Many of our houses are within easy distance of the following restaurants. Consult your guide book for recommendations in the more important tourist towns..

La Castagna, Preggio. Specialties include truffles and funghi porcini cooked in a variety of ways, polenta, risotto and mixed grilled meats. Family owned restaurant, service is personal and informal, but sometimes a bit slow. Call for reservations, (075) 941-0294.

La Chiusa, off of road between Mercatale and Niccone. An "organic" restaurant, using produce and meats grown on the property and wines and beers produced by small, specialty vintners and brewers from Italy and France. Unusual pasta dishes, fresh vegetables and roasted meats, (075) 941-0848.

Ristorante I Capponi, Umbertide. Offers a simple, local, multi-course menu. Fixed price Lire 25,000*, (075) 941-2662. Rooms are available in the hotel above the restaurant at reasonable prices.

Ristorante Appennino, Umbertide. Has an old trattoria atmosphere with good, local cooking and outdoor dining under a grape strewn pergola overlooking the Tiber. Open Mondays. Fixed price Lire 30,000*. (075) 941-3566.

Trattoria Mimmi, Mercatale, (Cortona). A multi-course fixed price menu, Lire 30,000*, offering good local cooking. Rooms available above the restaurant. (0575) 619-029.

Ristorante Oscari, Monte Santa Maria in Tibertina: a wonderful restaurant in an extraordinary hill town built around a castle, offering local dishes and grilled meats, a perfect way to spend a Sunday. Open year round. Call for reservations. (075) 857-0110.

Sorbello Pub, main road to Niccone and Umbertide. Antipasti, pasta, special menus, outdoor dining, youthful atmosphere; occasionally live music. Perfect for a late, light supper.

Taverna Del Verziere, Montone. Located in this extremely picturesque hilltop village, a short distance northeast of Umbertide, this restaurant offers typical Umbrian and Sardinian cooking in attractive rooms, or outside overlooking the valley. Fixed price menu, L 25,000*. Closed Mondays. Call for reservations. (075) 930-6512.

There are many additional fine restaurants in Cortona, Citta di Castello, Perugia, and Passignano (on Lake Trasimeno, with lots of fresh fish dishes), all within easy distance of many of the houses.

*Prices listed are subject to change.

Nearby Shopping, Banking and Post Offices

Mercatale: The closest town for your basic shopping, about 2.5 miles (4 km) west of the Preggio turn-off from the main road, Mercatale offers a small grocery store with fresh produce and salumeria (delicatessen), butcher, bakery, bars and post office. Shop at the open air market on Thursdays.

Niccone: This tiny town 6.8 miles (11 km) in the opposite direction has a food store and salumeria, fresh produce, pasta, and a very efficient little post office.

Umbertide: 9.3 miles (15 km), Umbertide is a full-service regional town with comprehensive shopping, banking and postal services, and an open air market on Wednesdays. A large, modern supermarket (the Co-op) is located in the town's industrial zone.

Perugia: The provincial capital of Umbria and a major Italian city, Perugia combines the beauty and history of a hill town with the cosmopolitan modernity of a full-service regional center. Home of the famous chocolates.

Cortona and Citta di Castello: Full-service historic towns with open air markets on Saturday and Thursday, respectively. Cortona is also famous for its pottery and antiques.

Open Markets:

Tuesday - Gubbio

Wednesday - Umbertide

Thursday - Camucia (near Cortona) and Citta di Castello

Friday - Tuoro sul Trasimeno

Saturday - Cortona

Some notes on shopping:

Shop times vary, but they are usually open Monday to Saturday, from 8:30-9:00 am until 12:30-1:00 pm, reopening again at 4:30-5:00 pm until 7:30-8:00 pm. Some food shops are even open on Sunday mornings at the height of the season. Shops are often closed Monday mornings and on Wednesday afternoons in Tuscany and Thursday afternoons in Umbria.

Public Holidays

Banks and shops will be closed on the following holidays:

January 1 New Year's Day

January 6 Epiphany

Easter Monday

April 25 Liberation Day

May 1 Labour Day

August 15 Ferragosto (or the Assumption)

November 1 All Saints Day

December 8 The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary

December 25 Christmas

December 26 St. Stephen's Day