Posts Tagged ‘Umbria’
Florence and Umbria accommodation openings
Right about now, with the northern hemisphere shivering, is a fine time to be making accommodation plans for a Tuscany trip in 2009. So, you might be interested to hear that a few new options have appeared just in time.
The brand-new, luxurious Town House Palazzo Vecchietti opened its doors in January, in a spot handy for the cafes of Piazza della Repubblica or the designer shops of Via de’ Tornabuoni. Giambologna renovated the palazzo in the 1580s; prices are as you’d expect for an inn with such a pedigree. (UPDATE: There’s more on the Vecchietti here.)
Seriously upscale visitors to Florence have another reason to be cheerful: the frescoed Renaissance Palazzo della Gherardesca has morphed into the Four Seasons Firenze after a lengthy restoration. It’s on Borgo Pinti, just a little outside the heart of the action.
For a quieter hotel experience, the Palazzo Seneca in Norcia (Umbria) has had a boutique-style revamp and now offers a wellness spa and fine local cuisine. Norcia, the birthplace of St. Benedict, is home to Umbria’s famous black truffle, and sits on the edge of the Monti Sibillini national park.
Finally, if you’re looking for a villa in Tuscany and have a decent budget to play with, the Conde Nast Traveler blog has some sound advice for places to begin your research online. Budget travellers, especially anyone banking in sterling, might want to re-check my Budget Guide to Tuscany that The Times ran last summer. You’ll find some fine accommodation alternatives.
When it comes to Tuscan lodging, you don’t have to be rich to book round here, but it sure helps.
Todi pictures
I’ve added a paltry 3 pictures I snapped in Todi to my flickr set. Each has a brief introduction to these essential sights of the serene little Umbrian town. Perfectly proportioned Piazza del Popolo, with its 12th-century Duomo, and Santa Maria della Consolazione just outside the town walls are worth the trip alone. But more than that, Todi is a great place to just be, not necessarily to see. Put your camera away and soak up the peace. That’s what I did. Which I guess explains why I only have those 3 shots.
There’s much more help with planning a visit to Todi on the comune tourism page (in English). The tourist office is on 075/8945416.
Trip-planning feedback for Tuscany and Umbria
It’s always pleasing to hear that our book is filling the trip-planning holes we intended. Of course, it was very nice to be judged the Best Guidebook of 2008 by travel industry insiders. And it’s equally nice to be written about by a real family planning an actual trip to Tuscany this summer:
They [the With Your Family series] have … all of the family friendly travel information you require. They give star ratings for attractions plus recommended ages (and I’m impressed by the fact that they have suggestions right from babies through to teenagers). There are highlights and must-see attractions. There are accommodation options for families from ultra-expensive through to economical (for which they provide price guidelines not just $$$ or $). I love the special icons they have – find, moment, value, overrated and green. Plus they include reviews of playgrounds and parks which are very important to families!
That’s all true. There are some great books in the series. I’ve found Rhonda Carrier’s companion guides to Brittany and Normandy especially handy. For Frommer’s Tuscany and Umbria With Your Family, we considered every single one of those factors when researching and writing the book. Much of my (grown-up) research was then road-tested by unforgiving under-5s. It’s gratifying that family travellers are finding it a useful tool in planning a trip to Tuscany and Umbria. I’m always pleased to hear from readers. Your feedback can help make any future new edition, of this and my other books, even better. Thanks.
The book wins an award
It was announced this week that the book has been judged Best Guidebook 2008 at the ENIT Travel Writing Awards. Obviously, we’re chuffed to bits to have impressed the panel of Italian tourism experts, and to have beaten so many other fantastic new guidebooks. The new goal is for my next book, due out early next year, to win the 2009 prize.
To celebrate, time-permitting, more new material and updates on Tuscany will appear here soon. I promise.
More on the announcement here:
The winning Frommer’s title written by authors Donald Strachan and Stephen Keeling was singled out for the quality of its research, writing and opening up a new area in Italian tourism.
Ragani – Umbria’s Best Olive Oil
Here’s a couple of shots sent to me by the folks that run the Ragani family olive oil business. If you’re anywhere near Assisi or Spello, be sure to stop in on their frantoio (p. 206), for trying and buying. Their first cold-pressed Colli Assisi Spoleto DOP Umbria was the best we tasted in Umbria.
Driving directions are here.
