This was the second time I participated in the half marathon Invernalissima. Two years ago I participated and last weekend again. Inverno means winter, hence the name for this race. Invernalissima is a half marathon which always takes place in Umbria before Christmas....
Olive harvest at Frantoio Loreti in Gualdo Tadino
Every year in October and November is the time to harvest the olives in Umbria. In 2014 we had a terrible harvest: a combination of bad weather (a mild winter and rain in summer) led to Italy's most disastrous olive harvest. The olive fruit fly damaged the olives by...
Sara the Dachshund
Sara is a well know dachshund in Castiglione del Lago, Umbria. The owners of Sara have an Italian delicacy shop in the city centre, called La Dispensa del Lago. Every day you find the dachshund in the shop, hidden under a cupboard. But when somebody passes by to hug...
Running in Acquaviva, Tuscany
Every year in September one celebrates the saint San Vittorino in Acquaviva. San Vittorino is the patron saint of this small village close to Montepulciano in Tuscany and at a stone’s throw from the Trasimeno Lake in Umbria. Acquaviva is surrounded by vineyards where...
La Scarzuola
La Scarzuola is one of these places in Umbria where not many tourists go, but it is very worthwhile the detour. Guests of ours in Todi House wanted to visit this very particular former abbey and its gardens. They asked us to book it for them and we decided to join...
Craft beer tasting in Nocera Umbra, San Biagio
With Belgium guests and friends of Villa in Umbria we went to a craft beer cellar in Nocera Umbria, San Biagio. Nocera Umbra is only 25 km away from Assisi. Giovanni, the owner of San Biagio, brews craft beer. He uses local water of Nocera Umbra with local beer...
Norcia and Castelluccio di Norcia
For this blog post I went to Norcia. Norcia is in the mountains in the east of Umbria, almost in the Marche. Many people know Norcia for its meats and culinary specialties: pork, black truffle, lentils and wild boar. But, Norcia is also famous for St. Benedict....
Deruta ceramics
Though I know Umbria quite well, in all these years I had never been to Deruta. Deruta is a medieval village close to Perugia, along the E45 highway, and famous for it’s hand painted pottery, majolica and ceramics. I went to see it all with my own eyes on a sunny...
Visiting Todi
Yesterday was a sunny day, perfect weather for a visit the medieval village of Todi where I hadn't been for years. From the Porta Romana we walked up to the centre. It is about 20 minutes walking up hill to get to the centre of town. If you are not particularly fit,...
Spring in Umbria
I am training for the Rotterdam marathon. I need to run long distances in this period. It is important that I follow my training schedule before running the marathon as well as eat and rest properly. With work and other responsibilities this is not always easy but I...
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