Reservations
A 50 percent deposit is requested to book the property in the off-season, and a 30 percent deposit is requested for July and August. Full payment is required two months before guests arrive. In case of cancellation, a full refund will be granted if the property can be let again in the time remaining, less the costs of re-advertising the property. We regret that no refund can be given if a reservation is cancelled within 2 weeks of the reserved time.
Airports
It is about one-and-a-quarter to one-and-a-half hours from Pisa airport to Reusa, depending on the traffic. On Saturdays, the traffic is no problem, but on a week day, allow longer for possible traffic delays. Genoa airport is about the same distance as Pisa, and Florence Airport is about 30 minutes further.
How to Reach Reusa
There are two ways of getting to Reusa, one via Casola, and the other via Fivizzano. The route via Casola is an easier drive, but has more traffic on weekdays, such as buses and marble lorries. The road via Fivizzano is a beautiful drive over the mountains, but it’s not for timid drivers, and is not recommended at night.
Directions from Pisa Airport
via Casola
From Pisa, turn left out of the car rental center and follow signs to the Autostrada. Take the Autostrada NORTH towards La Spezia/Parma/Genova. (follow signs carefully, some people have taken the wrong turn at this point.)
Continue north past Carrara and Massa. Then look out for the turning off the Autostrada to PARMA. Turn off towards Parma (be careful you don’t go on towards La Spezia.) Take the first turning off the Autostrada at AULLA. It will now take about 30 to 40 mins. to drive to Reusa.
Go through the payment booth (through the Cash booth, not the Speedpass), over the long bridge across the river, and at the junction, turn right towards the town center. You want to follow signs to FIVIZZANO. Follow these directions carefully, as it's important to stay in lane as you go through Aulla.
After about 100 yards you’ll see a fountain on a traffic island where the road divides in two. TURN LEFT here, following signs All Directions, and follow the traffic, bearing left again, then immediately bear RIGHT under the railway bridge. Keep RIGHT and follow the road -- you will see the new railway station on your LEFT. About 1/4 mile after you pass the railway station, you will come to a small roundabout. Take a LEFT here onto road SS63 towards Fivizzano and follow this road. You will drive through various small towns, including Pallerone, Rometta, and Soliera, to Cormezzano, about 10 mins, where you will turn off. (Note: at Pallerone, you can go straight through the town, or take a RIGHT turn at the little blue sign that says Fivizzano which takes you via a town bypass, both are fine).
After Soliera, watch for the sign for Cormezzano. This is the major turn-off to Casola, just after the sign. You will see an inn on your left called Il Sicomoro. The right hand turning is just before this inn, but it’s hard to see because there’s a bend in the road. Take a RIGHT TURN here off the Fivizzano road; the direction sign says Monzone/Gragnola/Gassano/Equi Terme. (If you go past the swimming pools on your left, you know you have gone past the turnoff.)
Take this RIGHT turn and follow the road through the towns of Gragnola, Cassette and Codiponte, following the signs for Casola and Lucca. Continue past Casola, following the road to Lucca. You will come to a hairpin bend and then a small town called Vignetta. (If you look up to your left, you will see the village of Reusa.) Soon you will come to a junction with a sign for Lucca to the right and Reusa to the left. Take the sharp LEFT TURN towards Reusa. Follow this winding road for a mile or so and you will come to a tiny village called Padula, and, after a bend in the road, you will pass Lo Spino Fiorito, our local restaurant, on the right. Go past the restaurant, up the hill and after a turn or two you will see the sign for REUSA, just before a small bridge. Keep going, and you will see the church and campanile (bell tower) ahead of you. Keep going up the hill, around two sharp bends, and then keep a lookout for a large stone water butt on your left and the sign, Casa della Quercia. Go down this lane to the little monument in the “piazza,” about 50 ft., turn right at the monument, and you will see the villa in front of you, behind the gate posts. Pull into the forecourt. Benvenuti a Reusa!
Directions from Pisa Airport via Fivizzano
From Pisa, turn left out of the car rental center and follow signs to the Autostrada. Take the Autostrada NORTH towards La Spezia/Parma/Genova. (PAY ATTENTION! Follow signs carefully, some people have taken the wrong turn at this point.)
Continue north past Carrara and Massa. Then look out for the turning off the Autostrada to PARMA. Turn off towards Parma. (PAY ATTENTION! Be careful you don’t go on to La Spezia.) Take the first turning off the Autostrada at AULLA. It will now take about 30 to 40 mins. to drive to Reusa.
Go through the payment booth (through the Cash booth, not the Speedpass), over the long bridge across the river, and at the junction, turn right towards the town center. You want to follow signs to FIVIZZANO. Follow the following directions carefully, as it's important to stay in lane as you go through Aulla.
After about 100 yards you’ll see a fountain on a traffic island where the road divides in two. TURN LEFT here, following signs All Directions, and follow the traffic, bearing left again, then immediately bear RIGHT under the railway bridge. Keep RIGHT and follow the road as it bears around to the RIGHT — you will see the new railway station on your LEFT. About 1/4 mile past the railway station, you will come to a small roundabout. Take a LEFT here onto road SS63 towards Fivizzano and follow this road all the way. You will drive through various small towns, including Pallerone, Rometta, Soliera, and Cormezzano. (Note: at Pallerone, you can go straight through the town, or take a RIGHT turn at the little blue sign that says Fivizzano, which takes you via a town bypass, both are fine).
At the traffic lights at Fivizzano, turn RIGHT (the sign will only say Garfagnana) and follow this road all the way to Reusa, about 20 mins. (NOTE: turn left at the lights if you want to go into the town to do some shopping; then leaving the town, you will then go straight across the traffic lights and up the hill to get to Reusa). The road is windy, but there will be very little traffic. It might seem like you are driving into nowhere, but do not give up, this is the right way! After about 10 mins. you will get to a lovely small town perched on a hill called Terenzano. Go very carefully around the bend in the village. About 5 mins. past this town, you will come to a junction. Continue straight ahead on towards Reusa, DO NOT turn right to Casola. There is a signpost on the left, but it’s hard to see.
Go up over the mountain and down again, and you’ll come to a hemlock/pine forest. Soon you’ll see the sign for the village of Reusa. The road will continue around a bend to the right over a small bridge, and you will see the church and campanile (bell tower) on your right. Keep going and prepare to turn right into the lane just past the weeping willow tree. DO NOT TURN INTO THE FIRST LANE. Take the SECOND LANE on your right, by the water butt. There will be a sign, Casa della Quercia. Go down this lane to the little monument in the “piazza,” about 50 ft, turn right at the monument, and the villa is in front of you, behind the stone gate posts. Pull into the forecourt and park.
Benvenuti a Reusa!
Casa della Quercia
Gillian Drake and Ronald James
Via della Quercia 12, Reusa, Casola in Lunigiana, MS 54014, Toscana, Italia
Italy telephone: 0-585-949-155 • Italy cell: 331-332-1935 • USA: (508) 255-5084
