Susan: Hi Bill. I'm looking for a vacation home for August. Lila said you had some interesting ideas...
Bill: hey sis. yeah we went last year to that little place in Italy, near florence. Rented an apartment. was cheap as hell but location was not for everyone
Susan: why so?
Bill: away from the sea. like in the very middle of the country. No beaches. 
Susan: why would you go to Italy and not have a beach?
Bill: we wanted to be away from the crowds. place had a pool and it was drivable everywhere interesing. Like a couple of hours to florence, rome, an hour to the beach if you needed to.
Susan: pool would make up for much, true. but Italy in august?
Bill: hot as hell, but with the pool and AC it was nice. and full wine season. 
Susan: we would be going with the whole lot, the 4 of us and the dogs. do they take pets? did you take Sparky?
Bill: yup. no problem with the dogs, although you have to be careful not to let the dogs roam around the pool. they got very angry once, when we just let Sparky out and he jumped the fence. But yours are tiny. Fat, but tiny.
Susan: cannot imagine them jumping the fence. Any fence. they have trouble to get on the couch. 
Susan: I keep telling the kids not to overfeed the dogs, but you know how they are, as soon as I turn around...
Bill: like you don't give them treats at the table :P
Susan: shut up!
Bill: anyhoo, we drove, with sparky and the kids, much cheaper. And you need the car when you're there. It's like this little village in the middle of countryside. vinyards and olive trees. and crickets.
Susan: drive there? how long?
Bill: two days, we drove through Germany and Austria. Made an overnight in the Alps. 8 hours to Austria then like 6 hours to the place in Italy. 
Susan: seems not that bad. 
Bill: wasn't. and the place being so cheap we could afford three weeks... 
Bill: it was like half the price of a hotel. We cooked ourselves or went out for dinner. nice little italian restaurants, great food. we even found a 2-star one in some little village in the middle of nowhere, can you imagine?
Susan: oh, nice. 
Susan: It seems like a good deal. I'll talk to the hubby. send me the details, okay?
Bill: will do. phone number - they speak english, and e-mail. better to e-mail them the owner responds on the evenings, during the day he's in the field with the vines and stuff.
Susan: great, thanks a mil!
Susan wants to go on vacation to Italy with her family. Bill gives her details on the cheap apartment. It's possible to take pets. Bill describes route he took. Bill will send owner's contact to Susan.