A House and all that Jazz For Sale in Umbria, Italy

How would you like to have your very own a country retreat in a quiet medieval village in the heart of Italy? A place which enjoys glorious views of the surrounding countryside, and which is not far from Italy’s eternal city -Rome.  If so, there is a house for sale which might be of interest.

Situated in the midst of the unspoilt Italian region of Umbria in a gorgeous medieval village, the house for sale is not far from the truly spectacular Marmore Falls, the highest waterfalls in Europe.

Jazz fans may be interested to hear that the annual Umbria Jazz festival is held in Perugia, which is about an hour away by car.

Far away from the hubbub of the big city, this home for sale has been restored and is ready to move into.  The house is located within in a village so tranquil that you will probably be able to hear yourself unwinding.  As an added bonus, cars are not allowed into the centre of the village, so you’ll be able to sleep in without having to be worried about being awakened rudely by some passing Ferrari or Ducati.

Casa Manuela, for sale in Umbria, Italy

There are plenty of other attractions too, such as the breathtakingly beautiful views you’ll wake up to.  And with the addition of a pleasant roof terrace, how about breakfasting whilst gazing out over the lush green Umbrian countryside?  In the evenings you could chat to a few guests over a prosecco based aperitif.  Sheer bliss.

All this must sound rather tempting, so if you would like to know a little more, and see a few photographs of the house and its fabulous views, then please read on to find out more about Casa Manuela.

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Cashmere Fashion Made in Italy – Brunello Cucinelli

Not all capitalists are money grabbing monsters.  Indeed some capitalists, such as Italian cashmere clothing producer Brunello Cucinelli, plough some of their profits back into society to make it a better place.

Brunello Cucinelli Cashmere

Brunello Cucinelli’s philosophy of ethical capitalism is an example of capitalism at its best, or neo-capitalism, as some may refer to it.  Brunello Cucinelli, the man behind the company, is also very good at what he does, with his cashmere fashion company being highly profitable, and he is a keen exponent of ‘Made in Italy’.

Brunello Cucinelli’s company is weathering the current economic crisis exceptionally well.  Not only did Brunello Cucinelli manage to increase profits, but the cashmere company further bucked the Italian trend by taking on 15 more staff.

It will perhaps come as no surprise to hear that Brunello Cucinelli has attained some recognition for his entrepreneurial prowess. … Continue Reading

Finding affordable property in Umbria

On a visit to Gubbio a few years ago with my Italian fiancée, I told her I thought Umbria was very much like Cumbria but without the C.

Proud Italian that she was, she took it as an insult, having once endured a wet weekend in Cumbria’s Lake District in North-West England. And, cheap wordplay to one side, I can see why she was a little miffed.  Given a choice between Umbria and the chilly, hilly countryside of Cumbria, I know which I’d pick.

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Prosecco – better than Champagne!

Ah, Prosecco.  A wonderful Italian drink.  It’s a bubbly straw-yellow white wine which often comes from the Conegliano-Valdobbiadenearea areas of Italy.  Actually, Prosecco comes in still, semi-sparkling or fully sparkling varieties.

The popular semi-sparkling variety is, from my own experience, not quite as fizzy as bubbly Champagne, and it seems to be much lighter and fresher, not to mention often being considerably cheaper.

Prosecco

Italians drink extra dry Prosecco as an aperitif, but it is a lovely accompaniment for vegetable soups, seafood, pasta dishes with a light meat sauce, fresh cheeses and white meats.

The other, and more modern variety of Prosecco is the Brut variety which goes well with simple or elaborate fish and vegetables hors d’oeuvres, seafood first courses and baked fish.  In the area in which this wine is produced, Brut Prosecco is drunk throughout meals.

In today’s Food and Wine Friday feature, you will see a fun YouTube video by a chap who reviews three Prosecco’s which can be found in the USA.  Then I’ll tell you about a Prosecco I tried recently, and which I am definitely going to try once again.  Finally, I’ll tell you about a Prosecco experience of mine, down in Umbria. … Continue Reading

Ghoulish Gastronomy in Tuscany

Deep in the depths of Tuscany, not too far from a delightful little place called Anghiari, which is on the border with Umbria, there is the hauntingly interesting restaurant the Locanda al Castello di Sorci.

Now, this restaurant, which seems to have a good reputation for its culinary expertise incidentally, has a little extra on its menu, in the form of the ghost of a certain Baldaccio d’Anghiari, who used to own the castle. … Continue Reading

Italy’s Irresistible Attraction

A very nice chap from Down Under wrote and complimented me on my blog.  He also told me that his wife and himself owned a flat in deepest, darkest, and beautiful Umbria.

This couple both made the twenty hour flight from Australia to Italy several times a year. Wow, I thought – people come all the way from Oz just to spend time here. That is impressive in my little book. But that is not all, this gentleman, whose name I shall not mention, also speaks pretty good Italian. And where do you think he developed his ability to speak Italian?

Melbourne, Austrialia - where it is possible to learn Italian and drink the best Italian coffee outside Italy!

Nope, not in Umbria, surprisingly enough (Well, I was pretty surprised), but in Melbourne. Now, I knew that Melbourne had quite sizeable Italian population, but I did not really think that those of non-Italian origin would go so far as to pick up the language there. Not, that is, until now.   And, in Melbourne you can find what is probably the best Italian coffee outside of Italy.  Indeed, so good is the Melbourne/Italian coffee, that the local Starbucks was forced to close down, or so this chap tells me, and I have no reason to doubt him.

This is part of what he wrote in reply to my mail, a) thanking him, and b) expressing my surprise at his regular exoduses all the way from Australia to Italy:

My love affair with Italy began while I was hitch-hiking through the country in 1971 from south (Brindisi) to north (Venezia, Milan). My wife had already been captivated a couple of years earlier. We returned several times during the 70s, 80s and 90s, first by ourselves and then with our two children. In 1988, during a job interview, I was asked if I had a dream. I said, “Yes. To own a villa in Italy.”

Although I was being flippant, it must have crystallised a true dream because the thought never left me after that. In 2000, my wife and I, together with a group of Australian friends, joined a cycling tour of Umbria. I had undertaken a year’s course of Italian in preparation, being determined not insult the locals by knowing only English. Umbria was a real surprise package with its great scenery, hill top towns and so few tourists! It was a pleasure too, to find that even a little Italian goes a long way in dealing with the locals: better service and sometimes even a discount. In 2003 we went on another cycling tour, this time in the Veneto.

It’s a lovely story, and it amply demonstrates the magic that there is in Italy.  This country is truly enchanting, the stuff of fairly tales.   A wonderful place for several holidays, not to mention being an intriguing place to reside.  Just in case you were wondering, neither this man or his wife have Italian ancestors, unlike me.

Italy, the spell binding Living Museum. And, I might add, although I refer to the country as the Living Museum partially because I am pulling this country’s leg, I also use this term out of affection. If it wasn’t a living museum, it most probably would not be so darned interesting!