Wonderful house for a big family. Manager was very helpful and accommodating. I highly recommend it for Your future visit to Rome

We managed to get 17 people to Italy for our first family reunion. The property could not have been better for us. In addition to the fact that we were able to house everyone in the villa, the location is excellent with plenty to do and interesting places to visit. Giuseppe was always available to answer questions and Carla's breakfasts and dinners were fantastic. Tip: Don't forget to schedule a pizza night!

We were 18 people - from 18 months to 80 years old - and we all enjoyed immensely our stay in La Cucina Sabina. We gathered for a short family vacation, hoping to have some quality time together - and this was exactly what we had. Thanks to the beautiful place and the superb facilities, we enjoyed the possibility to cook together (the kitchen is extraordinary) and to eat together - inside and outside (enough place and dishes for everyone), we spent a lot of time in the wonderful pool (which has a good fence, so important with kids!) and just sitting in the shade or in the beautiful living room, relaxing and enjoying the view . The place is so big and everything is so well maintained, one can easily find a quiet place for some alone time (or a ping pong game!). The rooms are very comfortable and nice, showers are great (room no. 5 has a private terrace and the best view). Lots of compliments to the house team as well. Giuseppe answered all my pre-arrival questions, gave some very important tips and advises, and was always available and helpful. Ricardo, who met us on site, was so nice, practical and kind. He was willing to really get out of his way in order to make sure we are happy - and we were. Nico and Vera, who maintain the place, were very helpful. Sometimes the way to really estimate a place is not when all is perfect but when something is wrong. We had some minor issues that needed the team's attention, and everything was taken care of immediately and in the most pleasant way. We had a perfect vacation and we hope to come again!

Wow! When searching for a grand plan to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, & Google kept taking ALL my criteria & leading me to La Cucina Sabina, never in my wildest could I have imagined the magical experience our entire family of 14 (3 generations, ages 12-75) would have. I tailored our week’s activities away from the Villa to the ages/interests of our group, but in this review I want to focus on the Villa, host & staff. Our host, Giuseppe, showed unending kindness, patience & attentiveness to the many details I was juggling in the year leading up to our arrival, & on the big day was there to warmly welcome us to his family’s stunning home. Oh my. Driving down the olive tree-lined stone lane a sense of such beauty & peace overcomes you. Then this fantastic scene with the Villa, expansive grounds, flowers, views that stretch over the olive groves to the hills in the distance & the grandest sparkling pool imaginable unfolds before you. And. There. Are. Chickens! A grand piano, stunning artwork, comfy verandas, clean up-to-date & well-appointed beds/baths, a words-can’t-describe kitchen...and chickens!!! Where is Rome?? Then the EXPERIENCE begins. You’re immediately enfolded into the Cucina Sabina family. Chef Carla & her son, Gianluca, take over & make sure you are fed in the Italian tradition & treated like royalty. Breakfast will never be the same. There was even a card on the island (tucked among the many homemade goodies) to coach non-italian speakers how to ask everyone’s new friend Carla for the style eggs they wanted! Talk about eating clean/local...the fresh cherries were from their trees, the olive oil you have to bring home was made by them, the eggs were from those adorable chickens, & the bread was made by Carla that morning. Gluten free? No worries. Carla even made our special anniversary confection gluten free so our entire family could celebrate together! At day’s end, the kitchen comes alive again, & it’s not off-limits if you’re interested in learning from Nonna Carla. The 12-year old took home memories of helping her make gnocchi, the older teens learned the art of plating a traditional antipasto (yep, you pinch the salami to make a rosette!), we all had an amazing lesson with Chef Simone, who Giuseppe brought in for our anniversary dinner, & we ended with the great fun make-your-own pizza/tiramisu party. We left with hugs all around & memories of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 100% recommended!!!

This is the wonderful place to stay. The villa is spacious and easily can absorb large parties. (We had 17 adults and 2 young children). The pool is the best private pool any of us have ever experienced and is surrounded by beautiful views. Giuseppe and his staff were wonderful, both efficient and flexible. The food was delicious. We chose the Easy Package and it worked brilliantly for us. Overall, an amazing experience which all my family loved. Thankyou

La Cucina Sabina gets an 11 out of 10 on the usual rental categories: home/grounds/amenities as advertised (plus, plus!!); sights & sounds of the setting absolutely idyllic; clean/safe/easy access; most accommodating/responsive/accessible host. Then there’s the EXPERIENCE... We had a group of 14, 3 generations, ages 12-75, celebrating a 50th anniversary. All LOVED it & enjoyed an amazing, immersive REAL Italian experience. We planned our own activities. Giuseppe was a storehouse of info/recommendations, very easy to work with & more than happy to arrange whatever we wanted. No review is complete without mentioning the staff...so warm & welcoming, generous, thoughtful, & talented. Starting your day with Chef Carla’s smiling “Buongiorno!” & bountiful breakfast buffet just sets the world right. Coming “home” after a day of sightseeing, jumping in that fabulous pool & then having one of Carla’s masterpiece 4-course dinners magically appear, with Gianluca attentively serving, was a highlight along with the Sabina sunset. Then even more special moments...12-year old grandson helping Carla make the gnocchi, a master cooking class for all organized by Giuseppe & led by Chef Simone (from the American Embassy!), teens being taught the “art” of plating a traditional antipasto, the much-anticipated & thoroughly enjoyed make-your-own pizza party, & the one that brought tears to my eyes...when Carla presented her gorgeous anniversary cake & said she made it with rice flour so all in our party, including those on gluten free diet, could share in the celebration, that’s when you feel the love at La Cucina Sabina. Come & experience it for yourself. The Villa is a piece of Heaven & Most highly recommended. Mille grazie to Giuseppe, Carla, Gianluca & all others who help make it magical.

La Cucina Sabina hosted our wedding and it was seriously incredible. In all honesty, we have no complaints and only praise. Everything was perfect. The property was spectacular, the staff was incredible, the food was some of the best we have ever eaten in our life. Giuseppe’s communication with us for over 6 months planning the wedding was SO prompt and helpful. 100% recommend if you are trying to have a no stress intimate gathering with family and friends. So much love for La Cucina Sabina and wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

La Cucina Sabina hosted our wedding and it was seriously incredible. In all honesty, we have no complaints and only praise. Everything was perfect.The property was spectacular, the staff was incredible, the food was some of the best we have ever eaten in our life. Giuseppe’s communication with us for over 6 months planning the wedding was SO prompt and helpful. 100% recommend if you are trying to have a no stress intimate gathering with family and friends.So much love for La Cucina Sabina and wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

It was a dream come true!thank you for the worm, generous and professional hosting.we enjoined ALL what was offered to us and more!everything was provided with a true care, and wide heart.it was much beyond our expectationsThank you so much for everythingMenashe

It was a dream come true! thank you for the worm, generous and professional hosting. we enjoined ALL what was offered to us and more! everything was provided with a true care, and wide heart. it was much beyond our expectations Thank you so much for everything Menashe

From the moment you arrive, you are welcomed with open arms and treated like royalty. Guiseppe, the owner was always available and gave us great recommendations for activities as well arranging reservations for local restaurants. Carla, the chef, cooked incredible dinners for us. Breakfast was always greeted with a buongiorno with an amazing spread of food and espresso. The villa is situated 45 min from the heart of Rome which is easily accessible via the local train station( 5 min drive) or rent-a-car. The cooking classes are fun and informative both for adults and children. The surrounding property was perfect for our two families. We were able to take long walks as well as play hide and seek. The pool grounds are beautiful and I can only imagine how nice they are in the warmer months. This a place that once you stay, you will never forget. In fact you will be planning the next time you want to return.

For those seeking an experience filled with amazing food, gracious host and staff, photo worthy landscapes, and luxurious accommodations.....this is the place for you! My husband and I knew as soon as we were engaged that we wanted a memorable destination wedding in Italy, we just didn't know where and how to make it happen. Through a search on Tripadvisor, we found La Cucina Sabina. After reading the reviews and communicating briefly with the villa proprietor, Giuseppe Micheletta, we knew we had found our destination. The year leading up to our wedding, we had exchanged several emails with Giuseppe and even flew to Italy for a quick weekend trip to see the villa for ourselves. Every single interaction with Giuseppe, including meeting him in person, was pleasant and professional. He was always responsive and accommodating to our requests. He gave us great suggestions and all his referrals, from our officiant to the florist, were just as professional as he and all a pleasure to work with. Two weeks prior to the wedding, I decided I wanted a band. A little late, I know, but Giuseppe did not hesitate and provided us with a great recommendation. A few days prior to the wedding, we arrived at the villa with family and friends in tow. We had 18 guests, including ourselves, staying at the villa and another 6 guests staying nearby. Giuseppe greeted us, made us feel right at home, and checked in periodically during our stay to see how we were doing. The day prior to the wedding consisted of all our guests relaxing, enjoying the views of the countryside, and cooking meals together in the large kitchen. The day of the wedding started with family and friends getting ready in the villa, a fun ride through the city of Palombara as we made our way to Savelli Castle for a beautiful ceremony with the most spectacular views. The evening ending with a formal reception dinner that I literally can not put into words, one must travel to Palombara Sabina and stay at La Cucina Sabina to experience the food we experienced during our reception. The traditional Italian wedding cake that was served, I know this will be the most memorable dish of our entire stay. And the band, oh what a fun and talented band they are. From us and all of our friends and family who visited the villa, our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Giuseppe and his amazing team.

I have rented homes many times around the world over the past 20 years and Villa Tartaruga is one of the best, offering an unparalleled experience of house quality, location and outstanding cuisine. I would not hesitate to return to this beautiful villa.

Giuseppe have managed to create a piece of Italian heaven in the small town of Palombara Sabina just outside of Rome. We rented the villa to have our wedding. We were a total of 16 people that arrived almost a week prior to the wedding. And immediately we were mesmerized by the beautiful surroundings and the beautiful and well kept villa. The pool area are well kept with comfortable furnitures. The villa it self was impressive with large bedrooms all with their own bathroom. Spacious living room and a kitchen/ dining room to die for. The villa has several porches, that was a great feature, since we was traveling with teenagers and they could stay on the backside porch witch had table tennis and some workout equipment. During our stay we had a surprise celebration for my sisters 40th birthday. Carla the amazing chef prepared a wonderful dinner with the best lasagna and chocolate cake we ever had! Giuseppe were really forthcoming in helping us making reservations and made suggestions for places to see in Rome. He even popped by with fresh figs and vegetables from the garden! When we booked villa Tartaruga to have our wedding at, Nanci - Giuseppe’s sister in law was my coordinator. She did an amazing job and no question was to small or stupid. She even coordinated with the B&B next door where our other guests were staying. Nanci did a tremendous job on the wedding day, allowing me relax and enjoy the day and night. On the night before the wedding we had a pizza and prosecco party with all of our guests. That was a big hit with the pizza being made outside in a big pizza oven. And the pizza was amazing! Giuseppe has not only created a piece of heaven, he has also put together an amazing crew who do they very best so that we could have the best vacation ever. I would recommend everyone who is looking to have a wedding/ celebration/ culinary vecation or simply looking for a place to relax just a short train ride outside of Rome to consider Villa Tartaruga. We hope to return sometime soon!

We spent a week with our family and enjoyed our time immensely. The villa is beautiful and the countryside views were incredible. Upsides: -Management and staff were very responsive to our needs -Location is just north of Rome and has a country feel with farms all around. The train station is only a 5 minute drive. -We opted for chef prepared breakfast along with most dinners and would do it again. The food was delicious and varied. Kitchen was kept spotless by the chef. -House is beautiful and the pool is great. To improve: We only had house keeping one day for the week we were there. They didn't make a couple of our beds and simply laid the replacement towels in a stack in the living room. They didn't refresh the bathrooms during the cleaning day. An area they can improve upon. Overall, a wonderful experience.

Wir haben uns sehr auf diesen Urlaub gefreut und das Haus und die Anlage verspricht alles was im Vorfeld gezeigt wurde. Schönes Haus mit großer Küche und nett eingerichteten Zimmer. Von hier aus ist Rom sehr gut erreichbar durch gute Zug Anbindung aber auch durch die nah gelegene Autobahn, wobei die Straßen gewöhnungsbedürftig sind. Das Haus hat einen guten Service gesteuert durch die Hausverwaltung den Hauskepper und Vorort ist immer Herr Giuseppe Micheletta als Ansprechpartner und aber auch hilfsbereiter Partner für alle Fragen und Informationen. Wir sind hier sehr gut aufgenommen worden und würden dieses Anwesen jederzeit wieder buchen. Rom ist eine wunderschöne Stadt.

I left a part of my heart at La Cucina Sabina.... it's true. There's something so magical about this place that it's difficult to put it into words. From the moment you arrive, you are welcomed with open arms by the owner and staff at this charming villa that sits on 60 acres of rolling hills and luscious olive trees. What's amazing is it's just a short 40 minute drive from bustling Rome, but when you're here, you feel like you're hundreds of miles away. My room was so welcoming with special touches such as olive oil based amenities, high-end bathroom fixtures and a very comfortable bed outfitted with luxury linens. The fireplace in the main living room and the outdoor seating areas were so relaxing - the perfect place to read a good book. Our days were filled with some of the most amazing food that I've ever eaten. And when I say FILLED, I mean it! The "Nonna" named Carla that works tirelessly in the kitchen to cook your daily meals was nothing short of amazing. Her English is weak, but her skills are strong! From veal saltimbocca to the best pesto I've ever had to simply fresh salads and grilled vegetables to appetizers shaped like penguins made from olives and mozzarella! Carla is the Italian grandmother we all wish we had growing up, and the secret ingredient of every meal is love. She's always eager to teach you how she does it. She taught me how to make homemade pasta, which was such an amazing experience! And the pizza-making class was so much fun. In addition to the enchantment of the food at the villa, we took off-the-beaten-path trips to nearby towns with our own personal guides. We walked the tiny cobblestone streets of Orvieto, situated high atop a volcanic mountain. We toured the expansive gardens of Tivoli and dined "al fresco" at the historic Sabilla Ristorante with views that were simply breathtaking. We climbed to the top of the tower and dined inside the castle at Polambara Sabina! Every day was a curated experience that you really can't find anywhere else. We learned about the incredible olive oil harvested right here at La Cucina Sabina through a guided tasting. Olive oil is to Sabina what wine is to Tuscany. It really is something special. And now I know how to spot a quality olive oil when I'm shopping at home! I will always think fondly of my time spent at this special place. I feel like I got to experience "the real Italy." No tourist traps, no long lines or crowds. Everything was personalized. Everything was authentic.

From the moment you arrive you cannot help being swept away by the 60, beautiful lush acres that La Cucina Sabina sits upon. It's a hideaway in the hillsides; close enough to Rome and surrounding towns to visit for the day, but far enough away to to escape everyday life. We were warmly greeted by Giuseppe, one of the hosts and by Carla, the "Nonna" of the house who whipped up a "small" lunch for us. Nothing is small in Sabina; from the expansive views, treasure trove of ancient architecture, and especially the meals. Each day brought a new adventure with it; exploring Orvieto, the Villa d'Este and gardens of Tivoli that included lunch "al fresco" with the most breathtaking view you have ever seen, a private castle tour in Palombara Sabina, wine tasting, an olive oil tour & tasting (not all olive oil is created equally!), cooking lessons at the villa, a day trip to Rome and so much more. One of my favorite parts was how not touristy the areas we visited were. Having local hosts guide us through the Sabina region and Rome really gave us a unique opportunity to experience the real Italy. It gave me an appreciation of the country that I might not have experienced on a huge group tour. Plus, the food! Focaccia as light as air, sweet Sabina olive oil, fresh herbs picked straight from La Cucina Sabina's garden, homemade pesto bursting with flavor and so much more. I'm not sure if I miss the food more or seeing Carla's bright, shining face every morning cooking up another delightful meal, encouraging us to join in the fun. The kitchen truly is the heart of the home at La Cucina Sabina. I cannot say enough about this enchanting family resort in Sabina. You have to experience it yourself, and trust me, you will not regret it.

I booked the villa in February to go to the Six Nations game between England and Italy for my brothers stag do. Giuseppe was brilliant and helped arrange everything from taxis, restaurant recommendations, arranging a pizza making class and our dinner on the first night. He was very responsive and answered all our questions and was always willing to help. The villa was unbelievable, huge space so that everyone could be together and all the rooms are brilliant. Having the table tennis was great and the views are amazing, we didn't use the pool but it looked amazing. Getting in and out of Rome was easy, £100 taxi each way, or drive in within 35 mins. We had dinner provided by the resident chef which was brilliant (highly recommend) and also ran a pizza making class which was very fun and the food was great. Definitely will be going back again! Thank you so much Giuseppe you helped make it an amazing trip!

Just fantatstic from the excellent pre arrival communication ( Guiseppe speaks excellent english), warm welcome, Carla's cooking for the breakfasts was extrordinary, huge variety of goodies & all but the almond croissants made from scratch. Brilliant evening meals and so obliging. All as described. No 'buts', all in all cannot recommend highly enough. Olive oil and wine tours much enjoyed. Go for one of the catering packages - FAB!

We went here for my 50th Birthday, 14 of us. The villa was amazing just like the photos. It was extremely spacious with great views and a huge pool. The food was exceptional, The pizza and tiramisu class was fun. Giuseppe and the lovely staff Carla and Vera made sure we were very well catered for, nothing was a problem for them. Great thing about this villa is, it's only about 45 minutes from Rome. Will definitely go back.

Lieber Giuseppe, vielen Dank für den tollen Urlaub. Giuseppe und sein Team sind perfekte Gastgeber. Wir (15Personen) haben eine Woche in dem Haus gelebt. Die Zimmer sind hochwertig und großzügig ausgestattet. Jedes Zimmer hat sein Bad integriert. Der Wohn-, Ess- und Küchenbereich ist offen und ebenfalls sehr großzügig gestaltet. Zu jeder Seite gehen Terassentüren in den wundervollen Garten. Der Pool ist unfassbar!!! Sehr groß und sauber. Jeden Morgen haben wir den Tag mit ein bisschen Morgensport begonnen :-) Bei Giuseppe können verschiedene Servicepakete gebucht werden. Wir haben jeden Tag ein tolles Frühstück und an vier Abenden ein perfektes Dinner im Haus gehabt ( Carla ist eine begnadete Köchin ) Unser persönliches Highlight war aber unsere Hochzeit. Giuseppe hat alles perfekt organisiert. Angefangen bei der Auswahl vom Standesamt, über die Dolmetscherin, den Blumen und der perfekte Empfang am Abend in der Villa. Vielen Dank!!! Wir werden definitiv wieder kommen. Liebe Grüße Sarah und Stefan

La Tartaruga Sabina Villa is beautiful. We arrived in beautiful Italy in mid December 2012. This was our 1st trip to Europe for all the members of our family. We choose La Tartaruga for our vacation stay and the location of our wedding nuptials. Giuseppe, the property owner, attended to all the details to make our 12 day stay comfortable, relaxing and the most memorable. The grounds are beautiful and the surrounding rolling hills with views of other villas at a distant is just breathe taking. I always imagined Italy to look just like this. The Villa is very spacious. It is situtated on acres of beautiful olive and cherry trees. The property is gated which made us feel very safe. We were a party of 5. We had more than enough space. We had our wedding on the grounds at the gazebo located by the pool area. This was romantic. The best part of staying at the villa was that it was close enough to the city of Rome and all the sites. At the end of a day of sightseeing we would be back in a very spacious comfortable villa and not in a cramped, small, noisy hotel room. The train is very close to the villa. Need a rental car to get to around the small town. The road to the train station is not walkable. The train into Rome comes every 15 mins. Very easy to get around into Rome. Giuseppe, arranged for his Villa Chef to cater our wedding dinner.....all I can say is OMG..the food was delicious. All homemade with the freshest ingrediants available. We had a 6 course meal. The round table was set so that we had a beautiful view of the lighted pool area thru the floor to ceiling windows. The elegant table setting and ambiance that was created by Guiseppe was more than what we ever expected. To stay in a villa in Italy was the best decision we made. It really gives you a feeling of what Itailian lifestyles are really like. We wanted to have that experience and La Tartaruga did not disappoint. We will be back in the future. We highly recommend this property for your next stay in Italy. Thank you Guiseppe for everything.

Myself, my fiance and my family stayed at La Tartaruga villa for a week and had our wedding reception in the grounds of the villa. We all had one of the best weeks of our life. The villa is breath-takingly beautiful and the facilities are fantastic. The owners are a lovely family and over the two years that it took to plan our wedding they were incredibly helpful and kind. This continued on the day of the wedding and throughout our stay at the villa. I felt like I was dealing with friends when dealing with the owners. The catering for our reception was just exceptional and our every need and desire was catered for. The villa is located in the countryside surrounding Rome. If you stay there you will need a car to travel around but we and all of our guests found that driving and shopping locally only enhanced our experience and we all enjoyed it. Food and drink at the local supermarkets is relatively cheap and we spent a lot less then we thought. In addition there is a superb restaurant only next door to the villa which is also relatively cheap. The whole experience was just wonderful and I find it difficult to put all my feelings into words. I recommend this villa either for a wedding or holiday without reservation!! Thank you Giuseppe and Andrea for everything!! :-)

We stayed in this lovely villa with our four children and one grandfather. It was so spacious and comfortable. The pool was perfect on those hot days and was a wonderful retreat after exploring Rome. Our tour guide, Gastone, was highly recommended by Giuseppe, the villa's owner; and we highly recommend him. It was a perfect trip, and the Giuseppe's help in organizing trips/rental cars/ getting groceries was most appreciated. Thank you for the memories!

I rented this for a group of nine friends and they all loved it and are still raving about it. The place was just as beautiful as the pictures and the views are fantastic. The beds were comfortable and the bathrooms were modern and clean. The kitchen was well equipped for a large group and the pool and terrace surrounding it were huge. I would rent this again if it there were not so many places to see in the world.

Our company rented the villa for a business trip to the area surrounding Rome. We were a party, pun intended,of 12. The villa is immaculate & could have been designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The artwork alone is worth the stay. A sprawling estate, the villa has bedrooms galore and privacy for everyone. Perhaps the biggest and most beautiful private pool I have ever seen. This is a foodie paradise with the outdoor grill and wood fired pizza oven. Giuseppe, the owner, is a young and enthusiastic recovering lawyer who is transistioning into an olive oil producer. He will tell you remarkable stories about Sabina. He speaks fluent english and he is a font of knowledge. The villa has every possible convenience. We loved the covered wrap around patio with huge tables made from volcanic rock from Mt Etna. Simply stunning. The train station could not be more convenient - a quick 3 minute drive and shopping is only ten minutes away. La Tartaruga would be the perfect place to have a wedding or other large function. Do have Giuseppe make arrangments for dining at nearby family farm restaurants for amazing meals. Do have Giuseppe arrange for Claudio the Pizza Maestro to come out and teach you everything you always wanted to know about wood fired pizza ovens. You will have your own private Pizzaria for a night. We were so happy with our experience that I booked again for each of the next two years before we left. The peace and solitude of this villa and the land called Sabina is unmatched - anywhere. Five stars is simply not enough.

We stayed at the villa with with two other families and it was absolutely perfect. There were 14 of us and we stayed comfortably with a rooms for all. The villa and it's grounds are perfect for a large number because there are places to enjoy each other as well as space for privacy. Giuseppe is an awesome host who is willing and able to assist guests with questions or issues (yes we had one) that may arise. The location of the villa is perfect. We toured Rome using the regional train and metro. Very user friendly! We also had a car to enjoy local towns. I suggest researching local attractions, they were worth the drive. The pool and open air of the villa was amazing after a long day of tours and travel. We would stay there again!!! Oh, and Buoniorno to Pizza!!!!!! Randi Vicenzi

This villa is a must stay. I can't stress that enough. As nice as the pictures are, they do not even do it justice. The villa itself is amazing and the landscape that surrounds it is truly breathtaking. My husband and I recently rented the villa for one week so that both of our families could stay together and we could have our wedding at the villa as well. Our families ages range from toddler to 60+ years of age - so the villa is truly suitable for all ages. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. The amenities were amazing! The villa is very spacious with a very large swimming pool, spa, tennis courts, ping pong table, workout equipment, and more! The location is perfect for a nice peaceful retreat, while also in the midst of plenty to do as there are several nearby towns for grocery shopping, restaurants, etc. and of course, Rome was only 30 minutes away. We also traveled to Florence by car while we were there, and it only took about 2 hours. Giuseppe, one of the owners, was incredibly helpful answering all of our questions and truly going above and beyond in helping us plan our vacation. Since we were traveling from the US and trying to plan a wedding, it was a bit difficult to know who to hire, etc, but Giuseppe helped us with every single detail of the planning process. In every aspect, this villa is truly a dream, and I highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Italy!

Not only was the Villa exactly as described and pictured, the views of the countryside were even better than shown. The Villa has a casual elegance. We arrived the beginning of March and stayed the entire month. We were able to see the weather change from snow capped mountains in the distance, to rolling hills of peach and cherry blossoms around the Villa. The family of the owners, especially Giuseppe, went above and beyond helping us have a vacation of a lifetime, including scheduling catered dinners, private chefs and pizza from the outdoor brick oven. He was very helpful at providing suggestions, planning excursions and getting us out of a few difficult situations. The restaurant at the agritourismo next door provides fantastic food at reasonable prices. It is really convenient and the chef, Stephania is friendly as well as a great cook. Local restaurants were all good and better priced than in Roma. If going to Tivoli, I would definitely recommend eating at Sibilla, an historic and gourmet treat. Other things within driving distance worth visiting include Villa Adriana, Villa d'Este in Tivoli, the spa town of Viterbo, Palombara Sabina and the Porta Di Roma Mall. While not one to visit malls, it has an amazing grocery store in it. During the month, we went in to Roma via train more times than I can count. The location of the train line near the villa makes exploring Roma easy. The train was the easiest option unless a late night was planned, as the last train running back while we were visiting was 10:45 at night. I would recommend that if you plan on using the train frequently, buy a weekly or muti-day metro pass, as the local gas station where tickets are sold does not always have them. Also, if you have a lot of guests, it is easier to go to and from the station in multiple cars. Some of the most enjoyable times were simply relaxing at the Villa, playing cards in the game room, walking the beautiful grounds, or cooking great Italian meals in the kitchen at the Villa. Even the dogs around the property were friendly. I am looking forward to my next vacation at La Tartaruga Sabina!

We had 14 people at the villa including six very active teens and tweens. There was plenty of room inside and out. It was the perfect location for hopping on a train to explore Rome or seeing the numerous wonderful smaller towns around the area. The restaurant next door was wonderful and the owners very kind. The whole family fell in love with Giuseppe. He had everything in order and was always available for any questions and help. This is the villa to stay in if you are going to be in this region of Italy.

I cannot say enough good things about La Tartaruga Sabina! The villa itself was breathtakingly beautiful, and more than sufficient to handle our group of 18 people. There were large common areas where people could be together when they wanted, yet we also had secluded and peaceful rooms for private time. Every room from the villa had amazing and awe-inspiring views of the surrounding green hills and fields of olive trees - the villa even makes its own olive oil! Also, if you can't tell from the photographs, the windows/walls of the common area are actually doors that open onto beautiful patio areas. I kept picturing how wonderful it must be there in the summer months with those doors opening the house to the breeze of its beautiful outdoor surroundings. Also, the location of the villa was perfect. Quiet and serene, the villa is about 30 minutes from Roma via train/metro, and only a bit longer on the days we drove into the Eternal City (on the Via Salaria). Also, because of its remote location, we were able to see a lot of the small, wonderful country towns in the Sabine region, and taste the rustic and delicious regional food! In fact, there is a small agroturismo restaurant next door to the villa which served amazing food - we had a blast there on New Year's Eve. I also cannot say enough about Guiseppe, the proprietor. He was very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, and was always there to answer our questions and address our concerns. He even brought over a Christmas tree for us when we first arrived! If you visit the villa, I would definatley recommend eating at the agroturismo restaurant next door to the property. I would also recommend visiting Palombara Sabina and its castle, (15 minute drive away) and the small town of Caperia (about 40 minutes by car). Also, ask Guiseppe to set up a tour of Rome with Gastone, who gave us a great tour of the Vatican. My only regret was that we visited in winter. I will have to go back in the summer months so we can swim in the pool. Ciao!