Our lodging during our stay in Italy was second only to the incredible food we ate over the two weeks. For our limited budget, we ended up staying in apartments I would have thought would be twice the rate. Our apartment in Rome had treated us fabulously, allowing us to enjoy a few lunches at home and given us the space to kick back and relax. It was going to be hard to top it.

{photo href=’http://www.flickr.com/photos/chancesend/352628900/’ src=’http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/352628900_e325269c5f_m.jpg’ width=’240′ title=’The patio of Il Sole Del Sodo’ caption=’The patio of Il Sole Del Sodo’ float=’left’}However, I had a surprise for T in Cortona – I hadn't told her much about the place, only that it was a bed & breakfast on the outskirts of town. Upon renting our car, we followed the directions given to us by the owner. After making the last turn, we came across the "Il Sole Del Sodo", a simply picturesque Tuscan building. It had a vine-covered iron gate guarding a wonderful courtyard with canopies, shrubs, trees, flowers and a pair of small balconies overlooking the entrance.

The owner greeted us with a warm friendly smile, and showed us to our room, the "Stanza del Passato" (Room of the Past). Decorated with paintings and objects from Italy's past (mostly fashion), it was a wonderfully-lit home away from home. We quickly dropped our bags to take a more thorough tour. Between the sitting room well-stocked with books and the spacious dining room, this was the kind of place one could stay at for weeks at a time.

But we hadn't even seen the pool yet (only heard there was one). Antsy to take a dip after our long train ride, we put on our suits and headed out back. Let me tell you, a finer sight there never was. Sitting on the deck chairs beside the pool, we had a wonderful view of the marble pool and the entire Cortona countryside. Looking up, bunches of grapes were dangling just waiting to be picked and eaten. Off to the side, fig trees' branches were hanging low from the weight of their fruit. And there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Though within walking distance of Cortona proper, the town is so incredibly hilly that a car is pretty much mandatory. Though Cortona isn't in my near-term radar anytime soon, if I'm ever there again, this fabulous bed & breakfast will be at the top of my list.