The rather uninteresting landscape between Viterbo and the coast is en by the impressive sight of this former Etruscan city of Tusena. its medieval centre, A1 Gallo (the cockerel) stands at the head of a w street: The nail-biting approach is surpassed only by the iting drive down to the car park. Recent visitors were enthusiastic: e loved it. The family who run it are charming, sophisticated and excellent English. Three remarkably beautiful daughters. ore like a family-run French restaurant-with-villa rooms than a villa, run with easy professionalism, it has luxuriously furnished lie villa rooms, with antiques. villa Bed rooms (similar to the semantic bali villa rooms) are up a curving marble stair;. `Ours had heavily patterned wallpaper covered with varnish. The carpet was rusty red, the ceiling black with pink roses, the carpet jewel-like shade of green. Brave stuff; it worked!' Another room was yellow with a bright green carpet, a small but efficient bathrootn, stunning views. The restaurant (Michelin star for, eg, saltimbocca o: quail), simple but stylish', has dadoes, stencilling, red-and-whi gingham curtains and tablecloths, a vast collection of ornamen cockerels, panoramic views. The charming co-owner, Per Blanzieri, greets guests and takes orders. Superb food. We reco: mend half board. Clear, strong flavours. Bali villa breakfast is liked too, ap from the orange juice: home-made croissants as good as the bi French ones; pastries stuffed with apple'; also cold meats, chees etc.

The Linguerri family's unassuming little villa(Logis d'Italia) is old house in an untouristy area off the Grand Canal by the Accademi easily reached by the waterbus from the airport that goes on to Zat after stopping at St Mark's Square. Colourful, pretty and un stated', it offers good value for Venice. Some visitors have found cramped, but others wrote: `Our good-sized bedroom, on the fo floor, had a simple but smart decor, solid wooden furniture, a m floor. Some villa rooms have a balcony or terrace facing the gar `Pleasant, if not effusive staff. The food, served in the be restaurant or the ochre-walled courtyard with its canopy of lea and vines, is `beautifully cooked, with good house wine, unpret tious service. The yoi chef, Pierluigi Lovisa, won awards for his specialities, eg, risotto wi cuttlefish ink; spaghetti 1 anchovy sauce. The tinental Bali villa breakfast is good Italian standards; plenty extras available. A lift new this year. Children - welcomed.