Francesca was very responsive; ideal host. House and garden are simply wonderful. The location is beautiful. Being up in the hills meant that it was just cool enough in the afternoons after days out sightseeing, perfect for swimming and sundowners. Loved it!

We had our wedding celebration at the gorgeous property and us and our guests loved our stay! Francheska was very helpful sweet and an amazing cook! Thank you for everything and I can’t wait to come back!

After an extremely busy week visiting Rome, Monte Cassino and the Gulf of Naples, Il Pilaccio was a real haven of tranquillity. Francesca was very welcoming and accommodating to our requests. Her English is excellent and she kept in touch with us via text messages from the moment we set off from Naples, providing us with directions. She even arranged a hire car to be waiting for us at short notice on a Sunday. It was a real privilege to stay in her beautiful ancient family home. We loved relaxing by the pool in the stunning grounds with amazing views, dining Al Fresco (pack some mosiquito repellant) and playing ping pong. The sunsets were truly incredible. The village itself is authentically Italian and we loved holidaying amongst local life and browsing at a morning roadside market. Despite being unable to speak the language we got by with a few token words, gestures and lots of smiles! There is a mini market - a 5 min stroll from the villa that sells most things and the owner is very friendly and helpful. There is also a larger supermarket nearby (5 min in the car) A car is essential for exploring the area. We ate one evening at the local pizzeria and found the food very good value. If we had stayed longer we would have liked to have hired a boat for the day (which previous guests have done) and sailed along the Cilento coast, stopping off at quiet bays for a spot of sunbathing and snorkelling. However, we did manage to visit Castellabate and San Marco where we enjoyed a drink by the harbour, and have a beach day on the shores of Pioppi. All three are lovely places to visit. Just a note for those who are used to receiving a villa welcome basket, or a days worth of dishwasher/washing up product/coffee etc the villa was very sparsely equipped. We had to shop for all the basics. Although there were a couple of toilet rolls and towels were provided. If you like authentic getaway from it all holidays and staying in properties steeped in history and culture then you'll love staying at Il Pilaccio! We did!!

We booked for my mother's 80th birthday celebration with other family members staying in Castellabate, Francesca cooked us two family meals (evening and lunch for 24) which were delicious. The house is characterful, the garden beautiful and the views form the pool are lovely. My brother and I plus our two families had a very happy week and Francesca looked after us very well. A wonderful place for a holiday and venue for a party.

This is a fantastic place to stay. We were two families of total 10 people staying in the villa. The house is extremely well kept and spacoius with so much history and character. We had 800 m2 and 15 rooms including a very beautiful old kitchen we could use. The garden is very big and tidy and the pool was enjoyed by both kids and adults. The wievs over the Amalfi coust and Capri were breath-taking.The village, Mercato Cilento, is small but provides you with the things you need, you find a supermarket, bar, bakery and gas station. The hostess Francesca is extremely nice and takes care of your every wish. Francesca's mother prepared the most excellent dinners for us! Places like Amalfi, Salerno, Paestum, Pompeij are within reach with car. Yet - the Cilento area is still not really discovered by the tourists. The villa is strongly recommended to guests who like to get a little extra quality to their vacation.

Staying at Pilaccio was a wonderful experience. The Palace is large and bright and looks like a Castel more than a villa. The garden is really well kept and we had a great time there having fun by doing barbecues, playing on the grass, reading in the shadow of the patio and the big trees. A nice pool looking at the valle and the sea complete the bucolic scenary. The sorroundings were very pleasant too: we met a lot of nice people, visited several beatiful beaches as well as small typical villages in the area and had lot of great food! Francesca was always kind and helpful. Thank you Francesca for this amazing holiday, we will come back for sure!

We stayed in the house in October 2016 as a party of 12. There was more than enough room for us all, with plenty of living rooms to gather together of an evening to play cards or to hide away to read a book. The gardens and the pool are beautiful, with a covered area running half the length of the garden under which to seek some shade or rain cover. In late October we were able to eat outside and have a barbeque beneath the pergola. A great evening. Furnishings are quite basic, but if you are looking for lots of space for family members to run around without having to worry about the odd spillage (stone and tilled floors) then this a great place to stay. Make sure you visit Paestum which is 30 minutes away, and go south to the coast around Agnome Cilineto coast for great beaches.

We Were 11 persons and the House was Perfect for us! We all like old Buildings and so we enjoyed the athmosphere of the old Palazzo! There are some small Shops nearby- so you Fan buy everything for breakfast! Best of all is the beautiful Garden! Bit the children were unhappy, behause you were Not Almosen Go Jump into the water!😟

I had a lovely stay at pilaccio with my family. The villa was perfectly cleaned and fully furnished with all the items expected and even more. I loved the outside too! We spent many hours in the garden decorated with plently of colourful flowers, around the beautiful pool as well as under the patio where we had several delicious barbecue! The wi-fi connection was working both inside and outside till the pool area despite the huge extension of the garden. The house and the garden are stunning and the view is spectacular from the hills to the sea until the island of Capri. The beaches and sea are very easy to reach after some driving through very nice tree-lined streets; one of the best things was coming back to the castle (pilaccio appeared like that to us!) after a full day down to the sea discovering such a nice temperature back home was just wonderful! Francesca and all her staff were ready to satisfy of all our requests at anytime. I would recommend anyone looking for a peaceful and relaxing heaven to spend at least one week at pilaccio! Thank you!!

Il pilaccio is a great place to stay if you're looking for somewhere special, away from the tourist mecca of Amalfi, but still within a day trip travelling distance. In fact all our family, having visited the Amalfi area for a day agreed that the Cilento area was far nicer. Better beaches, less touristy and expensive, and still absolutely stunning scenery. The House is as described - 'Ancient' - the furnishings and kitchen are probably all antiques, but nevertheless comfortable and functional. And it is huge, be prepared to get lost several times before you get your bearings! It is situated in the village itself, within walking distance of various shops and I would say all the locals were very friendly and helpful, which makes a huge difference to the overall experience. It is the pool and garden which really make this property something special. The views over the village and countryside down to the sea and out to Capri are truly unforgettable and memories of afternoons sitting in the sun by the pool with a cold beer, or glass of prosecco, will stay with us for a long time to come.

We had a fabulous time staying at the Pilaccio. Francesca was lovely and always helpful. The surrounding area and views are stunning but it is quite a windy drive to get to either Castelabate or Sante Maria (beach). If you want to be surrounded by beauty I would thoroughly recommend this holiday. There is a local shop and small supermarket and small cafebar/restaurant within walking distance. But anything else is quite a drive away, but in some ways this is part of it's charm.

Our week in the Pilaccio was excellent. The scenery was beautiful and the weather was hot and sunny every day. We had a lovely afternoon making pasta and other local dishes. the house is just stunning and the grounds are used for weddings and so are beautifully kept. The only downside is that the sea is about 30 minutes drive away.

We (eight grownups and three children) arrived late in the evening on the 2nd of July and Francesca was there to greet us. She is really kind, helpful, informative and easy to communicate with. We were totally blown away by this amazing house, which we thought looked and felt more like a castle. The place is absolutely amazing. The whole place has this Mediterranean charm to it, the view is spectacular from every single room and the garden is large and quiet and in the end of the garden, there is a relaxing pool area from where you can see the mountains and the ocean in the horizon. We had the whole place to our self and it was easy to find semi-private spots. The place was super clean, the kitchen was well assorted and had everything we needed. When we needed help Francesca was really helpful. The area was peaceful and quiet and the town had everything you’d need of the basics. The nature around the town was spectacular as well! We could easily have stayed for another couple of weeks! Thanks for a really great experience! We would love to come back some time…!