Umbria: Green Heart of Italy

DEAR FRIEND,

Umbria may be overshadowed by Tuscany in popularity, but that just means better values and fewer crowds!

Umbria well deserves its nickname, il cuor verde d’Italia -- ‘the green heart of Italy.’ It is a region of incredible natural beauty, a landscape of mountains, high plains and lakes, but it is also a region rich in history and art...and, of course, marvelous villas from which to enjoy it all. I am particularly enthusiastic about our Umbrian villas because of their quality and variety.

In June, the air is scented with rose, ginestra (broom) and gelsomino (jasmine). Highlights include dinners at cozy in-town and countryside restaurants, vanishing villages, Lake Trasimeno, and all of the legendary hill towns — Orvieto, Todi, Spoleto, Norcia, Assisi, Gubbio, Spello, Chiusi, and little Ficulle, where we have just acquired a delightful upscale townhouse right in the village center, ideal for a couple wishing to live as an Italian for a week...or a month.

Umbria is ideal for folks who want to savor a relaxed countryside experience. This newseletter focuses on attractions in Umbria for children and adults, as well as the regional cuisine and wines, and some of our favorite Umbrian festivals. Don't miss the slide show!

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...THE ONLY ITALIAN REGION HAVING NEITHER COASTLINE NOR A BORDER WITH A FOREIGN COUNTRY.

...DIVIDED INTO TWO PROVINCES: PERUGIA AND TERNI.

...HOME OF ITALY'S HIGHEST WATERFALL, THE FALLS OF MARMORE.

..KNOWN AS. IL CUOR VERDE D'ITALIA — 'THE GREEN HEART OF ITALY.' THE PHRASE COMES FROM A POEM BY GIOSUÈ CARDUCCI, THE FIRST ITALIAN TO WIN THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE. IT ACTUALLY REFERS TO A SPECIFIC PLACE, THE CLITUNNO RIVER.

The medieval town of Ficulle, surrounded by the rolling green hills of Umbria

1. ORVIETO: The city rises dramatically from almost vertical cliffs made of white volcanic tufa. Visit its famous Cathedral, explore the Rocca and St. Patrick’s Well (175 feet deep and 45 feet wide). Shop for ceramics, leather, dolls and woodcrafts. Have an unforgettable meal at Trattoria Dell’Orso, one of our favorite restaurants. There’s no menu, but everything is fresh and incredibly delicious, so whatever you order, it’s likely to be one of the best meals of your trip. (We love the farro soup!)

2. WINE: Visit the fascinating History of Wine Museum of the Fondazione Lungarotti in Torgiano, which was set up by the well-known local wine-making family who also produce the Torgiano Rosso Riserva, one of two Umbrian wines to be awarded the prestigious DOCG appellation. The vineyards near Montefalco are known for their Sagrantrino and San Giovese wines.

3. LAKE TRASIMENO: Only slightly smaller than Lake Como, Italy’s fourth largest lake is situated just inside Umbria, close to the border of Tuscany. Depart from Passignano for the 20-minute boat ride to Isola Maggiore to see lace being made and to visit the Lace Museum. 

4. NORCIA: History meets gastronomy in Norcia. The black truffle of Norcia is one of Italy’s most sought-after delicacies, celebrated in a festival each February. Norcia also produces some of Italy’s best lentils and is renowned for its processed pork products. In fact, the word for a pork butchery in Italian is norcineria.

5. CERAMICS: Go to Deruta, famous for the Maiolica ceramics that have been produced there for over 600 years. In the charming little village of Ficulle, visit the workshop of Fabio Fattorini—potter, philosopher, cyclist. Fabio has given classes at Villa Bellissima (the kids loved him) and Selvamica has a wonderful collection of his pottery.

6. JAZZ: The Umbria Jazz Festival, held in Perugia every year during July, is one of the most important events of its kind in the world. Spoleto is home of the Festival Di Due Mondi, founded by composer Gian Carlo Menotti, with three weeks of music, theater and dance performances each June/July; its counterpart is held in Charleston, S.C. during May/June.

7. CHOCOLATE: Perugina is synonymous with world-class chocolates; its most popular creation is Baci ('kisses' in Italian). Nestled in its silver and blue foil wrapping, each luscious, hazelnut-filled confection comes wrapped in a romantic multilingual love note. They are the star attraction at the Eurochocolate festival held each year in Perugia. Sandri, a famous café in Perugia, is Umbria's oldest confectioner's shop and was named as one of Newsweek's "World's Best Bars," with chocolates to die for.

8. ASSISI: One of Umbria’s most visited cities, Assisi was the home of two important saints of Italian history – Saint Francis (San Francesco) and Saint Clare (Santa Chiara) – and is the destination of a million pilgrims every year. (Note: St. Clare’s in Uganda is the school Doorways helps support.)

9. TODI: One of our favorite Umbrian cities, Todi is elegant and charming, set on a hilltop overlooking the Tiber valley. Visit Piazza del Popolo, the ancient seat of the Roman forum. Alternate cultural and historical visits with lovely meals in beautiful cafés or visits to local workshops to buy beautiful handmade cloth.

10. NATURE:  Umbria is great for hiking and wonderful for biking, and its hills are ideal horse country. A few kilometers from Terni is one of the regions most spectacular sights, the Falls of Marmore, Italy’s highest waterfall. One of Umbria's greatest natural treasures is the Clitunno Springs that run underground from Spoleto to Foligno, feeding the river of the same name. The reflection of the surrounding vegetation in the crystalline waters results in an intensity of color that has inspired writers and artists through the centuries.

WIN A FREE KINDLE!
Doorways recently gave a Kindle electronic reader to a lucky fan who joined our company page on Facebook. (Congratulations, Kristen!) However, for those who are not on Facebook, we wanted to open up the offer to include you, too. So we are giving away another Kindle! Here’s how it works: Send us the name and contact information of someone you know who you think would enjoy receiving our newsletter. That's all you have to do to be entered in the drawing, which will take place October 1, 2010.  If you win, you can travel lighter than ever on your next villa vacation!

INSIDER TIPS FOR UMBRIA
We always look forward to receiving our copy of Pat Bedard’s The European Traveller. Pat travels anonymously to discover the best hotels, restaurants and sights for “the discerning traveller to Europe.” Subscribers can order back issues; the May/June 2010 issue is all about Umbria. www.theeuropeantraveller.com.

TUSCANY CAMP FOR FAMILIES
Villa Buonvisi is offering a last-minute all-inclusive package for Tuscany Camp. Spend a week in a beautiful, historical villa in the Tuscan countryside, with meals, tours, and activities for all ages.And keep an eye out for our new Tuscany Family Camp for 2011; details coming soon.