umbria - My Budget Travel -

Asymmetry

From: mimosamimosa
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A piece of garden in Spello, 10 km from Assisi, Umbria. Taken in August 2009.
2 weeks ago
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Glow , Perugia

From: mimosamimosa
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Inside Palazzo dei Priori, Perugia. Taken during short summer car trip August 2009.
2 weeks ago
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View of Tuscany from Cortona

From: alpskier
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View of the Tuscan countryside from Cortona, Italy. Lake Trasimeno and Umbria are seen in the far distance.
3 weeks ago
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Orvieto doorway

From: daffy173
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4 months ago
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Sunflower fields in Umbria

From: daffy173
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4 months ago
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Gubbio shop

From: daffy173
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4 months ago
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Villa Diana

From: daffy173
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4 months ago
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Villa Diana - Collelungo, Umbr

From: daffy173
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4 months ago
Views: 92

Old Man with Flowers

From: kiraev
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One of my favorite things to do, both at home and while traveling, is to observe people. On a cold, snowy day in Assisi, home to St Francis in the heart of Umbria in Italy, I passed an older man carrying a small bouquet of what appeared to be handpicked wildflowers. Where did he get them in the middle of winter? Who were they for? I found myself inventing all kinds of possible lives for this anonymous Italian gentleman, all of which touched me. I took this photo as he walked away (to where? to whom?) so I could preserve the memory, and I still wonder about the story behind the flowers.
4 months ago
Views: 160

Italy Latium B&B Torre Avellan

From: torreavellana
Description:

idden Italy

Torre Avellana is an ancient rural tower that, together with its cellars, has been transformed into an unusual dwelling that is, at the same time, characteristic, cosy and elegant. A perfect hideaway for those who seek tranquillity and comfort.

For a romantic weekend in the heart of the Viterbese Tuscia region.

Vignanello is a 20-minute car trip away from the Viterbo Thermal spas and less than an hour from Rome. From here you can easily reach Bagnaia, Orte, Bomarzo, Marta as well as the lakes of Vico and Bolsena.

It is situated near to the motorway, to the regions of Tuscany and Umbria and this makes it an ideal starting point for longer-distance excursions.

Hazelnut suite: double room with an ensuite bathroom. Pomegranate Suite: double room with a small private bathroom. Lemon Suite: double room with a small private bathroom. Sofa bed in the living room.

The substantial breakfast and dinner are served in the ex-cellar: an extremely characteristic environment dug out of the tufa stone surroundings. The premises are equipped with an open-plan kitchen, a table to host more than 25 people, a wood-burning oven to cook pizzas and other traditional dishes and an open brickwork fireplace.

We apologise for the fact that Torre Avellana DOES NOT have a lift.

Bed and Breakfast min. 2 nights. Possibility of half-board stays.

Holiday home, with the weekly leasing of the entire premises: total 7/8 beds.

Upon request: transfers to/from Rome and airports.

Organisation of sightseeing excursions.

Tasting sessions of wines and local products.

Italian language and Italian Cuisine courses for foreigners.

www.torreavellana.ea23.com

www.torreavellana.it

For bookings, please contact +39 392 0707404
6 months ago
Views: 199
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Torgiano

From: Fiorbellina
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The town of Torgiano still preserves its typical medieval appearance and the remains of its ancient walls. The Museum of Wine is of great interest, containing a precious collection of storical documents regarding various sectors: the art of wine-growing and wine-making, and artistic, folkloristic and bibliografic documentation on the subject. You may also admire a very precious collection of maiolica dating back to th 17th and 18th centuries. The fortified part of the town is siuated between the middle of the Tiber valley and that of the Umbrian valley. Here, the cultivation of the vine is an ancient art as is evidenced by the testimonial of archeologicals finds, and by a sketch dating back to the 14th century. The zone is characterized by agriculture, consisting in the coltivation of various food-stuffs, and by craftsmanship, above all, the pottery trade. The Museum of Wine is the most qualified in all of Italy, with its collections of tecnical instruments, prints dating back to various times, specialized craftsmanship and folkloristic documents.
7 months ago
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Fiorbellina

Points:952
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Since: 7 months ago

Italy: Adventures and Ancesto

From: Ann Fessler
Description:

How Can One Go "On the Cheap" to Italy in 2008?

Part 1

Thirty years ago, my husband, Ed, and I went to Europe using Frommer's Europe on Five Dollars A Day. For six weeks this September and October, we concentrated on Italy, cutting costs by renting a house in the oldest area of a town in Umbria, a non-touristy town named 'Marsciano." Instead of Venice, Florence and Rome, with their costly hotels, we lived in Marcia's typical Italian home with three floors. Not only was the price right, $1,500 for the month of September, but also we were afforded the comfort that comes from being able to cook many of our meals and do laundry. In addition, we didn't have to live out of a suitcase and move from place to place every few days.  Here is a picture of a Sunday morning procession as seen from our Marsciano House. See Marcia's blog and pictures of her home at the web site provided: http://web.mac.com/marsciamckean1/iWeb/MyItalianHometown/Welcome.html

All Aboard! Part 2

Train travel is the way to go! When gas was $9.00 a gallon in Europe at the time, traveling by train is the cheapest/least stressful way to go. This time around we did not visit big cities (because we had already spent weeks touring them), but on the days we chose to travel, we visited hill towns in Umbria and Tuscany. Some of the towns in which we spent a day included: Todi, Amelia, Perugia, Sienna, Pienza, Montefalco, Bevagne, Orvieto, Civita di Bagnoregio, Trevi, Gubbio, Spello and Montepulciano.

Umbrian and Tuscan Hill Towns and Thrifty Eats!     Part 3

We visited the towns, read the history, marveled at chapels and cathedrals, but didn't spend much time in museums. We arrived early enough to peruse the town and determined to find a tratoria or restaurant for a long lunch, during the time when shops in Italy close - 12:30 to 3:30 P.M. We often had a first plate (pasta or gnocchi) and either a salda or contori (vegetable - often, spinach or chicory) and the vino of the house - blanco or rosso. We called this "soaking up the culture." Second plates are meat and fish and are more expensive, and simply too much food. Bread and olive oil are always included and Italian restaurateurs add the gratuity to the bill. Usually, we did not have dessert but two were memorable - a tiramisu in Trevi and a warm chocolate cake in Spello.

Searching for Ed's Roots - in Amelia (the region of Perugia) and in Grimaldi (the region of Calabria.)

    Part 4

We went to Amelia, a beautiful hill town in the region of Perugia, where Ed's grandfather was born and lived until he immigrated to Portland, Oregon. Amelia is a walled city and has the reputation of being one of the friendliest cities in Italy. Everyone greeted us. It was poignant for Ed to imagine his grandfather there and he had many questions - when exactly did Ersillio leave, and why? And then, how was it for him to leave Ameilia in the early 1900's, a put together/beautiful walled city that was his home and move to Portland, a muddy frontier town in an unknown new world, that was an ocean and a continent away?

After living in Marsciano in Umbria for a month, we went south to the region of Calabria.(from the ankle to the toe of the boot that is Italy.) Ed's grandmother came from there. She received her passport from Cosenza, a big city, and then took a boat from Naples to New York and the train to Portland. Her home town on her passport was listed as "Gruniliti." As we researched before leaving for Italy, we found no town of that name, so we went to a town close to Cosenza named, "Grimaldi." We were taking pictures and since it is not a tourist town, many people greeted us. I had studied a bit of Italian before we went and so I struck up a conversation (in my limited way) with an Italian man, saying that we thought that Ed's grandmother came from this town.

He said, "Uno momento" and from his home, he brought out his cousin who was born in Grimaldi and now lives in Ottawa, Canada. She enthused, "Come with us to city hall; it's called 'the Commune of Grimaldi.'" Two people in the office started looking at birth records and found the family name. We didn't have her birth date, but thought she should have been born in the last decade of the 1800's. After about 20 minutes, Ed said, "I don't want you to waste anymore of your time. I think that because you found the family name, my Grandmother really did come from here. I don't have to see her birth record. I just wanted to walk in the city of her birth."

The people in the office continued to look. In the very next book, they found "Rosa Sdao born in 1891 on January 21st to Bruno, father, and Falsetto, mother, Sdao." They listed the midwife's name and the church in which she was baptized.

Ed was clearly emotional as he touched the book. The serendipity of this entire experience was incredible. The couple from Ottawa was supposed to leave for the city hall an hour before we arrived in Grimaldi and were actually supposed to leave to fly home to Canada the day before we came.

Clearly, this was the "wow" of the trip. Ed's grandmother came to Portland when she was 23 years of age for an arranged marriage to a man (Ersillio) from the Umbrian region. They quickly had four children and then he died of TB. Ed really wasn't aware of her story when she was alive, so the discovery of her birth records and town were very important to him.

A Hotel on the Mediterranean for $60 a night, including breakfast!

Part 5.

On October 2nd, for our final week in Italy, we enjoyed the beach and poolside at the Trevi Village near Campora San Giovanni and Amatea, Italy in the region of Calabria. Because it was "off season," it was definitely a bargain! www.trevivilliage.it
Blog post
1 year ago
Views: 1136

Roman road at Carsulae

From: missprice
Description:
The remains of a Roman road, the Via Flaminia, lead to an arch at the ancient site of Carsulae in Umbria, Italy.
1 year ago
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Wildflowers in bloom in Castel

From: missprice
Description:
The little hilltop town of Castelluccio, in the Umbria region of Italy, has a few precious weeks each summer where the surrounding Pian Grande fills with the dreamy colors of wildflowers in bloom. It is such a breathtaking sight that the Umbrians dedicate a festival, the Festa della Fioritura, to celebrate it each year. We missed the crowds, but ate a spectacular lunch that included Castelluccio's famous lentils.
1 year ago
Views: 448

Small Miracles in Assisi, Ital

From: Janice St Marie
Description:

A Promise Fulfilled
A few years ago, I made a promise to myself: before I turned 50, I would return to Italy. It had been more than 25 years since I was there as a student in Perugia and Assisi, located in the heart of Umbria. Little did I know what a wonderful surprise was in store for me once I arrived in Italy.

I had studied mainly in Perugia but had taken a stained glass class in nearby Assisi as well. We worked in a rustic studio with arched doors and stone walls. My teacher was renowned in Italy and had a shop where he made and sold pieces commercially. I also learned cross-stitch (the famous local stitch called the St. Francis stitch) from a gentle old woman who worked in the public bathrooms. She was responsible for cleaning the restroom and collected coins as tips from tourists. I would sit next to her on an upturned bucket as she taught me the traditional stitch, stumbling through directions with my beginning Italian.

The Search Begins
Arriving by train to the city of Assisi, I realized I had left a part of myself there and it felt incredible to return. My first goal was to try locating the stained glass studio where I had studied. I wound my way up the crowded streets lined with restaurants, tourist shops and art galleries looking for something familiar. When I found the central piazza, I knew I was on the right track. “Up, up!” I thought. And so I continued. I stopped a little farther on and decided I had better ask someone if they had heard of the studio. I entered one of the many stores along the street and began my search there.

An older woman greeted me. Her shop was the size of a walk-in closet and filled to the brim with souvenirs and handmade items. I asked if she spoke English. “No,” she said. With trepidation, I began to speak in Italian. I asked if she knew of the studio where stained glass had been taught many years ago for Americans by an Italian teacher (he must be 80 years old by now). She thought a moment and then asked, “Is his name Renato Rossi?” “Yes!” I said. “Renato Rossi!” She was quite pleased for me and indicated on the map the area where she thought the studio had been. She said it was no longer there, but that Renato was still alive and lived somewhere near the edge of town.

Pushing My Luck
I was very grateful and I decided to push my luck even further and ask about the woman who had taught me the St. Francis cross-stitch. So, I described when and where I had met her and how she had taken the time to sit with me and teach me the stitch. The store owner listened to my query and then, after a thoughtful pause she said quietly, “She was my mother.”

Unbelievable! Tears of surprise and happiness came to my eyes. What serendipity! I told Marisa that her mother had been very warm and generous to me and remained close to my heart. She told me her mother had died eight years ago and she missed her tremendously. Then she walked over to a stack of St. Francis cross-stitch handiwork, shuffled through the pile and selected two pieces. She handed one to me and said, “I want you to have this. My mother stitched it.” Then, she gave me the second piece saying, “And this too, I stitched it myself.

I accepted the gifts, still feeling stunned. We both marvelled at the chance of me walking into
her store of all the stores along the road. Marisa was convinced her mother had a hand in bringing us together. I can hardly disagree.

Life Can Be So Easy
After more conversation and plans to meet throughout the week of my stay, I took the map she had marked for me and started up the hill once more to search for Renato. I stopped in a small shop where a kindly gentleman listened to my story and pointed me in a general direction. I was wandering around a neighborhood, map in hand, when I saw three women talking on a small side street. Approaching them, speaking in Italian I asked if they knew Renato Rossi. One of the women looked at me and said, “Yes, he’s my uncle.” Amid wild gesticulations and hoots of laughter (“Puo facile la vita!” Life can be so easy!), Rosana accompanied me to Renato’s house only a few blocks away. She buzzed his door and I heard someone shout, “Ooooah!” I hadn’t heard that expression for 28 years!

Once inside, while we toasted fate with a glass of wine, Renato (he is almost 80) pulled out photographs from when I studied with him years ago. We exclaimed at how much younger we had all looked. After an hour or so of reminiscing, I agreed to return the next day for lunch.

I walked back through the city as the sun was setting, thinking to myself, my first day in Assisi, after an absence of more than a quarter century, had been magical beyond all expectation.
Blog post
1 year ago
Views: 628

So Many Steps, Assisi, Italy

From: Janice St Marie
Description:
Assisi is a wonderful hilltown in Umbria, Italy. Note, I said "hill" town...it seems you are either walking up, up, up or down, down, down.
1 year ago
Views: 171
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Our Biking Trip in Tuscany and

From: Veronicuccio
Description:

Friday 1 July 2005 I purchased my first moleskine (notebook used by Matisse, Céline, Hemingway and in particular by Bruce Chatwin that made him famous by writing notes of his mythical trip to Patagonia), in the hope of write reports of future travel and experience worthy of being transcribed and remember.

Only a few hours after receiving the unexpected call from Antonio (like me belonging to the "Jesi Cycling Team," amateur cycling team) I propose to participate on 9 and July 10 to the trip Fabriano - Pisa, in two stages, of course cycling.

In total about 420 km but I will ensure that cycling for 20 km / h, which will carry out various stops for refreshments.

This year a shortage of kilometres (due mainly to my laziness) associated with an increase of body weight (I never tired of eating) have resulted in an inexorable decline of my cycling performance, so despite the sudden proposal Antonio did me, I was hesitant about the success of the trip.

But given that:
- The date on which the "dispatch" perfectly in line with my leave;
- I had planned some trips outside the city
- I promised myself that during the holidays would have devoted more time to neglected bicycle in order to reverse the upward trend in "quantity kilometres travelled" and "amount of body weight lost"
- I just bought a moleskine and are eager to "write it" with my travel notes (unfortunately rare),

I could not help but accept the invitation of Anthony.

Two days after the trip:

Pedalling ten hours daily on Saturdays and Sundays and aftermaths of fatigue not permit me to write the first of an hour on my travel notebook.

The "dispatch" was accomplished, fatigue is only a memory (not so far however), but the memories are still fresh so I appresto to tell the report.

Saturday, July 9, 2005
1st stage: Fabriano - Castel del Piano

Meeting at the gardens of Fabriano. Before embarking galleries, even after ½ hours pedalling, Oliviero has a mechanical problem that requires the intervention of van support (the flagship) which involves about 30 minutes of non-stop scheduled, which makes the participants aware that cycling are 17 and that inevitably some people think that "good days can be seen from morning."

NOT BE SO!

In two days this will be the only mechanical failure even if, in any adventure that respects, contingencies will not fail.

After passing Osteria del Gatto and crossing Gubbio, we visited a remarkable medieval building situated on a rocky hill that will prove Castle Antognolla, of '200 origins.

The wind is favourable, the path (so far) is mainly flat.

It begins to glimpse Lake Trasimeno and the sight of water surrounded by hills of Umbria is corroborant for body and spirit. Italo, designer of the trail, makes us climb on top of Monte del Lago.

Fatigue of tears is compensated by the incomparable landscape and the rest made their long lake.

...the trip continues in the next journals...stay tuned!

Photo Credit: Enrico from Trip Adventure Nonprofit organization
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1 year ago
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Our Rick Steves Village Italy

From: kk6t
Description:

My wife Robin and I have been very fortunate to have traveled to some fantastic destinations. This is an excerpt from my journal on our Rick Steves' Village Italy tour. The tour was two weeks long and visited some of the most picturesque villages and hilltowns in the Tuscany and Umbria regions. Picturesque may be an understatement......I took more than 3000 pictures during those two weeks.

Day 1

I was a little nervous about today. Today is September 11th and we had to fly from London (see Pre-Tour London section ) to Venice to start our tour. We had to leave the hotel at 4:30AM to make our flight and the airport (Gatwick) looked like an ant colony that had just been disturbed but other then that we had no problems. Once we were on the ground in Venice I was able to relax a little.

We followed the directions we had been given and took the bus from the airport to Padua. The bus ride was somewhat of an adventure. Every time we came to a sign showing Padua (Padova) the driver went the opposite direction.....every time!

Eventually however we arrived at the Padua bus station.From there we took a taxi to our hotel. What a ride.....I thought I drove crazy. If there was a bicyclist or pedestrian in the road the taxi driver would pull up behind them to within inches and then blow the horn. A couple times I had to close my eyes because I was SURE we were going to launch the Padovan in our way into orbit!! Needless to say we made it to the hotel safely and I can assure you that no Padovani were injured in the making of this blog!

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." - St. Augustine

Our hotel is very nice and the owners are very friendly. After dropping our bags in our rooms Robin & I along with Susan & Kerry wandered through the old portion of Padua and stopped for some lunch which we finished off with some excellent gelato. The gelato will become a daily goal that we will pursue with dogged determination!

After returning to the hotel and cleaning up we all met in the breakfast room of the hotel. This was our first chance to meet our guide Julie and the intrepid travelers with which we would be spending the next two weeks. I was amazed at how diversified our group was. They ranged from first time European travelers to at least one who was on their sixth Rick Steves tour.

We had west coast people, east coast people and everything in between. We even had one person from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was an exciting afternoon listening to everyone and beginning to gel as a group. Our big task at the meeting was to pick a "buddy", someone who would be responsible for us and for whom we would be responsible. My buddy was a very easy choice....big fun loving, outgoing Ron! We learned that Sharon's luggage hadn't arrived. She had spent a couple days in Venice before Padua and so far her luggage hadn't caught up with her.

Julie, our guide spent quite a bit of time going over what we could expect on the trip and how the tour would be run. Julie has an incredible wealth of experience with international travel and she would be a great wealth of information during the trip.

With all the formalities behind us the last item on our adjenda for the evening was DINNER. We all adjorned to the "La Cova Ristorante". Dinner was mushroom risotto, meat with grilled vegetables and a delicioso chocolate dessert. Julie our guide picked out an excellent red wine to have with dinner. It was a wonderful evening. After dinner we had a nice stroll back to the hotel and had time to reflect on our first day in Italy. If the first day was any indication we were in for a memorable trip!

Day 2

This morning we had our first group breakfast in the hotel. It's very nice to be able to sit with new people and talk about what you did yesterday and what you're looking forward to today. Of course not everyone is a morning person and I expect to be thrashed with a cream pitcher more than once!

After breakfast (no cream pitchers yet!) we met up with our local guide Christina and she took us to see the magnificent frescoes at the Scrovegni Chapel. The frescoes were done by Giotto between 1303 and 1035 and represent one of the most important masterpieces of Western art. The frescoes depicts events in the lives of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary and cover the entire chapel. Our group was only allowed to remain in the chapel for 15 minutes because of the damaging effects of increased humidity from our breathing and warm bodies. I could easily have gone back for a couple more 15 minute sessions. To stand in the chapel and gaze up at these frescoes done seven hundred years ago just takes your breath away. Unfortunately, photography was forbidden.

"Travel has a way of stretching the mind. The stretch comes not from travel's immediate rewards, the inevitable myriad new sights, smells and sounds, but with experiencing firsthand how others do differently what we believed to be the right and only way." - Ralph Crawshaw

Next we were given a special treat. Julie our guide and Christina had managed to get us permission to see the anatomy theatre (Teatro Anatomico) at the University of Padua. The university was founded in 1222 and is the second oldest university in Italy. It was started by a group of students and professors from the University of Bologna looking for more academic freedom.

The Teatro Anatomico was created in 1594 and is the oldest, permanent anatomy theatre still in existence today. The reason for it's construction is easy - accademia was booming in Padua in the late 16th century and there were more medical students than could comfortably fit around a dissecting table.

One of the interesting 'facts' regarding this facility is that human dissection was illegal when this theatre was first used and that to remedy this the dissecting table was able to be flipped over - displaying an animal dissection on the reverse side and hiding the human dissection in case of intruder. True or false......who knows?

After the University of Padua Christina showed us the way to the open air market at the Piazza delle Erbe. This is what is so great about having local guides. They know the area and they know all the local venues. It was wonderful to have Christina for the day. She made all the difference in getting to know Padua.

On the way back to the hotel Christina took us to see the Basilica San Antonio (Basilica of St. Anthony). The basilica is actually three different reconstructions that took place between 1238 and 1310. This is where St. Anthony is buried and several of his relics (tongue, jaw and left forearm) are enshrined for viewing. I found it interesting that the architecture of the basilica is mainly Gothic but the chapel where the relics are exhibited was done in the Baroque style by Parodi, one of Bernini's pupils.

We had some free time late in the afternoon so Robin & I walked over to the botanical garden (Orto Botanico) for a quick tour. It is part of the university and dates back to 1545. We didn't have enough time (seems to be a theme!) but we really enjoyed our visit and got to see quite a variety of plants from all over the world.

After our free time we all met up with Julie back at the hotel for some wine tasting. This was quite unexpected and we were able to sample quite a range of Italian wines. Following the wine tasting we were on our own for dinner. Susan, Kerry, Donna L., Joan, Nancy, Roy, Robin & I decided to all go together. We had a very tasty meal and it was nice to be able to learn more about some of our travel partners ......... more
Blog post
1 year ago
Views: 2085