Testimonials

Dear Nedra,

 

I want to thank you so much for providing my stay in Italy to be a very interesting experience.Your company has given me an insight into the rich cultrual, historical, religious and culinary experiences in the Umbria area of Italy.  

 

The house in Roticastello which is known as a Borgo in Italy was so clean, neat and comfortable. Sitting out on the balcony in the morning with such a spectacular view of the countryside and having my coffee was lovely.  

 

The several small villages around the area ...San Venanzo and Marciano provided excellent shopping for food or any other things I might have needed.  

 

The cooking class you scheduled for me " Umbria Cooks 4U" was such a blast. I could not believe what amazing food I learned to make and how wonderful all the food tasted. Looking forward to impress my family and friends with these delicious dishes.  

 

The quaint small town of Spello we visited   was so unique because as we were walking through the town each of the narrow streets have many huge hanging baskets filled with the most colorful flowers.Because the streets are so narrow in size, the flower baskets are almost touching each other giving off an array of colors down each street.  

 

One of the weekend nights Nedra took me to a medieval town for a festival with music and great food. This particular night the foods that where features were cinghiale ( wild boar) and tartufi (truffles). I had the cinghiale which was prepared in a wonderful tomato sauce and it was so delicious. The pasta with tartufi looked wonderful also.  

 

Our trip to historic   Deruta which has shop after shop of exquisite Italian pottery was so exciting. As I love Italian pottery, I purchased several wonderful pieces. One  of the shops I visted " Antica Fornace Deruta" dates back to the 213bc. Here the owner Giovanni Baiano has made a most unique wall of broken pieces of antique pottery in front of his shop.  

 

Also one of my favorite trips was to Castello Montevibiano for a tour of their vineyards and olive groves. Then to a wine and olive oil tasting.Nedra and I had the pleasure of meeting the son of the owner Lorenzo Pasola Bologna who graciously gave us a history of this region and why the wine from this area is so excellent.  

 

One side trip we took was to a small church called " Madonna deo Bagno". This church has plaques covering wall to wall dating back from the 16 Century to current times.Each one of the small plaques was commissioned by family members for healing and special prayer purposes.  

 

I am looking forward to returning and continue exploring this area and all the other properties Village Vacations has to offer and would recomend this excellent and professional company to anyone looking for a true Italian experience.  

 

Penny Lovett

 

An Experience of a Lifetime, A Gratelful Testimony to Village Vacations In Italy

 

We all have a bit of wanderlust in us. For years I dreamed of travels to far off lands, but raising a family and building a thriving career were the focus of much of my life. Unitl last year………when the dream became a reality and I planned my trip to Italy.

I did a lot of research and knew that I did not want the “traditional” travel expereince. While group tours provided a wide range of cities to visit, the intineraries pace seemed hectic and too predictable. The idea of traveling in a “herd,” following a guide with a blue flag, seemed, frankly, unappealing.

 

Then I discovered Village Vacations In Italy. The owner, Nedra Bottieri, an acquaintance from years ago, offered a very appealing alternative to my adventure. The idea of renting a house, and living and traveling from a central point sounded exciting and adventurous. The unexpected perk was that it was actually more cost effective than traveling by touring.

 

I chose a house in the hillside town of Rotecastello, Umbria. This little borgo, near the town of San Venanzo, had a central proximity to the areas I wanted to visit and the remoteness and opportunity to actually live an Italian lifestyle. The 90 minute drive from the Orvieto train station to Rotecastello was scenic and awesome! It was only to be surpassed by the sight of arriving to this ancient little historic borgo and Casa Castello., my new Italian home. The house was charming and spotless! This lovely, 2 bedroom home with fireplace, beautiful veranda, and country kitchen had all the necessary amenities. But nothing could surpass the spectacular views from my bedroom window and spacious veranda!

 

Since I was traveling alone, I chose to have Nedra as my personal travel guide while staying in Umbria. We took day trips to Orvieto, Perugia, Assisi, Deruta, Pienza, Siena, Montepulciano, Montichiello, and Cortona. All of these cities were within driving distance and day trips filled with traditional historic visits and unexpected delightful discoveries. We even hired a driver for the day when visiting wine country so that we could enjoy envibing! We visited a vineyard, took cooking classes in Assisi, and even made friends along the way who invited us into their homes for wonderful dinners and a taste of La Dolce Vita Italian Style. I even took an extra week and trained to Florence, Cinque Terre, Verona and Venice!

 

If you want an experience of a lifettime, I highly suggest Village Vacations In Italy as a travel source that won't disappoint!

 

Ciao,
Diana O'Malley,
Fort Lauderdale, Florida