exploring the many picturesque hill-top and lakeside towns and villages like Orvieto, Bolsena, the delightful Civita di Bagnoregio which are relatively near and Cortona, Spoleta, Assissi and Pienza which are a couple of hours away.

The property is in a lovely secluded location. Situated at the end of a long drive, you won't be disturbed by passing traffic.

Malcolm and Giulia , the owners use the lower apartment when they visit and are discreet and unobtrusive hosts. They are excellent company and are always available for guidance on places to visit.

They have owned LaPorcilaia for several years during which time they have been carefully and expertly transforming a run down former agricultural property into the lovely property with landscaped grounds that we see today.

We enjoyed our stay at LaPorcilaia immensely and would thoroughly recommend it to others.

Absolutely Perfect Apartment and Location

5/5

In 11 years of visiting Italy this is far the best property and location of those that we've used before. The apartment was situated in a stunning location and had everything you could ask for. It was secluded but yet close enough to all amenities and within an easy drive of many places of interest.
One never got bored with the views from the property and the sunrises/sunsets were amazing.
Malcolm and Giulia were the perfect and generous hosts and after arriving later than expected they made sure we were fed and watered (it was beer actually and tasted like nectar!!!) Both were a mine of information as to places to eat and visit and we were chuffed to be asked to join them for dinner with friends in what proved to be a memorable evening.
This was an area of Italy we hadn't visited previously but have no hesitation in saying that we'll be back.
Thanks for everything, it was brilliant.
Tracey & Trevor
PS Hope your mum is keeping well.

Date of stay: August 2017

Traumhafter Urlaub

5/5

Stayed ‎Aug‎ ‎2017

Gertrud P.Italien

Viel zu kurz, zwei Wochen in dieser ruhigen, sehr schönen und sehr gut ausgestatteten Wohnung! Ob von der Hängematte im Garten oder von der überdachten Terrasse aus, der Blick auf den Lago di Bolsena ist einfach traumhaft! Auch bei großer Hitze blieb es im Haus angenehm kühl.

Obwohl die Wohnung sehr ruhig gelegen ist, kann Bolsena in ca 15 Minuten erreicht werden, nach Bagnoregio ist es sogar noch näher. Auch Orvieto ist nicht weit weg. Es empfiehlt sich außerdem ein Besuch in leicht erreichbare Dörfer der Umgebung.

Giulia und Malcolm haben viele Tipps und Ratschläge um diese interessante Gegend zu erkunden.

Ein herzliches Dankeschön für die Gastfreundschaft, die wir erfahren durften!

Owner's Response:

Dear G, thank you for your lovely review. Hope to meet you again in the near future. Giulia and Malcolm

Secluded yet central

The house is off the main road in a beautiful peaceful setting with amazing views of Lake Bolsena. The house is well equipped with 2 good bathrooms. It is central to a lot of surrounding villages and towns, so lots to see and do. Orvieto is 20 mins away. The local village Bagnoreggio has everything you need including an amazing old town on a hill., la Civita. The owners are really helpful and friendly. We would happily have stayed longer.

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Date of stay: September 2016

Amazing location with a beautiful view.

5/5

Stayed ‎Sep‎ ‎2016

MuckycasEngland

A beautiful house in a location secluded yet near to everything. The house is well equipped, modern and homely. We enjoyed visiting all surrounding villages , with views and restaurants, bars. Then enjoyed cooking at home with the beautiful views of lakes and sunsets. Near the autostrada so Florence is only 2 hours drive. Orvieto is stunning as is Montefiscione. Both on the doorstep. We had a fabulous time at this property.

Thank you Guila and Malcom for a great stay.

5/5

Stayed ‎Sep‎ ‎2016

Barbara F.

The apartment was spacious and well appointed. We spent many evenings on the terrace watching the sunset over the lake. Plenty of of things to do and some great restaurants all within a short drive.

Peaceful surrounding and beautiful view

5/5

Stayed ‎Jul‎ ‎2016

OoChristine B.

My husband and I spent two relaxing weeks at this delightful apartment. It was equipped with everything that you would need and was quiet and relaxing. Our favourite part was the loggia where we spent most evenings watching the sun go down over Lake Bolsena in the distance. The owners, Malcolm and Giulia couldn't have been more helpful both before and after our holiday. There were many lovely places within a short drive but we found that Bolsena had everything that we needed including some great restaurants. We would definitely stay again.

Submitted ‎07‎ ‎Aug 2016

A most enjoyable stay

5/5

Stayed ‎Jun‎ ‎2016

John L.

A modernised, attractive property and with all possible amenities, reading materials and dvds. It is well maintained, very clean, and all rooms are large. The kitchen has everything you should need. The owners are so helpful, friendly and very informative about the area. There is so much to see and do in the area and we particularly liked visiting the villages and towns around Bolsena lake. Bolsena town itself, and which is very near, has many quality restaurants and is worth visiting a number of times. We have been to Umbria many times but this accommodation was the best we have stayed in. John and Anne Lancaster

Perfect!

5/5

Stayed ‎Sep‎ ‎2015

micki b.Fountain Hills, AZ

The villa is comfortable and located so centrally that we were able to travel in all directions....which we did....and found wonderful little towns to explore. Our hosts Giulia and Malcolm were the GREATEST! We consider them our friends! Our plan is to return and would love staying at the villa again....and of course see our new found friends! The villa is exactly as described....to a tee! I would highly recommend it to anyone....only don't book when we're scheduled to return!

Review

5/5

Stayed ‎Sep‎ ‎2015

Lucy B.

Our stay was wonderful! We had a very welcoming reception from Giulia and Malcolm and they were incredibly thoughtful and helpful throughout our stay. We had great recommendations for local attractions and trips - we wouldn't have found them without such local knowledge! The property was very well maintained and beds very comfortable. Beautiful sunsets and stunning views from the terrace- a truly peaceful and relaxing environment!

Wszystko super!

5/5

Stayed ‎Jun‎ ‎2015

Kapitalna miejscówka żeby wyruszyć w południową Toskanię, poznać trochę Umbrii, albo Lazium. Gospodarze serdeczni, nie narzucający się a gotowi pomóc w każdej sytuacji. Mieszka się szalenie wygodnie, budzą ptaki i słońce. Pobliska Bolsena ma wiele wdzięku. Polecamy zwłaszcza w okresie Bożego Ciała - bo tam ustanowiono to święto (w Włoszech obchodzi się je w niedzielę - nie jak u nas w czwartek), są więc bardzo malownicze procesje, a dzień wcześniej panie na ulicach szykują ozdoby. Polecamy!

Owner's Response:

Thank you B, It was a pleasure to meet you all. Hope to see you again.

Giulia and Malcolm

Delightful experience.

5/5

Stayed ‎May‎ ‎2015

Stacey L.

The house was simple and comfortable - the beds were so comfortable we had the best sleep of our lives while we were there. The kitchen was well equipped so we could take advantage of the fresh food and enjoy Italian cuisine at home. Giulia and Malcolm were wonderful hosts - available to answer every question and supply anything we needed. We left feeling like we'd been visiting with friends.

Owner's Response:

Thank you for the kind comments. We were really sad when you went and appreciated your interest in the garden and the area. Hope to see you again in the future.

Giulia and Malcolm

Excellent

5/5

Stayed ‎Aug‎ ‎2014

James L.

Submitted ‎10‎ ‎Sep‎ ‎2014

Life in the country

5/5

Stayed ‎Jun‎ ‎2013

The house was very well equipped, in great condition and had good facilities (for example, DVD player, WiFi). The hosts Malcolm and Giulia Stevens were most welcoming and friendly and gave lots of advice ranging from cooking, decent restaurants to the best Etruscan sites, etc.

Many interesting places to see nearby: Bolsena (great pizza! + swimming), Civita di Bagnoregio (a town falling into a ravine), Orvieto (humongous cathedral). Further afield: Assisi (very strongly recommended - good store selling olive wood products) and Tarquinia (v. strongly recommended, great for Etruscan culture). There is a train (7.21AM) to Florence from Orvieto (change at Chuisi - platform 5 - and arrive 15/20 minutes earlier).

Nearest local shops are in Montefiascone (about 10Km away, best is the CO-OP, but at 8-9 in the morning: bread fresh, lots of activity), also near the train station in Orvieto - big supermarket).

The house is not in walking distance to shops so a car is necessary. Also, be prepared for a complex drive - Italian street signs in the area are minimal (and usually very well hidden). Google Street view is helpful, especially for the critical turn off past SP54 intersection. Navigating round Orvieto is a truly enlightening experience.

The crucial question is: would we come back?

The answer is: Yes we will.

Facility and hosts 5 star

5/5

Stayed ‎Sep‎ ‎2012

Markus B.

After a long drive from Switzerland we arrived at this beautiful home - met by our very gracious hosts Malcolm and Guilia. They were so helpful and provided us with an unexpected welcome package which included a lovely bottle of wine. The house is in a quiet farming area and has a beautiful view of Lake Bolsena. It is situated right in the middle of numerous little villages that depict true life in Italy. We went to many including Orvieto, Todi, Assisi and many others. The lake that you see from your two verandas also has a charming and very italian village of Bolsena. We cannot say enough about the area. The house is something out of House and Home magazine. Anyone staying there is in for a real treat and in every room you can see the pride and joy taken by our hosts. The facility is even nicer than the pictures. If you are reading this review and thinking of going to Italy - stop right now - it does not get much better. The home and hosts are five star and you will never regret coming here. There was so much to see and do that we eliminated Rome from our things to see and do.

Thank you Malcolm and Guilia - it was great.

Mark and Sandy

Owner's Response:

Thank you S&M You are so kind . We would love to see you again. Please keep in touch.

Giulia & Malcolm

Perfect place to unwind in Italy

5/5

Stayed ‎Jun‎ ‎2012

Christiana S.Bozeman

Our week in Umbria was one of the highlights of our Italian trip. We stayed with our three children (9-16), who enjoyed the house and all the wildlife, swimming in Lake Bolsena, and exploring the nearby towns and Etruscan ruins. The hills towns (Orvieto, Pitigliano, Sovano, Sorano, Assissi, Todi) are all quite close and each have their own character. We had booked a week, fearful that might not be enough time, and left feeling like there was so much still left to do. Gulia and Malcolm were superb hosts--offering us buckets of wild cherries, making excellent suggestions of things to see in the area, and even gave our girls porcupine quills on leaving. The house itself is very comfortable, with an extensive video and book library, terrific beds, and beautiful spaces for eating and watching the lake and wildlife. We only hope we can return again.

Owner's Response:

Thank you for your lovely review. I hope the return journey was pleasant Hope to see you all again one day.

Giulia & Malcolm

Wonderful Country Living

5/5

Stayed ‎Oct‎ ‎2011

Jennifer W.

First of all, Guilia is very easy to communicate with. The home itself is a gorgeous country home with 2 bedrooms and 2 large bathrooms. The property is extremely quiet, remote, and has stunning views of Lake Bolsena. Restaurant at the end of the road was one of our favourites and very inexpensive. Price for house was a great value. Very clean. All linens and staff provided. We would 100% recommend this property to friends and family. We cannot wait to return! Make day trips to Lake Bolsena and Orvieto. Gorgeous driving. Must have car to get around. Guilia, thanks so much for all of your help!

We did make a midnight trip to the hot spring at Saturnia. Easy to find with a GPS, but the trip takes about 2 hours - windy curvy roads. I honestly cannot say enough positive things. It was such a great experience - our favorite of our 16 day European tour.

Our perfect holiday home

5/5

Stayed ‎Jun‎ ‎2011

davie c.

We have stayed in the Bolsena area quite a few times before but this is easily our favourite holiday home. Meals on the loggia are a joy - the views are simply unforgettable.

This traditional property has been lovingly and very skilfully restored to provide the best of accommodation.Owners Malcolm and Giulia provide an equally high standard of service to guests.

Owner's Response:

Thank you Davie, thank you for the lovely review. Best wishes for the coming year. Hope to see you again in the near future.

Giulia & Malcolm

La Porcilaia

5/5

Stayed ‎Apr‎ ‎2011

terryhertfordshire,england

This was our first trip to this part of Italy and we wanted to stay in Tuscany,but also visit Rome. We came across this apartment by chance as we were looking for a central area where we could stay.The apartment was spacious and really comfortable and the views were brilliant.It was so relaxing that we never got round to all the sightseeing that we originally planned for.

We seemed to spend a lot of time visiting nearby hilltop towns or sampling the local restaurants. A very relaxing time. We managed to go to Rome and found the journey easy and stressfree. We parked the car at Orvieto's railway station and let the train take the strain, arriving in Central Rome in about one hour.

All in all I think we were very lucky with Giulia and Malcolm's apartment and we will be going again .

Great spot to relax and make day trips

5/5

Stayed ‎Sep‎ ‎2010

Robert D.Miami, FL, USA

We were two older couples who stayed here for a week in Sep. and were blessed with wonderful weather for just sitting looking out at the lake and flock of sheep as well as making interesting day trips every day. Malcolm was a fine host and gave us good ideas. Orvieto and Civita are not to be missed; Bolsena, a drive around the lake visiting several towns, and a trip to Viterbo were all worthwhile. The kitchen was very well equipped and shopping close by so we ate as well and drank well. Follow the directions exactly and you should find it; we failed the test. We highly recommend this for a nice vacation.

Submitted ‎04‎ ‎Nov‎ ‎2010

5/5

Stayed ‎Apr‎ ‎2009

Ann and StevenSomerset

We had waited so long to visit Italy and we weren't disappointed. It was everything we had hoped for and more. Many thanks indeed to Giulia and Malcolm for such a warm welcome and so informative about fantastic places to visit. The villa accommodation is of a very high standard and the perfect base for visiting the sites, there are of course so many. Rome and Florence are fantastic but do take time to visit Orvieto and Civita and of course the small towns around the lake. Eating out locally is great fun, the food is fabulous. Just ask Giulia or Malcolm where to go.

Italy in April is beautiful and we will be back. Thank you for making our holiday so memorable.

Owner's Response:

Thank you Ann and Steven for your kind comments, It was a real pleasure meeting you. Please visit us again.

Giulia & Malcolm

Wonderful stay

5/5

Stayed ‎Apr‎ ‎2009

Italy, near Orvieto. A wonderful secret, tucked in the green centre of Italy. Beautiful scenery. Beautiful food. A fantastic place to explore from. Giulia and Malcolm are wonderful hosts. The apartment has all amenities and a lovely rustic charm. Fantastic balcony overlooking the lake. A wonderful position, a best kept secret. I don't know why I am telling you all about it. Enjoy.

Rob

Owner's Response:

Thank you so much Rob and Rachel. It was wonderful having you and the girls staying at the house. Hope to see you soon.

Giulia & Malcolm

A Fantastic Holiday Choice!

5/5

Stayed ‎Oct‎ ‎2008

Helen & MikeCambridgeshire

We enjoyed a fantastic holiday here in October 2008. The property lived up to and beyond all that was promised in its description.

The villa is very spacious, extremely clean and a lovely mix of the traditional and modern. The villa is superbly equipped and had all we needed and more, from kitchen equipment to board games and books. The panoramic views and sunsets from the balconies, accompanied by a nice glass of the local wine was a perfect way to end each day.

Giulia and Malcom (the owners) could not have been more friendly and helpful and were always on hand with helpful hints and tips to ensure we knew all the best places to visit and more importantly great restaurant recommendations!

The villa is in a great location with a great choice of local attractions, far too much for a weeks holiday!

The best recommendation I can give is that we will definitely be returning for future holidays.

We had a fantastic holiday!

5/5

Stayed ‎Jul‎ ‎2008

Richard and MaryCity

Hi Giulia,

We had a fantastic holiday in your lovely house. Your tomatoes are growing well and the peppers are starting to flower. The area was so beautiful. It's a good job that I have managed to travel the world before this holiday as I think that if I'd been to Italy first we would probably never visited anywherw else, Mary and I were completely bowled over by it's beauty.

Thank you for letting us stay, I'm sure we'll be booking the house again soon.

With kind regards

Richard & Mary

Einfach nur traumhaft !

5/5

Stayed ‎Jun‎ ‎2017

Heribert W.

Liebe Giulia, lieber Malcom,

wir hatten einen perfekten Urlaub in eurem Haus in Italien. Tolle Lage mit faszinierendem Ausblick. Das Haus liegt herrlich ruhig inmitten herrlicher Natur. Toller Ausganspunkt für Ausflüge an See, Meer und imposannten Städtchen und Plätze. Die Tipps von Malcom waren super hilfreich und alle absolut passend für uns. Auch unsere Kinder waren begeistert. Das Haus ist toll eingerichtet und es bleibt selbst bei anhaltend heißen Tagen angenehm im Haus. Der Balkon ist für Frühstück, Mittagsruhe, Abendessen und sogar zum Vollmond kucken pefekt.

Danke für den tollen Urlaub - Wir kommen bestimmt mal wieder.

Wunderle's aus dem Schwarzwald

Calme et volupté!

5/5

Stayed ‎Sep‎ ‎2014

chantal l.

Une région champêtre, calme, pleine de charme; Une maison belle et accueillante, Giulia et Malcom sont pleins d'attentions. Arrivés fort tard, un délicieux dîner (cuisine locale) préparé par Giulia nous attendait. Pas tout à fait facile de trouver le chemin mais avec le téléphone de Malcolm, tout s'arrange. Une adresse que je recommande vivement.

Circumstances dictated that we were unable to actually meet Guillia and Malcolm but we were nonetheless extremely well looked after. Communication before, during and after our stay was amazing! The property is beautiful and the apartment very well appointed. It is clear that a great deal of love and thought has gone into it. We were deeply saddened to leave as we so very much enjoyed visiting the area, both on bikes and on foot. Swimming at Bolsena Lake was wonderful too!

Martin & Jenny, 20 okt 2023