On a recent girls' week trip to Cortona, Italy, seven girlfriends and I stayed at the Il Sole del Sodo Bed and Breakfast (Località il Sodo, 5, 6, 52044 Cortona, Arezzo, Italy.) What a beautiful venue in a beautiful part of Tuscany. We occupied many of the Bed & Breakfast's rooms; some shared rooms and others had rooms or suites to themselves. Il Sole del Sodo is run by the delightful and ever-helpful Claudia, along with Rose and Paola, her terrific staff. The morning breakfast buffet is terrific with lots of delicious home baked goods. The breakfast bar also includes fresh fruit, cheese, and charcuterie, plus eggs for a little extra by request. Four of our group took a cooking class from Claudia; it was fun and the food we made for their dinner was outstanding and authentic Italian. Claudia cooks dinner only a couple of times per week, so be sure to arrange that in advance. We opted for dinner on the day we arrived, and it was a very relaxing dinner in the beautiful and quiet garden patio. The property includes a pool so bring a swimsuit. Because we didn't all have a rental car, Claudia even helped us arrange for transportation during the week. The location is at the bottom of the hilltop town of Cortona and it's a fun hike up to the top of Cortona through the vineyards, horse property, and olive trees. Or you can hike the road but it's not as fun, especially during heavy traffic times. Try to get a room near the pool toward the back of the property as some in our party had rooms on the second floor and could hear some road noise at night. Claudia was very responsive during our months of planning, giving us recommendations for restaurants and other places in the area. Overall, the experience at Il Sole del Sodo was wonderful and is highly recommended. read more