Experience Historic Italy

Italy’s history loves company, and she is waiting for you with open arms to experience the history and essence of everything she has to offer.

The culture, the museums, the food, the wine, the people, the fields of flowers in the spring, the grape harvest in September, and of course the olive harvest in the fall.

 I want you to experience Italy the way I do…Like a local.

My Personal History

I realized a long time ago that my heart belonged to the peninsula of Italy. I was working as a Flight Attendant for American Airlines and kept coming back on my days off.  I studied Italian at the Universita Per Stranieri in Perugia. In the back of my mind, I kept thinking about showing other people what I love about this country, and Village Vacations in Italy was born.

On March 13, 2013, I signed the papers and took ownership of an apartment in the medieval village of Piegaro in the region of Umbria, near the Tuscan border.  Corny as it sounds all because of a book written by Frances Mayes, “Under the Tuscan Sun”.  When the movie came out, I just had to see it.  I was separated from my husband, and it was the first time I had ever been to a movie by myself. It was a matinee and there were only five of us in the theater, the movie had been out for quite a while. After the movie, I jumped up and very loudly said, “That’s it I’m moving to Italy”. The other four started clapping and said you go for it!  Yes, I did that and haven’t looked back since.

My village of Piegaro in Umbria

I sold everything I had in the States…my house, my car, and even my two motorcycles!  I gave many things “new homes” and donated much more. I love my life here and look forward to showing you my neck of the woods at a much slower pace.

Experience Historic Italy with

Village Vacations in Italy

Village Vacations in Italy‘s mission has been to give my clients “Insider Slow Travel Tours to experience the villages like a local”, not the hustle and bustle of the big cities. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with visiting the big cities. The villages and smaller towns give another perspective. With a much slower pace, you are pampered and driven to a different village and experience each day.  A few of the villages I take you to are Cortona, Assisi, Deruta, Perugia, Citta Delle Pieve, and Castiglione Del Lago, a cooking lesson where you will enjoy the fruits of your labor on a gorgeous terrace overlooking the vineyard. . Come as a solo traveler, with friends or family and make wonderful memories.

Calendimaggio Celebration of Spring in Assisi

Spring

Primavera, Spring is just gorgeous. After a long cold winter, everyone is busting at the seams to get outdoors.  With fields turning green and poppies lining the roads festivals and sagras are abundant with celebration.

Rose bushes are also grown near the grapevines. If there is a disease it will attack the roses first warning the farmers.

Autumn

In September during the harvesting of grapes, we offer “Grape Stomping” Lucille Ball style with lunch and wine tasting at a vineyard in Montefalco. This tour has become one of the most requested

Grape Stomping in Montefalco

Getting ready to squish after picking a few grapes off the vines. You experience the whole process

We also offer an Olive Harvest Tour in late October. You will pick olives for a few hours with the locals have a bountiful lunch and afterward a visit to the Frantoio, olive press, to see the process of turning olives into liquid gold.  Your taste buds will “thank you”.

Come and pick olives with the locals

Lunch afterward and then a visit to the Frantoio where the olives are processed

Liquid Gold…this is FRESH Olive Oil

History loves company and you will have the trip of a lifetime with Village Vacations in Italy.

Our philosophy is Slow Travel, Unpack Once, and No Rush to enjoy your time in each village we take you to.  A wonderful opportunity to spend time in Umbria and Tuscany in a beautiful accommodation with everything arranged for you to truly enjoy and live “La Dolce Vita” for the week you are with us.

Includes:

• Accommodations

• Breakfast and Dinner Each Day

• Roundtrip Airport Transfers

• Day Trip Transportation with Escort to

• Assisi-Cortona-Perugia-Deruta

• Cooking Class -Vineyard Tour

• Everything listed on the tour is included except airfare

Available Dates:

• April 28-May 5

• May 12-19

• September 7-14

• September 21-28 Grape Squishing

• October 5-12 Grape Squishing (Sold Out)

•  October 27-November 3

Nedra Marie Bottieri

Email: Nedra@VillageVacationsInItaly.com

Phone:  +1-954-661-4622

Italy +39-335-160-4880

WhatsApp available for both numbers

Former flight attendant Nedra Bottieri made a life-changing trip to Italy twenty years ago to re-discover her family heritage. Now with dual citizenship, she has a second home in Umbria. Through her company, Village Vacations in Italy, she organizes and hosts small group tours based in small villages in Umbria and Tuscany, normally customized tours for private groups. Groups have included yoga workshops, writing workshops, and groups of family and friends. Nedra draws on her extensive experience and relationships to plan special accommodations and activities to meet each group’s needs and dreams. Experience “La Dolce Vita” in Italy! To learn more about her tours, see www.villagevacationsinitaly.com Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.