Country Homes & Interiors
Recently Casa Glyn has been featured in Country Homes and Interiors, the magazine for today's country home.
Download and read the article here
Visitors Book
"My husband and I stayed at Casa Glyn this September and for two weeks I was in Heaven. Casa Glyn itself gives you a sense of being at home with its charming and tasteful style and the views all around give you a feeling of peace and of being at one with the world. We had great fun exploring the many charming villages and towns that give Italy its magic charm. Even though Merrion lives next door she is very tactful and discreet and in fact we loved having her nearby and she gave us lots of useful tips on places to visit that we would never have found without her. Thank you Merrion and I can't wait to return."
Sarah Hardy, Arundel, UK – September 2011
"Thank you for a wonderful stay in Casa Glyn which we shall both treasure. The view from the bedroom in the morning is imprinted in my mind as if it were a dream – I have never woken up to anything more beautiful. Thank you also for taking me on our sun worshipping trip to Eco del Mare - I was very glad to be there with you. We hope to return some day soon."
Nikki & James, London, UK, July 2011
"We cannot recommend highly enough the villa of Casa Glyn if you want to get away from it all and find your own little spot of paradise up in Northern Tuscany. You have all the benefits of being up in the mountains and yet are only an hour or so away from the sea as well. The location is far enough off the tourist track to make you feel like one of the locals yet close enough to key attractions such as Pisa, Lucca, Cinque Terre and The Apennines that you can do as much or as little as you want! We certainly made as much use as we could from the wonderful pool but also ventured further afield and headed for some of the more traditional tourist haunts as well as some slightly more energetic activities including a couple of walks around the villa itself plus an excursion into The Apennines!
Merrion is an absolute font of all knowledge when it comes to places to visit and restaurants to eat in and was just so helpful and patient with all our questions - each restaurant just seemed to get better and better. However, Casa Glyn is such a beautiful and peaceful place to be that we often just ate in having bought all our food from Fivizzano. This is certainly not a tourist trap but a wonderful example of local Italian life! We bought all we needed in the Alimentari, ate as much Gelati as we could and just soaked up the atmosphere of the local Italians going about their everyday lives. The villa has its own pizza oven and we even managed to make our own using dough bought from the local bakery – absolutely delicious and so much fun to cook as well – everyone should have a go!!
We can certainly see why Merrion fell in love with this part of Tuscany – if you want a relaxed holiday in a wonderful villa with Merrion just next door to help you out as much or as little as you need, then you really can't go wrong with Casa Glyn. The crowning glory – a fabulous little Border Terrier called MoJo who is, without doubt, absolutely adorable and is a little taste of home from home!! "
David & Anne-Laure Green & David & An De Ganck from UK & France - June 2011
Dear Merrion and MoJo,
Thank you so much for a truly enjoyable honeymoon. We chose this place because of the picture of MoJo and have been calling it Casa MoJo for the last few months! Well MoJo didn’t let us down. It has been a totally perfect place to relax - the views are spectacular and the villa has been ideal. Thank you so much for all your recommendations - particularly Marina Piccola in Manarola (Cinque Terre). The seafood antipasti was incredible... Thank you again.
Oonagh & Matt Harrison, London , UK - June 2010.
"Lovely and relaxing holiday in Italy - sightseeing, swimming, even hiking... wonderful view from Casa Glyn - enjoyed during lazy sunny breakfasts and some other meals. Warm thanks for Merrion and Pietro for the lovely and funny cooking class and the dinner, we really enjoyed it. P.s. Good luck for MoJo and her ‘boyfriends’!!!!"
Leena Hauhio & family, Helsinki , Finland - June 2010.
Dear Merrion and MoJo,
We couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful location for our first visit to Tuscany. Casa Glyn has more than surpassed our expectations (your photos don’t do it justice!!), with its outstanding view and serene setting. Your advice, local knowledge and help with our “pies” (homemade pizzas!) was invaluable and very appreciated. We hope to keep in touch and return very soon! Thanks again!
Carol, Scott, Linda and Allan - Glasgow , UK - July 2010.
Dear Merrion
A very special week! Excellent house, spectacular surroundings and a superb hostess always providing those bits of advice that make a holiday special.
Thank you.
Anton, Angela, Maria, Carla & Michael Colella - Glasgow , UK - July 2010.
Dear Merrion
We drove all the way from Finland down to Italy to enjoy a wonderful week at Casa Glyn. Beautiful house, splendid views and the Italian atmosphere. Every day well over 30 degrees - the pool as just the right place to cool down after the daily trips to Lucca, Cinque Terre, Carrara mines and Parma... Thank you for letting us stay here from the wonderful week.
Keskivaari Family - Finland - July 2010.
"A couple of friends along with ourselves, wanted to find somewhere special in Tuscany to celebrate both our 25th wedding anniversaries.
Having come across Casa Glynn on the internet we chose to spend our first week in
Tuscany in this is idyllic sounding place.
We were not to be disappointed, Merrion could not have been more helpful sharing with us her passion for Italy and knowledge of Tuscany and the local area. On her recommendation we found down in Fivivizzano a wonderful café that provided us with the most fabulous homemade ice cream and also a general shop which was a treasure trove of local produce which made our meals into culinary delights. The couple of walks Merrion suggested we took when we could tear ourselves away from those magnificent views were very enjoyable.
Our stay could not have been more comfortable in the very tastefully decorated Casa Glyn, everything you could possibly need, Merrion, had thought of right down to her home made olive oil and the lovely red wine locally produced in the village of Cotto.
Our wedding anniversary was made into a memorable evening by Pietro cooking us feast of local dishes and finishing off the night entertaining us with his singing while Merrion played the piano. Memories of the deers coming down to the river to drink in front of the terrace, the cows been led off in the mornings with the farmer, their bells ringing across the valley than returning of an evening, the shooting stars, the pool where we whiled away the afternoons views of very dramatic Apuane mountains and of course Mojo, Merrion's trusty companion. Truly wonderful memories to take away with us. Thank you for sharing such a special place."
Best wishes Gilly, Malcolm, Elizabeth and Christopher - Jersey, Channel Islands - May 2010.
"We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Casa Glyn:
Fantastic scenery, particularly the view from the terrace where we whiled our time away listening to Sarah play your piano (a big plus for her - just heard that she gained a distinction in her grade 8 flute exam!). We usually do quite a lot of day trips on our holidays but this place was just perfect for us to wind down/recuperate. Villa accommodation was ‘home from home’; internal furnishings, pool and terrace area, all contributing to relaxing and had everything we needed. It was also a bonus to have yourself and Mojo on site helping us to make the most of the location - your information folder was also very useful."
Thanks again for your help. We will definitely recommend you to anyone else thinking of going to Italy.
Best wishes - it was a real pleasure to meet you."
Taylor Family from Dubai - July 2009 Casa Glyn
"Casa Glyn is a wonderful, peaceful and relaxing place to stay. The house is well equipped and very comfortable. Merrion, the owner, is very welcoming and helpful and has a great knowledge of the area. The view from the terrace is wonderful. It's a real pleasure to just sit and gaze at the mesmerising view down the valley to Fivizzano and over to the Apuan Alps. The town of Fivizzano is small but has great food shops. We shopped at the butcher, baker and Alimentari recommended by Merrion. It was great to be able to make the most of the wonderful food that was available. The staff at the shops were very friendly and helpful even though they didn't speak english and out Italian was extremely basic! We never went to a supermarket as it was such a pleasure to shop at these shops.
Casa Glyn has a wood fired pizza oven on the terrace which produces great tasting pizza. We bought the dough for the pizzas from the baker which made things much easier. It takes a while for the oven to get hot so while you're waiting you can sit on the terrace with a glass of wine and enjoy the view.
Many of the sites of Tuscany are easy to do for a day trip. The Cinque Terre is a good day out and the scenery is beautiful. But sometimes it's hard to drag yourself away from the peacefulness of Casa Glyn. It's nice just to go down to Fivizzano, enjoy a coffee and pastry by the fountain in the piazza, shop for your food supplies and then head back to Casa Glyn and relax on the terrace or by the pool. If you are feeling energetic there are good walks from the house.
Fivizzano is definitely not a tourist town which for us helped make our stay more enjoyable. To us it was a taste of 'real' Italy .
I would recommend staying at Casa Glyn to anybody who enjoys getting away from it all while still having the option to venture out to the sites of Tuscany."
Hewitt Family Michigan USA - June 2009 Casa Glyn
"What can we say…we knew that Casa Glyn would be beautiful but, it exceeded all expectations. Our photos & my (lame) painting cannot begin to capture the magic. We thank you very much for your hospitality - meeting you has made our trip even better. We understand why you love it so much. We love it too! Our last evening with Pietro as chef was truly perfect!! Thank you so very much for everything. We will be back. Kind regards Diane, Jim, Jamie & Mike Dondero. We loved meeting MoJo too!!
Dondero family USA - May 2009
"The most important thing to remember when you rent Casa Glyn is that you're not going to feel like a tourist. All of my prior experiences in Europe were centered on major cities and this was the antithesis of those trips. The town of Cotto where the villa is located and the nearby town of Fivizzano are both warm and delightfully small. If there are tourists in the area they're so well dispersed you wont even know it. And with all that being said, Casa Glyn is still just a stones throw from most of the attractions you'll want to visit while in Tuscany .
The villa itself is a remarkable property. Merrion has managed to maintain it's old world appeal while updating it beautifully to meet more modern expectations. But what stood out for my family and me was the setting. Even though it's nestled up against the town, most parts of the property give you the feeling that you're all alone in paradise. The views of the surrounding hills and valley, back dropped by majestic alpine mountains are now etched in my permanent memory bank. Coming from the U.S. with such a daunting exchange rate to overcome, the lovely kitchen and cooking facilities proved a Godsend. And, even though the home isn't huge, all of our 9 party members had a very comfortable place to sleep.
Casa Glyn is for those who want to be near enough to the traditional allures of Tuscany , with the option to pass on them entirely and still have a wonderful time. For us it was perfect."
Doug Tarter June 2008. Casa Glyn.
I would thorougly recommend this villa for a truly relaxing and luxurious holiday. Merrion, the owner, is extremely welcoming, the house was beautifully clean and everything had been done to make our stay very comfortable. The village-edge location is very rural, private and quiet and we saw eagles soaring overhead. The view from the spacious raised terrace is absolutely breathtaking, so mesmerising that we could have sat all day under the vine-covered pergola having long lazy lunches with a glass or 2 of wine, gazing at the distant mountains and the very green countryside all around. It is equally beautiful by moonlight with the lights of the little town of Fivizzano twinkling below and chatting on the terrace in the evening warmth is a true pleasure. The farmhouse itself is very rustic and beautifully restored and from the master bedroom, which has a spacious and glamorous bathroom next to it, you can lie in bed and look at the mountains. Downstairs the sitting room and dining room are open plan but on split levels, which gives the farmhouse a feeling of spaciousness. The kitchen is very well-equipped with everything you might need. The swimming pool looks out in the other direction to the hills behind - there is nothing to spoil the feeling of being in a totally natural landscape and in the evening the swallows come down and dip over the surface of pool - I counted 15 one evening. If you would like a trip out, the pretty town of Fivizzano is close and you can shop in the market ther once a week and sit in a pavement cafe in the attractive market square and watch the world go by. The beautiful rugged coastline of the Cinque Terre is close, with its picturesque fishing villages with pastel-coloured houses and lovely coastal walks. You can park the car and take the train along the coastline (the cost of this is peanuts!), have a delicious seafood lunch in one of the villages and then a dip in the sea. To recap, if you enjoy old buildings, peaceful locations and beautiful natural environments, then you will love this place.
Louise and Attilio
Recommended for: Age 55+, Romantic Getaway, Pet-friendly, Families with Young Children, Families with Teenagers
Casa Glyn was perfect! The location was unbelievable. Peace and tranquility with a view to die for. In fact the villa and its location were so fantastic that we didn't go anywhere or do anything . . . except eat and drink fantastic local food on the wonderful terrace and laze by the pool. Every detail has been considered and the villa felt like a real home. We would love to come back.
Kasia & Graham
Recommended for: Age 55+, Romantic Getaway, Pet-friendly, Girls Getaway
Casa Glynn is a very nice villa that I would recommend to visitors that appreciate high quality. Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchen and bathrooms are all in a high quality. The terrace provides an excellent view and has ample room for 6-8 people. Both owner and caretaker speak English and are very helpful. Visitors should be prepared for a 15-30 minutes drive for grocery shopping.
Klaus, Denmark
What a fantastic place! The quality of accommodation is superb, especially the kitchen which is not only equipped with all the utensils and euipment you need but also many basic ingredients. However, it's not the inside where you spend the majority of your time and the outside spaces are just as impressive. We spent hours sitting on the spacious terrace over looking the hills and town below us - even seeing some deer one evening. The pizza oven is fantastic fun and produces amazing results (with practice)! Finally the pool provides gorgeous relief from the heat and is wonderful to spend the odd day lazing around. Fivuzanno (sp?) is just a 15 minute drive away and contains everything you need, from banks to a bakery to restaurants. I'd have no hesitation in recommending this as a fantastic villa to get away from everything and relax.
Matt and Jane
Recommended for: Sightseeing, Romantic Getaway, Families with Teenagers, Girls Getaway
Wow! What a view! Lovely time thank you ,an unspoilt part of Italy! The walking is excellent and folk very friendly - Love the house.
Thanks! Andy, Gill, Ian & Carolyn April 2004
We really needed a peaceful, relaxing holiday & Casa Glyn could not have been bettered - extremely comfortable, gorgeous & well-equipped kitchen, stunning views. ……The evenings were blissful too - cooking in the pizza oven, watching the stars and the big moon rise over the sky - and the fireflies were amazing! We’ve never seen so many….Could anything be bettered?...
Suzie and Simon June 2006
We arrived to a gorgeous, relaxing and well equipped house with breathtaking views. Karsten was a great help and the maid was so sweet and so keen to speak, however our Italian was limited to almost zero. The first few days were spent relaxing by the pool and dining on the terrace with the swallows swooping above. The evening sunsets beautiful and the sky at night a dream with shooting stars and one night a great views of the milky way……..I have to say that we didn’t see anywhere as beautiful as Cotto and its view, it is truly wonderful.
Best wishes - The Gibsons August 2006
A fabulous week. It was so exciting to arrive through the tiny roads in Cotto to such an idyllic house. The views are magnificent and everything in the house really comfortable and the kitchen is a dream!....Great week - so relaxing.
The Cox Family August 2006
Thank you for a truly wonderful stay here at Casa Glyn. We really enjoyed everything from those fabulous dinners on the terrace, to the pool and all the excellent villages all around.
Hans Ahlgren, Sweden.
We had a fantastic time in italy. The weather became a bit changeable but we were so busy exploring that it didn't really matter. The house was lovely and we really enjoyed being there, its a pity we didn't have longer.
Richard Alden August 2007
Just thought I would say thank you for a wonderful time spent at Casa Glynn. We thought the house and it's position were superb.
Helen Ballinger July 2006
We really enjoyed our holiday at Casa Glyn, it is a really beautiful house and staggering view. Please let Max know that we really enjoyed the fabulous meal he cooked for us while we were there. Max's food and that view are a very memorable combination!
Alison Eagle Summer 2007
Hi Merrion, great to meet you last week and thank you in person for helping us to have a great break. Just wanted to take this opportunity to reinforce the great time we had, Casa Glyn is in an amazing spot and the quality of the villa helped us to enjoy our holiday.
Matt Nicolle August 2007
Thank you so much for your beautiful house. We had a great time. We enjoyed the amazing views and the great design. It seems that you thought about everything until the tiny details. The atmosphere was peaceful and calming and that was exactly what we needed. ……Thank you.
Riftin Family, Israel September 2007
We’ve loved our visits to Casa Glyn - it’s a magical place!
Having spent many holidays in Italy it was so nice to find somewhere really unspoilt and peaceful with the most stunning views. I could easily have sat on that terrace all day just looking at the changing light over the mountains. When we did drag ourselves away, we discovered what a fantastic spot this is to explore this undiscovered part of Tuscany and the Ligurian coast - and there are loads of gems like Lucca close by.
The Cinque Terre was our favourite place - not to be missed! The boat trip along the Gulf of Poets, the walk among the vineyards between 2 or 3 of the jewel-like villages perched high above the coast and the seafood lunch right by the sea at Manarola - that was a memorable day. Another great outing was a trip up into the foothills of the Apennines - well worth it for the wonderful sweeping drive through chestnut and pine forests and more spectacular views.
What a delightful house too! You have thought of everything and we loved the way you’ve decorated it - it feels very personal, comfortable and relaxing - a real home rather than a holiday house. We really enjoyed cooking in your kitchen, obviously designed by a real cook! It was a real pleasure to pick up the freshest ingredients nearby and come back and cook them, glass of wine in hand, occasionally peering out again at the view. Thank you so much for letting us share your lovely home. We look forward to coming back!
Fiona and Gareth Shannon - September 2005