Saluti! This post is a wee departure from our usual topics of Italy’s wondrous places, customs, and food to announce an exciting grand opening coming this summer: Villa Antico Tabaccaio.
Announcing Villa Antico Tabaccaio: Our New Little Paradise in Umbria
Inaugurations are in the air! As America prepares for the inauguration of its incoming president, preparations are afoot in The Green Heart of Italy for a slightly different commencement: the opening of Villa Antico Tabaccaio, the newest addition to the DriverInRome family.
Like the arrival of a child long yearned for, Villa Antico Tabaccaio is the culmination of a long stretch of dreaming, planning, and hoping on the part of Daniele and Monia. After decades in the hustle and bustle of Rome, working hard to build DriverInRome into the successful family enterprise it is today, Daniele and Monia purchased this classic farmhouse property just last year, initiating a new era for the family and expanding the business with a unique way for travelers to enjoy Italy.
Set in the lush countryside of Umbria near Lake Trasimeno, Villa Antico Tabaccaio is a corner of paradise that opens the door to an alternative kind of hospitality for Daniele and Monia. When I asked Monia to encapsulate what this new endeavor means to her, she said “The dream has grown beyond what we ever imagined.”
No doubt, getting the dream fully rolling is going to be quite the project, and it will for sure be a labour of love, just like raising kids! We invite you to be part of the adventure.
If you’re not familiar with Umbria, read on for a little history of this relatively unknown but marvelous region, plus a quick sketch of what it holds for visitors to Italy today. And then keep reading for the scoop on the villa itself!
Umbria: A Taste of Genuine Italy
Umbria is the only region in central Italy that does not touch the sea, but don’t let this paint a picture of being closed in. Within The Green Heart of Italy, the landscape undulates like an expansive, verdant ocean under an endless, luminous sky. The fertile terrain is also blessed with beauty, of both the natural and man-made kinds.
The human story in this part of Italy goes back thousands of years, even before Ancient Roman times. In many places in Umbria, time seems to have stood still, leaving us with a luxurious assortment of picture-perfect Medieval villages set on hilltops. In these hamlets, you can step into another epoch by literally putting one foot in front of the other.
For those who have come to Italy on a cruise before, Umbria would have been under the radar, seeing as it has no outlet to the sea. If you’re thinking about a trip to Italy and staying on land for a while, consider Umbria. Despite its splendour, it is not so overrun with tourists as neighbouring Tuscany and other popular destinations such as Rome, the Cinque Terre, and the Amalfi Coast. Umbria is an ideal place to get an authentic taste of Italy and a tranquil holiday.
To learn more about Umbria, check out these articles here on the DriverInRome blog:
Villa Antico Tabaccaio: A Celebration of Rural Life
With the arrival of Villa Antico Tabaccaio, Daniele and Monia have begun shaping their dream of celebrating and sharing the beauty of rural life with others. As with children, small steps are needed first, so for now the villa will be available to rent beginning in June of this year. In the future, guests will also have the opportunity to explore the region on guided driving tours with Daniele, and participate in such personally-curated activities as Italian cooking classes with Monia.
Highlights of Villa Antico Tabaccaio:
- 7 bedrooms, sleeps 14
- 8 bathrooms
- Private pool
- Patio with barbeque
- Wood-burning fireplace
- Full kitchen with modern appliances
- Golf, hiking, and horseback riding nearby
- Located just outside the hamlet of Panicale, near Lake Trasimeno
- Convenient to Cortona and Perugia (about a 45-minute drive to both)
Come stay with us and settle into the way of life in times gone by, where spending time together, eating good food, drinking good wine, and talking about life are still the things around which everything else revolves.
Whatever your vacation plans in Italy might be, DriverInRome is ready to show you around and get you where you need to go!
