Am I missing something with the bad reviews ?…read more What a gem in the mountains of Tuscany . We were woken every morning by a chorus of beautiful singing birds to views to die for . The breakfast of fresh fruit with fresh baked Italian breads and croissants and fresh honeycomb overlooking the valley was dreamlike . Barga , is about a 10 minute drive through fairytale landscapes to a multitude of restaurants and trattorias , charming is an understatement . I would highly recommend this fantastic hotel . Thank you to all the wonderful welcoming staff . Ciao!

I miss this hotel so much. We spent eight nights at Il Ciocco, and I honestly can't imagine…read morereturning to Tuscany and staying anywhere else. Where to begin... We visited in November and had no idea (1) how cold it would be (LOL), or (2) that it was the off-season which meant the hotel was basically empty. Don't mind if I do. As Titanium Bonvoy members, we were upgraded to the Penthouse and that alone made the stay unforgettable. There's nothing quite like waking up and stepping onto your own balcony to sweeping views of the Tuscan landscape. The penthouse itself was lovely and incredibly spacious. That said, the hotel is a bit dated. We didn't mind at all, but there are small things that could clearly be improved: the shower was tricky to turn on because a piece was out of place, the towels were on the smaller side and not the best quality, and the heat pumps could be questionably loud at times. And yet... we still loved the hotel. Even if you don't stay in the penthouse (that wasn't our plan either, just a very happy surprise), the views are dramatic from pretty much everywhere on the property. The hotel is expansive, remote (very much so, you'll definitely need a car), and the staff is truly incredible. Special shoutout to Alice, who was amazing, though honestly, everyone we interacted with was great. On one rainy day, a staff member literally gave me her personal umbrella (despite my insisting she didn't have to) so I wouldn't get soaked. Because we visited during the off-season, we didn't use many of the hotel's amenities, and breakfast was a bit underwhelming, though that may very well be seasonal. All in all, we loved our stay and would absolutely recommend Il Ciocco Renaissance!

An incredible B&B in a wonderful village…read more The location is perfect and the owners Susi and Ron are gracious and kind. You will enjoy the time and dedication put into making this a comfortable home for your holiday.

This was our third dinner in Tuscany and by far the BEST!!! The pasta is amazing! Wonderful…read morehospitality, cappuccino, limoncello and house wine... we may make another trip back before we leave.

Rita Lucherini's hands on cooking class was a delight. With one day's notice, she picked us up at…read moreour hotel in Barga. In her large kitchen we made bruschetta, farro soup, 4 kinds of pasta from scratch (tagliatelle, maccheroni, ravioli, and spaghetti), 4 sauces (pomodoro, ragu, Salciccia , and butter with fresh sage), and tiramisu. Lots of chopping and simmering and getting our hands "dirty"! While cooking we had white wine, then red with dinner. She's a great teacher. Nothing fancy, just how to make good food in a simple way. Price was 85 euro each....we thought that was quite reasonable for 5 hours of cooking and eating, with recipes to take home! She's Italian, born in Scotland, so excellent English. Rita also has a few apartments and a B&B called La Mezzaluna, so she offers 4 and 7 day cooking experiences with some side trips to nearby places in Tuscany. Much less expensive than the upscale, pricey things I've seen advertised. I think her website is www.residencelamezzaluna.it She's also on Facebook.

From the owner: Have fun and join our cookery and wine tasting holiday in this beautiful part of Northern Tuscany…read more Combine cooking and wine tasting and learn all the basic Italian cooking techniques and traditions la bella "Garfagnana and Serchio Valley has to offer. We will visit our local market, wander the streets of Barga, known as one of the prettiest villages in Italy and we shall visit Lucca and Pisa .The most part of the time there are concerts, folk festivals, outdoor food festivals (where you can savour typical products), theatre, Barga Jazz and the Opera Barga. Available is my 4 night and 7 night holiday which includes accomodation all meals airport and local transfers,cooking and wine tasting sessions plus live entertainment with Alex. You may want to join my daily lesson which lasts 4 hours and we will then savour together our meal prepared with a glass of finest Tuscan wine. Come to La Mezzaluna and Cook and Dine with Rita Tuscan Style..