If you want to get away and experience the small villages in Umbria and Tuscany, you have come to the right place.

This is a Village Vacation where your “Home Away From Home” is the villa “once upon a time” owned by Princess Marie Bonaparte Valenti, the niece of Napoleon Bonaparte, in the hills of Umbria.

She was known as “Napoleona” and a politically and culturally central figure during the Risorgimento (rising again). She would hold meetings with Perugian Liberals in her villa and organize patriotic uprisings. Oh, if these walls could talk!

(20 October 1818- 20 August 1874).

Your Villa For the Week

I’m always filled with excitement and anticipation when I arrive in Rome. I know, for a fact, that every day I’m here will bring new and old experiences to enjoy. Since my tours have not started yet, I will enjoy these first few weeks just being here. This morning I woke up to this gorgeous sunrise; what a way to start my day. I met my friends at our local cafe for a cappuccino and cornetto with crema. We had much catching up to do, and they filled me in on many things. Afterward, I headed over to the local butcher and bought chicken legs and thighs to make soup since it’s cold and windy today; a perfect day with my wood pellet stove to keep me warm and cozy as I write this blog.

New Day New Adventures

By the looks of things, spring is trying very hard to break. The local merchants sell plants, veggies, and flowers, and everyone prepares their gardens. My friend Giuliana brought me wild asparagus picked from the side of the road yesterday, which I cooked with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. A perfect meal with thin-sliced chicken breast. Sooooo good and soooo easy.

Fresh Wild Asparagus

What’s To Come This Season

Experience 
Small Villages in Umbria and Tuscany

Ferry to Isola Maggiore Lago Trasimeno

More Grape Squishing

Cooking Lessons

Vineyard Tours & Wine Tastings

Meet Local Artisans

Village Vacations in Italy

Our philosophy is Slow Travel, Un-pack Once, and No Rush to enjoy your time in each village we take you to while you experience the small villages in Umbria and Tuscany.  This a fantastic opportunity to spend time in Umbria and Tuscany in a beautiful villa with everything arranged for you to truly enjoy and live “La Dolce Vita” for the week you are with us.

For more information, click here

I am proud to be a member of Slow Travel Tours, an informal affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France, England, and other European countries. All these people have a travel philosophy similar to ours. If one of our trips isn’t right for you, we hope you’ll consider one of theirs. Follow the Slow Travel Tours blog to learn more about exploring Europe slowly with a small group tour.

If you like this article, you might enjoy reading about how I fell in love with Italy by clicking here. »

Ci Vediamo Presto, (See you soon)

Nedra Marie Bottieri

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.