Christmas Markets in Foligno

Tweet

Share

This Christmas 2011 in Foligno the appointment with the Christmas Market in the city center will be renewed. So what are you waiting for? Come and visit this beautiful Umbrian city! You will find the Christmas markets of Foligno, and events related to the ongoing Christmas holidays in Foligno.

The Christmas markets have become a tradition in Foligno. The city is transformed during the Christmas period: small squares reveal unexpected lighting effects, Christmas music inundates the streets, Christmas choirs, the little market of dreams, music bands, and happy bands are the usual appointments of this time of the year.

The various events and happenings are aimed at livening up the historic center, focusing on its vitality, including shops and other commercial activities, while leaving behind other initiatives such as streets parties and celebrations for New Year's Eve.
Moreover, the attention that is reserved to children has been emphasized with many initiatives dedicated to them, and it must be said that the new featured activities are quite many.

The city of Foligno is located at the heart of the Umbrian Valley, a vast plain crossed by the river Topino, partly surrounded by rolling hills and partly by the highest mountains of the Apennines.
The town has always been a center of economic and cultural exchanges. Foligno is now a modern industrial city, but still retains a beautiful old town center full of monuments and works of art.
The heart of the city is represented by the Piazza della Repubblica, where buildings are of high artistic value.

Christmas Market in Massa Martana

Tweet

Share

The traditional Christmas Market in Massa Martana is back. This is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy situated in the southern Umbria and nestled at the foot of the Monti Martani. The historic center of town will host the traditional wooden houses with exhibitors offering a wide variety of gifts and gift ideas, arts and crafts products including ceramic and olive wood, embroidery, crochet, decoupage, decorated, knitwear and handmade jewelry, works of local painters and sculptors and wooden toys.

Do not miss the Christmas decorations and typical Umbrian food and wine: wine, oil, cheese, cured meats, vegetables, honey, the delicious Nociata made with soft and sweet nougat and cleverly packaged in bay leaves.

The program of events for children and adults with initiatives for the entire duration of the event looks even richer this year. Children can not miss the home of Santa Claus with gifts, treats and surprises. Christmas-themed music, street tours with music bands and marching band shows, clowning, stilt walkers, jugglers and pipers. On Sunday there will be the grand finale concert with the Choir of the University of Perugia. All these things can make the magic of Christmas even more vivid with colors, lights, sounds and scents in one of the jewel cities of Umbria.

This is an opportunity to discover Massa Martana completely restored after the earthquake of 1997. The old town, enriched by architectural constructions of the Sixteenth and Eighteenth centuries, is located inside the castle walls. The front door is well preserved, decorated with carved stones and the emblem of the city. The Church of San Felice is noteworthy and it was dedicated to the patron saint of town. The Church of San Sebastian, with a valuable painting from 1595 depicting a "Madonna and Child", and the 16th century Town Hall are also notable. Just outside the center is the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Church of Santa Maria della Pace, with the outside is completely covered with travertine.

Nearby Massa Martana there are many churches that represent a unique heritage including the Church of Santa Maria in Pantano, one of the oldest and most interesting religious buildings in Umbria and the Abbey of San Faustino, built on the ruins of a Roman villa.
The Roman presence is evidenced by the Fonnaia Bridge, built in 220 BC along the route of the Via Flaminia. Near the bridge are the Christian catacombs, alone in Umbria and including more than 300 niches.
To enjoy the environmental resources of the area you can walk the Martani hiking paths, which are equipped nature trails developing on the Monti Martani.

Christmas Markets of Perugia

Tweet

Share

This is a mini series about Christmas markets in Umbria. This small region of Italy has four main spots where the magic of Christmas comes alive along the city streets. Here I will describe the markets in Perugia, the capital of Umbria. The forthcoming towns are Massa Martana, Spoleto and Foligno.
In northern European countries and in Italian regions that were influenced by the Nordic culture, the custom of the Christmas Markets is very heartfelt and popular. On days when there are these markets, all the artisans put their handicrafts on display: wooden statuettes, figures of the nativity scene, candles, ribbons and decorations of all kinds to decorate the home (such as wonderful balls to hang on your Christmas tree). There are also stalls selling typical culinary delicacies of the place. These Christmas markets usually begin during late November and last until Christmas Eve.

The Christmas markets of Perugia are an excellent occasion to buy original presents to bring back home. It's been a few years now that even in Perugia Christmas Markets started animating the entire Christmas holiday period. For tourists it will be an opportunity to dive into the colorful world of handmade creations, looking for gift ideas or just browse the various stalls immersed in the characteristic atmosphere of the festivities that Perugia can create.

During the month of December until Christmas, the Strenne Market will take place in Piazza del Circo in Perugia. Stalls offer Christmas decorations, toys, gifts, decorations. In addition you can buy local handicrafts such as leather bags and the "cocci" traditional ceramics produced on site. The market is open from 9 am to 9,30 pm from December 1 until the 24.
This Christmas market is divided into two areas, one dedicated to crafts and the other dedicated to gastronomy. In the stalls you can buy lots of products to make original gifts such as Christmas decorations, home decor, candy, toys and crafts.

The Largest Christmas Tree in The World

Tweet

Share

Do you know where the largest Christmas tree in the world is? In Gubbio, a precious little town in Umbria.

This wonderful installation is lit up on December 7 every year, since December 1980, and is turned off during the night of January 10 of the following year.
With each passing year the popularity of the event has boomed and reached an increasing resonance, so much that the lighting up ceremony has been carried out with an ever growing presence of people and by celebrities of greater fame at every edition. The upcoming edition of the Christmas tree in Gubbio will be lit up by the Pope in Rome!

Benedict XVI will use a tablet PC in Vatican City that through an Internet connection will command the switch in Gubbio. The 2011 largest Christmas tree in the world will be lit up at 6,30pm and you will be able to follow the ceremony on RAI 1 (if you have satellite television) or see the images on the webcam of the official event's website.

But, wait a minute, who says this is the largest Christmas tree in the world? Well, in 1991 the World Guinness Record committee assigned the title to the installation, making official what the simple people of Gubbio had been saying for many years.

Some cool numbers:
1981 the first installation
1000 sqm is the shooting star's surface
200 lights trace the shooting star
260 lights trace the shape of the Christmas tree.
270 multicolor lights are set inside the tree
8,500 meters of electric cables
650 meters is the height of the tree
350 meters its base width
1350 the number of plugs
1,900 work hours to build the Christmas tree
35 Kilowatt necessary to light up the tree

If you decide to spend your Christmas in Umbria, make sure to include Gubbio in your itinerary. It is one of the most delicious towns in Italy, one that will make you fall in love with the region. Plus, it will give you the chance of a unique event and a spectacle of rare beauty to keep in your heart.
Come to see the largest Christmas tree in the world.

So long for now! To the next time I find something interesting to share about Umbria.

Umbria Villas with Pool

Tweet

Share

At this time of the year, when you speak about holidays, most people think about spending quality time with their family during Christmas or staying a week or two in their favorite ski resort. Summer still seems very far away and preparing the next summer holiday doesn’t seem to have a high priority.

Do not make the mistake to wait until 2012 if you are planning to spend your next summer holiday in Umbria. High season in Umbria runs from June to September, the hottest months of the year, and finding accommodation during those months can be a difficult challenge if you are waiting for too long.

This is especially true if you decide to rent a villa instead of going to a crowded hotel.

Renting a villa in tuscany will require a little bit more planning as some of the most exclusive places are already booked a year in advance. But the effort is worth your time as you will enjoy multiple advantages.

You will get more space for yourself and your family. Depending on your needs, you can find small villas of 1 or 2 bedrooms or go for a luxury villa that can welcome up to 58 guests!
You will live an incredible local experience. Renting a villa is the best way to mingle with local people and share their life. You will be able to discover their habits, to hear insiders tips and get the chance to live the real Umbrian life.
You will get privacy. You will be able to use your own amenities, no sharing, no queuing!
You will be totally independent. You will not have to schedule your day taking into consideration breakfast or lunch hours and you will not have to renounce at your favorite food because it is not on the menu!

Umbria has an incredible offer of villas available for rent and you will with no doubt find the villa that fits your needs. You could for instance decide to rent a 17th century home in Perugia, a typical Umbrian farmhouse in Todi, a beautiful family house in Assisi, a secluded villa in the Umbria mountain or a restored medieval house in Spello.

A Umbria villa with pool is definitely the best choice for you if you want to relax and have your family around you.

So, do not waste time and plan your Umbria summer holiday now and make sure your family gets an once in a lifetime experience!

Eurochocolate 2011

Tweet

Share

Eurochocolate 2011, nine days of brown craziness ending on October 23, was marked by gluttony but also by trails and cultural initiatives to allow visitors to get the most of Perugia, the Umbrian capital.

Perugia hosted the 18th edition of Eurochocolate, more at http://www.eurochocolate.com. It was a wonderful opportunity to savor the succulent productions of master craftsmen that from a simple cocoa bean are able to create new products, always very tasty. But it was also a good opportunity for a visit to the city!
Let's start from chocolate. It was an event including many events, such as workshops for children to teach them to eat chocolate intelligently, while adult audiences will be shown some sweet ideas to create chocolate cakes and other sweets for any occasion.

Nestle chocolate sculptures were on display in Corso Vannucci on Sunday October 16th from 10 am to 6 pm. A very important health initiative was the diabetes control campaign aiming at giving out the correct information to promote the prevention of diabetes. One of the main partners and sponsors of Eurochocolate was Kodak, which made available a large frame made with more than 800 kilos of chocolate from October 14 to the 24, which also was the icon of Eurochocolate 2011.

But you can also discover Perugia independently walking along the Via Regale, which connects the Cathedral of San Lorenzo the the old Perugia Cathedral, the Basilica of St. Peter in the Benedictine Abbey. You can also choose to spend an entire day in the Abbey to live an exciting experience through the ages from medieval times to today. Or immerse yourself in the discovery of the treasures of the city: the masterpieces of Perugino, the divine painter. Starting from the Cathedral passing through the National Gallery of Umbria, you can retrace the steps of the career of the great painter, and then admire the masterpiece of his frescoes in the Collegio del Cambio. All this and much more is Perugia, a beautiful town of Etruscan origin.

Cooking Courses in Umbria

Tweet

Share

A heavenly landscape, rich with artistic legacy and a unique place where you have the opportunity to live and experience life to the fullest does exist! If you really want to enjoy yourself in outstanding surroundings, charming people and exceptional cuisine then Umbria is the right place for you.

Without any doubt, Umbria is known worldwide for its delicious regional Italian cuisine and incredible wines. This is like heaven on Earth for all of those who enjoy in life, good food, wine and friendly people. If you are an adventurous person who likes exploring new things and new places, traveling to Umbria would be like going to the culinary paradise.

Many of the recipes that you will learn from the best Umbrian chefs in hands-on cooking courses have been in Umbrian families for generations now. All of those organic and fresh ingredients and various spices that they use for cooking will make your meals unforgettable. Considering that Umbria is also home of wine and cheese, your trip will bring you everything that you always dreamed about.

Italians know how to appreciate good food and good wine; therefore making their meals with love and patience. They infuse love into their cooking. The art of cooking for them is the entire process of creating a masterpiece that will astonish anyone who even gets a whiff of it.

All the products that are used in cooking classes are organically grown. The chefs will personally escort you to open air markets where you buy produce from the local farmers. They will teach you how to choose the freshest, most delicious Umbrian foods available, which is the first lesson of fine Italian cooking. You will learn the secrets of making your meals extra delicious and also learn to distinguish wines and to match them up with the meals that you are serving.

Italians know that every meal should be special and made with love. They say that if you are eating food that is tasty and looks and smells good, you will feel the one of the ultimate pleasures in life: gastronomical satisfaction. Every day should be a reason to enjoy life and you can do that by paying attention to the smaller things, like what you eat, it will only make you feel happier and healthier.

While visiting Umbria, you will learn a lot about wines such as Sagrantino, Montefalco, and Spoleto wines. You will be able to experience wine samplings in some of the oldest and most reputable Italian wineries and wine cellars in Umbria. No wonder why people always say that Italians are always happy and cheerful. They know how to live their life and how to enjoy it! A good glass of red wine can make many giddy with happiness!

By visiting Umbria, you will be able to go on custom tours of Todi, Sansepolcro, Assisi, and Trasimeno Lake and enjoy in local festivals (if available at that time of year), and explore the kitchens of many local masters who open their doors to a select few students to pass on the secrets of their mastery. A mystical land, and full of profound history and tradition, Umbria will leave you breathless and hungry. And since Umbrian people know how to celebrate life, and they are more than happy to share that with their guests, why not share in a tasting or culinary course and experience their delights? A land of free spirits and divine surroundings is everything you need to feel the real beauty of Umbria, alongside learning how to cook and eat a meal that will surely be memorable.

Exploring Umbria, its beauty, learning how to cook local meals and combining the right wines will make you feel like an expert of Italian cuisine. You will be able to visit some of the most beautiful areas in Italy. You can also enjoy some wine tours and taste new things that will leave you speechless.

The Agritourismos of Umbria

Tweet

Share

Umbria has turned into a extremely popular vacation location recently, however by having an ever-increasing quantity of vacationers arriving into the area, it may be difficult to have an authentic Umbrian vacation experience. Among the best methods for succeeding is staying at a good Agriturismo Holiday.

What's Agriturismo?
The term “agriturismo” is actually a mix of farming and travel and leisure. The idea is actually that individuals that operate farming provide units in order to accommodate visitors. This particular lodging could be a room inside the country home with a B&B solution, a condo inside the main home, or perhaps a totally individual property. The word Agriturismo is actually lawfully guarded in Umbria therefore reserving a holiday within this kind of home ensures a person the actual genuine experience in Italy. In the Umbria area, this particular usually indicates remaining on a winery or olive-producing plantation.

Advantages of Agriturismo
An Agriturismo stay is a true Italian experience. It is nothing like lodging in a hotel or villa, and accommodation standards vary greatly. A few of the lodging tend to be basic however thoroughly clean, other lodgings are a lot more appointed. Many Agriturismo lodging have a pool along with other luxurious details. The advantage is that the price of remaining in a good Agriturismo is usually much less expensive than the usual resort, B&B or other private villas and lodgings.

Even though the majority of Agriturismo holidays tend to be on a self-catering basis, the majority of them will offer you the possibility of having dinners catered on a personal basis and prepared by the property owners. This particular ensures a delicious, well-cooked dinner for much less than what you would pay in any restaurant. A number of farmers may even welcome you inside their kitchen area to show you how they prepare the food, or even provide you with fundamental step by step directions to prepare Italian food.

Another main advantage of a good Agriturismo holiday is actually getting involved with the daily operations in the plantation. Just how much site visitors can perform is determined by the farmers and also the season when you're going to be there. However, the majority of farmers who've enrolled in the Agriturismo plan did it since they're enthusiastic about what they do and wish to share this with their guests. What better method to discover the actual winemaker’s secrets or even a brief history associated with essential olive oil production then straight from somebody active in the business? Observing local people will even provide a much better understanding on their life-style than simply heading around the main visitor sites, and it will likewise enhance your own vocabulary abilities.

Drawbacks associated with Agriturismo
Drawbacks associated with this kind of holiday tend to be few, however presently there are a wide selection from high quality lodging to low level places. Therefore, it is vital that you research your options thoroughly instead of simply reserving the very first Agriturismo you find.

Saint Francis's Life: Was All That Suffering Necessary?

Tweet

Share

Way too long time has passed since the last post...almost a month! I cannot believe the things that happened during this time, and my trip to Umbria lengthened the space between posts even more. I am happy though as I will be able to talk about plenty of things in first person, my experiences with the people and the fantastic places of this small region in the heart of Italy.

Umbria is living its month dedicated to Saint Francis from Assis. Do you know who he is? I am pretty sure you do, but just in case you do not, here is a small overview of this saint's life and contribution to the world, and not only to the Christian Catholic religion.

Saint Francis was born in a wealthy family of silk merchants in Assis. The father was often away for work, especially in France, and at his return from a business trip he found that his wife had given birth to the son they were awaiting, and changed his name to Franciscus in honor of France.
Franciscus grew up to be a well to do kid, spending his father's wealth as much as he could, until the moment he departed for the third crusade to the "Holy Land". At his return from Jerusalem he felt the urge to change life. He no longer found any pleasure in banqueting and drinking with his friends. After abandoning his "dolce vita" companions, he centered his eyes on the beauties of the nature around Assisi, and found it was a way of exalting the creator God that gave life to his "sisters" and "brothers". He in fact started calling all things with the title of brother if referred to masculine nouns, and sister if feminine. Sister Moon and Brother Sun are an example of this. Altogether with a change in life views he also started repudiating his father's richness. It is emblematic when in the middle of the square he remained stark naked giving all he had back to his father, who was deeply against the son's changes.

From this moment on, and for another twenty years until his death, Francis lived a life of extreme poverty, without shoes, little clothing and food, and constantly punishing his body as he considered it the means to sinning and the cage of the soul. He was even used to call his body "brother body donkey" as a way of remembering himself how much he despised it. He punished it so much that he got severely hill and died at 45 after a life of extreme sufferance. During the last two years of his life he also received the stigmata.

What are the teachings of Saint Francis? I am far from being able to give a theological opinion, but after being raised a Catholic and having believed him a true saint, I now see how his legacy may have also brought much harm to our society.

If on one side Francis taught us that the essence of things is always to be preferred over a life of endless accumulation of ephemeral wealth, on the other he has completely misunderstood the role of body and soul, even within the realm of Christianity, if not on a pantheistic scale.

The way I see it, very simply put, the body is not the cage of your soul. On the contrary, it is one thing with your soul. If the concept of soul makes you uncomfortable, let's call it your true self. When you punish your body you are really punishing your true self. If Saint Francis felt the urge to do it, and felt better after doing so, that is more attributable to some sort of self persecution or even schizophrenia, and has nothing to do with religion. If one were to behave as he did he would be forcibly treated in a hospital and spend years in analysis. Just like light, our body behaves like matter and like energy at the same time.

The Catholic religion has mistakenly interpreted Jesus' teachings for centuries, and probably even exploiting them. The fact that Jesus reached his aim in life suffering and dying was merely to show that, though a mortal man, he did achieve great things in life (and I am not talking about miracles), reaching the heart of many. Christ's suffering was twisted to make pain the mean through which you can achieve a good life and perhaps sanctity. This syllogism only produced a series of silly moralisms, deep frustration, and even religious fanaticism.

I feel deeply sorry for Saint Francis and his devotion to pain and deprivation. I do not entirely reject his life, as many concepts were innovative and taught many rules for a better living and reciprocal understanding. However, he is one of the many responsible for the great divide between our inner selves, and gave great strength to the church's aims of controlling poor ignorant masses through fear for centuries. Cultivating your happiness through the simple enjoyment of everyday life, cherishing your body, is a much faster way to becoming a serene person, much more likely to create well being for yourself and others.

I would love to have your opinion on this. Please comment!

Umbrian Medieval Games

Tweet

Share

In many cities of Umbria, during the medieval and early modern period, it was customary during certain times of year or solemn festivities to engage in horse shows and popular games, some of which arrived to this day. Others have fallen into almost complete oblivion. It was customary to run the palio setting up a horse race, with or without a rider, whose prize was the "pallium", that is a precious cloth of fine fabric, sometimes embroidered with civic insignia or with gold tooling. Palios were well known in Citta di Castello, Norcia, Gubbio, Perugia, Terni and Orvieto.
This game, the most ancient and simple, over the years was surpassed and almost definitely replaced between the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries by the Quintana joust. It consisted of individual riders usually involved hitting a target with a spear. The target was represented by a sign with colored bands, a slip-ring, or a puppet with Moorish appearance, the well-known Saracen, so fashionable especially after the battle of Lepanto.
When the image of Quintana consisted of a human figure, usually a bust, one point was worth a blow to the beard, two points the face and the maximum score was achieved by centering the middle of the forehead.
Obviously, with the changing of customs and rules and the larger influence of young aristocrats who could keep more horses and luxurious trappings, the types of prizes to winners also changed. From the prices of the beginnings consisting of civic symbols, baskets of bread, roast meat or hunting falcons, in the Seventeenth century the noble knights engaged in a real tournament were awarded gold jewelry, silk stockings and jeweled crowns.

Much less familiar, if not entirely disappeared, is the memory of two other ancient games, also very popular in the Thirteenth and Fifteenth centuries.
Such games, if one can call them that, were in fact real battles which saw bulls and dogs deployed in the field and teams of boys armed with stones. Both were common in Perugia since 1260 to honor, along with the Palio, the feast of All Saints or the patron saint of Herculaneum, which is November 1st and March.
The so-called "chasing the bull" was a sort of bull-fighting. The fight was set on dirt with a fence of poles and woven hemp rope, in which a large Chianina bull coming from Chiusi was introduced. Unlike the modern Spanish bullfight, it was not a man who fought against the beast, but a pack of trained dogs, which had the task of attacking and biting the bull.
At the end of the conflict, the carcass was cut and the meat distributed among the spectators. It's pretty obvious that with the passing of time, this practice became less and less tolerable, and such a sight in the mid-Fifteenth century, especially with Bernardiniana sermons, began to fade and hunting being prohibited.
But Perugia, as mentioned above, was famous for another game, also known as the "game of Perugia" perhaps for the fame it enjoyed, also called stone-throwing.

Todi: A Personal Experience

Tweet

Share

Touring through Italy? Pointing the car to wherever it may go as you explore the regions of Tuscany and Umbria? A fabulous stopping point between Rome and Florence is in the Umbria region and it’s lovingly known as the enchanting town of Todi.

Do you remember when those first Visa commercials came out? Airline tickets $600, Rental car $200, exploring the Italian countryside? Priceless. The picturesque hill town, all lit up and inviting in the original commercials was the town of Todi.

The town offers relaxation second to none as you tour through the countryside. The central square of the town is known as Piazza del Popolo and is a fantastic spot to simply sit, enjoy a glass of chianti and some wonderful pappardelle pasta. Bordering the square are many venues to explore including an old tower, an ancient cathedral and La Rocca castle. Do not miss the exquisite stained glass windows or you’ll kick yourself later.

During my own visit to Todi, I stayed outside of town in a small house attached to a larger estate. I found the lodgings on www.cuendet.com and paid a small pittance for seven days that was less than a week’s stay in many hotels. The estate was extensive, and it felt like the rest of the world had ceased to exist. The Tuscan countryside lifestyle was an easy one to immerse in, without a worry in the world. Many bottles of wine and a variety of good books were consumed during the stay. For those wanting to truly get the feel of Todi as a town and immerse yourself in its culture, I would recommend staying in town. There are numerous accommodations that are first rate.

Todi is a perfect spot to centralize yourself at if day-trips throughout the region are your desire. Bordering the well positioned town are Spoleto, Perugia, Orvieto, Assisi, Montepulciano, and Cortona.
Assisi to me was the most impressive, with its massive stone walls rising up out of the fields. Driving up towards it, one is overcome by its sheer size and scope. Montepuliciano personally fostered the best wines of the region, and Corona was a joy to visit to see where the book “Under the Tuscan Sun” was based. Spoleto was a near rival to Todi in the absolute comfort that one feels walking around the main square. It is easy to lose yourself in the city, relaxing and soaking it all in. You won’t be sorry if you find time to visit Spoleto as it is a quick day-trip from Todi.

Todi is also geographically perfect as it is close to halfway between Rome and Sienna/Florence. At a meandering pace, it is a great spot to take a load off while travelling from one of the big cities to another. The lifestyle is a little slower in the smaller hill towns, and you may want to leave your watch at home. The pictures are worth a thousand words, and are ultimately… priceless. You will treasure the memories that you create in this fabulous Umbrian town forever.

Italy is one of my favorite places in the world. My other favorite is Bermuda. I write mystery/romance novels set in Bermuda. Find them at www.waynewhicher.com or on www.amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005I044L8

How to Plan a Wedding in Umbria

Tweet

Share

Planning a wedding in Umbria is excellent choice. Wedding planners in Umbria are extremely professional and are specialized to arrange all the services for Catholic or Civil Weddings. Umbria is a peninsula in Italy that is landlocked. It does not have a coastline or a common land border with any of the countries. This region is named after the Umbri tribe which was an ancient local tribe gradually absorbed into the Greek culture. Some of the areas in this region are relatively uninhabited. Some areas are developed due to agriculture and industrial development due to which there are plenty of foreign immigrants living in this region along with the locals. As of now it is divided into two provinces- Perugia and Terni.

This place is abundant in natural resources, urban development, historic structures, castles and churches and yet is cost effective compared to the USA. Hence, you can check with the wedding planners through the ones available on websites or through your references and friends.
They provide you good service even if you want a wedding with just 10 guests or 200 guests.
There are wonderful, luxurious villas right in the heart of Umbria where you can stay for a few days before your wedding. They have exotic outdoor locations and delicious Italian cuisine.
If a couple wants a civil ceremony along with a reception, they can get married in town halls in historical structures wherein there are in-house services available.
They provide services for accommodation, chapel services, florists, musicians, garden venues, decorations and arrangements, food and drinks, photographer and all other services required for a dream wedding.

Most people seem to have got a good experience and are more than satisfied with their service. They can have a lavish, memorable wedding and can directly head to their honeymoon. Instead of looking after all the arrangements, they can relax and enjoy their wedding as they all have to plan is their budget.

A wedding ceremony could be held in an ancient private chapel with beautiful, lit candles and décor. Here you can complete all the legal formalities and the religious rituals with blessings.
Umbria is a preferred venue not only because of the costs but also due to their services, greenery, exotic locations and historical monuments. It is called the Green Heart of Italy.
There are various privately owned farmhouses that are rented for staying and enjoying an extended holiday. There are guided tours and transport availability to the airports and train stations. If you plan an extended holiday you can enjoy the local ethos, local market trips, festivals, learning local cuisine and much more in your budget.

If you want a wedding that is stress free and in a different yet exotic location, getting married in Umbria is a good option. There you have many wedding planners who give good service without extra costs of consultation. You just need to mail them your details, budget and requirements. They would send you the details about the location, food and other services according to your budget.

The Quintana Joust in Foligno

Tweet

Share

As many knighthood competitions the actual Quintana Joust (Giostra della Quintana) is definitely something not to miss in Foligno, or during your first visit in Umbria. In the last few years the Quintana happens twice a year, with the first in June and the 2nd during September. La Sfida, the challenge, takes place in June, while La Rivincita, The Return Game is in September. In June the event is in nocturnal hours, lightened with floodlights on a Sunday evening, but in September it happens on a Weekend morning.

The Joust is associated with Foligno and is the most crucial occasion of the southern area since it underlines the beginning of summer celebrations. More and more personalities are joining the event giving the Quintana Joust more resonance in Italy.

1946 is the year of the first edition of the Joust. For 50 years now Foligno has celebrated this event that transforms the city in a magnificent Baroque revival, with marvelous costumes ornamented with laces, rich fabrics and many refinements to relive the 16th century splendor with chants and horse rides.

The nights challenge each other representing the 10 districts of Foligno. Their names are Crocebianca, Cassero, Contrastanga, Ammanniti, Badia, Giotti, Mora, Morlupo, Spada and Pugilli. The prize is the Palio, a painted fabric on a post.

The challenge of the joust happens in 3 stages. In each stage knights must spear 3 rings in succession. The rings to catch are smaller with each subsequent stage, passing from 10 to 6 centimeters in diameter. The winner is the knight catching all the rings and committing no penalties.
The event begins with the Sprasanti Fair, where you can enjoy the historic revival of the district market and buy goods with the original money of the period. You will be allowed to change your money with the fair currency at the entrance of the fair.
The nicest thing is that all districts have their own tavern, which will be open for the vent only and serve the best traditional Umbrian dishes.
The whole event ends with the costume parade and the jousting.

Market in Florence

Tweet

Share

Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi

Tweet

Share

The 2011 Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto went by without a word on Travel Umbria. I did not talk about it because the festival was literally hijacked by the local and national government, stealing it from the Menotti family and their non-profit organization, boycotting it in any way possible, finally ruining with sad political games and artistic incompetency what for fifty years the founder Gian Carlo Menotti and his son Francis had done to bring this festival to world fame.

I strongly encourage you to visit the official website of the Spoleto Festival and watch the video on the first page titled "Spoleto Festival. The End of A Dream" by Michael Lebor. For your convenience I am posting it here also, but please visit the website to get all the information on the matter.

The video briefly, but thoroughly, covers the story of the end of the Festival. You will learn how local municipal government boycotted the festival in any possible way by raising theater rental fees to improbable amounts, blocking access roads, sacking company computers obliging organizers to do all the work with pen, paper and rubber sole, denied the promised fundings at the last minute so that employees and workers could not be paid, and finally, and perhaps the saddest note of all, the church started ringing its bells over the final concert in a last desperate effort to ruin the performance. Thankfully, the bells became part of the performance (thanks to the director's mastery) and enriched the performance!

Although the 2007 edition ended as a success, all the efforts to save the festival were in vane and damaged the Menotti family. Francesco Rutelli, the culture minister at that time, played a major role in ruining and stealing the concert to the people of Spoleto and the Menotti family. Watch the video for more details on this.

Please share the Spoleto Festival website link as much as possible and encourage all to watch the video on the homepage. Again, this is the link http://www.spoletofestival.it/index.en.htm .
These behaviors are shameful and impoverish the great artistic heritage of Italy. Let your friends know!

The Spoleto Festival was a creation of the composer, Gian Carlo Menotti over 50 years ago. His son Francis took over the festival over a decade ago as Gian Carlo's old age made it impossible for him to continue as festival director.

Sadly Gian Carlo died in 2007, leaving the festival rights to his natural successor, Francis. Just one year later the Italian authorities had forced Francis out, repossessing his homes and taking the festival away from the Menotti family.

The Salami of The King

Tweet

Share

A typical pastry from Umbria, Italy

Ingredients for the salami: 300 grams of flour, 300 grams sugar , six egg yolks, the juice and peel of half lemon, 75 grms of baking powder.
Ingredients for the filling: 200 grams alchermes liquor, 150 grams of cocoa powder, half glass of milk, 400 grams of yellow cream.

How to make it:

Beat the egg yolks together with the sugar, add the flour, the juice and peel of the lemon, and mix in well. Add the yeast and mix it in well. Smear with butter a narrow and long oven pan, then pour the mix in to reach a thickness of half centimeter. Heat the oven at 180 Celsius, then set the mix in for a few minutes. Using a clean kitchen towel dampened with water, remove the cooked layer of sponge cake from the oven pan. Spread the wet towel on it, then flip the oven pan. Set it on a kneading surface and dampen it with alchermes (in substitution you can use cherry syrup mixed with vodka. Do some tests for consistency and alcoholic content prior to using it), then spread a layer of chocolate melted in milk, and one layer of cream. Roll the sponge cake to create a tight sweet salami.

Perfect for all seasons, this Umbria recipe is best accompanied by a sweet wine or black tea in winter time.

Inspiring Images of Umbria

Tweet

Share

These are inspiring images of Umbria! I hope you will understand the beauty of this land and come to enjoy it as much as I do!!

Apartments in Umbria Castle

Tweet

Share

Today I just discovered a splendid new property in Umbria. It is a castle that was completely renewed last year and features several properties independent from one another. The name is Casale Il Poggetto.

The castle is from the middle ages (12th century) and used to be the residence of lords that used the properties at Poggetto as their hunting residence. The castle was destroyed by the Pope in the 15th century for political reasons, then rebuilt over the ruins immediately after, and it still preserves structures from the original building.

The old barn and turret are now independent apartments in Umbria, each one separate from the castle, and independent from one another, completely furnished with lovely rustic style, fine antiquities, and modern appliances for a holiday in Italy with all comforts.

Casale il Poggetto apartments in Umbria is located in Todi in the middle of splendid nature settings, woodlands, and hills with great charm and perfect to relax. All apartments are greatly romantic, and the outdoors offer spaces to enjoy the warm Italian weather in an oasis of peace during al fresco dinners.

If you are looking for a romantic stay in a castle in Umbria, renting apartments for couples or for families, you should really check out apartments Umbria Casale Il Poggetto, as its prices are just as excellent as its quality and charm. A perfect location for both summer and winter vacations in Italy.

Prince at Umbria Jazz

Tweet

Share

Wow! One of the coolest concerts of Prince! The sole Italian date, and it was at Umbria Jazz 2011.

At 53 years of age the singer is still very much in shape, and does not seem to be in need of the double hip replacement he is supposedly postponing. He is a Jehovah witness and his religion prohibits blood transfusions. However, it seems he is fine, as he moved on the stage with great agility and energy, playing his guitars and singing at his best.

It was a great concert that took place in the square of Perugia on the main stage of Umbria Jazz. Prince did not delve too much into his early production from 1975 and the Eighties, however he did perform his 1987 Purple Rain. To think that Prince could be inserted in the Umbria Jazz 2011 program only at the last minute after Nathalie Cole (Daughter of Nat King) forfeited the date of July 15 is almost ironic.

Prince has played for more than 4 hours, including encores, for the thrilled public that did not expect such a wonderful, long-lasting show. Extravagant ad-hoc costumes, impressive lighting effects, a stage backed by an eye-shaped screen projecting the concert, sound effects and scenic details projected spectators in a Tafkap dimension that was at times futuristic, at times pure concept.

Prince cost Umbria Jazz 600 thousand Euros, and that is also why the ticket had to cost 70 euros apiece. 7 thousand people attended the concert, an event that will not return to Umbria or Italy any soon, I am sure.
Till next time then, Prince, thanks for the great performance, it was worth every penny and more!

Umbria Jazz 2011

Tweet

Share

Here we go! Umbria Jazz 2011 is about to begin!

Let's start with the offiacial website link for Umbria Jazz (English version of course), and by saying that with the passing of time this music festival has grown to be one of the most important in Europe. It is also possible to say that thanks to Umbria Jazz Italy has discovered and metabolized Jazz music, now fully entered into the mainstream Italian music landscape. But, hey, what's all this jazz about? I'm no music critic, so let me go straight to the event program...

July 8, 2011 is the opening day of the festival.
The main stage will see Caro Emerald, while peripheral, yet important, stages in restaurants and hotels feature Anat Cohen Quartet at Hotel Brufani, and Stefano Mincone Trio at Ristorante La Taverna both at 9 PM, and at Restaurant Stage Henry Butler Trio at 7,30pm

July 9, 2011
7,30 PM at Restaurant Stage HENRY BUTLER TRIO
9 PM Main Stage CHIHIRO YAMANAKA TRIO HERBIE HANCOCK / WAYNE SHORTER / MARCUS MILLER with “Tribute to Miles” Produced by Marcus Miller featuring SEAN JONES, SEAN RICKMAN
9 PM at Hotel Brufani Jazz Dinner THE THREE LADIES OF BLUES & GUSTAV CSICK TRIO
9 PM Ristorante La Taverna Jazz Dinner STEFANO MINCONE TRIO
Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Club with TIA FULLER QUARTET around midnight

July 10, 2011
At 7,30 PM Restaurant Stage HENRY BUTLER TRIO
9 PM Main Stage HIROMI THE TRIO PROJECT featuring ANTHONY JACKSON & STEVE SMITH, AHMAD JAMAL
9 PM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Dinner THE THREE LADIES OF BLUES & GUSTAV CSICK TRIO
9 PM Ristorante La Taverna Jazz Dinner STEFANO MINCONE TRIO
0,00 AM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Club ANAT COHEN QUARTET

July 11, 2011
7,30 PM Restaurant Stage HENRY BUTLER TRIO
9 PM Main Stage BRANFORD MARSALIS DUO & QUARTET featuring JOEY CALDERAZZO , ERIC REVIS, JUSTIN FAULKNER, EUROPEAN JAZZ ENSEMBLE featuring JIRI STIVIN, MATTHIAS SCHRIEFL, ALAN SKIDMORE, STAN SULZMANN, GERD DUDEK, ROB VAN DEN BROECK, ALI HAURAND, CLARK TRACEY
9 PM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Dinner THE THREE LADIES OF BLUES & GUSTAV CSICK TRIO
9 PM Ristorante La Taverna Jazz Dinner STEFANO MINCONE TRIO
0,00 AM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Club TIA FULLER QUARTET

July 12, 2011
7,30 PM Restaurant Stage HENRY BUTLER TRIO
9 PM Main Stage “Guitar Heaven 2011” SANTANA
9 PM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Dinner THE THREE LADIES OF BLUES & GUSTAV CSICK TRIO
9 PM Ristorante La Taverna Jazz Dinner STEFANO MINCONE TRIO
0,00 AM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Club ANAT COHEN QUARTET

July 13, 2011
7,30 PM Restaurant Stage HENRY BUTLER TRIO
9 PM Main Stage LIZA MINNELLI
9 PM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Dinner THE THREE LADIES OF BLUES & GUSTAV CSICK TRIO
9 PM Ristorante La Taverna Jazz Dinner STEFANO MINCONE TRIO
0,00 AM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Club TIA FULLER QUARTET

July 14, 2011
7,30 PM Restaurant Stage HENRY BUTLER TRIO
9 PM Main Stage “BRASILIAN NIGHT” “For All” GILBERTO GIL “The Celebration Tour” SERGIO MENDES
9 PM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Dinner THE THREE LADIES OF BLUES & GUSTAV CSICK TRIO
9 PM Ristorante La Taverna Jazz Dinner STEFANO MINCONE TRIO
0,00 AM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Club ANAT COHEN QUARTET

July 15, 2011
7,30 PM Restaurant Stage HENRY BUTLER TRIO
9,30 PM Main Stage “Welcome to America” - Euro Tour 2011 PRINCE
9 PM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Dinner THE THREE LADIES OF BLUES & GUSTAV CSICK TRIO
9 PM Ristorante La Taverna Jazz Dinner STEFANO MINCONE TRIO
0,00 AM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Club TIA FULLER QUARTET

July 16, 2011
7,30 PM Restaurant Stage THE THREE LADIES OF BLUES & GUSTAV CSICK TRIO
9,30 PM Main Stage TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE B.B. KING
9 PM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Dinner HENRY BUTLER TRIO
9 PM Ristorante La Taverna Jazz Dinner STEFANO MINCONE TRIO
0,00 AM Hotel Brufani, Sala Raffaello Jazz Club ANAT COHEN QUARTET

July 17, 2011
6,30 PM Main Stage “THE GREAT LATIN JAZZ EVENING” EDDIE PALMIERI QUARTET featuring HORACIO “EL NEGRO” HERNANDEZ, BRIAN LYNCH and LUQUES CURTIS
7,30 PM Restaurant Stage ANAT COHEN QUARTET
9 PM Main Stage MICHEL CAMILO “MANO A MANO” TRIO featuring GIOVANNI HIDALGO & ANTHONY JACKSON CHUCHO VALDES & THE AFRO-CUBAN MESSENGERS MICHEL & CHUCHO GRAN FINALE
9 PM Ristorante La Taverna Jazz Dinner STEFANO MINCONE TRIO


This is just the meaty section of each day's program, but you can live Jazz all day long through satellite events covering the movie, history and critique aspects that revolve around the world of Jazz.

As you can see from the juicy part of the program above, this year, as every year, there are big names and ensembles you should not miss. For tickets and more info visit the official site link above. Have fun in Umbria!

Umbria Holidays, Meetings, Weddings and Restaurant at Antica Posta di Braccio

Tweet

Share

Antica Posta di Braccio is a residence and restaurant in Umbria. It is a picturesque conglomerate of houses in typical Umbrian style with delicious red roofs and set in a lush green countryside. It sits right besides the Trasimeno Lake sporting one of the most magnificent views over one of its islands and offering a peaceful stay for short and long term holidays in Umbria. You will find it over the southern shore of the Lake near the town of San Arcangelo di Magione.

The origins of the palace are in the Renaissance period and its style is typical from that age. The restaurant specializes in truffles, an Umbrian specialty. The summer garden is a wonderful place where to enjoy the meals cooked with the ancient wood brick oven. This is a historic place that started its hospitality tradition in the 15th century, hosting those who traveled these lands.

That tradition continues to these days where guests are accommodated into 20 splendid apartments all boasting independent entrance and self catering services. This is also the ideal place if you need a large accommodation for your guests to celebrate a happening such as a wedding or a get-together, a birthday, or a company meeting. The large cross vaulted rooms are the ideal setting where to gather many people at once in an elegant and functional space. The entire structure is immersed in the green setting of the Trasimeno Park.
The efficient organization of this residence in Umbria will provide anything you need to make it happen for parties, large meetings, and conferences.

To top it all on the property grounds you will find a splendid swimming pool–pond decorated with submerged stone blocks and set in stone for a terrific visual impact and pleasurable relaxation. The pool also includes a Jacuzzi in an elevated and panoramic position commanding views over the Trasimeno area.

What to See in Umbria

Tweet

Share

This small region of Italy is quite mountainous overall and towns tend to be located on the inclinations of these high hills or mountains. Therefore when you look at the map villages look like they are near each another, but in reality it may take some time to get from one to another. The best length of time to visit Umbria with calm is two weeks, however one week should be good enough to get an idea of the region. You will find people welcoming you in a region where hospitality is an important part of local customs.

You should definitely visit Perugia which is the capital of Umbria. It is a delicious medieval center also including a large university and hosting one of the largest chocolate fairs in Europe, the Eurochocolate Festival.

You should also visit Assisi, right where St. Francis was born and where the basil of Assisi constitutes one of the most important pilgrimage points, also featuring beautiful frescoes.

Orvieto is a very characteristic town located on a large plateau which can be seen from afar, chosen by its inhabitants as a natural defense system. It is a very small town also famous for its Duomo.

Spoleto is where the Festival of Two Worlds, with music and opera is run every year.

In Narni you will discover the largest Roman bridge you can find. It is a delicious medieval village located in the southwest corner of Umbria.

Foligno is the town where the first print of Dante's Divine comedy was made. You will find it towards the center of the region.

Spello is also near the center of Umbria, and it's a hilly town with a very characteristic historic center with buildings originally from the 11th centuries, also including monuments from the first century BC.

The Trasimeno Lake is the fourth largest lake in Italy and you can find it in the Northwest corner of Umbria. This is the seaside of Umbria, as the region is the only landlocked one in Italy.

Furniture Shopping

Tweet

Share

If you just moved to Umbria in Italy you might need to furnish your house with a style that suits your needs and your new home in Italy. While visiting the home of some friends that live in Umbria near the town of Po' Bandino, I saw that they had bought many modern and classic piece of furniture that mashed up pretty well in their house.

My friends just built, actually enlarged, a pre-existing farmhouse in Umbria, and here they spend large portions of the year when the season is nicer and during the Christmas holidays. However, last time I saw this house it lacked almost all comforts and it just had the very basics to stay a few days. Now they decided to go a step further and completely refurnished this house in Umbria to make it a very comfortable nest. It is nice to see that they found everything they needed. The kitchen is quite modern and kind of surprises in a farm house in Umbria to see very straight lines and cubic shapes. It is a very trendy kitchen indeed. However, the color and the details make it in tune with the brick walls and wood beam ceilings. From the kitchen you step in the living room and here you see old-fashioned sofas in front of the stone fireplace.
Bedrooms are also in tune with the most traditional Umbrian style, with wrought iron beds and antique chests and wardrobes.

They told me that they had found everything they needed in a large showroom near their house. The name of the show room is Casa Camil in between Po' Bandino and Città della Pieve. The strength of this shop is the dynamic and young owners that can combine the new trends with the ancient Umbrian style. Also they found many important design names there, as Italy is among the first in the world in this field, but they also could find less famous and expensive antique furniture and also contemporary furnishings.

If I ever can make it and build my house in Umbria, I will surely go to Casa Camil. My friend are so enthusiastic about their buy that I thought I would write about this and give some advice to those the need to furnish their new home in Umbria.
You can find the shop in Via Marche in Po' Bandino, and you can contact them by e-mail at info@casacamil.it or at their website at www.casacamil.it.
The showroom is closed on Sundays and it is open on normal hours with an afternoon break from 1 PM to 3 PM every other day.

Spiritual Umbria

Tweet

Share

Umbria is a very spiritual land that each year attracts millions of pilgrims from all over the world. Many of its towns are characterized by a profound religious sentiment, which of course deepens its roots in the Christian Catholic religion. However, the mysticism of Umbria goes beyond religion. This is the land where St. Francis of Assisi was born and that has remained under the power of the Vatican state up until the unity of Italy.

Therefore when you travel through Umbria you will see many signs of these religious signs. Of course a visit to Assisi is a must. And even though you may not be a person of faith, just to see the impressive abbey dedicated to the Saint will take your breath.

But of course the entire region abounds with wonderful churches and spiritual places. A famous place of such importance is Monteluco in the province of Perugia near Spoleto. St. Francis found this place to retire himself in prayer. He obtained to pray in the chapel of St. Catherine that used to belong to the hermit monks of Monteluco. Nowadays in this place you have a Franciscan sanctuary surrounded by a deep Oak woods that is called the "sacred woods" and covers up the Monteluco. You should really go and see the church dedicated to St. Francis and St. Catherine. The place is still preserving the tiny cells and the stone that the St. used as his bed. Also, still intact, are the caves where some of the Saints stayed for a period. Lastly you should enjoy the wonderful view of Spoleto from here.

Another important spiritual place to visit is the small Hermitage of Carceri, only 5 km away from Assisi, along the way that leads to mount Subasio. Here you will find a small chapel, some grottoes, and some refuge that the St. and his followers have used since 1205 to pray and contemplate.

Umbria Restaurant "L'Oca Bruciata"

Tweet

Share

Today I want to talk about the Umbria restaurant where I went to eat about two months ago with my friends from Paciano. They brought me to this little tavern in town which I really loved. I get to talk about this only today because I finally could remember the name of the restaurant that made me laugh when I first heard it, and was able to locate the contact information and the address so you can find it too.
The name of the restaurant is "L'Oca Bruciata", that means the burnt duck, which somehow makes me laugh because you might think this is not the best name for an eatery.

Despite the name the place is really good with homemade cooking, delicious meats and vegetables that the owners personally cultivate in their vegetable garden. Umbria doesn't have an access to the sea, therefore you might think that here the culinary tradition for fish is not well developed. On the contrary, the Trasimeno Lake, which is the fourth largest lake in Italy, throughout the centuries has provided enough fish for the entire region to make possible that delicious lake fish recipes would be developed. So is the case of this Umbria restaurant, which in addition to game also specializes in lake fish recipes.

The cook is a woman called Rossana, who loves to personally choose the ingredients of her homemade cooking. Everything here is homemade. As I said the vegetables are cultivated in the garden of the owners, pasta is also homemade and the pizza is cooked in the wood brick oven. In addition, the owners of this restaurant in Umbria really love fresh mushrooms of the Porcini kind and truffles. I personally had a first entry of fettuccine "Profumo di Bosco", or scents of the woods, a delicious combination of mushrooms and black truffles lightly mixed with cream. It was delicious!

The ambient is very pleasant and familial, quite typical of a rustic restaurant in Umbria, with the service that loves to keep things simple, straightforward and efficient, never forgetting to smile at your request. We had the wine of the house, and it was quite good, I believe it was a Sagrantino.

The restaurant is located in the province of Perugia, in the town of Paciano. The exact address is Viale Roma 7c, and the phone number is +390758307008. You will find the restaurant closed on Mondays and during the entire month of February.

Umbria is a Pleasure to Experience

Tweet

Share

The Umbria region of central-Italy is the lesser-known neighbor of Tuscany. It is an ancient land, rich in history and beautiful experiences for all of your five senses. Umbria is hilly, tranquil and sure to meet all of your passionate expectations of Italy.

The first sense you'll want to thrill in Umbria is your sense of taste. The wine and food offered here has a reputation that precedes itself. Umbria's food is known as being simple and original, built upon olive oil, pork and specialties to the region such as truffles (tartufos), which are highly coveted. Perugia, the capital city of Umbria, is famous for its chocolate. There are numerous restaurants to satisfy your tastes and many of them are family owned and operated.

Much of Umbria is rural, the landscape being filled with medieval castles, fortresses and cathedrals. Umbria was the home of Saint Francis of Assisi; therefore, it has many spiritual and religious sites. Visitors can see Saint Francis of Assisi's tomb at the grandiose Basilica of San Francesco. The cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Spoleto, another stunning example of architecture with its famous rose window, is a must-see for visitors to Umbria.

Any history enthusiast will be elated to travel in Umbria. The mark of the ancient Roman empire remains on the land. Age-old walls and towers dating back to the time of Caesar Augustus still stand. The ancient ruins of Carsulae, which was a rest stop for Roman soldiers and travelers that developed into a town, was established around 300 B.C. The area originally flourished because of its location along the ancient Roman road called the via Flaminia. Visitors to Carsulae will see the amphitheatre, two temples to unknown Roman gods, public baths and more.

Umbria is also home to Lake Trasimeno, which also has much historical value. It is the site of a battle between Hannibal and two Roman legions. Castiglione del Lago is a ruined medieval castle on the lake built by Emperor Frederick II. Lake Trasimeno is breathtakingly beautiful. There are many campsites around the lake from which to embark on explorations of the surrounding area.

Travelers to Umbria will find many different kinds of places to stay during their trip. There is something for every type of traveler, from rustic villas to hotels to family-run bed and breakfasts. Many accommodations offer a restaurant on-site or a fully equipped kitchen to allow you to create your own Umbrian feast. Even while enjoying the relaxation of a country-side retreat, modern amenities are available to allow the best of both worlds, old and new.

The Umbria region of Italy is captivatingly charming and warmly welcoming. Any traveler will simply fall in love with this beautiful and lush part of Italy.

Scott Rivers lives in Costa Rica and is also a lead writer for Costa Rica Sunsets, an adventurous travel agency in the country.

Il Piratello, My Next Apartment in Umbria

Tweet

Share

I found another great place where to stay in Umbria. This time it wasn't by chance, I really wanted to rent apartments in Umbria in a beautiful farm house or agritourism, as it is very much en vogue to call this type of accommodations these days.

Of course I looked for my property in Umbria near the Lake Trasimeno, as this is a great area where to sojourn since you will be feeling like you're near the seaside with many water sports to carry out during your holiday. In addition all the towns around the lake are very much lively and filled with nice restaurants, especially fish restaurants. I know what you're thinking: lake fish is not that good to eat, but you're actually wrong as with the summer season the fish comes towards the surface of the lake eating the yearly insect offspring, thus becoming tasty and losing its murky flavor.

So, getting back to these apartments in Umbria, the name of the farmhouse is Il Piratello, and it is located in Tuoro sul Trasimeno. It includes six apartments with no breakfast, for self catering holidays in Umbria. The outdoors of the farm house are the typical Umbrian stone walls intertwined with red bricks with nice roses and jasmine bushes crawling up and decorating portions of these sun baked stone surfaces.

The indoors of each apartment in Umbria at Il Piratello is a very nice rustic accommodation equipped with all the necessary modern comforts for your holiday. I'm sure I will have a great time cooking the typical Umbrian dishes while staying here. The kitchen has enough space to cook every meal and includes an electric oven and gas range, so I'll make sure to prepare a different dish every day. Even the bedrooms look very comfortable. I will let you know how comfortable beds are after I slept in mine the first night!

The agritourism is surrounded by a green lawn, many olive trees and orchards. The house itself is very pleasant to look at, with nice finishings and details that bind this place to its rural origins. The landscape all around is fantastic, sweeping over the territory across Umbria and Tuscany.

I am spending €400 for a week at this apartment in Umbria, and I think the money is well worth my sojourn, but of course I will let you know after my return from Umbria.

Shopping in Castiglione del Lago: La Botteghina

Tweet

Share

During one of my peregrinations around the lake, i.e. the Trasimeno Lake, I discovered a very small and pleasant little shop selling old weapons. Of course these are just reproductions of old weapons such as crossbows, axes, gun powder guns, many kinds of swords, old gun powder rifles, daggers, knives, and the very medieval sledgehammer.

It is a very fun small little shop to be in, and the owner is a very nice person. His name is Andrea and he is very enthusiastic of his little shop. He is the only one selling this kind of things in the area. He doesn't only sell reproductions of old weapons, but also miniatures of sailing boats, and other little paraphernalia that might make a very nice memory and a gift for those home.
There are some fantasy little dolls arranged to make a nice fantasy setting, while on the walls you could see heart-shaped, or other shapes, messages with fabrics, buttons and nice decorations with messages in Italian on about love, friendship, good luck, and other sayings or quotes. These are especially nice to decorate the walls of your house and therefore a nice gift from your travel to Umbria.

The shop is in Castiglione del Lago, in Umbria in Via Vittorio Emanuele 54 and is open and from 9:30 AM until 1 PM and from 3:30 PM until 8 PM. During wintertime you would find it close on Thursday afternoon, while in summertime it is always open. If you're around the lake and near the nice town of Castiglione, I really suggest you visit this little shop for your gifts to bring back home.

Where to stay in Umbria

Tweet

Share

Here I would like to give you some advice on properties where to stay in Umbria for your holiday rentals. This is just a few suggestions among hotels, farmhouses, and private villas that I am sure you will find very useful as at times it is hard to choose the most appropriate Umbria rental for your holidays.

Let's start with property La Cuccagna, a private villa near Perugia, including a swimming pool and all the amenities you may need. It is a nice property for up to 10 people with five bedrooms and five bathrooms divided into two apartments, of which one is a separate cottage. The owners live on the top floor of the main building, but are very unintrusive and provide a helpful hand when needed. This property can also be rented as a bed-and-breakfast when it is not rented as a private property, and one room is also accessible to wheelchairs.

If, however, you're looking for a farmhouse divided into apartments, you have Agriturismo Malagronda located in Città della Pieve near Perugia. It accommodates up to 33 guests in a total of six apartments. Accommodations are equipped with all the amenities and services you may need, and the outdoors provide for a safe place for children and include a splendid swimming pool located in a panoramic setting. The property is very family oriented and is also a special place to rent for large groups of people.

Moving towards Terni in Umbria, you'll get to Casa Lilla, a very comfortable bed and breakfast in the little town of Acquasparta. The three bedrooms all include an suite bathroom with power shower and comforts such as DVD player, satellite TV and independent heating. There's also the possibility to rent the ground floor as an apartment comprised of two bedrooms usually used for the bed-and-breakfast. This accommodation is an ideal inexpensive way of spending a holiday in Umbria for couples or small families!

Stay tuned for more suggestions of other properties, all this are quite inexpensive and provide a splendid Location in Umbria.

Taverna del Perugino

Tweet

Share

Umbria restaurant Taverna del Perugino is a typical eatery located in the main street of Città della Pieve. It takes its name from the well-known master of arts known as Il Perugino. The street where the restaurant is on is called via Pietro Vannucci.
Right on the street is theOratorio di Santa Maria dei Bianchi, where one of the masterworks of the artist can be admired. It is the operation of the wise kings. The oratory resides right in front of the restaurant.

The restaurant is very typically Umbrian, offering homemade cooking with handmade pasta, such as Pici, Gnocchi, Pappardelle, all accompanied by tasty And strictly home made sauces. If you'll love meet this is the place where to eat. Local kinds of needs such as the Chianina steak, Tagliata, wild boar, lamb, ostrich, hare and broiled liver. This is also a place where you will it very very typical local dishes such as snails, and the specialty of the restaurant, which is grilled truffles and Porcini mushrooms.
If you're craving for pizza you will be able to get it at this Umbria restaurant, just like fish, which needs to be requested in advance.

The ambient is very rustic as you would expect from a tavern, however very pleasant and comfortable. During the summer months you can take advantage from the outdoor covered seating on the street, both during lunchtime and dinnertime.
The restaurant is quite large and includes up to 59 people inside and 60 people outside. The average price per person is about 20 euros including the drinks of the house, but could be more expensive if you choose different wines and beers. The average price for a pizza with drinks is around 10 euros per person.

Find the website of this Umbria restaurant at www.tavernadelperugino.com. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.

Trasimeno Lake in May

Tweet

Share

During a lazy Sunday afternoon I didn't know what to do and I called some Australian friends of mine in Spello and I departed from Perugia to go and meet them in Castiglion del Lago near the Trasimeno Lake. It was the very first extremely hot Sunday in Umbria and it was very nice and pleasant to be by the lake where the breeze sweeps the water surface and cools off your body even though you are in the sun. Plus there is a very long promenade and a long narrow beach to swim in the lake. People were actually sun tanning and kids were playing everywhere on the large lawn in front of the bars and cocktail places.

We parked the car about 10 minutes from what is perhaps the most hip stretch of bars in Castiglion del Lago.There were cars everywhere but it was nice to be there during this nice afternoon. After a long winter, all this green, blue, and yellow make you feel better.
We started walking along the promenade and we saw a nice bar there with live music, so we stopped to get a milkshake and an ice cream. It was just so nice to be outside, that we didn't care about doing anything special. There were kids running everywhere and the view of the Trasimeno Lake was just stunning, with one of its islands in clear sight. I'd love to go there sometime! There are cruises on the lake that take you there. The lake is just so big! It is the fourth largest lake in Italy, and the wind makes the water moved looking like the sea.

After the milkshake we kept on walking a bit and it was funny when one of us joked about not turning back but just walking all the way around the lake. The funny thing was that a friend of mine actually said "why not! Let's do it!" and she was very serious. We started laughing quite hard as she certainly hadn't understood how big the lake Trasimeno is.

Here are some pictures of the day I hope you like them!

Poggio dei Papi in Città della Pieve

Tweet

Share

I recently stayed at Poggio dei Papi near Città della Pieve, in Umbria. I ended up there by chance actually. I was supposed to arrive to Milan, but our bus broke down near Perugia and therefore we decided that we'd be better off spending the night in the area.
This is a very modern accommodation, a b&b in Umbria with rooms that have all the privacy you may want. Even if we stayed here just one night, we could appreciate all the services that it offers. It isn't very fancy, but that's just what you would look for in a rustic accommodation, isn't it? It is sad that we arrived in the late afternoon, as we could not enjoy a full day at this bed and breakfast Umbria, but we could still see how beautiful the outdoors are, with an Olympic swimming pool located in the intensely green lawn.

The position of this B&B Umbria is really enviable. The private garden of the property is filled with lush plants and blossoming flowers, a true blessing if you need to relax in the countryside. The rooms are all with climate control and air conditioning, furnished with sober taste but very comfortable furniture, and large king-size beds. There is plenty to do for people loving sports such as fitness centers, football field, tennis courts, and a wellness center with sauna.

The total number of rooms of this bed-and-breakfast in Umbria is 31 also including eight suites. The breakfast in the morning was actually really good and satisfying. Prices are not very cheap but a holiday at Poggio dei Papi bed and breakfast in Umbria is certainly one I want to experience in my lifetime, and I will be back.

Restaurant Paprika in Castiglione del Lago

Tweet

Share

View Restaurant Paprika Umbria in a larger map
Yesterday I was at restaurant Paprika in Castiglione del Lago in Umbria. The restaurant is very nice, adorned with some kind of intriguing modern and rustic style. The food is also very nice with fresh fish and cruditès.

It is located right in front of the ducal Palace of the Corgna. It is a very warm and welcoming place where the owner greets you with a nice smile on his face. He has been managing this place for many many years now and knows how to welcome guests from any part of the world. He has hired some of the best chefs it seems, as the food was really really delicious. We enjoyed a trout with fresh tomatoes and trouts, which went really well with the Sagrantino white wine.

Talking to the owner let us discover that his cooks are very experienced and try new dishes every day experimenting within the boundaries of the Umbrian and Tuscan tradition. The terrace of the restaurant is very nice and filled with flowers. Tables are under the shade of large sun umbrellas and a gentle breeze comes to remove the summer heat and create a very pleasant ambient.
The view of the terrace is over the Palace of the Corgna and the squares of Castiglion del Lago. The fresco on the wall pictures the lake Trasimeno, which cannot be seen directly from the terrace, but can be tasted on the table. This is the perfect place if you're looking for a small corner of peaceful and truthful Umbrian environment to eat.

Restaurant Paprika is actually not that big. It has a maximum of 40 seats inside and 25 on the terrace, so you might be better off booking before going there. You can book at phone number +39 075953545 or at the cell phone of the owner at +39 339 1982283 or even e-mail at ristpaprika@alice.it.

The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays, and prices are around 22 Euros per person without beverages but you could also enjoy a tourist menu for 13 Euros per person without beverages. You can find the restaurant in Via di Vittorio in Castiglione del Lago, Umbria.

Pictures of Umbria

Tweet

Share

Talking about the beauties of Umbria is always a pleasure, but why do it if pictures can say so much more? Here are a few that I am sure you will love, just to give you an idea of the beauties you can find in Umbria. Enjoy!