Archive for the Tours Category

Umbrian Hilltown tours of “Auntie Annie”

Our final tour together, the Rural Life Revisited tour, might have been the highlight of the Italy stay of this San Diego family. Chiarina won over little Van when she made us bruschetta with the olio novello. Kathleen and Jon enjoyed tasting the family’s wine. When farm friend Gentile asked Aeriel to stay and live with her, Aeriel asked her mother, Kathleen, if she could say “SI”…
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Passione in Umbria’s May Festivals

If you truly wish to experience Italian passione, join “the locals” for their May festivals.
Work goes on all winter in Assisi for the town’s medieval welcome to spring in early May, the Calendimaggio. In an explosion of color, excitement, and astounding creativity, the Assisani celebrate spring with three days of medieval dance, street theater…
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Truffles Reign Triumphant

The truffle has always been the richest and most refined element of Mediterranean cuisine. Certainly not desired for its beauty – it resembles a measily rotten potato – the truffle grows underground, like the potato, far from light and air, taking its nourishment, like other mushrooms, from the forest undergrowth.
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November and December in Umbria: chestnuts, olive oils and truffles

November is bellissimo in Umbria, ie, fewer tourists and much to do: olive oil mills are open all over the region offering the newly milled oil on bruschetta to visitors…
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San Martino, San Martino, castagne e vino

Umbria welcomes in the Feast of St. Martin, November 11th, with the saying “San Martino, San Martino, castagne e vino” (“St. Martin, St. Martin, chestnuts and wine”). As the days turn cooler, the smoke of the wood-buring stoves snakes out of farmhouse chimneys…
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