Discovering Umbria

IWINETC - meeting the Wine World in Perugia

2012-02-06T15:00:00.006+01:00

The 4th Edition of the International Wine Tourism Conference and Workshop - and all the other events connected to it - has just ended. Sitting in front on my laptop while outside my window there's a gorgeous view of the "gentle rolling hills" covered by this expected&unexpected snow, following the last tweets from the travel agents and bloggers flying back home..yes...it's definitely time I write something on this event I took part, held in Perugia, Umbria, from the 30th January to the 2nd February 2012.

The International Wine Tourism Conference and Workshop - or IWINETC as the hashtag I tweetted most in the last week - has been organized (and I can really say very well!) by Winepleasures and Movimento Turismo del Vino "association created in 1993 that has encouraged Italian wineries to open their doors to visitors" and it has brought here in our little but proud region lots of talented wine bloggers, journalists, media and travel consultants from around the world.

For 4 days (3 days of Conference and 1 day of Wine Tourism Workshop) Perugia was the wine capital city and I can affirm that this event has been a real godsend for an undiscovered (wine) region as Umbria still is.

IWINETC has been a very rich event and summarizing even the main points is a very hard work (but you can find detailed info and updates on IWINETC website ), therefore in this post you'll read just what I liked most as a wine tourism provider, but also as a wine lover, just my personal impressions and points of view.

MY FAVOURITE SPEECHES

"Many Flavours of Italy" by Jane Hunt Master of Wine
The wine tasting of 16 (!) wines from Umbria and Italy guided in a so simple, but at the same time so professional way by Jane Hunt was definitely the highlight of the Conference from my point of view as a wine lover.

Jane Hunt MW at IWINETC

"Wine tourism does not exist. There is only tourism" by Michael Wangbickler
Michael demonstrated that wine regions must compete with the other non-wine destinations and that they must incorporate in their offer "a wide range of experiences and activities that capture the immagination not only of those who are vitally interested in wine, but also the friends and families who accompany them".

One of the slides that I liked most in Michael's presentation is the following (and I can proudly say that these suggestions have been our mantra here at Discovering Umbria since the very beginning):

The importance of the social media (Facebook, Twitter etc.) was also widely pointed out by most (of maybe all!) the international speakers. Besides, the fact that IWINETC itself also hosted a bloggers' trip with wine bloggers from abroad is a clear evidence of the increasing, critical influence of the so-called "Web 2.0" in (wine) tourism.

MY FAVOURITE WINES

And this is the most difficult point...Many Umbrian wineries attended the Conference and you know that I am a fan of the wines from the region, therefore it's impossible saying which ones were the best. In addition, giving that I was there to seriously work and not just to have fun (unfortunately), feeling like Ulysses in the Odyssey, I carefully avoided all those charming sirens who called me from every angle of the hall...
However the best wine experience that I had - keeping in my mind that I need to study more the international wines - was the tasting of the wines from Georgia showing once again that this ancient but new (for the market) wine Country could become in few years an important extraordinary competitor for our Italy. Italian wine-makers: attention, please!

MY FAVOURITE "MEET UP"

Apart from the business meeting with the specialized travel consultans I had the pleasure to meet during the workshop (and I take the occasion to thank all the very interested agents who came to my desk at Sala Podiani), and apart from the Magic Team Umbria on the Blog, Marzia, Mario, Rebecca, the owners and managers of some local wineries I collaborate with, here my favourite meet up: the one with Marcy Gordon, really a very nice person both "on and off" line and with Fabio Pittella, who was so kind to introduce himself saying "Ciao I'm Fabio and I am your friend on Facebook".

A very special thank to Anthony Swift, Chiara Lungarotti and Movimento Turismo del Vino for bringing this great Wine Event in our Umbria.

2012 : "a rich winy taste"

2012-01-03T15:48:00.045+01:00

When you study for almost two years, tasting and carefully examining hundreds of wines from Italy, France, Europe, USA, Australia, New Zealand and South America, trying to remember all the DOCs and DOCGs areas in Italy and at least all the French AOCs and, above all, to put in your mind all the thousand kinds of different grapes cultivated in Italy and abroad and the thousand wines that the thousand grapes compose, when you have to pass 3 different stages of examination, you are extremely happy and thrilled when it's your turn. Finally.

It was my turn during the last days of 2011, when I was called by my mentors at FISAR Orvieto to serve the wines as Certified Sommelier (I love saying it: certified, it means that somebody certified that I am officially authorized not only to drink - now better saying to "study" wines ^_^ - but also to talk, discuss and elegantly pouring you a glass of wine) during the last edition of Umbria Jazz Winter in Orvieto.

I remember some years ago when I visited the wine fairs and events both for my personal interest and for my work as a food&wine tour organizer, how envious I was of that elegant uniform, of those composed gestures in pouring guests a wine, and, especially of all that huge wine knowledge.

Joking aside and apart from the poetry that, beyond dubt, is connected to the World of the Wine, I think that being a wine professional can give another additional guarantee to the travellers that will choose us for their wine holidays in the region.

I am convinced in general that both the tourists that decide to book a wine tour and also the wine providers, the wineries, who often spend all their life in producing high quality wines with huge efforts in energies and money, that they both need respect, in the sense that both the parts have the right to be the protagonists of a real and enriching experience. And this can happen only when you - the guide, the organizer, the one-in-the-middle, really know what you're talking about.

Anyway...as 2011 ended with this wonderful personal wine experience, 2012 is beginning with another great one.
The city of Perugia, infact, is hosting from the 29th January to the 2nd February 2012, the 4th Annual International Wine Tourism Conference & Workshop with "three days with over 40 talks, presentations, panel discussions and workshops combined with opportunities to taste world class wines makes this an experience not to be missed."

And...I will be there, representing my company attending the Conference and, above all, taking part to the BtoB Workshop reserved to the specialized operators.

I'm thrilled. Can't wait!

My gift is everywhere.

2011-12-11T17:27:00.076+01:00

There's a movie I like very much and this is "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". This movie, as you probably know, tells about the story of this funny creature the Grinch who, hating Christmas, intents on "stealing it".
I love this film as concerning blog posts I am similar to the Grinch. I don't like very much sugary posts on Christmas...or maybe, like him, this is simply because I am not able to write on this topic...

Therefore it's a big, enormous problem when Rebecca, and I'm talking about the one known as Rebecca Brigolante reminds you that the deadline of the Italy Blogging Roundtable’s invitation to post on the topic "gifts" is coming....

However I think to have my "un-Christmassy&Christmassy" post as there's Italy, a story, gifts, love.

As you all know, Umbria is a very small region situated in the centre of Italy. It's very green, colour that means nature, beautiful landscapes and campagna (=country). Yes c.o.u.n.t.r.y, all around you, everywhere.

When I was a teen I really hated all this green as it was very "un-cool" at that time. Grown up, as all the Italians born in the 70s, with tv series like Charlie's Angels, Fame and Miami Vice and charmed (incredible, isn't it??) by the very first fast food chains that in the 80s tried to change the culinary habits of an entire generation, all my dreams for the future were based on just one plan: excaping from here.

I remember very well my fantasies on living in a big metropolis, better abroad, but in a very big one, yes abroad, as far as possible from this annoying, rural, boring green.
I'm not joking: I choose to study Foreign Languages for this reason: running away.
I also did it : I lived in another country for a while as soon as I got my degree. My very first job, my first agreement I signed, my first bank account was open abroad.

But. When we are far from the things and the places we suppose we don't appreciate, far from our habits, the "doors of the perception" start slowly opening and we are able to see these things under a very... different light.

When I think to the young girl I was, sometimes it seems that I'm talking about another person. Maybe even the friends and the collegues who know me as a fanatic supporter of Umbria, now they're thinking I'm joking. For the first 25 years of my life I hated this place.

Then I don't know what happened and why, maybe, as in many situations of our existence, hate and anger can turn into deep love and devotion with the same intensity.

The best gift is now the opportunity that I have every day to admire these stunning landscapes, walking in the silent narrow streets, relaxing under an olive tree, enjoying a glass of wine with the people I love, my family, my friends and all the nice people I'm so lucky to meet here during their travels.

The best gift I've ever received is definitely living here.

The Roundtable blogs:

Arttrav

At Home in Tuscany

WhyGo Italy

Italofile

Brigolante

Christmas is coming! Events in Todi

2011-12-06T21:18:00.026+01:00

It's been a very busy year here at Discovering Umbria and thinking that in less than 20 days we'll be again under our trees unwrapping gifs, eating and drinking with our families... it sounds a bit strange.

However, giving that also this year I will spend my Christmas holidays here in Todi, it's very important to know which activities, festa and concerts the local municipality is going to organize.

Well, first of all, do not miss the ice rink on Piazza del Popolo which will open on the 7th December at 4pm.

The 8th will be full of activities and events like the tours to the historical centre and the "Painted House" guided by our friends Todiguide (reservation&booking call 389424662 or email info@todiguide.com) and the switch on of the lights and at 6.45pm "Garibaldi's cypress" in Piazza Garibaldi, the tallest living Christmas tree in Europe.

Saturday 17th the Christmas Market will open in Via Abdon Menecali, close to the church of Santa Maria della Consolazione (every day from 10am to 7pm).

Sunday 18th December don't miss the "Concerto di Natale" in the Cathedral in Piazza del Popolo at 6pm. Music by Alessandro Scarlatti

Friday 23rd the Teatro Comunale at 9.15pm is hosting the "Concerto degli Auguri" by Howard Gospel Choir (Ticket EUR 10,- info tel. 0758956700-701 / 0758956227)

To celebrate the New Year under the vaults of the Palazzi Comunali in Piazza del Popolo there's....a party starting from 10.30pm on the 31st December.

On the 5th January the Cathedral in Piazza del Popolo is hosting another concert by "Canto Ergo Sum" at 6pm. while on the 6th Festa della Befana, at 5pm La Befana herself will descend on the Piazza bringing sweets and candies to the children.
At 9pm at Teatro Comunale "Concerto di Capodanno Vienna! Vienna!" (free entrance, reservation required tel. 0758956700-701 / 0758956227)

More detailed info (in Italian) on Comune di Todi website.

Frantoi Aperti - Open Oil Mills 2011 - Bloggers'day

2011-11-05T18:17:00.032+01:00

We Umbrians say that the first "drink" we are given together with breast milk is extra virgin olive oil.
As you know in our region olive trees are widely cultivated and we can say that our EVOO is one of the best in Italy, not only for its fantastic flavous and aromas but above all, for its high content in polyphenols and Omega 3.

Since our early childhood our mamma have prepared for us the first soups with pastina (the tiny kind of pasta we use for soups or minestrone) with some parmigiano cheese and some good olio to give some flavours to a very simple, healthy and easy baby food.
Growing up we start getting to know more about this great food (yes, for us Umbrians olive oil is not just a dressing, it is a real food), we tried it on the first spaghetti al pomodoro, on top of a nice slice of bruschetta, then in a lentils soup in Winter and in a fabulous insalata mista (salad with tomatoes) in Summer.
Extra virgin olive oil is stricly connected to our heritage and our roots: it's part of "being Umbrian".

Even if I've been visiting oil mills for years - together with my father we were used to go to a mill here in Todi to press our olives from our small grove (around 70 trees in total)- and doing it quite often for my work now, I'm always so happy to spend some time in these special places when a fruit, as the olive is, is changed, trasformed in around half an hour in a green and fragrant liquid.

Thanks to an invitation from the organizers of Frantoi Aperti "Open Oil Mills" today I had the opportunity to visit two very different mills close to Assisi, to taste the new EVOO just pressed and to spend the day with two of my favourite Umbrian bloggers: Rebecca Winke and Marzia Keller, who are also in charge of the posts of "Umbria on the Blog" project.

Here my pics, unfortunately there's still not an app for the incredible flavours in the mills....

The "traditional mill"

The modern and high-tech one.

Urban Hiking in Todi - All Saints weekend 29/10-1/11/2011

2011-10-24T22:10:00.017+02:00

Dear Friends and Readers,

if you'll be in the area for All Saints weekend next 29th 30th 31st October and 1st November 2011 we are happy to invite you all to the event "Urban Hiking in Todi" in collaboration with our friends Elisa and Luca from TodiGuide and the Municipality of the town.

The event is organized for the presentation and promotion of the new guide book "Todi Bellezza Antiqua e Nova" edited last September.

Here the programme:

29th October 2011

h. 10AM: Opening. If you like buying a copy of the guide-book (In Italian with English summary) or asking info/booking the tours we are waiting for you under the vaults of the Municipality Building in Piazza del Popolo.

30th October 2011

h. 11AM: official presentation of the guide-book "Todi Bellezza Antiqua e Nova" at Sala del Consiglio @Palazzi Comunali Piazza del Popolo

h. 3PM: Urban hiking Up&Down in Nidola and Colle Quarters (FREE!) Tour in Italian

31st October:

h. 9:30AM Urban hiking Up&Down in Borgo-Santa Prassede Quarters (FREE!)
This tour is also AVAILABLE in ENGLISH!

h. 3PM: Urban hiking Up&Down in San Silvestro and Porta Fratta Quarters (FREE!)Tour in Italian

1st November 2011:
h. 9:30AM, 11:30AM, 3:00PM, 4PM:00 Tour of the Historical Centre and to "The Painted House" unique work by the Irish artist Patrick Ireland (EUR 5,- per person min. 6 participants)
These tours are also AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH on request.

All the tours are great but we strongly suggest you the one at 9.30 on October 31.
During this tour you were also told about the story of Matteuccia the Witch, condemned to death and burnt at the stake in Todi in 1428.
This tour is FREE and avaliable also in English.

We are looking forward to meeting you in Todi!!

The meeting point for all the tours is @our desk under the vaults of the City Hall in Piazza del Popolo

Contact us for information and booking: info@discoveringumbria.it
mobile 0039 3463602109

FOLLOW THE EVENT ON TWITTER! Hashtag #hikingtodi11

The food that "made us". Chapter 1 : olive oil

2011-10-03T21:01:00.039+02:00

"The people of the Mediterranean began to emerge from barbarism when they learnt to cultivate the olive and the vine."

This sentence by the Greek historian Thucydides is definitely one of my favourite quotations ever written. Italy and its great art cities, its treasures, artists like Raffaello, Michelangelo and Leonardo, the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum, Venezia and Firenze, Assisi and Orvieto and even my home-town Todi, could they have been painted, founded and built without these two trees?

No, they couldn't. I'm sure.

Nevertheless I don't remember - during the long years of school - a teacher, a professor that decided to spend one hour or even ten minutes of his/her precious time on this fundamental truth.
We were told infact that Ceasar conquered the Ancient Gaul, we were told when he did it, the battles, the conquests, but nobody told us how.

The "fuel" of the frightful Roman army was a very energetic "blend" composed basically by: legumes, olive oil and wine, of course. Without them I'm sure I wouldn't be here to write this blog post...

For this reason, to pay a tribute to my roots, to Italian civilization and, of course, to Umbria - where these three plants are widely cultivated - I decided to dedicate some posts to this "food that made us".

The first is olive oil because right now, the oil mills are preparing their press, organizing the teams of workers for olive picking that is officially beginning in the next weeks here in the region. Hundreds of hands in the next days will "comb" the branches of the olive trees, will move around ladders and nets, will stay all night long in the mills without sleeping because "you know, Alessandra, to produce a good extra vergine the olives must be picked and pressed in the very same day" as my dear friends from the mills - like a mantra - always say.
To them, my first "tribute"

OLIVE OIL IN ITALIAN HISTORY

We know that the Etruscans cultivated olive trees in the fifth century B.C. and that the oil for this civilization was not so much for local consumption or cosmetic as it was for trade exchange.
On the other end in Rome and in Greece from the second century B.C. olive oil was the principal source of energy. According to one of the most ancient text on culinary traditions and cookery "De re coquinaria" by the Latin writer Apicius "the Roman cuisine seems to have been literally dripping with oil" given that around the 60% of the recipes mentioned included oil as one of the basic ingredients.

Lucullus, who lived in the Ist century A.D., defined the olive trees as "the most important plant of all" while Cato insisted - more than 2000 years ago - on the pause between the time of the harvesting and the one of the pressing - as "the faster you do it, the better it will be".

The decline of the Roman Empire and the invasions by the people from Northern Europe, the so-called "Barbarians" (that literally means the people who speak "bar-bar" i.e. ugly sounds for a not-Latin speaker) dramatically changed the food culture. Wheat, wine and oil that were the base of the Roman economy and the symbols of this civilization, disappeared as main food.
The barbarian values, infact, were totally different: hunting and fishing, collecting wild fruits, breeding animals in the wild, were the main activities.

In the IV century A.D. a long period of wars and famine reduced olive growing to a minimum and it was continued only in the so-called horti conclusi (=fenced house-gardens) belonging mainly to the abbeys and the monasteries. The monks infact were - in many cases - the guardians of Latin food traditions, until the 14th century and the Renaissance,a period in which the olive tree was often represented in many frescoes and paintings, showing a renewed importance in Italian food habits.

Until the economic "Boom" in the '60 olive oil was considered in Italy a very precious and expensive seasoning, produced in limited quantities and used basically as a commodity for trade exchanges.
An idea of the high value of oil is clear in the ancient superstion that the accidental spilling and wasting of oil brought bad luck.

A special thank to Itinera for the historical information on olive growing.

Picture of Ancient Gaul from Wikipedia

Todi - Bellezza Antiqua e Nova guide book: a love story

2011-08-28T14:11:00.019+02:00

More than one year has passed since I received a phone call from Luciano Vanni telling me that there could be an opportunity to produce a guide-book on Todi, my home-town.

Luciano Vanni is the mind and the heart of Il Turismo Culturale, an amazing Italian magazine on cultural destinations in Italy and abroad.

I've fallen in love with Luciano's works since the very first time I stumbled on a copy of the magazine during a fair in Milan. I think it was late 2007..
The subtitle of Il Turismo Culturale is "travelling broadens the mind" a sentence that not only is linked to the principles of slow travelling, but also to the guidelines of the so-called responsible tourism.

Il Turismo Culturale has already produced other four guide-books on very special and "off the beaten path" towns and destinations like: Amelia and Terni in Umbria, Carloforte, a small island close to Sardinia and Otranto, a town in Apulia.

The long "creation" of this work - in which I've had the honour to be involved since the very beginning - has taken more than one year, a sort of love-story with the typical "ups and downs"...

But. Above all, having the opportunity to meet and to offer some support to the staff @Il Turismo Culturale has been one of my best professional and enriching experience I've ever done.
Updating on the progresses during long phone calls with Arianna Guerin, walking with Elena Chiocchia in the narrow streets of Todi to take the pictures of the secret beauties of the town or having the chance to meet the food&wine journalist Massimo Roscia and talking on our rich culinary tradition has been an experience that has no price.

Grazie Luciano and all the people @Il Turismo Culturale for your efforts, passion&love for Todi! Grazie, davvero.

Video-intro by "Il Turismo Culturale" available also by QR Code technology

The guide-book "Todi - Bellezza Antiqua e Nova" will be officially released on the 2nd September 2011 and it will be also available through us.

"Edu-dinners" at Il Palazzo del Gusto - Orvieto

2011-08-03T11:48:00.032+02:00

CANTINE & CHEF ALLA RIBALTA 2011
WINERIES & CHEFS IN THE LIMELIGHT 2011

Summer in Umbria also means "CANTINE & CHEF ALLA RIBALTA - WINERIES & CHEFS IN THE LIMELIGHT", food&wine event organized by “Itinera - Il Palazzo del Gusto” in Orvieto.

From the 5th August to the 2nd September the beautiful monastery of San Giovanni - headquarter of "Il Palazzo del Gusto" and "Città Slow" - is hosting a series of “educational” dinners to promote Umbrian wineries and local chefs.

The dinners are taking place @ the wonderful cloister of San Giovanni, in Orvieto historical centre.

The cloister

The rich programme includes tasting of wines from Orvieto - with its famous white “Orvieto Classico DOC” - and Amelia, Umbrian town close to Terni, renewed for its red wines.

Every wine is proposed in matching with specialities prepared by the best local restaurants.

"CANTINE E CHEF ALLA RIBALTA" is a great event to get to know more about Umbrian wine production and local cuisine.

To take part to the dinners, it is necessary to book in advance contacting our friends: Graziella or Lucia - email: itinera.orvieto@tiscalinet.it - ph. 0763.341818 – 0763.393529 @ IL PALAZZO DEL GUSTO - Convento S. Giovanni Via Ripa Serancia I, n° 16

1 dinner costs: € 30.00 p.p.
Slow Food associates and FISAR (Italian Federation of Sommeliers) members: € 28,00 p.p.

In addition at “Il Palazzo del Gusto”, until the 12th September there will be the possibility to taste the wines “in the limelight” not only on Friday evenings, but also during the week.

My friends and I during 2010 edition.

PROGRAMME:

AUGUST 5 h. 8.30PM – Dinner

Winery: CASTELLO DELLE REGINE – AMELIA (TR)

Restaurant: SAN MICHELE OSTARIA DI CAMPAGNA – ORVIETO (TR)
Chef: Daniele Nuti

MENU
Carpaccio di manzo al limone e menta con sfoglie di patate croccanti e pomodori essiccati
Wine matching: Vino Spumante Extra Dry

Crespellina ripiena di ricotta ed erbette con funghi misti
Wine matching: Bianco delle Regine 2010

Carrè di agnello in crosta di olive, tortino di formaggi teneri e vegetali di stagione
Wine matching: Merlot 2004

Semifreddo ai fichi con crema all’anice stellato e noci

AUGUST 12 8.30PM – Dinner

Winery: CANTINA NERI - ORVIETO (TR)

Restaurant: AL SALTAPICCHIO – ORVIETO (TR)
Chef: Valentina Santanicchio

MENU
Mousse di fegato di Chianina con composta di pere biologiche cipolle rosse caramellate e pane cotto al forno a legna
Wine matching: Ca Viti 2010

Millefoglie di pasta tirata a mano con il ragu’ della trebbiatura con l’oca biologica e la crema di pecorino al rosmarino
Wine matching: Bianco dei Neri 2010

Stracotto di “Chianina povera” al Bianco dei Neri marinato alle erbette profumate e cannella servito con pomodori alla brace e patatine al cartoccio cotte sotto la cenere
Wine matching: Rosso dei Neri 2010

Gelato di Muffa Nobile Poggio Forno servito con uvetta e pinoli tostati e colatura di “fondende piccantino”
Wine matching: Muffa Nobile Poggio Forno Cantina Neri

AUGUST 19 h. 8.30PM – Dinner

Winery: TENUTA DI MONTEGIOVE – MONTEGABBIONE (TR)

Restaurant: LA PENISOLA - BASCHI (TR)
Chef: Andrea Taddei

MENU

Primo sale di bufala su letto di gallinella con ventaglio di pesca noce ed emulsione di fichi
Wine matching: Gatto Gatto Orvietano Rosso DOC 2009

Rigatoncino trafilato al bronzo con ragout bianco di agnellino profumato al timo, servito in cialda di Brik
Wine matching: Mi.Mo.So. Umbria Rosso IGT 2009

Tournedos di filetto di lattonzolo in crosta di sfoglia con salsa marsalata con contorno di porri glassati
Wine matching: Elicius Umbria Rosso IGT 2008

Trancio di torta della Nonna con salsa vaniglia e arancia

AUGUST 26 8.30PM – Dinner

Winery: MADONNA DEL LATTE – ORVIETO (TR)

Restaurant: TRIPPINI - BASCHI (TR)
Chef: Paolo Trippini

MENU

Faraona farcita con patate mantecate insalatina aromatica e salsa di agrumi
Wine matching: Rosario Spumante Brut 2010

Risotto con trota marinata e pomodoro fresco
Wine matching: Viognier Igt Umbria 2010

Maialino da latte in due cotture con mela e senape
Wine matching: Sucano Igt Umbria 2008

Zuppa di ciliege con mousse di cioccolato bianco

SEPTEMBER 2 h. 8.30PM – Dinner

Winery: TENUTA LE VELETTE – ORVIETO (TR)

Restaurant: ANTICA CANTINA – Orvieto (TR)
Chef: Ludmila Ceban

MENU

Al contadino non far sapere…
Lasagna rustica alle verdure fresche di stagione

Tortellone al taleggio e patate su letto di radicchio e cipolla di Cannara caramellata
Wine matching: Lunato Orvieto DOC Classico Superiore 2010

Cappello del prete al Rosso di Spicca con contorno di patata in camicia al profumo di finocchio selvatico
Wine matching: Rosso di Spicca Rosso Orvietano DOC 2009

Quiche di ricotta di capra e gocce di cioccolato fondente
Wine matching: Raggio IGT Umbria 2007

Going down to my roots: the Cicotto experience

2011-07-17T10:25:00.080+02:00

"If unique, traditional and endangered food products can have an economic impact, they can be saved from extinction. This is the simple reasoning behind the Presidia; small projects to assist groups of producers".
Slow Food

You know, I am so proud to be Umbrian, I was born here and I live here in this green, amazing, mystic region located just in the centre, in the "heart", of Italy.
I am so devoted to my home-land that I decided that I need to try everything Umbria is able to offer, from wine to extra virgin olive oil, from cured meat to goat cheeses, from local specialities to home-made jams.

Following this mission, I accepted with great pleasure the invitation from Michela Menghini for a special "edu-dinnner" - under the patronage of Slow Food Valle Umbra - to (re)introduce a very ancient and almost disapperead dish: Cicotto.

I've been always afraid of Cicotto. Yes, "to be afraid of" it is the proper expression to explain my feelings towards this ancient recipe. I remember when I was a child, my nonna took me to buy some porchetta (the famous&yummy roast pork) on Saturdays, the day when in Todi there was - and still there is - the weekly market.
I remember the porchettaro (=butcher specialized in making porchetta) cutting those delicious slices of porchetta in his little kiosk, proudly showing a sign with this mysterious words on : "OGGI CICOTTO" (=today Cicotto).
Yes, because Cicotto was a mystery for me. My nonna always refused to answer my insisting questions on what this Cicotto was. "Cicotto is something that you don't like, Alessandra" I remember she said, putting in her big bag the porchetta wrapped in that light-brown paper, called carta-paglia, still used in the early 80s.

"Cicotto"

When I was a child, Cicotto was considered, infact, something that an educated and "posh" citizen from Todi (and when I say Todi, I mean the town, the historical centre) should deny the existence.
I can say that Cicotto has been probably one of the most despised traditional food for my generation, and it has seriously run the risk to disappear forever.

Today in 2011, thanks to the efforts of three young and dynamic producers - following the ancient recipes left by their grandparents and under the patronage and the support of Slow Food - now Cicotto is trying to become a so-called "Presidia" to be sustained as a quality production.

The three young&proud Cicotto makers

You know that "no part of the pig was wasted" (see also my previous post on pork production)...well friends...here we are!
Cicotto is made infact by the nobless parts of the pig, like knuckles, ears, entrails, snout that are roasted under the noble part: the porchetta.
In this way all the aromas used to stuff it, like fennel, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper (together with an unspeakable quantity of fat, better forgetting it....) drip on Cicotto, giving it its special taste.

For sure Cicotto is not the healthiest food we have in Umbria, but together with its terroristic quantity of calories, it is able to contain all the culinary tradition of the region.
Cicotto is a real evidence of the simple life of our ancestors when Umbria was a rural region: it is the living evidence of their pains but also of their intelligence and, above all, of their ability in making "molto con poco" (=a lot with little).

Suggested wine matching: Cicotto goes very well with local aged red wines like Rosso di Montefalco or Sagrantino.

My new twitting flatmates from Africa - Life in Umbria

2011-07-09T15:30:00.044+02:00

My new flatmates are from Africa. They are quite young and they have black eyes and black hair with a white stripe on their belly and they are so good in.... twitting, of course!
No, no, they don't have any tablet, smartphone or stuff like that: they really twitt!

Yes, my new flatmates are two gorgeous swallows who have decided to build their nest just under the roof of my apartment's balcony in Todi, Umbria.

A couple of weeks ago, I was doing my housekeeping and when I went out to the balcony I discovered a not so nice "souvenir" that my flatmates left on the floor.
I immediately looked up and I saw this spectacular mud nest that my ingenious feathered friends built as their Umbrian home.

I was so excited that I took my camera and waited for a while to try to take some pictures to these new unexpected guests.
I was so surprised as they weren't afraid of me at all! They even looked at me with a sort of expression in their eyes saying:
"And so?? Why are you so suprised? We have been living here since a couple of months and you haven't noticed us...you, "un"civilized mammal so involved in caring only on your vanishing electronic tweets..."

The Swallow in literature

"Garrula quam tignis nidum suspendat hirundo" (...the twittering swallow hangs its nest from the rafters). Virgil, 29 BC.

Many literary references are based on the swallow. It is very famous the proverb by Aristotle : "For as one swallow does not make a spring" meaning that one day or a short time does not make a fortunate or happy man.

The swallow is also cited in several of William Shakespeare's plays for the swiftness of its flight : "True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings ..." (Richard III), and "I have horse will follow where the game Makes way, and run like swallows o'er the plain" (Titus Andronicus). Shakespeare also references the annual migration of the species poetically in The Winter's Tale: "Daffodils, That come before the swallow dares, and take The winds of March with beauty"

In "The Waste Land", T. S. Eliot quoted the line "Quando fiam uti chelidon [ut tacere desinam]?" ("When will I be like the swallow, so that I can stop being silent?") referring to a version of the myth of Philomela in which she turns into a Nightingale and her sister Procne into a Swallow.

So amazing it is an image of the assembly of swallows for their southward migration in John Keats's "Ode To Autumn":

SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease;
For Summer has o'erbrimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twinèd flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barrèd clouds bloom the soft-dying day
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river-sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

The Time Machine: Palazzo Sorbello - Perugia

2011-06-17T16:02:00.067+02:00

The first time I heard about Palazzo Sorbello, I have to say that I thought it was one of the several "Houses Museum" whose aim is just to celebrate one of the dozens Noble Families who ruled this or that part on the region in the past.

My prejudice began to change when I read and listened to the enthusiastic comments from Letizia Mattiacci - owner at Alla Madonna del Piatto, beautiful agriturismo and top level Cooking School in Assisi- about this Palazzo located in the ancient heart of Perugia.

My prejudice totally disappeared when I visited it last week: Palazzo Sorbello is not a simple "House Museum", but a real "Time Machine" able to take you in a trip back in time starting from the Middle Ages to the present days.

Thanks to Dottor Enrico Speranza, in charge of us for more than two amazing hours, we could really travel along the different periods of Italian history and the different local and national events that involved the noble family of Sorbello, who purchased this Palazzo in 1780.

Marchesi Bourbon di Sorbello were one of the most ancient noble families of Umbria since the Middle Age. Their land was originally located in the North of the region where the Marchesi also lived for several centuries acquiring other territories and economical and social power.

The Hall

The Palazzo shows not only the importance that the members of the family gained in the past but - above all - their deep love and passion for art and literature. All the room we visited are full of beautiful landscape paintings, portraits of family by Italian and foreign artists, a rich collection of porcelain ordered to the most renewed factories in Europe and even in China and a breath-taking chandelier from the isle of Murano in Venice made by a famous Maestro in XVIII century.

The most impressive aspect is definitely the huge library with more than 20.000 books. Among them, there is also one of the few copies of the original Encyclopedie Française written by Diderot and D'Alembert between 1751 and 1772, the "bible" of the Enlightment, The Book of the French Revolution, compiled to present and represent a "taxonomy of human knowledge".
The Sorbellos, infact, were strictly connected to the revolutionary ideas coming from France and - afterwords - to the ones from Risorgimento, the political movement that flowed into the Unification of Italy in 1861. The family, infact, had important relations with the Royal Family, The Savoias, the fathers of our Nation.

The Library

The Marchesi were not only that kind of nobles who spent their time only in art and literature, but they influenced also Italian politics and economy.
During the first years of the XX century, one of the member of the family, Ruggero, married a wealthy American lady Romeyne Robert. When Lady Robert came to Umbria - a very poor and rural region in that period - from the rich and industrial New Jersey, being a supporter of the importance of preserving the ancient crafts, in 1904 she founded an Embroidery School in one of the villas of the family located close to Trasimeno Lake. The school and its products were a success: the school, infact, gave the opportunity to many Umbrian women coming from very poor areas, not only to have a work but also to have the chance to contribute the the incomes of their families in the same ways as their husbands and brothers, a revolution for that period.

The display dedicated to Lady Robert

Moreover thanks to the top level quality of these hand-made Umbrian products, unique pieces that now are collected and appreciated treasures, Romeyne was also able to sell her embroideries in Europe and in the United States until 1934, when the Great Depression broke the dreams of an entire generation.

The original flag of the Unification of Italy

Thousands of different stories Palazzo Sorbello can tell us, calling it just "House Museum" is very reductive, Palazzo Sorbello is definitely one of the most evocative places I've ever visited here in Umbria: a real and incredible "Time-machine"... just few metres from Fontana Maggiore in Perugia!

Curiosity: at the entrance of the Palazzo there is a rare example of external wood flooring, composed of little blocks of Cerro wood with curved angles. It was used to reduce the noise of the carriage entering in the palace.

More info on Museum opening hours and guided visits on:

Casa Museo Sorbello website

A special thank to Uguccione Ranieri di Sorbello Foundation for giving us the permission to take pictures and to publish them on our blog.

The Lake&the Wine: Corbara

2011-06-05T19:52:00.018+02:00

The Lake of Corbara is an artificial basin located between the territories of Orvieto and Todi, along the road that connects these two Umbrian cities.

The lake - infact - was originated in the 50s' to produce electricity through a dam on the river Tiber (Il Tevere), even if this area -along the existing basin- was known in ancient times also by the Etruscans and the Romans who built there tombs, temples and even an important commercial river port.

Although Corbara lake is artificial, the view of the entire area is really gorgeous. You can have one of the best views on the basin driving to the top of the hill of Civitella del Lago, ancient hamlet dominated during the Middle Ages by the noble families of Fredi and Atti coming from Todi.

The gorgeous view from Civitella, sometimes it is possible to see even Orvieto

Corbara Lake offers not only amazing views and places, but also a famous local food tradition and a renowned wine production.
On the road that leads to Orvieto, just beside the lake, there is one of the “temples” of Italian Cuisine, the restaurant "Vissani", conducted since 1974 by the eclectic Umbrian Cook Gianfranco Vissani, born in Civitella del Lago, the “Gordon Ramsay from Umbria”, one of the top Chef of “La Cucina Italiana”.

If a stop at “Vissani” could be maybe over your budget, you can spend the rest of your day discovering the special wine production of the area, visiting the wineries located on both sides of the lake.

The vines&the lake

In 1998 an executive decree recognized the DOC (Controlled Origin Denomination) appellation for “Lago di Corbara” red wines.
The area of production of “Lago di Corbara DOC” includes the territory of the Municipality of Baschi and the villages of Corbara, Fossatello, Colonnetta di Prodo and Titignano belonging to Orvieto.
“Lago di Corbara DOC” red wines are “intense ruby red with an agreeable vinous scent, full-bodied and harmonious” and they go well with both red and white meat dishes. They should be served at a temperature of 12-13 degrees C. in a tulip shaped goblet and can be drunk up to the sixth year or more after the vintage.

Romantic view - sunset on Corbara dam

Todi is blooming again 27th-29th May 2011-Tribute to Japan

2011-05-17T17:05:00.025+02:00

TODI FIORITA 2011
From the 27th to the 29th May 2011, the beautiful historical centre of Todi is hosting the fourth edition of “Todi Fiorita”, national exhibition of Flower Gardening organized by the Association “Verde Todi”, in collaboration with the City Hall and under the patronage of Italian Minister of Agriculture.

The historical places of our town will be the locations of blooming gardens, scents and essences which will follow the visitors in different itineries.

In honour of Japan and its famous Art of Gardening, this year the beautiful Cloister of Lucrezie will host a Japanese Garden inspired to this ancient art together with a demonstration of Ikebana.

The gardening fair with exhibitors from Umbria and Italy - located in Piazza del Popolo - is open on:

27th May 2011: from 3PM to 8PM
28th/29th May 2011: from 10AM to 8PM

On Saturday 28th May, Todi Fiorita is also offering the visitors guided visits, concerts and events:

9AM Guided visit “The Art of the Monasteries” (lenght 2 hours 9AM-11AM)
A guided tour along Quartiere Borgo: Piazza Rubea - Church of San Francesco and the fresco “Il Purgatorio di San Patrizio” painted in 1346 - Church of SS. Annunziata and the Monastery
(visit held also on the 29th)

11AM Guided visit “In giro per orti e giardini privati”(lenght 1h and ½ 11AM-12,30AM), guided tour to private gardens in Porta Fratta Quarter.

11AM Cloister of Lucrezie - The Eagle's nest
“Kadō: la Via dei fiori”
Demonstration and introduction to Ikebana by Silvana Mattei, 1° Master Shool Ohara Ikebana - President of Ikebana Ohara Alto Lazio and Umbria Study Group
(lenght 2 hours from 11AM to 13AM)
(event held also on the 29th)

Piazza del Popolo hosting the gardening fair - 2010 edition

4PM Sala del Consiglio - Palazzi Comunali
“VERDE E SALUTE”
Meeting with Dr. Gioia Maria Campolo on Slow Living and Responsible Tourism (Me, Alessandra, I will also give a speech ^_^)

6PM Sala del Consiglio dei Palazzi Comunali
Concert by Collegium Tiberinum
“ROSA BALCANICA”
A travel through the traditions of Folk Music from the Balcans.

The Cloister of Lucrezie during 2010 edition

All the detailed info (in Italian) are on Todi Fiorita 2011 website

Video realized during on 2011 Edition (updating July 2011)

"Andar per campi" picking wild herbs in Umbria

2011-05-01T18:42:00.011+02:00

Andar per campi does not simply mean "walking in the fields", but living the experience of walking in the fields, breathing the fresh air, the smells and the aromas of Spring flowers and herbs, enjoying the noise..pardon, the sound, of your own steps on the new grass...and at the end...celebrating this more or less unexpected deep happiness with a ....pic-nic, of course!

Trevi sourrounded by olive groves

Thanks to Pic&Nic a Trevi a very nice event organized by the municipality of Trevi, beautiful hamlet close to Spoleto, famous in Umbria and in Italy for its top level EVO Oil, I had the opportunity to re-experience again not only the pleasures of andar per campi, but also learning more about Umbrian culinary traditions.

The excursion, guided by Andrea, very professional and very kind licensed hiking guide, had the following title: Andar per erbe spontanee, where the verb andare has the meaning I tried to explain before. Erbe spontanee are the wild herbs that grow in Umbria, herbs that our nonna widely used to prepare tasty salads and cheap side-dishes.

With the help of Andrea we picked 5 different kinds of herbs: Caccialepre, Finocchio Selvatico, Crispigno, Tarassaco, Pimpinella.

Caccialepre, Tarassaco and Pimpinella were picked, washed and used in salads
1.Caccialepre (Reichardia picroides)

2.Tarassaco (Taraxacum officinale)

3.Pimpinella (Sanguisorba minor)

Crispigno (4. Sonchus asper) less tender, needed to be boiled in hot water for few minutes, while Finocchio Selvatico, wild fennel (5. Foeniculum vulgare) was used both in salads and also to give flavours to roast meat, infact it is still very common to find it in the Porchetta, the traditional roast pork.

After the demo Andrea asked us to look for the herbs he had just shown us and to tell him their names...easy you'll say. Not at all friends!! The herbs, except the fennel that has a very strong aroma, looked the same to us..we got totally wrong several times...not only mixing the names up, but even confusing the edible herbs, with some very un-edible ones...

This fact...being so clumpsy in an activity that has been done for centuries every day here in Umbria, made me think that we have really lost a knowledge, an ancient "know-how", that deserves to be re-discovered and re-explained to young generations at school, yes, together with Italian grammar and maths!!

Of course, after a such long walk I had lost too many calories walking and picking herbs, so that.. it was time for the pic-nic under the olive trees!

Me and my "sportina", the typical traditional way to bring snacks and food to the fields in the past, given by the organizers of Pic&Nic in Trevi

Umbria on the blog: 3 days of wine, food&warm hospitality

2011-04-19T18:15:00.060+02:00

It's not easy at all....it's not easy writing a post on my experience @Umbria on the blog I took part last weekend....

Ok. But. What's... Umbria on the Blog?
Umbria on the blog is a new and exciting project whose aim is the promotion of Umbria as a beautiful territory where it is still possible living authentic experiences in contact with the locals.
The project is very innovative as the people involved in this promo are not journalists or tour operators, but bloggers, a very important category of post-modern travel writers whose weapons are not only the blog itself, but also hi-tech tools like Smart-phones, I-phones, I-Pads, Pc or Mac and extremely sophisticated photo cameras. Umbria on the blog has been organized as an "educational tour" in some beautiful areas of the region: Assisi, Perugia, Gubbio, Montefalco and Collazzone, a nice village between Perugia and Todi.

I also had the honour to share this unforgettable three days of wine, food and warm hospitality, thanks to this blog that I've been running since 2007, when my webmaster suggested me to start a blog just to make my website more interesting for the visitors.
This activity -that at the beginning was just one of the several things that an owner of a small family-run travel company has to do every day, step-by-step has involved me so much that writing a post on Umbria and sharing with my possible readers my deep love for my home-land is now not a mere necessity, but a real pleasure.

Many of the places -we went to in these 3 days with my new collegues- have been already visited and discussed several times in this blog - even if in Umbria every place is able to whisper me a different story every time I visit it - but sharing a weekend with this group of belle persone and experiencing their enthousiasm in travelling&living Umbria&Umbrians has no price.

Therefore I take once again the occasion to thank my fantastic travel-mates: staying with all of you was a very enriching experience for my professional and -above all- private life: Federica , Elena, Federica , Mirella, Francesca, Francesca, Michela, Gabriele e Federica, Rebecca, Jennifer, Fabiola, Sabrina.

Kudos to Alessio and Luca, the minds and the hearts of the project, the talented photographers Marzia and Mario, Andrea for the breathtaking sunsets over Perugia and Assisi,Silvana and her family in Collepepe for the unforgettable dinner, Giuliano for the incredible tour in Gubbio and Maria Carmela for the unbelievable elegant simplicity of luxury, Cristina for showing us the ancients crafts in Bevagna, Marco and Salvatore in Montefalco...oh...wow...for Wine&Food and to all the fantastic and generous people involved in this project.

Umbria on the blog is reaching thousands of contacts in these days, a great opportunity for an un-discovered destination as Umbria still is, a great way to promote effeciently a territory through the best tool offered by our modern society: the web... 2.0 of course!

Umbria on the Blog! We're leaving, follow us!

2011-04-14T09:23:00.013+02:00

I'm leaving again for a tour in Umbria, but this time it's different.

Tomorrow together with Federica ,Elena,Federica ,Mirella ,Francesca,Francesca,Michela,Gabriele,Rebecca,Jennifer,Fabiola, Alessio,Marzia I am ready to visit my home-region with a very different point of view: the point of view of a travel blogger ready to discover a Land that, even for a local like me, is able to amaze me every time, again and again, for her beauty, art treasures, gorgeous landscapes&romantic sunsets, great wines&food and... above all her generous and warm-hearted people...

Stay tuned on this blog to follow my photo-reports of this unforgettable weekend!

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Video by Umbria on the Blog

Fiera Verde Marsciano (Perugia) : photoreportage

2011-04-10T20:16:00.038+02:00

After a long long long and boring boring boring Winter, Spring has finally arrived in Umbria!!
Spring brings here not only nice weather, flowers and the first gelati, but also a huge number of festivals.

Today, thanks to the amazing sunny day, we decided to go to Marsciano, a small town 20 km from Todi, for "Fiera Verde - Tradizioni e Sapori - Mostra del Biologico", a "green" festival for the promotion of traditions, flavours and organic food.

The location itself is "green" as the fair has been hosted inside and outside a former tabacchificio (=tobacco factory), a very good example of "recycling" an old factory into a new exhibition area.

The fair was really very nice and interesting with a lot of booths of organic food, gardening and hand-made products from Umbria and Italy.

Flowers...

Alpaca sweaters from Umbertide (Perugia)

Hand-made knives from Marsciano

and..... food, food, food !!!!

Two very nice girls selling organic home-made yeast to make bread and Easter cakes

Following the suggestion of a cute maialino (=piglet) who whispered to my suffering liver "magna che te frega" (=eat, don't care about it), I decided to buy a cartoccio of fritto misto (=mixed fried vegs wrapped in paper), but just because the vendor assured me that all the fritto was organic!

... still not convinced on giving organic - please notice the word organic - fried vegs to my liver.....

But the real reason that pushed me to go to Fiera Verde today was the Degustazione di Mieli (=honeys tasting)!!
Having tasted, even in a professional manner, a lot of EVO Oils, Wines and Cheeses, I couldn't miss a detailed guided honey tasting of organic -of course- honeys from Umbria and Italy.
I discover that - as we normally do at the wine school for Sommeliers - even the honey is tasted and classified for its colour, smell and taste.
We tasted 4 kinds of honeys. Through the pics that follow you can see the different colours...I am very sorry for the smell and the taste, as I still could not find an app for this......damn!!!!

Miele di Acacia: very light yellow and very delicate

Miele di Arancio: straw yellow with orange scents

Miele Millefiori: amber yellow with flowers scents

Miele di Castagno: dark yellow with a bitter aftertaste

Sognando la Primavera - best Spring events in the area

2011-03-21T14:42:00.016+01:00

It's still so cold in Umbria today 21st March that it could be even funny the fact that Italy is also known all over the World as "Il Paese del Sole" (=the Country of the Sun)...

Flowers are timidly blooming in these still cold days

Sognare la Primavera (=Spring dreaming) and thinking about the amazing events that will take place in the next months, it is a necessary excercise to help us to face these hard, boring, last cold days of Winter here.

Spring in Umbria is so rich in festivals that it's quite hard to put them all together in a list, so we've just chosen some of them among our favourite events in our area of Todi and Southern Umbria.

Are you planning a trip here? Be sure to not miss:

EASTER CELEBRATIONS - FOOD TRADITIONS - 22-25 APRIL 2011
In Todi and all over the region

In Umbria during Easter time there are traditional liturgic rites, religious events but also food traditions.
Since Easter is the end of the Lent season, food plays a big part in the celebrations. Traditional Easter foods include lamb or goat, artichokes, and special Easter cakes and breads called Pizza di Pasqua.
Pizza di Pasqua (=Easter cheese-bread) is prepared with flour, Parmesan and pecorino cheese, eggs and lard, consumed during Easter and usually stuffed with capocollo - one of the many cold cuts of Umbria - or used to accompany hard eggs.

The famous Pizza di Pasqua

TODI FIORITA - “BLOOMING TODI” 28-29 MAY 2011
Todi

From the 28th to the 29th May, the beautiful historical centre of Todi is hosting the third edition of “Todi Fiorita 2011”, national exhibition of Flower Gardening organized by the Association “Verde Todi”, in collaboration with the local City Hall.
The historical places of this beautiful Umbrian Medieval town will be the locations of blooming gardens, scents and essences which will follow the visitors along the different itineries.
In addition - for this special event - many private “Palazzi” will open their doors to the visitors. The halls and gardens of these magnificient places will be adorned by professional gardeners.

Our beautiful Piazza during the event

CANTINE APERTE – “OPEN WINERIES” 29 MAY 2011
In Todi and all over the region

This is the most important wine event of the year and definitely my favourite. Umbrian wine is the main protagonist together with all the fantastic people who produce it and the beautiful territory where it is made. For the past 17 years during the last Sunday of May, the members of the association "Turismo del Vino" have opened their doors to the public establishing in this way an immediate and direct contact with all wine tourists and lovers.
Our town of Todi is famous for the production of Grechetto di Todi, a wine cited by the Roman historian Pliny the Elder, writing in the 1 st century B.C. in his Historia Naturalis , “ peculiaris est tudernis” (=it is typical of Todi)referring to the particular vine which produces a dry white wine with a slightly bitter aftertaste. In 2009 this great white wine got the prestigious recognition "Grechetto di Todi D.O.C." indicating the wine made by Grechetto grapes, produced only in the territory of Todi.

My husband and I during the event last year

CORPUS DOMINI - 24-26 JUNE 2011
Orvieto

The Corpus Domini (the Latin expression means Body of the Master) is a significant and solemn event in the Christian liturgical calendar. It was instigated on the 8th September 1264 by Pope Urban IV following the miracle of Bolsena. The story of the miracle relates an account of the Bohemian priest, Peter of Prague who, on his way from Prague to Rome in 1263, had been experiencing some doubts about the truth of the transubstantiation. While celebrating mass at the tomb of the Holy Martyr, Cristina, in Bolsena, blood dripped from the consecrated host, bathing the host or corporale and the liturgical linens. Since then, every year in Orvieto, on the Sunday following the feast of the Corpus Domini, the remains of the sacred host from the Miracle of Bolsena, contained in a precious reliquary, is carried in a procession through the streets, following a route that passes through all of the districts and all of the most significant places of the town. The religious procession marches together with an historical parade where all the magistrates, captains, standard-bearers and knights of the communal period are represented, as well as the Coats of Arms and the banners of the noble Orvietan families. The two processions come together in an extremely evocative and unforgettable spectacle.

ITALIA 150 - Happy Birthday old beautiful Lady!

2011-03-17T10:01:00.010+01:00

I tried several times in the last weeks to write something original on the celebration that is taking place today 17th March 2011: 150th Anniversary of Unification of our Country, but I wasn't able to do it.
Every word I wrote, it sounded a bit old fashionated or rethorical to me. Maybe because patriotism is quite a new feeling for us Italians.
Shocked by WWII, when important symbols of Italian history like the Roman emblems and the "Tricolore"(our Flag) were used to support a dictatorship, Italians- for more than sixty years- have proudly shown the National Flag only during the football matches.
But this time it seems different. This feeling to be a Nation, 20 regions each one very different from the other, unique, but at the same time unified, is conquering the heart of all of us.
Today we proudly celebrate this very important day, the day when, 150 years ago, our Country became a Nation named ITALIA.

Buon Compleanno bella Signora! Buon Compleanno Italia!

"Know’st thou the land where the lemon-trees bloom,
Where the gold orange glows in the deep thicket’s gloom,
Where a wind ever soft from the blue heaven blows,
And the groves are of laurel and myrtle and rose?"

J.W.Goethe

Umbria on the blog: a new adventure in&on Umbria 15-17/04/2011

2011-03-10T12:08:00.025+01:00

This time Umbria will shock you, friends!

Umbria, the Green Heart of Italy, the land of traditions and "slow-living" is also able to be in step with the times.

From the 15th to the 17th of April, Umbria will be the first region to host a "travel bloggers meet up": UMBRIA ON THE BLOG

The event, developed by Alessio Carciofi, social media marketing expert from Spoleto, it is patronized by Confindustria Umbria - Tourism and Hotels.

During the weekend 10 bloggers coming from Umbria and Italy will tell you about their experience in this beautiful region.

...and...we will also take part to this new amazing experience!!

Stay tuned!

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Umbria and Ape Car: another inseparable binomial

2011-02-27T11:39:00.003+01:00

Dear friends and readers, in this blog we have discussed about many symbols of Umbria connected to its history, art, food and traditions.
This time we would like introducing another “must-see” in Umbria: the Ape Car.

Although Ape Car was not conceived here, but in the famous scooter factory Piaggio near Pisa, this very special vehicle has always had great success in our region.

Old people&Ape in Todi

Ape (whose name actually means “Honey-Bee”) was created in 1948, thanks to Corradino D’Ascanio, aircraft designer and inventor of the famous scooter Vespa.
At the end of the Second Word infact, most Italians lacked modes of transport and the financial means to acquire full-sized four-wheeled vehicles but at the same time they needed a commercial car to power Italy's economical reconstruction.
D’Ascanio with the favour of Enrico Piaggio, came up with the idea of building a light three wheeled vehicle, based on the former project of the Vespa with two wheels added to the rear and a flat-bed structure on top.

An Ape in front of us, on the way to Bevagna...so "lucky" we are!!

Given that in the past the economy of Umbria was totally based on agriculture, the Ape Car has always played a very important role here in the region.
Even if we -Umbrians- drive “standard” four wheeled cars today, Ape (affectionately called by the locals “Apetto”=Little Bee) is still quite common especially among old people who own of a piece of land.
For these people the "Apetto" is very important: they can carry their vegetables on it, their tools to work the soil or to prune the olive trees, the boxes full of olives for the oil mill and the ones of grapes to make their home-made wine.
In addition, according to the Rules of the Road, Ape is not consider a real car, but more a scooter, so that a different driving license - easier to get - is required.

My secret dream: owning an Apetto!

If you’ll have the chance to drive on our beautiful winding roads in a wonderful sunny day under the Umbrian sky, be aware of the fact that you'll have a very high possibility to stumble on an "Apetto" driving at the incredible cruise speed of 20 km per hour.... and your road will be so twisting that you couldn’t overtake this cute “Little Bee” in front of you…..
…...so there’ll be nothing to do in this case…just taking your time...

...slow down friends: you are in Umbria!

Very funny video with Super Ape Car. Do not imitate the stuntmen!

CittàSlow in Festival Jazz&Food in Orvieto and Todi

2011-02-03T17:12:00.009+01:00

Starting from next 12th February the Città Slow of Orvieto and Todi are hosting the 13th Edition of "Città Slow in Festival Dinner Music".

Città Slow is an international association -whose headquarters are in Orvieto- of municipalities "respectful of citizens and their health, authenticity of products and good food, rich of fascinating craft traditions of valuable works of art, squares, theaters, shops, cafés, restaurants, places of the spirit and unspoiled landscapes, characterized by spontaneity of religious rites, respect of traditions through the joy of a slow and quiet living".

From the 12th February to the 16th April 2011 in Orvieto and in Todi many Italian Città Slow will celebrate their "slow values" offering their food and local specialities.
Every dinner will be followed by a Jazz Concert.

"Città Slow in Festival Dinner Music" is a fabulous opportunity to taste great food and wines from different Italian regions and to listen to good Jazz!!

In our city, Todi, the event (dinner+concert) will be organized in the amazing Medieval Hall "Sala dell'Arengo" located in the Palazzo del Comune, in Piazza del Popolo.

Video from the last Edition Dinner&Jazz in Todi

PROGRAMME:

12/02/2011 Jazz: NICK THE NIGHTFLY + CITTASLOW: TODI e ORVIETO
@Ristorante Al San Francesco - Orvieto

19/02/2011 Jazz: RENATO SELLANI TRIO + CITTASLOW: ALTOMONTE (CS)
@Ristorante Al San Francesco - Orvieto

26/02/2011 FABRIZIO BOSSO/ROSARIO BONACCORSO “BOBO DUO” + CITTASLOW CASTELNUOVO NE’ MONTI(RE)
@Ristorante Al San Francesco - Orvieto

5/03/2011 SIMONA BENCINI & LMG QUARTET +CITTASLOW SANGEMINI(TR)
@Sala dell'Arengo - Todi

12/03/2011 DANILO REA piano solo + CITTASLOW BRA
@Sala dell'Arengo - Todi

19/03/2011 TONY ESPOSITO e LA BANDA DEL SOLE + CITTASLOW CAIAZZO(CE)
@Sala dell'Arengo - Todi

26/03/2011 GEGE’ TELESFORO + CITTASLOW CHIAVENNA(SO)
@Sala dell'Arengo - Todi

2/04/2011 RITA MARCOTULLI/JAVIER GIROTTO/LUCIANO BIONDINI+ CITTASLOW SAN MINIATO (PI)
@La Penisola Restaurant – Orvieto-Baschi

9/04//2011FRANCESCO CAFISO QUARTET+ CITTASLOW CITTA’ SANT’ANGELO (PE)
@La Penisola Restaurant – Orvieto-Baschi

16/04/2011 GIOVANNI GUIDI QUARTET+ CITTASLOW ABBIATEGRASSO
@La Penisola Restaurant - Orvieto-Baschi

INFO:
The dinner starts at 20.30.
The Jazz Concert at 22.00

Price per person Dinner+Jazz Concert EUR 40.-
Discounts for Slow Food Members.

For booking and information:
info@cittaslowinfestival.it

phone: 0763343302

Website (in Italian)
www.cittaslowinfestival.it

Why don't we go to....Bastardo??

2011-01-23T18:02:00.006+01:00

No friends, "Bastardo" is not the word you are thinking about!
In Umbria Bastardo has a very serious historical meaning!

Bastardo infact is a small village located on the road from Todi to Montefalco.
Its very special name -which always makes our clients smile- has very ancient roots as many things here in Umbria.

Leonardo kidding close to Bastardo

Several centuries ago an enterprising fellow, whose mother was "a scarlet woman" or as we Italians politely say "una donna di facili costumi", set up a stable and an "Osteria" (=inn) here along the Via Flaminia, one of the most important Roman road connecting Rome to the Adriatic sea.

For this reason this place was named "L'Osteria del Bastardo" and afterwords just "Bastardo".

During the 30s', some people from Bastardo (=Bastardesi) proposed the community to change this odd name into Villa Romana, Termoelettropoli or Lignilia, but unsuccessfully. Most of the Bastardesi, infact, so fond of "Bastardo", decided to keep the original appellation.

Now Bastardo is a modern village under the Comune of Giano dell'Umbria, one of the five Municipalities (together with Montefalco, Bevagna, Castel Ritaldi and Gualdo Cattaneo) included in the blessed area of production of the famous red wine "Sagrantino".

Amazing colours close to Bastardo in Autumn

Tribute to His Majesty the Pork

2011-01-08T18:33:00.038+01:00

I am really sorry for all my "veg" friends and readers but Umbria and Pork are definitely an inseparable binomial.

The tradition of pork production in Umbria is very ancient.
The word "Norcino", an expert in the making of all pork products, is derived from the Umbrian town of Norcia, well-known since the Middle Ages for its pork produce.

January is the traditional month for the pork processing thanks to the cold of the Winter. In ancient times freezers didn’t exist and people used the natural cold of the Season to prepare their cured meats (salami, prosciutto, sausages) that they had during the year.

In the past when food was considered a gift and not "just food" -as it happens in our "modern" society - the pig was a sacred animal, since "del maiale non si butta via niente", i.e. no part of the pig was wasted.

There are many products that "Maestri Norcini" are able to prepare, delicacies that only a specialized butcher is able to make, an ancient "know-how" that has been handed down from one generation to the next during the centuries here in Umbria.

Are you ready for a delicious journey among the most famous Umbrian cold cuts?

BAFFO or GUANCIALE
The name refers to the jowls of the pig which are salted with the pigskin attached and then seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper. It can be eaten by itself or used as a seasoning in the kitchen.

CAPOCOLLO
It is a cylinder-shaped salami wrapped on butcher's paper and tied with a string. It is very tasty and it is characterized by the marbling of the meat. When cut it is reddish veined with fat. This product is typical for Easter and it is eaten with the traditional Easter Cheese Bread.

COPPA
This products has deep roots in the region and it was a way to use the nobless parts of the pig. It is prepared by pig's head skin.

LARDO or STRUTTO
One of the most important phases in processing the pig is the salvaging of the fat and its preservation. The soften fat is rendered, filtered and stored in bladders or glass or terra cotta containers kept in a cool place. This type of fat known as "strutto" in the past was used above all for frying.The compact layer of fat attached to the pigskin on the animal's back, the "lardo" is cut in large square or rectangular chunks and salted.

LOMBETTO
It is the lower part of the pig's loin and it is almost completely lean. It is prepared like the "capocollo" but it is smaller.

MAZZAFEGATE
Salty liver sausages. The names comes from "mezzo fegato" (=half liver) or "ammazza fegato" (=to kill the liver) since the intense flavour of the other ingredients like the orange peel, salt and pepper overwhelms that of the liver.

Baffo or guanciale, very good with pasta like the famous "Carbonara"

SALSICCE
In Umbria sausages are small, cylindrical and are tied into "links" which help preservation and make them also extremely practical to eat. When the pig is processed pig shoulder, ham and belly are ground and mixed together and seasoned with salt and pepper before being filled into the casing. "Salsicce" can be roasted or preserved in extra virgin olive oil or air dried for at least 20 days. "Salsicce secche" (=dried sausages) are a typical Umbrian snack for "merenda" (=afternoon snack) or used as tasty appetizers.

SANGUINACCIO
The blood of the pig is mixed with boiled fermented grape juice, a few cups of strong coffee, chocolate or cocoa, sugar, toasted minced almonds, orange peel, rasins, lemon, cinnamon and salt.

SFRICCIOLI
Also known in other parts of the region as "friccioli" or "ciccioli", they are the small pieces that remain when the fat is rendered. They are used to make excellent flat breads or pizzas.

Maestri Norcini at work

A special thank you to Francesca, Graziella and Lucia from Itinera - Il Palazzo del Gusto - Orvieto for the detailed and technical information on pork processing.

Celebrating 2010 and 2011 with....FOOD, of course!!!!!

2010-12-28T18:33:00.013+01:00

The last days of 2010 and the first days of 2011 will be celebrated with amazing food and wine events at "il Palazzo del Gusto" in Orvieto.

Tomorrow 29th October from 16.30 to 19.30 the celebration of "IL MAIALE" (=the pork) will take place with an amazing barbecue on the terrace of "Il Palazzo del Gusto" in the historical centre of Orvieto.

The poster of the event

The "Maestri Norcini" (=butchers specialized in the making of all pork products) will also give a sample of the traditional "spezzatura" (=pork cutting) used in Umbria to prepare prosciutto, salami, sausages and all the other delicacies.

Ticket for the barbecue: € 5
Info and booking : Il Palazzo del Gusto - Itinera : tel. 0763341818

The cloister of "Il Palazzo del Gusto"

To celebrate the New Year "Il Palazzo del Gusto" in collaboration with Umbria Jazz Winter and Trento Doc Wineries (producing one of the best Italian "Champagne") is offering on the 30th and 31st December and 1st and 2nd January a series of concerts by the guitarist Stefano Mincone followed by a "Slow Aperitivo" with Trento Doc Spumanti in matching with special food.

The wine tasting and the food matching are organized by our friends from Slow Food Orvieto and FISAR (Italian Federation of Sommeliers) Orvieto.

Ticket for the CONCERT + Tasting € 22
Info and booking: Teatro Mancinelli, C.so Cavour, 122 Orvieto tel. 0763340493 www.teatromancinelli.it www.greenticket.it
Il Palazzo del Gusto - Itinera : tel. 0763341818

PROGRAMME:

DECEMBER 30 2010 h. 18,30
Stefano Mincone guitar

Slow Aperitivo : 4 CRU DI GRANA E TRENTODOC
- TRENTODOC Cuvée 28 – Rotari
- TRENTODOC Brut – Az. Agr. Pisoni

Grana cheeses by Trentingrana:
Parmigiano Reggiano delle Vacche Rosse Reggiane
Parmigiano Reggiano delle Vacche Bianche Modenesi
Grana Padano

DECEMBER 31 2010 h. 18,30
Stefano Mincone guitar

Slow Aperitivo : FISH FOOD E TRENTODOC
- TRENTODOC Maximun Brut – Ferrari F.lli Lunelli
- TRENTODOC 51,151 – Az. Agr. Moser

in matching with fingerfood from sea and lake fish from Bolsena Lake

JANUARY 1 2011 h. 18,30
Stefano Mincone guitar

Slow Aperitivo NORCINERIA DELL’UMBRIA E TRENTODOC
- TRENTODOC Cuvée 28 – Rotari
- TRENTODOC Brut – Az. Agr. Pisoni

in matchig with local cold cuts: prosciutto, salami, capocollo.

JANUARY 2 2011 h. 18,30
Stefano Mincone guitar

Slow Aperitivo TROTE SALMONATE E TRENTODOC
- TRENTODOC Maximun Brut – Ferrari F.lli Lunelli
- TRENTODOC 51,151 – Az. Agr. Moser

tasting of Trento Spumante in matching with trouts and smoked salmon trouts from Preore/Trento.

BUON ANNO !!!!

Merry Christmas from Todi: the highest living Xmas tree in Europe

2010-12-22T16:33:00.011+01:00

Todi "la bella" is enlighted by thousand lights in this special period of the year.

It's amazing walking in the little Medieval streets the “vicoli”, to reach Piazza Garibaldi to admire a special "living" Christmas tree, the highest in Europe.

The old cypress known as "Il Cipresso di Garibaldi" is 33 mt high and 200 years old.

The lights will be on until January 6.

BUON NATALE E FELICE ANNO NUOVO FROM UMBRIA!!!

A Night of Discovery in Assisi

2010-12-19T18:28:00.018+01:00

The first time I was introduced to Helen and Jack Yuen, two Americans living in Assisi with their beautiful children, I was really curious about their occupation here in Umbria.

For us Umbrians, it's always very interesting to know why a foreigner decides to leave everything and to build a new life here.
Most of the "forestieri" (= people from abroad) I had the chance to meet, run a business connected to the tourism industry or own an house where they spend some time in Summer.

For this reason when I came to know Helen and Jack's project I was really impressed, not only because it is very special, but also because it put in my mind an amazing travel to the Museum of Sciences and Technologies in Munich (Germany) with my family when I was 12 and my brother Leonardo 6.

The Yuens' project is called Discovery Station Assisi.
DSA is a no-profit Children’s Center providing exposure to new technologies including robotics, communications, digital imaging, computers, internet, along with interactive learning activities accessible to all.

For a small region like Umbria is, a center like this one, a sort of Deutches Museum in a small, but very professional scale, is definitely a very important resource for our community.

Yesterday evening at Istituto Marco Polo in Santa Maria degli Angeli, Assisi, the project has been officially launched. Some important sponsors, like Microsoft, have already joined DSA that will be operative in the first months of 2011.

For more info contact: Helen Yuen : helen.yuen@gmail.com

Me and Helen Yuen yesterday at Istituto Marco Polo, Assisi

A "cozy" Umbrian Christmas Market - Massa Martana

2010-12-05T18:14:00.012+01:00

During this very special period of the year there are many nice events and markets all over the region.

Today we went to Massa Martana to visit its new and really "cozy" Christmas Market.

Massa Martana is a small Municipality on the road between Todi and Terni located at the foot of Martani Mountains.
Its name derives from the Latin name of "Statio ad Martis" – from which "Vicus Martis" and "Civitas Martana" - designated one of the main Roman stations on the Umbrian tract of Via Flaminia.

Massa Martana - Main Gate

Seriously damaged by an earthquake in 1997, more than ten years later Massa Martana closed this dramatic chapter by recovering anything that was useful to restore dignity to this ancient village.

Special local Christmas sweet "La Nociata"
Massa Martana is also known by the local people for its Christmas speciality : "La Nociata" a kind of nougat made from walnuts, honey, egg white and orange peel, wrapped in laurel leaves. It is produced only in this village.

La Nociata - original food product from Massa Martana

If you are in the area in this period, don't miss this very nice little town.
The Market runs until the 12th of December

Visiting the Market

Preparing the "barbeque" to roast chestnuts for the visitors!

SLOW WINE GUIDEBOOK 2011 NOW AVAILABLE

2010-11-28T19:12:00.024+01:00

Launched at "Salone del Gusto 2010" held last October in Turin, finally the new and "revolutionary" guidebook "Slow Wine 2011" by Slow Food is now available in Italy.

Every region is organizing an event to introduce this very new guidebook in these days.
We had the opportunity to take part to the presentation for Umbria, held last Saturday at "Il Palazzo del Gusto - Regional Wine Centre" in Orvieto.

The event - successfully organized in collaboration with Slow Food Convivium of Orvieto and our friends from FISAR (Italian Federation of Sommeliers)- hosted 37 Umbrian wineries, among the 43 reviewed in the book.

Another book on Italian wines? No. A guidebook on wineries.

In contrast to other Italian wine bibles like "Il Gambero Rosso", this tome talks about wineries, about the people who are beyond a wine as the title clearly says: "Slow Wine - Storie di vita, vigne, vini in Italia" (=Slow Wine, stories on lives, vineyards, wines in Italy).

"Slow Wine 2011" infact evaluates wineries based on ethical practices in vineyard cultivation and vinification styles. And unlike other ratings books, Slow Wine 2011 avoids a points-based rating for a more qualitative appraisal.

Each winery is introduced by a paragraph about the owners and the winemakers and their "philosophy" on their wine production.

The evaluation system for the winery is based on the following symbols:

"La Chiocciola" (The Snail) -the guide's highest accolade - is given to the wineries that have interpreted in the best way the Slow Food Values regarding i.e. the saveguard of the environment or the importance given to the local grapes.

"La Bottiglia" (The Bottle) is given to the companies that have expressed in all their production a good quality.

"La Moneta" (The Coin, Euro symbol) means that all the prodution of a winery has a very good price/quality ratio.

On the other end the wines are evaluated as follows:

"Vino Slow": very high quality bottles that are also able to "put in the glass" other values, such as the importance of the history and the environment of the territory where that bottle is produced.

"Grande Vino" the best bottles (organoleptic evaluation)

"Vino Quotidiano" (every day wine), bottles whose cost is not higher than 10 EUR, with a very good price/quality ratio.

the evaluation symbols

Yes...the guidebook is now available in only in Italian, even if - during the conference in Orvieto - we were told that Slow Food is planning an English version for the American market who seems to be very interested in a wine book also able "to tell stories".

"Slow Wine 2011 - Storie di vita, vigne, vini in Italia" Edited by Slow Food Editore, Oct. 2010. Price EUR 24,00

Pics from the conference in Orvieto

The video (in Italian) by Orvieto News:

OUR NEW WEBSITE ON-LINE!

2010-11-26T12:44:00.004+01:00

We are happy to inform you that our NEW WEBSITE is now on-line!

On http://www.discoveringumbria.it/ you can find a series of new food&wine excursions, Italian language&food culture courses, customized tourist services all of which is designed to lead you through a wonderful discovery of thousands of years of culture and traditions across our magical home-land of Umbria!

Discovering Umbria is....

...Responsible Tourism
To offer travellers an authentic experience and to support local enonomy, we have involved in our project small local family-run farms, wineries, oil mills and food producers, as well as for the accommodation (hotels, farm-houses, agriturismo, b&b and apartments in the historical centre of Medieval towns) managed by local people.

...Typical products discovering tours&home cooking workshops
All our travel proposals are focused on the discovery of local products, such as the extra-virgin olive oil production, the secrets of the vine cultivation and wine production, the ancient recipes and food traditions. Our cooking workshops are held by local cooks and focus on Umbrian cuisine, based on legumes and game.

...Slow Food Guidelines
All our partners, wine makers and food producers follow Slow Food Guidelines of "good, clean and fair food", offering visitors high quality organic and biodynamic products at a fair price, given to the direct relationship between the producer and the customer.

...Todi, "la bella"
Our office and our accommodation are located in the beautiful Todi, Medieval town surrounded by gentle rolling hills. The city of Todi is situated the heart of Umbria and it is one of the best locations to visit the region.
Our wine, oil&food tours take place in the most famous areas of production in order to give the traveller a complete experience of our top level food products.

...Private and customized tours/services
Every tour is a private tour. We are specialized in individual and small groups of travellers

We are always at your complete disposal to carefully "tailor" each travel on your needs, desires and budget.

UMBRIA AWAITS YOU; DISCOVER IT WITH YOUR LOCAL GUIDES!!

Our WTM Responsible Tourism Day 10/11/ 2010

2010-11-10T22:44:00.012+01:00

Yesterday 10th November 2010 many people celebrated WTM Responsible Tourism Day all over the World.

Being engaged in Responsible Tourism, this year we got officially involved with WTM World Responsible Tourism Day.

To mark the day we organized a very informal meeting at our office in Todi, followed by a “responsible merenda” at a family-run farm to share with friends and people involved in the business also “food for thought” around : “Developing Responsible Tourism in Umbria. Is it so easy??”.

The discussion on the way we travel, on the impact we have on cultures and environment when we travel and the ideas we shared on Responsible Tourism were really very interesting, thanks to the contribution of our old and new friends who joined us yesterday.

"Food for thought phase"

"Food for the body - phase" At the farm

Meeting the farmers

WTM WRTD, with support from the UNWTO wants the industry to work together to:

■ help drive change by educating more responsible behaviour with the travel and tourism industry and travelling public

■ explore the issues of how countries and destinations are made more sustainable including case studies of best practices

■ educate the marketplace and debate key environmental related issues to push the agenda and be a catalyst for change

■ harness the influence of World Travel Market as an international business forum to encourage the industry to drive the responsible tourism agenda forward.

Ode to the fireplace

2010-11-01T18:46:00.012+01:00

I don't know if any Romantic poet has ever written an ode to the fireplace.

Here in Umbria the fireplace, il camino, is not simply an additional ornamental part of a kitchen, here the fireplace is.... a religion!

When Autumn and its first cold days arrive, Umbrian people re-open their caminetti and use them not only to warm their houses up, but mainly to cook.

If you are travelling in Umbria in these days, you will smell the typical aromas of burning wood and, above all, of delicious sausages and pork chops!

my little but absolutely necessary fireplace

One of the first rites that follow the re-opening of a camino is the bruschetta with the new extra-virgin olive oil just pressed...a priceless pleasure for every Umbrian.

...my first original bruschetta with the new oil...

CELEBRATING THE NEW OLIVE OIL: "LA MANGIAUNTA" 30-31 OCT 2010

2010-10-25T16:53:00.011+02:00

Umbria is rich in food festivals not only during Summer.
Thanks to seasonal food also Autumn is a very good period to travel in our beautiful land to taste and experience great products.

On the 30th and 31st October 2010 in Giano dell'Umbria, a very nice little town located close to Montefalco, there will be the VI edition of "LA MANGIAUNTA" (the name of the event sounds very funny in Italian: MANGIA is "mangiare", to eat, while "UNTA" means "oily")

The event lies in an oil tasting itinerary with 4 stops to 4 oil mills (=frantoio) in Giano dell'Umbria's area.

....the bright green of the olive oil just pressed....

The mills will offer not only the classic and crunchy "bruschetta" bread but also Food (with capital "F") from Umbrian Slow Food Presidia, DOC and DOCG wines from the local wineries and the typical bread from Corciano and Spoleto.

All the brave travellers who will be able to finish the tour will receive - as a throphy - a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil just pressed!

This year the Municipality of Giano dell'Umbria is also organizing a free bus “Gianolio Bus”to take the hungry "oil-eaters" directly to the oil mills involved in the event.

The bus leaves from Piazza San Francesco – Giano dell'Umbria
Sat 30th oct
h. 15.00
h. 17.00
Sunday 31st oct
h 10.00
h. 15.00
h. 17.00

"LA MANGIAUNTA" TOUR PROGRAMME:

FRANTOIO EREDI DEL SERO ENRICO
(Loc. Moriano)
Bruschetta and ... Roveja di Civita di Cascia
Winery Agricola Del Sero

FRANTOIO FLAMINI
(Loc. Bivio Moscardini)
Bruschetta and... Sedano Nero di Trevi
Winery Colleciocco – Agricola Spacchetti

FRANTOIO SPERANZA
(Giano dell'Umbria)
Bruschetta and ... Fagiolina del Lago Trasimeno
Winery Az. Agraria Del Quondam Vittorio

FRANTOIO TINI-DEL SERO
(Loc. Pian della Noce - Moriano)
Bruschetta and .... Mazzafegato dell’Alta Valle del Tevere
Winery Az. Agricola Del Sero Giuliano

The oil mills will be open from 10.00 to 19.00

Info and booking:
Ass. UmbriaMia (ask for Michela)
Cell. 392.6781072 – 338.3843155 – 333.9649880
Comune di Giano dell’Umbria
Tel 0742.931932
Cell. 347.4456217

website (only in Italian) : www.leviedellolio.info

CASCIA SAFFRON FESTIVAL 30-31 OCT - 1 NOV 2010

2010-10-21T17:09:00.010+02:00

From the 30th October to the 1st November 2010 the city of Cascia in Valnerina is hosting the 10th edition of "CASCIA SAFFRON FESTIVAL".

Cascia Saffron named "Pure Umbrian Saffron" is listed as one of the traditional agricultural and food products of Umbria and probably one of the most prestigeous and rare.

SAFFRON is a totally natural product derived exclusively from the dried stigmas of the purple flower of saffron ("Crocus sativus L."), a small plant not more than 12-15centimetres tall belonging to the "Iridaceae" family.

The corms of the saffron plants are pulled up up buy hand every year at the end of July and - after a careful selection - replanted at the beginning of August.

The flower are picked by hands between October and November in the early morning when the flowers are still closed. On the same day the stigmas are separated from the flowers and carefully dried at 40°-42° C.

The value of this special spice is also due to the care given in the process of separation of the sigmas from the flower.

This year "CASCIA SAFFRON FESTIVAL" will host not only saffron producers but also food and wine producers from Umbria for a very rich weekend of events, meetings and, above all, guided visits to the saffron fields (leaving on Saturday 31st and on Sunday 1st November at 9.30 from Piazzale Dante in Cascia).

For Italian speakers: don't miss the conference on the book “Le piante e il sacro. La percezione della natura nel mondo rurale della Valnerina” by Mario Polia and Servizio turistico della Valnerina on the 31st at 10.30.

Detailed programme in pdf (only in Italian) on : http://www.zafferanodicascia.com

BIRDWATCHING DAYS 2-3 OCTOBER 2010

2010-09-28T10:50:00.005+02:00

Lovers of Nature, don't miss this event "EUROBIRDWATCHING 2010" days next 2nd and 3rd October.

On the 2nd October the event is taking place on the hills surrounding Corbara Lake, while the 3rd October at the "Bird sanctuary" of Alviano, WWF Oasis.

Amazing view of Corbara Lake,splendid sighting zone

If you're interested in taking part to the birdwatching, contact directly the organizers (English spoken!!): 0763.308000 or 338.89210531

Autumn - hiking excursions in Umbria

2010-09-26T17:11:00.012+02:00

The splendid Umbrian Nature can be visited at all times of the year. It is fascinating to observe this wonderful landscape where the colours and perfumes change in accordance with the eternal cycle of the seasons: from the verdant green of spring, to the yellow of the grains in summer, to the thousand colours of the leaves in autumn, to the rarefied and magical atmosphere of winter.

View from Todi in Autumn

September and October, thanks to the pleasant temperature, are the perfect months for an hiking excursion under the expert guidance of a licensed hiking guide.

EXCURSION “THE VIA AMERINA AND ITS LANDSCAPE”
A day of trekking in the beautiful countryside around Todi to discover the ancient ruins of the Roman road “Via Amerina”(10,2 km walk)

..along Via Amerina...

The Via Amerina connected Rome to the Adriatic coast before the via Flaminia was built. The construction of the via Flaminia, more important and with a better quality surface, brought about the rapid decline of the via Amerina, which was no longer used for several centuries. Following the fall of the Roman Empire and the conquest of the Duchy of Spoleto by the Longobards, and the consequent occupancy of the via Flaminia, the via Amerina became once again the only passable means of communication between Roma and Ravenna, which was at the time the capital of the Byzantine Empire, and thus acquired renewed importance and vitality.

PROGRAMME:
Morning: departure from Todi by car for the village of Montenero at approx.10 km from Todi.
Arrival in Montenero. After a few kilometres on foot we find some abandoned springs, a clear indication that these woods were once inhabited and full of life. We take a short break at the springs and then move on to the ‘solfatare’ – fumaroles of water and mud which form as a result of underground vulcanic activity in the area. Stop for a picnic with sandwiches with porchetta (roast pork) and local salami.

We continue walking again until after a few kilometres, we reach what is known as “the Roman bridge” part of the Via Amerina.
After a stop at the bridge, we walk on to Montenero. Back to Todi by car.

UMBRIA AWAITS FOR YOU DISCOVER IT WITH LOCAL PEOPLE!

There are some things money can't buy...blackberries picking in Umbria!

2010-08-30T10:01:00.013+02:00

In Umbria Summer is the period of wild blackberries, called in Italian "more".

The botanical name of this delighful fruit is "rubus fruticosus".
The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by any of several species in the Rubus genus of the Rosaceae family. The fruit is not a true berry; botanically it is termed an aggregate fruit.

Umbrian country is very rich in wild blackberries. Many Umbrians - in their free time - love "raccogliere le more" (=blackberries picking) and using them for jams, cakes and also on top of a gelato!

Blackberries picking is a very relaxing activity and it costs nothing!! You just need a pair of comfortable shoes, long trousers and a pair of gardening-gloves just to avoid to be hurt by the thorns.

part of our harvest

Being immersed in the beauty of an Umbrian landscape, walking with your friends, picking "more" and eating them is a priceless experience.

...sourrounded by such beauty....

As a famous slogan says : "there are some things money can't buy. For everything else there's.... Umbria!"

Do you know that 569 years ago there was a smugglers' state in Umbria?

2010-08-25T23:08:00.018+02:00

Umbria history is really amazing!!!

Reading books, on-line newspapers, websites, social networks, we discover very interesting information and stories about our beautiful region almost every day.

Today we learnt that 569 years ago, there was a small former republic here:
Cospaia, a small hamlet close to San Giustino, a town located in Northern Umbria.

San Giustino (pic:Wikipedia)

The interesting fact is that Cospaia was founded thanks to a mistake!

In 1441 by error a small strip of land in Northern Umbria went unmentioned in the sale treaty between Tuscany and the Papal State, and its inhabitants promptly declared themselves independent and founded a "modern republic", developing the production and commercialization of tobacco, deserving the appellation of "state of the tobacco and.... smuggling"!

In 1826 Tuscany and the Papal States divided the republic between them.

On the 4th and 5th September 2010 the local Municipality of San Giustino is celebrating Cospaia and its peculiar history together with a demonstration of the ancient craft of "tabaccaio" (=cigar-making).

EDU-DINNERS IN ORVIETO 13th AUGUST – 10th SEPTEMBER 2010

2010-08-11T17:38:00.016+02:00

CANTINE & CHEF ALLA RIBALTA 2010
WINERIES & CHEFS IN THE LIMELIGHT 2010

Would you like discovering Umbrian Wineries and get to know Umbrian chefs and their amazing dishes?

Our partners and dear friends at “Il Palazzo del Gusto” in Orvieto are organizing from the 13th August to the 12th September a series of “educational” dinners to promote Umbrian wineries and local chefs, promotion that is now very important in this difficult times.

The dinners are taking place on the wonderful terrace at “Il Palazzo del Gusto”, in Orvieto historical centre.
The rich programme includes tasting of all the most important varieties of Umbrian wines from the local white “Orvieto Classico” to the red “Sagrantino”, from the DOC “Torgiano”,“Colli Amerini”, to Trasimeno Lake wines.

Every wine is proposed in matching with specialities prepared by the best local restaurants from the different Umbrian territories.

The beautiful cloister at "Il Palazzo del Gusto"

Given that the event involves - and it is under the aegis of- “Il Palazzo del Gusto” and “Città Slow”, the dinners are offered at a very fair price. “Slow Food” associates get also a discount.
1 dinner costs: € 30.00 p.p. – Slow Food associates: € 28,00 p.p.

To take part to the event, it is necessary to book in advance contacting our friends:
Graziella, Francesca, Lucia - email: itinera.orvieto@tiscalinet.it - ph. 0763.341818 – 0763.393529 @ IL PALAZZO DEL GUSTO - Convento S. Giovanni Via Ripa Serancia I, n° 16

In addition at “Il Palazzo del Gusto”, until the 12th September it will be possible to taste the wines “in the limelight” during the week.

SUPPORT “TERRA MADRE”

“Terra Madre” is an international project created by Slow Food. It is “The Food Communities Network” whose aim is bringing together those players in the food chain who together support sustainable agriculture, fishing, and breeding with the goal of preserving taste and biodiversity.
During the event, thanks to “Città Slow”, at “Il Palazzo del Gusto” there will be a booth with layouts, brochures and info on the project.
To know more: http://www.terramadre.info/

CANTINE & CHEF ALLA RIBALTA 2010
WINERIES & CHEFS IN THE LIMELIGHT 2010

Following the rich programme (sorry we don’t translate the dishes in English: everything is local, "Km Zero" and….of course......yummy!!!)

AUGUST 13 h. 8.30PM

Winery: FONTESECCA – CITTA’ DELLA PIEVE (PG)
Restaurant: AL SALTAPICCHIO - ORVIETO

Menu
Appetizer
Groppone di San Venanzo con fichi e confettura di cipolle rosse
e pane di farro biologico
wine: Bianco IGT Umbria 2009 Biologico

First course
Pasta e Ceci tiepida con scaglie di formaggio biologico di capra “Fattoria Mafalda”
ed emulsione di olio extra vergine d’oliva Soc. Case Basse (Orvieto)
wine: Ciliegiolo IGT Umbria 2009 Biologico

Second course
Bocconcini di maiale di cinta biologico, allo zafferano di Città della Pieve
saltati con prugne timo e patate
wine: Pino Sangiovese IGT Umbria 2008 Biologico

Dessert
Semifreddo alla ricotta di pecora con ristretto di more selvatiche e
wine: “Pino” Sangiovese Fontesecca

AUGUST 20 h. 8.30PM

Winery: MADONNA DEL LATTE - ORVIETO (TR)
Restaurant: ZEPPELIN – ORVIETO

Menu
Appetizer
Flan di zucchine e spinaci con vellutata di tartufo e coriandoli di pomodoro ciliegino
wine: Viognier Umbria IGT 2009

First course
Lasagna agli asparagi su fonduta di pecorino e cipolle rosse caramellate
wine: Viognier Umbria IGT 2009

Second course
Cosciotto di pollo farcito con patate, peperoni e finocchietto selvatico
Verdure di stagione alla griglia
wine: Sucano Umbria IGT 2009

Dessert
Mousse di mascarpone con salsa di ciliegie alla grappa
wine: Grappa “Madonna del Latte” 2008

AUGUST 27 h. 8.30PM

Winery: CASTELLO DELLE REGINE – AMELIA (TR)
Restaurant: LA PENISOLA – BASCHI (TR)

Menu
Appetizer
Veline di mongana marinate alle erbette con melanzane
alla mentuccia e spaghettini di costine all'aglio, olio e peperoncino
wine: Bianco delle Regine Umbria IGT 2008

First course
Nido di fettuccine al ragout bianco e granella di caciottone croccante
wine: Merlot Umbria IGT 2004

Second course
Vitellina da latte avvolta nel porro su riduzione al Sangiovese umbro di “Castello delle Regine”
wine: Selezione del Fondatore Sangiovese Grosso Umbria IGT 2003

Dessert
Bavarese al pistacchio su laghetto di pesca giallona caramellata

SEPTEMBER 3 h. 8.30PM

Winery: Cantina alla Ribalta CANTINA NOVELLI – MONTEFALCO (PG)
Restaurant: TRIPPINI- BASCHI (TR)

Menu
Appetizer
Panzanella con frappe di cetrioli e tonno
Supplì di coda alla vaccinara con crema di cipolle e aceto balsamico
Sagrantino Rosè de Noir Metodo Classico 2008

First course
Umbrichelli al pepe con porcini e uva
Pecorino Umbria IGT 2009

Second course
Agnello locale farcito con zucchine e menta salsiccia di agnello panata alla pizza al formaggio
Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG 2006

Dessert
Tiramisù alle mandorle con fichi caramellati

SEPTEMBER 10 h. 8.30PM

Winery: TENUTA LE VELETTE – ORVIETO (TR)
Restaurant: SALE E PEPE - ORVIETO

Menu
Appetizer
Millefoglie croccante con farro di Colfiorito e cipolline di Cannara caramellate
con baffo rosolato
wine: Lunato Orvieto Classico Superiore DOC 2009

First course
Tortello alla ricotta salata di Norcia accompagnato da pomodorini gialli e basilico fresco
wine: Sole Uve Umbria IGT 2008

Second course
Sella di coniglio farcita con fichi freschi
Patate novelle laccate all'arancio
wine: Gaudio Umbria IGT 2005

Dessert
Spuma di uve malvasia e grechetto con cioccolata fondente
wine: Raggio Umbria IGT 2007

Sagra del Pesce at Trasimeno Lake – a wonderful Mid-Summer "eating" night

2010-08-09T18:25:00.015+02:00

Sagra del Pesce di Porto, a little village close to Castiglione del Lago (Trasimeno Lake area), is, definitely, one of the best Summer Food Festival here in Umbria.

We discover this amazing event last year, thanks to Anna, a dear friend of us (she's from the Netherlands, but her heart is always here:), owner of a very nice holiday-house in Porto.

We went to Porto last evening - 8th August- to taste again the traditional local dishes BRUSTICO and TEGAMACCIO, made by fish from the near lakes, very special dishes that you can taste only in this area.

The Sagra

Yesterday night, we not only ate a lot (it is not a surprise when you're with Discovering Umbria team :), but we had the opportunity to meet the protagonists of this Sagra and to talk with them.

Giorgio, one of the organizers, sit with us for a while and gave us some very impressive data.

Here Giorgio’s amazing tale:
“Sagra del Pesce di Porto was born 25 years ago. This year we are very proud to celebrate this “birthday”. This festival is very important for the inhabitants of Porto- as we work all year round to organize these 10 days of food. And all of us are volunteers!!
Around 200 people live in the little hamlet of Porto during the Summer (including many foreigners – like our friend Anna - who help in the Sagra) and 120 are directly involved in the event.
Every night for 9 days we prepare BRUSTICO and TEGAMACCIO for 800-900 people, and for Ferragosto (15th August) we are waiting for more than 1.000 people.”

"Interviewing" Giorgio

Anna,Giorgio,Alessandra

We were really impressed when Giorgio added : “At the end of each Sagra, we see that we have cooked about 3.000 kg of fish!”

This quantity is really huge considering also the fact that both BRUSTICO and TEGAMACCIO are cooked on coal produced ONLY by reeds from the lake and woods, as in the past! In addition, TEGAMACCIO has to be cooked very slowly for 5 long hours.

Tegamaccio

Brustico

Thanks to our local “connections” we had the opportunity to visit the kitchens.. and we don’t add any other words to the following photos: everything is cooked on “natural” fire as our Umbrian ancestors did it in ancient times….

A tegamaccio pot saved from our hunger

The coal used to cook tegamaccio for 5 hours

talking with the proud cooks!!

Very proudly (and we are very proud, too) Giorgio added that thanks to a fair agreement between the local Municipality and a company producing recyclable dishware, plates, forks, knives, glasses are all made by “Mater B” a special material by corn and paper and all the drinks are served in bottles made of glass.

The attention to the environment is really the “cherry on the cake” for an unforgettable Mid-Summer eating night in company with the “Heroes of BRUSTICO and TEGAMACCIO”!

the rich menu

Anna, Giorgio and all the warm-hearted people from Porto, thank you so so so much!!!

Sagra del Pesce di Porto ends 15th August 2010. Don’t miss this opportunity to live an authentic Umbrian experience!!

The bottle of wine with the cute picture of the organizers

Porto is a village between the lakes of Chiusi and Trasimeno, on the border between Tuscany and Umbria. It is easy to reach from Chiusi.

Sagra del Pesce - Lake fish festival at Trasimeno 7-15/08/2010

2010-08-04T18:47:00.016+02:00

Lovers of Umbrian food traditions, if you are travelling in the region, this is the Sagra (=food festival) that you should not miss!!

From the 7th to the 15th August the little hamlet of Porto (close to Castiglione del Lago) on Trasimeno Lake will host the 25th Sagra del Pesce!!

The main dishes that you can taste are BRUSTICO AND TEGAMACCIO.

BRUSTICO is grilled fish served with the special extra-virgin olive oil from Trasimeno. Do you know that the olive trees that grow around this lake are special trees? The variety is called "Dolce Agogia" and they are typical of this area.
The legend tells that BRUSTICO was loved by Etruscans!!

Brustico

TEGAMACCIO is a fish soup made by all the fish varieties living in Trasimeno Lake, especially the tasty "anguilla" (=eel). Preparing a TEGAMACCIO takes long time and a lot of work.
In PORTO you can taste the original ancient recipe passed down from generation to generation during the centuries.

Tegamaccio

Moreover every dinner (the kitchens open at 7PM every evening, on the 15th August at 12AM) is followed by a "serata danzante" with popular live music and dances.

Sagra del Pesce di Porto is definitely one of the best food festival that you can find in Umbria. It is a small sagra, organized by a group of warm-hearted local people to celebrate - and to share with us - their ancient traditions.

Umbria Folk Festival - 19-24 August 2010 ORVIETO

2010-07-28T11:27:00.010+02:00

Umbria is also folklore and traditions. From the 19th to the 24th August the beautiful city of Orvieto will host "UMBRIA FOLK FESTIVAL", an event to celebrate Umbrian, Italian and international folklore.

The festival takes place in the amazing Piazza del Popolo, few metres from the famous Duomo.
Among the several famous Italian singers such as Simone Cristicchi and Teresa de Sio and her Mediterrenean songs, do not miss I CANTORI DEL MAGGIO MAREMMANO and- above all- I CANTORI DELLA VALNERINA, a folk group from Valnerina (Norcia's area), Umbria.

But folkore is also good food. Every evening you can find the "Taverna Folk" with Umbrian and Italian food and products and the "Folk Fiera"!!

Do not miss this opportunity to visit Orvieto!

VIDEO CLIP by "I CANTORI DELLA VALNERINA"

I Cantori della Valnerina - "Cantalupo" from ArroNet on Vimeo.

PROGRAMME:

UMBRIAFOLKFESTIVAL
ORVIETO – PIAZZA DEL POPOLO
19 / 24 agosto 2010

FREE ENTRANCE

19 August
h. 19 I MAGGIOLINI I CANTORI DEL MAGGIO MAREMMANO
h. 20.30 FLAMENCO VIVO
h. 22.00 RICCARDO TESI & BANDITALIANA special guest LUCILLA GALEAZZI
h. 24 SWING…ANDO GROUP (Sala Expo – Palazzo del Popolo)

20 August
h.19 I CANTORI DELLA VALNERINA
h. 20.30 LUCA PIROZZI BAND
h. 22 SIMONE CRISTICCHI & I MINATORI DI SANTA FIORA
h. 24 SWING…ANDO GROUP (Sala Expo – Palazzo del Popolo)

21 August
h. 19 ZASTAVA ORKESTAR
h. 20.30 GTO
h. 22 TERESA DE SIO
h. 24 SWING…ANDO GROUP (Sala Expo – Palazzo del Popolo)

21 August
h. 19 MANGIA & BEVI
h. 20.30 SELTON
h. 22 DAVIDE VAN DE SFROOS special guest PEPPE VOLTARELLI
h. 24 SURD ENSEMBLE (Sala Expo – Palazzo del Popolo)

23 August
ENTRANCE TICKET*

h. 20.30 PICCOLO CONCERTO MELODICO
h. 21 ENRICO BRIGNANO
h. 24 SURD ENSEMBLE (Sala Expo – Palazzo del Popolo)

24 August
ENTRANCE TICKET*
ore 20.30 REDSKA
ore 21.30 GOGOL BORDELLO
ore 24 SURD ENSEMBLE (Sala Expo – Palazzo del Popolo)

Infoline:
http://www.umbriafolkfestival.it/
FESTIVAL
info@umbriafolkfestival.it

-349/7292550
-0763/344746
Responsabile produzioni e pubbliche relazioni
Lucia Gismondi 347/8283686

TAVERNA FOLK and FOLK FIERA
Itinera: 0763393529

itinera.orvieto@tiscalinet.it

Umbria Estate 2010 - Classical Music Concerts 24/07-1/08 2010

2010-07-23T17:10:00.004+02:00

We receive from Accademia Musicale Internazionale and we publish with great pleasure the programme of the upcoming event Umbria Estate 2010 - Assisi 24 July - 1 August2010

This year guest star the Royal College of Music from London.

Here the programme (click on the brochure below):

For information: www.assisiumbriaestate.com
Tel. 075/8138680 mobile: 333-8641202

HOT AIR BALLOON GRAN PRIX IN TODI 11-25 JULY 2010

2010-07-10T15:07:00.004+02:00

Hot Air Ballon Grand Prix is starting tomorrow 11th July in our beautiful city of Todi.

40 crews from England, Belgium, Germany, Italy, United States, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria have already reached our city and they are ready to leave for their first ride.
The balloons will be lifting off each day, from 6.30 to 8.30am until the 25th July 2010.

For those who don't like waking up early, on the 14th July some ballons -among the 40 participating to the event - will be hosted at night (9.30PM) in the most beautiful piazzas of our city.

info: UMBRIA AIR tel. 075 8944480 – fax 075 8944480
e-mail: todigrandprix@tiscalinet.it

Do not miss this opportunity to visit Todi!!!

Great Summer in Todi - Sere d'Estate 2010

2010-07-05T18:10:00.007+02:00

This year Summer is very rich in cultural events, concerts, shows and food festivals in our beautiful town of Todi.

Piazza del Popolo and its gorgeous Medieval buildings will be the "natural theatre" of many events!!

Here the highlights:

11-25 JULY : hot air ballon festival
14 JULY : hot air ballon at night in Piazza del Popolo
28 JULY: Tuck&Patty at Teatro Comunale
14 AUGUST: Algeciras: Flamenco at night in Piazza del Popolo
21 AUGUST: Gino Paoli at night in concert in Piazza the Popolo

Food festivals "Sagra" with local food and popular music

01-11/07 Sagra in the village of Pian di San Martino
16/07 - 01/08 Sagra in the village of Duesanti
11-22/08 Sagra in the village of Pantalla
19-27/08 Sagra in the village of Casemasce

and more!!!

If you like receiving a FREE pdf brochure of "Sere d'Estate", contact us:

info@discoveringumbria.it

UMBRIA not just relax: ROCKIN' UMBRIA 2010

2010-06-23T18:38:00.003+02:00

Umbria is not just relax and good food. Umbria is also good Rock Music!
From the 2nd to the 6th July our region will host a Rock Festival ROCKIN’UMBRIA 2010

Here the programme:

2 JULY
Parco Ranieri – Umbertide
EASY STAR – ALL STARS
Dancehall reggae concert by I-shence & Bashfire sound system e ciabbadub -Umbria calling.

3 JULY – Isola Maggiore
“MUSIC FOR SUNSETS” IN CONCERTO IONONSO+CHISONO and THIS HARMONY

4 JULY – Abbazia di Mongiovino - Tavernelle, Panicale
“ITALIAN PROG DAY” IN CONCERTO: BACIO DELLA MEDUSA (UMBRIA CALLING)

5 JULY – Giardini del Frontone –Perugia
FAST ANIMALS AND SLOW KIDS (UMBRIA CALLING), ZU E TEATRO DEGLI ORRORI

….and on the 6th of JULY at Villa Fidelia - Spello special guest the GLORIOUS IRISH BAND:

THE CRANBERRIES!!!!

Dolores O'Riordan

Details are coming soon on: http://www.rockinumbria.it/

First day of Summer - Vestalia Festival in Ancient Rome

2010-06-21T11:30:00.002+02:00

On this day, typically JUN-21, the daytime hours are at a maximum in the Northern hemisphere, and night time is at a minimum.It is officially the first day of summer.

"Solstice" is derived from two Latin words: "sol" meaning sun, and "sistere," to cause to stand still. This is because, as the summer solstice approaches, the noonday sun rises higher and higher in the sky on each successive day. On the day of the solstice, it rises an imperceptible amount, compared to the day before. In this sense, it "stands still."

In Ancient Rome this period was celebrated with a festival: the festival of Vestalia lasted from JUN-7 to JUN-15. It was held in honor of the Roman Goddess of the hearth, Vesta. Married women were able to enter the shrine of Vesta during the festival. At other times of the year, only the vestal virgins were permitted inside.

Vesta was the virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and family in Roman religion. Vesta's presence was symbolized by the sacred fire that burned at her hearth and temples

Vesta's fire was guarded at her Temples by her priestesses, the Vestales. Every March 1 the fire was renewed. One of the Vestales mentioned in mythology was Rhea Silvia, who with the God Mars conceived Romulus and Remus who founded Rome, according to the legend.
The Vestales were one of the few full-time clergy positions in Roman religion. They were drawn from the patrician class and had to observe absolute chastity for 30 years

The city of Todi on a stamp!

2010-06-07T10:03:00.003+02:00

Last 4h June 2010 our beautiful city of Todi got an important recognition! Our main piazza, Piazza del Popolo is the subject of a brand new stamp from Poste Italiane!
The stamp (60 cent) is available in every post office in Italy!

MyNaTour.org : a great resource for responsible travellers

2010-06-02T18:23:00.019+02:00

The economical global crises, the problems of the environment and CO2 emissions, told us that the model of mass-market tourism is failing.
More and more tourists all over the world are now interested in another complete different way of travelling: travelling responsible.

On the other end, small local travel companies run in general by young people are more and more aware - since the developing and the success of the social networks - that something has been changing.

Now, travellers consider the web and social networks very important reasources to get tips to organize their holidays. Tourists are more interested in "experiencing" than in simply "visiting" a destination: they want more in a travel than only amazing places to stay and to rest for a while, travellers now want to learn, share points of view, get in contact with local people and to know even the impact on the planet that their travels have, now they want to “travel responsible”.

Among the various groups, companies and networks on the web that are starting promoting this kind of travelling, MyNaTour.org - based in London and managed by an international group of young dynamic and very well prepared people - it is definitely one of the best resource that the web can offer to the "new" traveller.

The aim of MyNaTour.org is to give life and voice to this growing community of travellers who believe in a healthy and more real and responsible tourism, to share ideas and suggestions, but also “destinations, news, images, videos, stories, folklore, perplexities, recipes, maps, coordinates as long as all concerns unforgettable experiences of sustainable and responsible travelling”.

MyNaTour.org is a very important source for those who want to start travelling in this different way. In this great social network travellers can share their experiences and get to know about this new community of travellers, tour guides, local travel companies who strongly believe that tourism can provide the best opportunity for getting to know.

VISIT: http://www.mynatour.org/

CANTINE APERTE "OPEN WINERIES" 30 MAY 2010

2010-05-23T16:45:00.006+02:00

Cantine Aperte is the most important event of the year, involving wine as the main protagonist together with the people who produce it and the territory where it is made. For the past 17 years during the last Sunday of May, the members of the association have opened their doors to the vast public establishing in this way an immediate and direct contact with all wine tourists and lovers.

Also this year, many Umbrian Wine Estates will take part to this national Event.

Among the many wineries that take part to the event, this year we are happy to promote SAIO WINERY owned by the Mencarelli family, a young winery very close to Assisi.

The Mencarelli winery is located at the foot of the basilica of San Francesco, in Assisi. With an extension of almost 50 acres consisting of grapevines and olive groves. The product SAIO, the company name, is a perfect union between history-culture of the territory paying particular attention to the quality of the products offered. In the making of wine, these values become real using precision and perfection to produce 10.500 pounds an acre of product to produce a combination of harmony, taste and warm colors. At the present the Mencarelli winery produces four types of wine (Grechetto, Sangiovese, Sangiovese-Merlot, and Legenda Maior (Merlot-Cabernet), a red wine matured in oak casks) and an extra vergine olive oil. The winery has available also a cozy and hospitable wine shop with a large parking lot where it is possible to taste and purchase our SAIO products after taking a pleasant walk between the vinyards enjoying the site of a seraphic city, Assisi.

SAIO WINERY this year proposes a wine tasting itinery among the vineyards.
A vinyard with a FANTASTIC view on ASSISI and SANTA MARIA DEGLI ANGELI Church!

Tours start from 10.00 am to 18.00 am.
The wine shop will be opened until late evening.

More information on : http://www.saioassisi.it

WHERE TO STAY:
The city of Todi is situated in the heart of Umbria, it is definitely one of the best location to visit the Wine Estates which are all over the Region.

UMBRIA AND ITS WINE AWAITS YOU!

For further information contact us: info@discoveringumbria.it

1 FREE oil&wine tour in Umbria to celebrate RESPONSIBLE TOURISM WEEK

2010-05-17T19:22:00.002+02:00

To celebrate RESPONSIBLE TOURISM WEEK 17-21 MAY 2010, following some of the RT Week Tips, to be nice, creative and generous, to have fun with local people – ALL 100%UMBRIAN, Discovering Umbria is happy to offer a FREE 1 day oil&wine tour in Umbria (one of the tour that won Italian Responsible Tourism Award 2010) to a couple of lucky travelers who will provide us an example of good responsible tourism, experienced in every destination in the World.

Among all the travelers that will write us a short story about their experience of Responsible Tourism, we will draw 1 winner !

You can send your experience by a private message to us through Facebook from the 17th to the 21st May 2010 (deadline h. 24.00 Roma time).

The “competition” is open to travelers from other regions of Italy and from abroad.
The winner will have a year (until MAY 2011) to book his/her FREE 1 day oil&wine tour in Umbria (for 2 people).

Are you still waiting?? Write us your experience!!

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM WEEK 17-21 MAY 2010

“This is the week where you get to shout out to the world the good things you see around you. Create a local event. Support a local event. Lead the way or follow the topics for which you have interest and passion. Talk food, talk volunteering, talk slowtravel/localtravel, talk whatever is on your mind, drop the penny!”

from http://www.planeta.com

Any other info on Responsible Tourism week on: http://www.planeta.com/ and on http://www.localtravelmovement.com/

5 reasons to choose Discovering Umbria!

2010-05-17T16:56:00.008+02:00

More and more travellers are discovering the beauties of Umbria, beautiful land, famed destination of the Grand Tours travellers and Land of the Saints, very rich in culture, folklore and ancient gastronomic traditions.

Umbria is definitely a very special destination for tourists who want to have more in a travel than only an amazing place to stay for a while.

TRAVELLING WITH DISCOVERING UMBRIA
Our philosophy, how we work.

1) Responsible Tourism
To offer travellers an authentic experience, we have involved in our project only small local family-run farms, wineries, oil mills and food producers, as well as for the accommodation (boutique hotels, farm-houses, agriturismo, b&b and apartments in the historical centre of Medieval towns) managed by local people.

2)Typical products discovering tours&home cooking workshops
All our travel proposals are focused on the discovery of local products, such as the extra-virgin olive oil production, the secrets of the vine cultivation and wine production, the ancient recipes and food traditions. Our cooking workshops are held by local cooks and focus on Umbrian cuisine, based on legumes and game.

3) Slow Food Guidelines
All our partners, wine makers and food producers follow Slow Food Guidelines of "good, clean and fair food", offering visitors high quality D.O.P.,organic and biodynamic products at a fair price, given to the direct relationship between the producer and the customer.

4) Todi, "la bella"Our office and our accommodation are located in the beautiful Todi, Medieval town surrounded by gentle rolling hills. The city of Todi is situated the heart of Umbria and it is one of the best locations to visit the region.
Our wine, oil&food tours take place in the most famous areas of production in order to give the traveller a complete experience of our top level food products.

5) Boutique, private and customized tours/services
Every tour is a boutique and private tour. We are specialized in individual and small groups of travellers in order to provide always a very high level in every service.
We are also at your complete disposal to carefully "tailor" each travel on your needs, desires and budget.

...and last but not the least: Discovering Umbria is OFFICIALLY LICENSED by REGION OF UMBRIA! BEWARE OF IMITATIONS

UMBRIA AWAITS FOR YOU, DISCOVER IT WITH US!

Discovering Umbria Incoming
info@discoveringumbria.it
Winner of "Italian Responsible Tourism Award 2010 - Wine Tours"
“Il Palazzo del Gusto – Orvieto” Official Tour Operator

Todi Fiorita - Blooming Todi 21-23 MAY 2010

2010-04-28T19:20:00.004+02:00

From the 21st to the 23rd May, the beautiful historical centre of Todi is hosting the second edition of “Todi Fiorita 2010”, national exhibition of Flower Gardening organized by the Association “Verde Todi”, in collaboration with the local City Hall.

The historical places of this amazing Umbrian Medieval town will be the locations of blooming gardens, scents and essences which will follow the visitors along the different itineries.

The locations are: Piazza del Popolo - Sala del Capitano, Palazzi Comunali steps , Cloister of the Monastery of Lucrezie, Caffè del Teatro, Giardini Oberdan, San Fortunato Church steps , gardens of other historical buildings.

In addition - for this special event - many private “Palazzi” will open their doors to the visitors. The halls and gardens of these magnificient places will be adorned by professional gardeners from Todi:

Palazzo Pensi (Piazza Garibaldi)
Palazzo Rolli (Via Paolo Rolli)
Palazzo Landi-Corradi (Via del Seminario)
Palazzo Valenti-Fredi (Via Ciuffelli)
Palazzo Pongelli (Via Cesia)

Do not miss this occasion to visit our beautiful city!

Do as the Umbrians do! Travel local in the Green Heart of Italy

2010-04-19T19:17:00.007+02:00

Do as the Umbrians do! Travel local in the Green Heart of Italy.

Situated in the heart of Italy, Umbria is one of the smallest regions in our Country. For 70% of the territory it is covered by the gentle rolling hills for which it is known. But it also offers a great variety of geo-morphologic characteristics within the gentle landscape, consisting of fertile valleys, mountain chains, plateaus and plains that cross the region from the west to east, giving it a unique and recognizable character.The gentleness of the landscape, the still uncontaminated nature and its central geographic position have earned Umbria the name of the “Green Heart of Italy”.

But Umbria is not only amazing landscapes. Thanks to its ancient history dating back before the foundation of Rome, Umbria is very rich both in culture and food and wine traditions.

Even if this beautiful region is becoming more and more popular as destination, Umbria and its treasures are still unknown to most of the travellers.

Being Umbrian and aware of the richness of our region, in 2005 we start thinking to a different way of promoting this destination, as a destination for people who want to have more in a travel than only an amazing place to stay for a while.

For this reason, to offer travellers an authentic experience, we have involved in our project only small local family-run farms, wineries, oil mills and food producers, as well as for the accommodations (farm-houses, agriturismo, b&b and apartments in the historical centre of Medieval towns) managed by local people.

All our travel proposals are focused on the discovery of local products, such as the extra-virgin olive oil production, the secrets of the vine cultivation and wine production, the ancient recipes and food traditions.

Now thanks to the local travel movement (see : http://www.localtravelmovement.com/) we know that our project and the guidelines that have been inspired us, can be shared with a growing community of travellers who want to come back home with a photo album full, not only of magnificent monuments and amazing landscapes, but full of the faces of the wine makers, the oil producers, the cooks who prepared them a fantastic lunch, the old farmers and all the passionate Umbrian people they had the chance to meet.

Do as the Umbrians do, travel with Discovering Umbria!

In February 2010, Discovering Umbria won "Italian Responsible Tourism Award" for the category " NATURE AND TERRITORY - WINE TOURS IN UMBRIA". The prize - promoted by L’Agenzia di Viaggi, the leading professional publication for tourism in Italy for the last 40 years and under the patronage of ENIT, UFTAA and FIAVET - it is based on quality criteria established by UNWTO (The United nations World Tourism Organisation).

WINNER OF "ITALIAN RESPONSIBLE AWARD 2010"

2010-04-07T18:24:00.007+02:00

L’Agenzia di Viaggi, il più importante giornale professionale per il turismo in Italia da più di 40 anni, ha assegnato il Premio Turismo Responsabile Italiano riservato ai professionisti, con il patrocinio di Enit-Agenzia, Fiavet e Uftaa.

IL NOSTRO PROGRAMMA INCOMING "DISCOVERING UMBRIA" HA VINTO IL PRESTIGIOSO PREMIO NELLA CATEGORIA "NATURA E TERRITORIO - TOUR DEL VINO IN UMBRIA"

Il riconoscimento è stato assegnato nel corso del quinto Forum sul Turismo Sostenibile organizzato da Skal, la prima organizzazione a promuovere in fiera e sulla scena italiana i principi di sostenibilità nel turismo:

rispetto dell’ambiente e delle culture;
centralità della comunità locale ospitante e il suo diritto ad essere protagonista nello sviluppo turistico sostenibile e socialmente responsabile del proprio territorio;
positiva interazione tra industria del turismo, comunità locali e viaggiatori.

PER I TUOI TOUR ENOGASTRONOMICI IN UMBRIA, SCEGLI LA QUALITA', VIAGGIA CON DISCOVERING UMBRIA!

____________________________________________________________________

We are proud to inform that we have been rewarded by "L’Agenzia di Viaggi", the leading professional publication for tourism in Italy.

Discovering Umbria won "Italian Responsible Tourism Award" for the category " NATURE AND TERRITORY - WINE TOURS IN UMBRIA". The prize is under the patronage of ENIT and it is based on quality criteria established by UNWTO (The United nations World Tourism Organisation):

respect toward the environment and cultures;
centrality of the local host community and its right to be a protagonist in developing sustainable and responsible tourism in its native land;
positive interaction between the tourist industry, local communities and travellers.

FOR YOUR FOOD AND WINE TOURS IN UMBRIA, CHOOSE THE QUALITY, TRAVEL WITH DISCOVERING UMBRIA!

EASTER CELEBRATIONS - FOOD TRADITIONS

2010-03-31T19:02:00.002+02:00

EASTER CELEBRATIONS - FOOD TRADITIONS

In Umbria during Easter time there are traditional liturgic rites and religious events. Holy Week Celebrations take place in almost every town in Umbria, but Assisi still remains the most well known due to the associations with St Francis.

ASSISI

Among the many events that takes place during the Holy week, the most important is Good Friday. The church, in commemoration of its origins in the words of Christ, solemnly meditates on the Passion. It celebrates a special liturgy divided into three phases: the Liturgy of the Word celebrated by readings, the adoration of the cross and communion (using Eucharist made the previous day). In the morning, the Crucifix is moved from the Cathredal of San Ruffino to the Basilica of San Francesco stopping at various convents and monasteries along the way. In the evening the Crucifix is carried through torch lit streets. This follows a medieval tradition in which all Confraternities (religious groups) process along the city's historical center which is entirely lit by torches. The procession takes place in the evening and departs from the Cathedral of San Rufino with the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, goes to the Basilica of San Francesco then returns to the cathedral.

ORVIETO

Since Easter is the end of the Lent season, food plays a big part in the celebrations. Traditional Easter foods include lamb or goat, artichokes, and special Easter cakes and breads called Pizza di Pasqua. Pizza di Pasqua (Easter cake) is prepared with flour, Parmesan and pecorino cheese, eggs and lard, consumed during Easter and usually stuffed with capocollo - one of the many cold cuts of Umbria - or used to accompany hard eggs.

To celebrate this tradition at “Il Palazzo del Gusto” in Orvieto - one of the most important Regional Institution for the preservation of local food and wine production - from the 27th March to the 5th April is taking place the "Pizza di Pasqua challenge", a competition open both to Professionals and to Amateurs. The best pizza will be rewarded and more....
.....all the "Pizzas", taking part to the competition are offered as a free tasting to all the visitors who visit "Il Palazzo del Gusto" during the Holy week

CITTA' SLOW DINNER MUSIC WEEKEND

2010-03-11T17:04:00.002+01:00

12° edizione CITTASLOW DINNER MUSIC .

La vera novità per quest’edizione è la collaborazione con la città di Todi e la condotta Slow Food di Todi. Oltre a LA PENISOLA country resort and restaurant, nella splendida cornice del Lago di Corbara, i concerti si svolgeranno nella Sala dell’Arengo del Palazzo Comunale di Todi . La formula rimane la stessa cena e concerto in abbinamento ad una città del movimento Slow Food che porterà le proprie prelibatezze.Il programma, punta anche per quest’edizione a vedere impegnati grandi talenti del panorama musicale jazzistico e non solo. Gli appuntamenti , saranno di sabato a partire dal 27 febbraio per otto sabati fino al 17 aprile. Il primo appuntamento si svolgerà a LA PENISOLA, a seguire tutti i sabati di marzo a TODI, dove sarà organizzato per il fine settimana del 27-28 marzo un mercatino di 20 espositori con le CITTASLOW ed altri di prodotti agroalimentari del territorio. Si ritornerà nuovamente a LA PENISOLA per tutti i successivi sabati di aprile!!

SPECIALE MARZO/APRILE:

Cena del sabato Dinner Music (cena e concerto)+ 1 pernottamento in appartamento-vacanza nel centro storico di Todi:

QUOTA:
2 PERSONE: € 95 a persona – soci Slow Food € 90 a persona
4 PERSONE: € 75 a persona – soci Slow Food € 70 a persona

PROGRAMMA DINNER MUSIC:

13/03/10
TULLIO DE PISCOPO QUINTETTO + ABBIATEGRASSO CITTASLOW Todi -Sala dell'Arengo

20/03/10
ROBERTO GATTO QUARTETTO + ORSARA CITTASLOW Todi -Sala dell'Arengo

27/03/10
CLUSTER + GREVE IN CHIANTI CITTASLOW Todi -Sala dell'Arengo

27-28/03/10
mercatino di 20 espositori con le CITTASLOW ed altri i prodotti agro alimentari del territorio.

03/04/10
ROSARIO GIULIANI QUARTETTO + ENNS - HARTBERG(AUSTRIA) La Penisola Restaurant – Orvieto-Baschi

10/04/10
PARADISI – CASIELLO + CITTASLOW TODI La Penisola Restaurant – Orvieto-Baschi

17/04/10
TRIO DI ROMA-REA-GATTO-PIETROPAOLI+ CITTASLOW BRA La Penisola Restaurant - Orvieto-Baschi

La quota comprende:
1 notte in appartamento-vacanza (trilocale) finemente arredato nel centro storico di Todi
1 cena “Dinner Music” a scelta fra quelle del programma.

La quota non comprende:
trasferimenti, assicurazione medico/bagaglio/annullamento, mance, spese personale e tutto quanto non espressamente menzionato ne “la quota comprende”.

Notte extra del venerdì o della domenica : € 30 a persona/notte

ADOPT A VINYARD IN UMBRIA!!

2010-03-03T19:05:00.002+01:00

GARANTED QUALITY EN PRIMEUR OR WINE FUTURES:

"Adopt a vineyard" The thrill of producing your own wine

Do you want to become the producer of Umbrian wine? Now with the project“Adopt a vineyard” of “Il Palazzo del Gusto, this is possible for everyone.

It is an original way to understand more about wine, the history and culture of a unique agricultural produce, the difficulties of producing it, the growing and winemaking techniques used to reach the high results that at present make great the Umbrian wine in the world.

This project makes you “the owner” of a portion of a vineyard in Umbria.
When you like, you will be able to visit your row of vine to verify its characteristics and to appreciate the positive stages of its growth and fructification.

We are offering you the chance to “adopt” a portion of a vineyard in ItalyYou will be able to follow the birth of a great wine from the vineyard to the cellar and you will be able to take part in the most important moments of the entire wine-season: pruning, from January to March; training of new shoots on the trellis, in March and April; harvesting, in September and October
When the wine is finally ready, after all the care, passion and hard work involved, you will collect your reserved bottles, upon presentation of your “Certificate of Adoption”
The bottles of wines, labelled with the logo of the wine estate, can be personalized with your name and your logo. In addition to drinking your wine for your own pleasure, you will be able to present it to your customers, your teammates, friends and relatives.
It's an innovative way of providing an opportunity to fully live the experience of wine!
Your wine from your vineyard to your table
You will follow the growth of your grapes, visiting our farm whenever you want.You will see your wine maturing from the vineyard to the cellar.You will pick up your wine with the label you have chosen. You can pick up your wine directly at the cellar or receive it at home. The project “Adopt a vineyard" proposes to:
Favour a profound relationship and collaboration between producer and the customer
Propose an innovative and unusual way of getting to know the land and the vineyard
Guaranty the traceability of the product
Promote a direct relationship between producer and customer, guaranteeing a better understanding of the intrinsic quality of the product and the producer
Guarantee the customer with the possibility of visiting the vineyard and observing the production system

COSTS
The costs for the “adoption of a vineyard” refer to the prices of bottles collected directly from the cellar, with the label of the wine estate as well as the personalized certificate for the row you have leased.
The adopting party can request personalization of the labels, also furnishing the relative indications, with an additional cost for printing.
If the wine is shipped, the costs are charged to the buyer.

After you have visited the wine estate, tasted its wines and chosen among the available vineyards, you only have to fill the Adhesion Form and sign the Contract of purchase/sale to receive your personal Certificate of Adoption with indications on how to visit the wine estate and take part in the most important moments of the production of your wines.

For information contact us: info@discoveringumbria.it or Il Palazzo del Gusto : info@ilpalazzodelgusto.it

Adotta un vigneto in UMBRIA!!

2010-03-03T18:53:00.002+01:00

QUALITA' GARANTITA EN PRIMEUR O WINE FUTURES:

Adotta un vigneto ..e vivi l’emozione di produrre il tuo vino

Vuoi diventare anche tu un produttore di vino umbro? Da oggi con il Progetto “Adotta un vigneto” de Il Palazzo del Gusto ciò è alla portata di tutti.

E' un modo unico per capire di più sul mondo del vino, della storia e della cultura di un prodotto agricolo unico ma anche della difficoltà per produrlo e delle tecniche sempre più perfezionate in vigna e in cantina per giungere ai lusinghieri risultati finali che oggi fanno grande l'Umbria vinicola nel mondo.
Questo progetto ti fa diventare "proprietario" di una porzione di un filare di vigneto in Umbria. In ogni momento potrai visitare il tuo vigneto, verificarne le caratteristiche, apprezzarne le evoluzioni positive nella crescita e nella fruttificazione.
Ti stiamo proponendo di “adottare” una porzione di vigneto in Italia.Potrai seguire la nascita di un vino dalla vigna alla cantina e partecipare ai momenti più importanti della stagione vinicola: la potatura, da gennaio a marzo; la legatura, a marzo ed aprile; la vendemmia, a settembre ed ottobre.
Quando, finalmente, dopo tanta cura, passione e fatica, il vino sarà pronto, potrai ritirare le bottiglie da te prenotate, semplicemente presentando il tuo “certificato di adozione”Le bottiglie, etichettate con il logo dell'azienda vitivinicola, potranno essere personalizzate con il tuo nome e il tuo logo. Oltre che per il tuo piacevole consumo, potrai usarle come gradito omaggio da offrire a clienti, collaboratori, amici e familiari.
E' un modo nuovo di "vivere" a 360° l'esperienza del vino!
Il tuo vino dalla tua vigna alla tua tavolaSeguirai in ogni momento la crescita delle tue uve visitando l' azienda quando lo vorrai....Vedrai maturare il tuo vino dalla vigna alla cantinaRitirerai il tuo vino con l'etichetta da te scelta Potrai ritirarlo direttamente in cantina o riceverlo a casa tua

Il progetto “Adotta un vigneto” si prefigge di:• Favorire una stretta relazione e collaborazione fra il produttore e il consumatore• Proporre attraverso un modo innovativo e insolito la conoscenza della terra e della vigna• Garantire realmente al consumatore la tracciabilità del prodotto • Promuovere la breve filiera produttore-consumatore garantendo al consumatore una migliore conoscenza delle qualità intrinseche del prodotto e di chi lo produce• Garantire al consumatore la possibilità di visionare il vigneto e il sistema di produzione

COSTI
• i costi di "adozione del vigneto" corrisponderanno al prezzo delle bottiglie prenotate e ritirate direttamente in cantina con l'etichetta dell'Azienda, oltre al cartello personalizzato affisso nel filare adottato• si può richiedere la personalizzazione dell'etichetta con l'aumento sul prezzo delle spese di tipografia• nel caso in cui il vino dovesse essere spedito le spese sono a carico del committente
Dopo aver visitato l'Azienda, assaggiato i suoi prodotti ed aver scelto tra i vigneti disponibili, ti basterà sottoscrivere il Modulo di adesione ed il Contratto per ricevere subito il tuo personale Certificato di Adozione con le indicazioni per visitare l'Azienda e partecipare ai momenti più importanti della produzione dei tuoi vini.

Per ulteriori informazioni contatta i ns. uffici : info@discoveringumbria.it o direttamente

Il Palazzo del Gusto di Orvieto: info@ilpalazzodelgusto.it

Città Slow in Festival Todi - March 2010

2010-03-02T17:58:00.003+01:00

Starting from the 6th March - every Saturday of the current month in Todi, there will be Slow Food dinners open to visitors.

The dinners are connected to the event "Citta' Slow in Festival - dinner music". During every dinner there will be the opportunity to taste local food from many "Città Slow" followed by jazz concerts.

The event is organized by Città Slow (the international network of easy living cities), Slow Food, under the patronage of the City-hall of Todi.

In addition during the weekend 27th-28th March the beautiful Piazza of Todi will host a market with 20 exhibitors from CITTASLOW and stands with products from local producers.

In April the event will go on in Orvieto's area.

Here the programme:

06/03/10 FABRIZIO BOSSO- IRIO DE PAULA + ORVIETO CITTASLOW Todi -Sala dell'Arengo

13/03/10 TULLIO DE PISCOPO QUINTETTO + ABBIATEGRASSO CITTASLOW Todi -Sala dell'Arengo

20/03/10 ROBERTO GATTO QUARTETTO + ORSARA CITTASLOW Todi -Sala dell'Arengo

27/03/10 CLUSTER + GREVE IN CHIANTI CITTASLOW Todi -Sala dell'Arengo

27-28 /03/10 market with 20 exhibitors from CITTASLOW and stands with products from local producers.

03/04/10 ROSARIO GIULIANI QUARTETTO + ENNS - HARTBERG(AUSTRIA) La Penisola Restaurant – Orvieto-Baschi

10/04/10 PARADISI – CASIELLO + CITTASLOW TODI La Penisola Restaurant – Orvieto-Baschi

17/04/10 TRIO DI ROMA-REA-GATTO-PIETROPAOLI+ CITTASLOW BRA La Penisola Restaurant - Orvieto-Baschi.

INFORMATION:
Accommodation: info@discoveringumbria.it
Dinners: info@cittaslowinfestival.it

DISCOVERING UMBRIA AT BIT 2010

2010-02-11T17:56:00.002+01:00

Discovering Umbria is taking place to BIT Milano – International Tourism Exchange - next 19^th and 20^th February.

Discovering Umbria is participating to :

19th February : BUY CLUB the workshop for the world of clubs and associations: 400 Italian and international sellers and 160 buyers, including 78 Italian clubs and 75 international clubs from 18 Countries.

20^th February: BUY ITALY the No.1 tourism workshop in Italy and one of the biggest in the world: 2.200 Italian sellers and 566 international buyers from 60 Countries.

In Buy Club and Buy Italy this year Discovering Umbria will promote not only its tourist services but also the package tours developed in collaboration with “Il Palazzo del Gusto” in Orvieto, one of the most important Regional Institution for the promoting and supporting of regional food and wine production.

Discovering Umbria parteciperà il prossimo 19 e 20 Febbraio alla BIT, presentando quest’anno non solo i suoi servizi turistici, ma anche i pacchetti-vacanza sviluppati in collaborazione con “Il Palazzo del Gusto” di Orvieto, una delle più importanti istituzioni regionali per la promozione e lo sviluppo dell’enogastronomia del territorio.

Discovering Umbria sarà presente:

il 19 Febbraio al BUY CLUB il workshop dedicato la mondo dell'associazionismo: 400 seller nazionali e internazionali e 160 buyer di cui 78 club italiani e 75 internazionali da 18 paesi.

Il 20 Febbraio al BUY ITALY il workshop di riferimento in Italia e uno dei più grandi al mondo: 2.200 seller italiani e 566 buyer internazionali da 60 Paesi.

I LIVELLO CORSO SOMMELIER AD ORVIETO

2010-01-29T18:38:00.002+01:00

A partire dal 12 marzo presso il RISTORANTE " AL SAN FRANCESCO" ad Orvieto prenderà il via il corso di I LIVELLO per SOMMELIER, organizzato dalla delegazione FISAR di ORVIETO.

Il termine per l'iscrizione è stato fissato per il 18 febbraio 2010.

Per tutte le informazioni contattare:

Segretario FISAR : Lucia Russo 3479125494
Tesoriere FISAR : Francesca Rosella 3289455645

oppure inviare mail a : fisarorvieto@gmail.com

TERNI IN JAZZ SEASON 2010

2010-01-19T16:43:00.003+01:00

TERNI IN JAZZ SEASON
gennaio - febbraio - marzo 2010

Ultimi appuntamenti per la stagione concertistica TERNI IN JAZZ SEASON 2009/2010 con tre star del firmamento internazionale: THE BAD PLUS, JOEY CALDERAZZO QUARTET e GREG OSBY QUINTET.
Come da tradizione ogni concerto è organizzato presso l'Auditorium di Palazzo Gazzoli di Terni a partire dalle 21.30.

Inoltre a partire da gennaio 2010 l'Associazione Charlie in collaborazione con Vanni Editore srl e JAZZIT promuove la decima edizione del CORSO IN GIORNALISMO E CRITICA MUSICALE e il CORSO IN FOTOGRAFIA MUSICALE E DI SPETTACOLO:
per informazioni scrivere a info@associazionecharlie.com

Questo, nel dettaglio, il programma concertistico relativo al primo trimestre 2010:

THE BAD PLUS
lunedì 25 Gennaio 2010 (Auditorium di Palazzo Gazzoli, Terni)
ETHAN IVERSON pianoREID ANDERSON contrabbassoDAVID KING batteriaingresso: 6 €
JOEY CALDERAZZO QUARTET sabato 27 febbraio 2010 (Auditorium di Palazzo Gazzoli, Terni)
JOEY CALDERAZZO pianoA. J. BROWN contrabbassoBREVAN HAMPDEN percussioniLARRY DRAUGHN Jr. batteria
ingresso: 6 €
GREG OSBY QUINTET
venerdì 12 marzo 2010 (Auditorium di Palazzo Gazzoli, Terni)
GREG OSBY saxNIR FELDER chitarraFRANK LOCRASTO pianoJOSEPH LEPORE contrabbassoJOHN DAVIS batteria
ingresso: 6 €

INFO Associazione Charlie
E-mail / info@associazionecharlie.com
telefono/ 0744.817579
Prevendite /
CASAGRANDE DISCHI Corso Tacito (Terni, tel 0744.402568)
NEW SINFONY Galleria del Corso / (Terni, tel 0744.407104)

Scarica il pdf. con la una scheda riepilogativa degli eventi e delle informazioni:

TRJ_season10.pdf

January - month dedicated to the traditional pork production

2010-01-14T18:36:00.005+01:00

The tradition of the pork production in Umbria is very ancient.
The word "Norcino", an expert in the making of all pork products, is derived from the Umbrian town of Norcia, well-known since the Middle Ages for its pork produce.
January is the traditional month for the pork processing thanks to the cold of the Winter. In ancient times freezers didn’t exist and people used the natural cold of the Season to prepare their cured meats (salami, prosciutto, sausages) that they had during the year.

Many villages and towns in our area organize events connected to this traditions, like the little city of Montegabbione near Orvieto.

Here the programme of the event that will take place this weekend 15th/16th/17th January.

The 17th January is also Sant’ Antonio’s day, Patron of the animals. Following the tradition in many villages there will be the Blessing of the domestic animal, in the past cows, chickens, pigs and sheep, now mainly our 4-legged friends: cats and dogs.

MONTEGABBIONE (TR)

15 GENNAIO 2010 ORE 20,00 @ CIRCOLO RICREATIVO-CULTURALE DI FAIOLO

DEGUSTAZIONE DI PRODOTTI TIPICI DI NORCINERIA
ACCOMPAGNATI DA VINI E OLII LOCALI, in collaborazione con l'associazione dei Sommelier FISAR, della Condotta Slow Food di Orvieto - Todi e dello studio Vinifera di Montegabbione.
PIATTI TIPICI PROPOSTI DAI NOSTRI RISTORATORI.

TASTING OF TRADITIONAL SALAMI AND PORK PRODUCTION WITH LOCAL WINES AND OIL, in collaboration with Sommeliers FISAR, Slow Food Convivium of Orvieto and Todi, Studio Vinifera from Montegabbione.
TIPICAL RECIPES PREPARED BY THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS

16 GENNAIO 2010

ORE 15,30 @ SALA DEL CASTELLO DI MONTEGIOVE
CONVEGNO SU “AGRI- CULTURA” SOGNI E ASPIRAZIONI DEL NOSTRO TERRITORIO
A SEGUIRE PORCHETTA VINO E MUSICA

WORKSHOP ON “AGRI-CULTURE” DREAMS AND DESIRES OF OUR TERRITORY
FOLLOWING “PORCHETTA” (ROAST PORK) AND MUSIC

17 GENNAIO 2010 @ MONTEGABBIONE

ORE 15,00
I MAESTRI NORCINI DI MONTEGABBIONE TERRANNO UN LABORATORIO DIMOSTRATIVO DI LAVORAZIONE DEL SUINO

WORKSHOP ON THE TRADITIONAL PREPARATION OF PORK HELD BY THE “MAESTRI NORCINI”

ORE 16,00
GIORNO DI SANT’ANTONIO ABATE BENEDIZIONE TRADIZIONALE DEGLI
ANIMALI NELLA PIAZZA CARLO ALBERTO DALLA CHIESA

SANT’ANTONIO’S DAY PATRON OF THE ANIMALS.
BLESSING OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS @ PIAZZA CARLO ALBERTO DALLA CHIESA

ORE 17,00
DEGUSTAZIONE DEI PRODOTTI DI NORCINERIA GRAN BRACIERE UMBRO

TASTING OF SALAMI AND PORK PRODUCTION. GREAT UMBRIAN BARBEQUE

ORE 19,00
CONCORSO: “INDOVINA QUANTO PESO?”
COMPETITION: “GUESS MY WEIGHT”

Click here to download the pdf brochure:

MONTEGABBIONE%7E1.PDF

IT'S TIME TO THINK ABOUT YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY IN UMBRIA!!

2010-01-09T18:07:00.004+01:00

2010 has arrived and now it's time to think about you next holiday in the GREEN HEART!!

The splendid natural landscape of Umbria can be visited at all times of year. It is fascinating to observe this wonderful land where the colours and perfumes change in accordance with the eternal cycle of the seasons: from the verdant green of spring, to the yellow grains of summer, to the thousand colours of the leaves in autumn and the rarefied, magical atmosphere of winter

BOOK NOW YOUR UMBRIAN DREAM !! CONTACT US !!!

info@discoveringumbria.it

FINE D'ANNO "SLOW CON GUSTO"!

2009-12-29T12:24:00.003+01:00

UMBRIA JAZZ WINTER - Orvieto
AL PALAZZO DEL GUSTO DI ORVIETO
a fine d'anno un'eccellenza tira l'altra!!

Dal 19 dicembre al 03 gennaio 2010 al Palazzo del Gusto di Orvieto si terrà il Mercato del Gusto delle Cittaslow con prodotti di eccellenza e dei Presidi Slow Food dall'Umbria (Orvieto,Todi,Castiglion del Lago, Preci,Amelia) e da Greve in Chianti, Positano, S.Daniele del Friuli ,Abbiategrasso, S.Miniato, Levanto, Altomonte, Acqualagna.

Un'occasione unica per conoscere e degustare alcune tra le migliori specialità enogastronomiche italiane (aperto tutti i pomeriggi ; 2 e 3 gennaio aperto tutto il giorno).

CALENDARIO :
30 dicembre 2009 - dalle ore 17.00 Spezzatura didattica del Maiale, 6 ª edizione, in collaborazione con i Maestri Norcini e il Comune di Montegabbione: una vera “scoperta” di cultura materiale che ogni anno a dicembre mette al centro dell'attenzione il maiale, in tutte le sue forme, in attesa del giorno di S.Antonio Abate. Al termine della "lezione", degustazione di carne alla brace.

31dicembre 2009 e 1 – 2 - 3 gennaio 2010.

Nei giorni di Capodanno Il Palazzo del Gusto si trasforma, indossa l'abito da sera ed ospita alcuni concerti di UMBRIA JAZZ WINTER (tutti i giorni alle ore 18,30, vedi programma su: http://www.blogger.com/ – biglietteria http://www.teatromancinelli.it/ http://www.blogger.com/ ).

ASPETTANDO I CONCERTI DI Umbria Jazz Winter, raffinate degustazioni e abbinamenti con “TRENTODOC”-Spumante Metodo Classico Trentino in collaborazione con CCIAA di Trento ed Enoteca Provinciale del Trentino.

SPECIALI DEGUSTAZIONI alle ore 17.00 presso l'ENOTECA REGIONALE DELL'UMBRIA , con gli Spumanti del Consorzio Trento DOC e assaggi di pesce in collaborazione con Bolsena Bio fish (prenotazione obbligatoria: 0763393529 info@cittaslow.net) :

CALENDARIO

GIOVEDI' 31 DIC 2009 ore 17,00 (€ 12)
OSTRICHE E TRENTODOC
in degustazione SPUMANTI TRENTO DOC, presentati dall'Enologo Enrico PATERNOSTER:

A CURA DI SLOW FOOD ORVIETO E SOMMELIER FISAR ORVIETO

Avviciniamoci alle ostriche, cibo mitico e “prezioso” per eccellenza. Ostriche freschissime, per intenditori, ideali accompagnamento del Trentodoc.
alle 18,30 seguirà il concerto di UJW con Chip Wilson (€ 12)

VENERDI’ 1 GEN 2010 ore 17,00 (€ 12)
PESCE DEL LAGO DI BOLSENA E TRENTODOC
in degustazione SPUMANTI TRENTO DOC

A CURA DI SLOW FOOD ORVIETO E SOMMELIER FISAR ORVIETO
Una fusion di tutto rispetto tra i pesci d'acqua dolce del profondo e sorprendente Lago di Bolsena e il Trentodoc, una proposta per i palati più raffinati
alle 18,30 seguirà il concerto di UJW con Kim Prevost & Bill Solley (€ 12)

SABATO 2 GEN 2010 ore 17,00 (€12)
ROSA SALMONE SELVAGGIO E TRENTODOC ROSE'
in degustazione SPUMANTI TRENTO DOC

Matrimonio da favola tutto in rosa tra il migliore Spumante Italiano Metodo Classico e il migliore salmone selvaggio, proposto in diverse lavorazioni e da diverse provenienze: per intenditori.
A CURA DI SOMMELIER FISAR – ORVIETO E CANTINA FONDAZIONE EDMUND MACH – ISTITUTO AGRARIO DI SAN MICHELE ALL’ADIGE (TRENTO)
alle 18,30 seguirà il concerto di UJW con Chip Wilson (€ 12)

DOMENICA 3 GEN 2010 ore 17,00 (€12)
SEA FOOD AND “BOLLICINE” TRENTODOC
in degustazione SPUMANTI TRENTO DOC

Imparare degustando: un’occasione più unica che rara per accostarsi ai segreti del Trentodoc, il principe degli spumanti italiani. Un ministage condotto da esperti del Consorzio illustrerà metodi di produzione, l’allevamento delle uve in Trentino, la vinificazione e l’affinamento in bottiglia, abbinando alcune specialità di pesce di mare. A CURA DI SOMMELIER FISAR – ORVIETO E CANTINA FONDAZIONE EDMUND MACH – ISTITUTO AGRARIO DI SAN MICHELE ALL’ADIGE (TRENTO).
Alle 18,30 seguirà il concerto di UJW con Kim Prevost & Bill Solley (€ 12)

L'evento è organizzato in collaborazione con: Comune di Montegabbione – Norcini di Montegabbione – Comunità Montana Ternano-Amerino-Narnese-Orvietano – Enoteca Provinciale del Trentino - TRENTO DOC – BOLSENA BIO FISH - Slow Food Orvieto - Sommelier FISAR Orvieto -

PER INFORMAZIONI e PRENOTAZIONI:
1) degustazioni: Il Palazzo del Gusto,Istituzione per l'enogastronomia e la cultura materiale della Provincia di Terni, convento S.Giovanni via Ripa Serancia I,16 Orvieto tel.0763341818 fax 0763394455 info@cittaslow.net
2) concerti: Teatro Mancinelli, C.so Cavour,122 Orvieto tel. 0763340493 http://www.teatromancinelli.it/ http://www.greenticket.it/

LA CUCINA DI NATALE AL PALAZZO DEL GUSTO

2009-11-20T17:02:00.003+01:00

IL PALAZZO DEL GUSTO
In collaborazione con UNIVERSITA’ DEI SAPORI presenta:

LA CUCINA DI NATALE
Corso di eco-nomìa domestica del pranzo di Natale nell’Orvietano

Di sicuro è un atto slow. Reimpariamo assieme a confezionare un menù di festa, la festa per antonomasia, il Natale. Come si imbandisce la tavola di Natale con un menu’ completo, dall’antipasto al dolce? Qual è la migliore mise en place ? Il mini-corso LA CUCINA DI NATALE risponde a queste domande all’insegna della tradizione orvietana stringente che non disdegna aperture a sapori e colori. Il tutto con misura e stile, gli stessi che sono necessari per apprendere l’arte dell’apparecchiare, comme il faut, la tavola del dì di Festa.
Gli incontri si terranno dalle ore 18.00 alle ore 21.00 presso la cucina didattica de Il Palazzo del Gusto in Via Ripa Serancia I,16 ad Orvieto per massimo 20 partecipanti,Totale ore del corso 12.

La quota d’iscrizione ammonta ad euro 85.00
Per i soci Slow Food – Condotta Orvieto e i soci Fisar - €. 80.00

La quota comprende :

LEZIONE I giovedi 3 – ore 18.00 –21.00
L’Antipasto ed il Primo in abbinamento con il vino

LEZIONE I giovedi 10 – ore 18.00 – 21.00 -Il Secondo

LEZIONE I giovedi 17 – ore 18.00 – 21.00
Modalità e Creatività nell’apparecchiare la Tavola di Natale

LEZIONE I sabato 19 – ore 15.00 – 18.00 - I Dolci di Natale

Per informazioni contattare :
Soc. ITINERA 0763393529 ”Il Palazzo del Gusto “, convento S.Giovanni,Via Ripa Serancia I,16 Orvieto 0763341818 – 0763393529

info@cittaslow.net - itinera.orvieto@tiscalinet.it

Scarica il dépliant in pdf clicca sotto:
cucina%20di%20natale.pdf

NOVEMBRE - MANIFESTAZIONI DELL’ORVIETANO 2009

2009-11-13T19:09:00.005+01:00

NOVEMBRE - MANIFESTAZIONI DELL’ORVIETANO 2009

ORVIETO Teatro Comunale Luigi Mancinelli

STAGIONE TEATRALE 2009/2010 “Il Viaggio” (da Ottobre ad Aprile)
Info: www.teatromancinelli.it e-mail: info@teatromancinelli.it Tel 0763.340422 -0763.340493

26/09/09 13/02/10 ORVIETO
"VENTI ASCENSIONALI # 2009 - 2010 " R-Esistenze" - Residenza d'arte cultura e spettacolo - 9a edizione teatro, danza, concerti, laboratori e stages, conversazioni, letture
Venti Ascensionali è un progetto e insieme una kermesse culturale che fa dialogare letteratura, cinema, arte e spettacolo, con un forte impegno sociale e uno sguardo rivolto verso l’altro e gli altri, popoli, culture, mondo sommersi e dimenticati, con la passione per la pace; un laboratorio permanente della coscienza, un esercizio della memoria, uno sguardo pensante al futuro
Info prenotazione e prevendite: www.ventiascensionali.org Sala del Carmine Tel./Fax 0763.341265 e-mail: macros2000@alice.it teatrorvieto@hotmail.it -ufficio stampa: corradino@elzevira.com

24/10/09 15/11/09 ORVIETO Palazzo del Gusto
"SLOW" - Personale di pittura di SANDRO CABRINI
Il lavoro dell'artista si muove in una ricerca di identità che permette all’uomo di realizzarsi e quindi essere felice: identità e felicità sono due momenti importanti che passano attraverso il modo di vivere e di aggregarsi nella comunità in un ambiente che deve essere il migliore possibile. Cabrini accompagna la sua attività di designer con quella di artista, confrontandosi con le somme esperienze di Klee, Kandinsky, Mondrian e con le opere cubiste di Picasso; nei suoi quadri folle di persone ruotano attorno a palazzi, a strumenti primordiali che si trasformano in oracoli, certezze, chimere. Il filo conduttore di identità e felicità si ritrova anche nella filosofia di Cittàslow, dove gli uomini conquistano il valore della cittadinanza e si confrontano con la propria realtà utilizzando strumenti come conoscenza, comunicazione e tecnologia, nel rispetto della persona e dell’ambiente, senza inseguire il globale. Significativa è la presenza di Carbini ad Orvieto, Città Slow dal 1999, e Sede Internazionale di Cittaslow dal 2002.

Info: www.sandrocabrini.com - sandro@sandrocabrini.com - ufficio.stampa@sandrocabrini.com

Palazzo del Gusto Tel. 0763.341818 www.cittaslow.net

31/10/09 22/11/09 FABRO Località Carnaiola Castello di Carnaiola
LEONARDO DA VINCI: uomo - GENIO - inventore
Esposizione che presenta 37 modelli di macchine militari, per il volo o d’aria e civili fedelmente riprodotte dai disegni contenuti nei codici leonardeschi (Atlantico, Madrid, Trivulziano ...). Le macchine, prodotte in legno, metallo e stoffa, in scala o a grandezza naturale, sono state ricostruite da abilissimi artigiani fiorentini sotto la supervisione di esperti ingegneri. Ciò che più attrae il pubblico è la "interattività" delle macchine che i visitatori potranno toccare manovrare vedendole in funzione, leggere pannelli illustrativi e le copie dei codici leonardeschi, consultare materiale informatizzato. Sono previste per l’intera durata della manifestazione attività per le scuole, per i gruppi e per i singoli.
Visitabile inoltre la collezione delle auto storiche della famiglia Dal Savio, proprietaria del castello, in associazione con lo Slow Driving Italia.
Sabato 14 Novembre, ore 11 - Conferenza "Dalla meccanica di Leonardo all’energia alternativa"
Sabato 21 Novembre, ora da comunicare - Conferenza " Il volo: un percorso tra natura, storia e mitologia"
31 Ottobre 7, 14 e 21 Novembre - Ristorante il "Cantagallina" Montegiove di Montegabbione - "A cena con leonardo"
Inaugurazione 31 ottobre, ore 11 Info: Coop. Terra www.tuttinterra.com Cell. 333.2875141 e-mail: ilgeniodileonardo@libero.it

13/11/09 15/11/09 FABRO Centro storico

23^ MOSTRA MERCATO NAZIONALE DEL TARTUFO dell'Orvietano e dei prodotti agroalimentari di qualità. Nel centro storico di Fabro e nelle cantine del castello si terrà la grande kermesse di tartufi e prodotti tipici come l'olio, l'olio ed il miele; quest'anno la mostra ospiterà 50 stand con un programma di degustazioni dei migliori prodotti dell'Umbria, cene a tema, divertimenti, convegni.
venerdì, ore 18 Inaugurazione mostra

sabato, ore 18.30 Sala consiliare, Convegno "tartufo come Media: qualità locali e linguaggi globali, Mostra auto d'epoca
domenica, ore 11 Sala consiliare, Convegno su "sviluppo sostenibile: consumo, efficienza, sistemi di produzione", premiazione del concorso per le scuole, ore 17 Sala consiliare, Consegna del premio "Vanghetto d'oro"
Stand pizzeria ed enogastronomia - Servizio navetta gratuito dai parcheggi al centro storico di Fabro, possibilità di visite guidate nel territorio
Orario di apertura: venerdì ore 17/22 - sabato ore 9/22 domenica ore 9/20

Info: Centro Servizi Turistici dell'Alto Orvietano, uscita A1 Fabro, Tel. 0763.831075 - 331.6742260 http://www.tuttinterra.com/

e-mail: mostratartufofabro@libero.it

13/11/09 ORVIETO Palazzo Soliano - Museo Emilio Greco
"Prima della prima pietra - da S. Maria Prisca a S. Maria Assunta" - 3° Incontro tematico
Il 13 Novembre, festa di San Brizio e anniversario della posa della prima pietra della Cattedrale, è l’occasione scelta per presentare i reperti lapidei recuperati nel corso del restauro di Palazzo Soliano (1989-1991).
Si tratta di interessanti brani di muratura a conci di tufo, secondo la tradizionale tipologia delle architetture medievali orvietane, che recano ancora resti consistenti di intonaco affrescato con motivi decorativi dalla ricca policromia e frammenti di figurazioni sacre di intensa suggestione.

14/11/09 15/11/09 ORVIETO Palazzo dei Sette/ex Chiesa di San Rocco"Orvieto Arte e Artiquariato" - Mostra Mercato ogni secondo sabato e domenica del mese. La fiera è collegata ai negozi del centro storico che aderiscono all'iniziativa "Art & Shop"
Orari: Sabato 16/22 - Domenica 9/20
Info: Assoc. Arte Antiquariato http://orvietoarteantiquariato.com Tel. 338.8490141 - 0763.341769

14/11/09 15/11/09 ORVIETO Duomo
Festa della dedicazione della Cattedrale
14 novembre, ore 17, Primi Vespri della Dedicazione. Guida il canto il Coro Interuniversitario di Roma.
A seguire: esecuzione di Mottetti e brani per organo del Coro Interuniversitario di Roma, all’organo M° Juan Paradell Solè, dirige il M° Massimo Palombella, S.D.B. - Partecipa il Coro della Cattedrale "Vox et Jubilum".
15 novembre, ore 17, Solenne Pontificale per la Festa della Dedicazione. Presiede S.E. Mons. Giovanni Scanavino, Vescovo di Orvieto -Todi. Guida il canto il Coro Interuniversitario di Roma.
Info: Sacrestia del Duomo Tel. 0763.341167 - www.parrocchiadelduomoorvieto.it
14/11/09 15/11/09 ORVIETO Palazzo del Popolo, Centro congressi
"Universi a Confronto" dedicato all’incontro fra la terapeutica occidentale e quella sciamanica andina - 1° Convegno Internazionale, conferenza precongressuale
Il convegno vuole essere un nuovo e permanente Motore culturale di Ricerca e Dialogo sulle diverse pratiche terapeutiche e su come sviluppare una
maggiore integrazione tra le stesse, con l’obiettivo di promuovere il benessere della persona vista nella sua interezza ed unicità, attraverso un
percorso di condivisione di conoscenze, esperienze, riflessioni e idee da far confluire in un più ampio bacino cui attingere anche per il reciproco
arricchimento umano e professionale.Parteciperanno studiosi della materia provenienti dalla Bolivia, un nutrito numero di esponenti del mondo
accademico e scientifico ed esperti di diverse tecniche terapeutiche e approcci olistici allo sviluppo armonico del benessere. Tra i relatori Eugenio
Bennato che parlerà di tarantismo da un punto di vista artistico e antropologico.
Conferenza stampa 13 novembre, ore 18, Sala Consiliare Comune di Orvieto Info: www.universolipsi.org Universo LiPsi, Associazione di liberiprofessionisti della Psicologia e del Counseling
Ufficio Stampa per UniVerso LiPsi: Maurizio Quattrini: 338 8485333 e-mail: maurizioquattrini@yahoo.it
14/11/09 29/11/09 ORVIETO Palazzo dei Sette
"CONFRONTI" mostra d'arte, a cura di Adelinda Allegretti
Artisti partecipanti: David Agenjo (ES), Gennaro Barci (I), Fiore Cagnetti (I), Roberta Cervelli (I), Gianni Depaoli (I), Alessandra Ferretti (I), Sylvia Loew (BR), Letizia Marabottini (I), Marco Marcarelli (I), Petra Mattes (D), Alfredo Pompilio (I), Carlos Santana (ES), Michele Senesi (I), Massimo Spinelli (I).
L’esposizione internazionale nasce dall’idea di riunire artisti operanti nei diversi linguaggi visivi, dalla pittura alla fotografia, dalla scultura
all’installazione. A differenza di quanto normalmente avviene, gli artisti sono stati invitati a presentare opere svincolate da qualsiasi tematica di base.
Con grande sorpresa il tema dell’esposizione si è formato da sé: ne è scaturita una duplice e contrapposta visione del mondo, in cui l’incessante
dicotomia Bene-Male, Luce-Ombra, fungono da perno attorno a cui ruotano tutti i lavori proposti dagli artisti.
Orari: tutti i giorni 10,30-13/14,30-17 - Inaugurazione 14 Novembre, ore 17
Info: Adelinda Allegretti - e-mail: ad.allegretti@inwind.it www.allegrettiarte.com Cell. +39 328 6735752

14/11/09 29/11/09 ORVIETO ex Chiesa di San Rocco - Piazza del Popolo
Mostra personale di pittura di Riccardo Sanna e Paolo Crucili
Info: Fondazione Adi.Art Accademia d'impresa per l'artigianato il restauro e il territorio - Soriano nel Cimino (VT) Tel/Fax 0761.75.95.38 - e-mail: informazioni@adiart.org

14/11/09 ORVIETO Sala del Carmine
"VENTI ASCENSIONALI # 2009 - 2010 " R-Esistenze" - Migrazioni ABBONAMENTO
FRAMMENTI DI ESISTENZE AMOROSE, tratto da "Insopprimibili vizi" di Laura Ricci
Voci recitanti Enrica Rosso e Daniele Barcaroli - Musiche dal vivo Sandro Paradisi
La necessità del dire parte dalla considerazione che il discorso amoroso è relegato a un'estrema solitudine e condannato alla più inattuale delle derive. Ma è proprio su quest' onda che trova la ragione della sua affermazione, la sua caparbia esistenza/resistenza.
ore 21.00 (spettacolo in abbonamento) Info prenotazione e prevendite: www.ventiascensionali.org Sala del Carmine
Tel./Fax 0763.341265 e-mail:macros2000@alice.it teatrorvieto@hotmail.it Libreria dei Sette - Uff: stampa: corradino@elzevira.com

14/11/09 ORVIETO Museo C. Faina
SOGNANDO AL MUSEO .. I bambini incontrano la scienza
Visita guidata al Museo archeologico etrusco Claudio Faina, con pernottamento in sacco a pelo tra i reperti archeologici esposti, per bambini tra i 6 ed i 10 anni. Laboratori, attività ludiche, gadgets. La manifestazione si tiene in 11 musei del'Umbria.
Info e prenotazioni: Perugia Officine per la Scienza e la Tecnologia www,perugiapost.it e-mail: nfo@perugiapost.it
Tel. 075.5736501

14/11/09 15/11/09 ORVIETO Palazzo dei Sette/ex Chiesa di San Rocco
"Orvieto Arte e Artiquariato" - Mostra Mercato ogni secondo sabato e domenica del mese
La fiera è collegata ai negozi del centro storico che aderiscono all'iniziativa "Art & Shop"
Orari: Sabato 16/22 - Domenica 9/20
Info: Assoc. Arte Antiquariato http://orvietoarteantiquariato.com Tel. 338.8490141 - 0763.341769
15/11/09 ORVIETO Sala del Carmine

"VENTI ASCENSIONALI # 2009 - 2010 "
Conoscere la dislessia, un'altra lettura è possibile - Conversazione con Giovanna Lami vice presidente AID, Ciro Ruggerini, Università di Modena, Marina Locatelli, AID Umbria, coordina Fabrizio Caccavello, responsabile web AID , a cura di AId - Associazione Italiana dislessia
ore 17 (ingresso libero) Info prenotazione e prevendite: www.ventiascensionali.org Sala del Carmine Tel./Fax 0763.341265
e-mail: macros2000@alice.it teatrorvieto@hotmail.it Libreria dei Sette - ufficio stampa: corradino@elzevira.com

20/11/09 22/11/09 CASTELGIORGIO Locanda della Quercia Calante
Eventi d'Autunno alla Locanda della Quercia Calante - Seminari ed eventi:
"Impariamo a Dialogare con i Cari che ci hanno lasciato". con Fausto Carotenuto Info: - www.querciacalante.com Tel. 0763.627199
20/11/09 ORVIETO Piano Bar Bevipiano

"VENTI ASCENSIONALI # 2009 - 2010 "
Racconti di Jazz i miti del jazz letti e suonati - Art Pepper Storia di un Chihuahua galeotto, Chet Baker White Narcissus con Elisabetta Spallaccia voce recitante, Piero di Salvo pianoforte, Massimo Frellicca contrabbasso, Fabio d'Isanto batteria, Gianfranco Puppola sax contralto, special guest Rodolfo Maltese - progetto Lettori portatili in rete
ore 21.30 (ingresso libero) Info prenotazione e prevendite: www.ventiascensionali.org Sala del Carmine Tel./Fax 0763.341265

21/11/09 ORVIETO Sala del Carmine
"VENTI ASCENSIONALI # 2009 - 2010 "
Voci dal vuoto. Storie di Migranti - Conversazione con Guido Tassinari, esperto di diritto e cooperazione internazionale e Anna Maria Crispino, direttora rivista "Leggendaria"; introduce Simona Mingardi, a cura di Il Filo di Eloisa
ore 17 (ingresso libero) Info prenotazione e prevendite: www.ventiascensionali.org Sala del Carmine Tel./Fax 0763.341265
e-mail: macros2000@alice.it teatrorvieto@hotmail.it Libreria dei Sette - ufficio stampa: corradino@elzevira.com

21/11/09 ORVIETO Duomo
Concerto del Coro Polifonico della Cattedrale di Orvieto, Vox et Jubilum, con la partecipazione della Scuola di Musica di Orvieto, Adriano Casasole
ore 21 Info: Segret. Coro della Cattedrale Cell. 348.0717340 - http://www.parrocchiadelduomoorvieto.it/

21/11/09 FICULLE Centro attività formative (ex asilo)
Sagra della castagna con degustazione di vino novello, in occasione della Festa della Madonna della Maestà, festa religiosa particolarmente sentita dai Ficullesi
ore 15, Santuario della Maestà - Polentata, cena a base di polenta, spezzatino e verdure, dolci, vino novello dei colli ficullesi, dalle ore 21 Info: Centro Sociale anziani c/o Comune di Ficulle Tel. 0763.86031

21/11/09 22/11/09 ORVIETO Via della Costituente
Mercatino dell' artigianato
il mercatino si tiene ogni 4a domenica del mese - sabato ore 15/20, domenica ore 8/20
Info: Servizio Turistico dell'Orvietano Tel. 0763.341772 - Organizzazione mercatino A. Bellini 349.3156502

22/11/09 ORVIETO Sala del Carmine
"VENTI ASCENSIONALI # 2009 - 2010 "
Blue words - ParoLe bLu, un approccio jazzistico alla lettura ad alta voce - 1°Stage a cura di Daniele Barcaroli
(pomeriggio ed incontro con i tre gruppi dello stage con dimostrazione finale di lavoro alle ore 21 (ingresso libero)
Info prenotazione e prevendite: www.ventiascensionali.org Sala del Carmine Tel./Fax 0763.341265 e-mail: macros2000@alice.it teatrorvieto@hotmail.it Libreria dei Sette - ufficio stampa: corradino@elzevira.com

26/11/09 ORVIETO Biblioteca Fumi, Saletta Accoglienza
Lettori del presente: l'opera d'arte fuori le mura
Incontri sulla lettura delle espressioni artistiche e dell'opera d'arte contemporanea. Ci si può avvicinare all’arte contemporanea in modo e in luoghi
diversi da quelli tradizionali? E’ possibile un"incontro" fuori dalle mura di musei, accademie, gallerie, sale da concerto? Il compositore musicista e
operatore nell’arte contemporanea Walter Branchi propone tre momenti di scoperta dell’arte. La sfida è anche sul modo: niente conferenze o lezioni,
ma una "guida" tra le percezioni che ognuno può sperimentare, un’ occasione per dare lettura artistica a ciò che viene immediatamente vissuto. Gli
stimoli arriveranno da filmati d’autore proposti e commentati.
ore 16,00/18,00 - JAMES TURRELL, Passageways
E’ la luce, in quanto tale, a farsi soggetto e strumento della creatività artistica
Calendario prossimo ed ultimo appuntamento: 16 dicembre
Info: Biblioteca Fumi, Saletta Accoglienza - Orvieto - Piazza Febei, 1 - Tel. 0763.306450 - e-mail: biblioteca@comune.orvieto.tr.it

27/11/09 29/11/09 ORVIETO Sala del Carmine
"VENTI ASCENSIONALI # 2009 - 2010 "
The P. ProJect, uno spettacolo della Compagnia Amleto in viaggio in collaborazione con Comune di Orvieto, Assessorato alla cultura, LTO/CTA, coop. Il Quadrifoglio, Ass. A.F.C.H.O., Uff. della cittadinanza Ambito territoriale 12 A.S.L. n° 4. - regia: Elisabetta Moretti e Felizitas Scheich
ore 21 (ingresso a pagamento) Info prenotazione e prevendite: www.ventiascensionali.org Sala del Carmine
Tel./Fax 0763.341265 e-mail: macros2000@alice.it teatrorvieto@hotmail.it Libreria dei Sette
ufficio stampa: corradino@elzevira.com

29/11/09 FICULLE
PANE E OLIO IN FRANTOIO, organizzato a livello nazionale dall’Associazione Città dell’Olio, si svolgerà in alcuni comuni dell’Umbria
Frantoio Ciuchi e Frantoio Gasparri - di Ficulle - Degustazioni
www.cittadellolio.it Nell'Orvietano i comuni associati sono: Baschi, Castel Viscardo, Ficulle, Montecchio, Montegabbione
Info: www.frantoiociuchi.it Tel. 0763.839070 - Frantoio gasparri tel. 0763.86019 http://www.oliodopumbria.it/

29/11/09 ORVIETO Teatro Comunale Luigi Mancinelli
STAGIONE TEATRALE 2009/2010
Prosa: PAMELA VILLORESI, DAVID SEBASTI - MARLENE, di Giuseppe Manfridi, con Pamela Villoresi, David Sebasti, Silvia Budri, Cristina Sebastianelli e la partecipazione di Orso Maria Guerrini, regia Maurizio Panici, scene Andrea Taddei, costumi Lucia Mariani
musiche originali Luciano Vavolo, canzoni di F. Hollander, N. Schultze, P. Siger, L. Brown, B. Bacharach, produzione Associazione Teatrale Pistoiese- Argot
ore 17.30 (in abbonamento) Info: www.teatromancinelli.it e-mail: info@teatromancinelli.it Tel 0763.340422 - 0763.340493

29/11/09 ORVIETO Chiesa di Sant' Andrea
Rassegna Corale di Musica Sacra, 2a edizione
Coro Polifonico della Cattedrale di Orvieto, Vox et Jubilum, Coro SS. Salvatore di Bolsema, Coro Polifonico di Arezzo, Coro Polifonico di Nettuno
ore 21 Info: Segret. Coro della Cattedrale Cell. 348.0717340 - www.parrocchiadelduomoorvieto.it

Si ringrazia Servizio Turistico dell’Orvietano

ENJOY VINO NOVELLO AT CAPRAI'S WINERY

2009-11-12T12:00:00.002+01:00

Next Sunday, the 15th November, one of the most famous Umbrian Winery - ARNALDO CAPRAI - offers wine/oil tasting and guided visit to celebrate the new wine "VINO NOVELLO"

Info and booking: emarzi@arnaldocaprai.it

tel. 0742 378802

NEW EXCURSIONS 2010!! BOOK NOW!!!

2009-11-10T18:14:00.004+01:00

Finally, after two months of inspections and several km around Umbria, Discovering Umbria is happy to inform you that we have finalized the detailed programme of Excursions and Special Services for "discovering (our) Umbria" for 2010.

In addition to the most successful previous excursion such as the "sold out" "On the Sagrantino's Road" and "The Via Flaminia" we are now proud to introduce you our new exciting proposals for lovers of food and nature:

1) THE VALNERINA: MYSTICISM, NATURE AND LOCAL EXCELLENCE
A whole day exploring one of the wildest and most beautiful areas in Umbria: the Valnerina.
This includes Norcia, the birthplace of Saint Benedict, the patron of Europe and home to the finest cured meats in Italy, and the plain of Castelluccio, with its outstanding colours and magic atmosphere. The town of Norcia boasts countless environmental, artistic, gastronomical and cultural resources –making it both attractive and unique in the eyes of every visitor.

2) THE VIA AMERINA AND ITS LANDSCAPE
A day of trekking in the beautiful countryside around Todi, discovering the ancient ruins of the Roman road “Via Amerina” under the guidance of an expert Hiking Guide (10,2 km walk)

DISCOVER UMBRIA WITH LOCAL PEOPLE!

A GLASS OF NOVELLO WINE HELPS !!!

2009-11-07T12:32:00.003+01:00

ST. MARTINS DAY, VISITING CELLARS!!!!!

This is the new event, held during the 2nd week of November.

The Umbrian Wineries belonging to Wine Tourism Movement will be open to the public for the tasting of the “Novello Wine”=(the first wine of the year) and of latest vintages, together with a tasting of local seasonal products. The Wine Tourism Movement, is especially promoting this autumnal event for those young people wanting to improve their knowledge of wine and the wine districts with the intention of helping them to a better understanding and tasting of wines. Visiting wineries at this time of the year, may also be a pleasant way of enlivening the last few serene autumn days before the first cold of winter, known for this reason throughout Italy, as “St. Martin’s summer”.

CHARITY: in addiction the profit will be granted in charity to the Umbrian Association "Daniele Chianelli" which supports children that suffer from leukamia and lymphoma.

For more info: http://www.movimentoturismovino.it/martino_cantina_en.html

Comitato Daniele Chianelli: http://www.comitatochianelli.it/

"MACCHERONI DOLCI" typical Autumn dessert

2009-10-31T17:10:00.004+01:00

1st November in Italy is the holiday of "Tutti i Santi", while the 2nd is "I Morti" and it is dedicated to our desappeared relatives. On the 1st and the 2nd, Italians go to the cemetery to bring flowers and red candles (called lumini) to the defuncts, to pray and to take care of their tombs.

In many regions for this very short period, there are special food and cakes (for sure! ).

In Umbria we have "Fave dei Morti", amazing cookies made of flour and almonds and in Todi in particular we have "Maccheroni dolci", a very special sweet (yes, sweet !) maccheroni (the same we use with tomato sauce) with crushed wallnuts, breadcrumb, and Alchermes.

Alchermes is a special highly alcoholic liqueur. It is reputed to have been a secret recipe of the Medici family. The modern Alchermes is likely to be the development of an eighth century tonic which as well as rose-water, cinnamon, sugar and honey, was said to contain ground pearls, leaf gold, raw silk and musk.

E' ARRIVATO L'OLIO NUOVO!

2009-10-31T10:43:00.005+01:00

Dall'8 al 15 novembre presso il rinomato Frantoio Bartolomei di Montecchio (TR), anche quest'anno in occasione della spremitura 2009 si terrà lo speciale evento dedicato al nuovo gustosissimo olio.

Non perdere questa occasione per visitare l'Umbria!!

Tariffe speciali weekend presso i nostri appartamenti-vacanze nel centro storico di Todi a partire da soli € 35 p.p. per notte inclusa colazione presso rinomata pasticceria artigianale!

Clicca sotto per scaricare il pdf con il programma dettagliato de "I Giorni dell'Olio Nuovo":

programma.pdf

Corsi di Alta Formazione e Perfezionamento Professionale - 2010

2009-10-26T19:05:00.002+01:00

Sono aperte le iscrizioni ai "Corsi di Alta Formazione e Perfezionamento Professionale - 2010"
organizzati e diretti da VANNI EDITOREEDU con la partnership delle riviste specializzate JAZZIT e IL TURISMO CULTURALE.

L'anno didattico sarà diviso in due semestri, il primo dedicato all'EDITORIA (Giornalismo e Critica Musicale, Fotografia Musicale e di Spettacolo, con laboratori di Editing, Scrittura, Photo Editor, Ear Training, Post Produzione Fotografica, etc) e l'altro allo SPETTACOLO(Organizzazione di Eventi, Comunicazione e Marketing Culturale, Tecniche di Allestimento e di Produzione, etc).

Clicca sotto per scaricare il pdf con i dettagli della programmazione didattica:

VE_DIDATTICA_mail.pdf

Per informazioni contattare:

INFO VANNI EDITORE EDU
Tel: 0744.817579 Fax: 0744.801252

info@vannieditore.com

AL VIA LA STAGIONE DI PROSA A TODI

2009-10-13T11:22:00.002+02:00

La stagione di Prosa 2009/10 al Teatro Comunale di Todi si aprirà Sabato 24 ottobre con “Pseudolus” di Plauto con Franco Oppini, Renato Campese, Marco Paoli e Cristina Caldani regia di Maurizio Annesi.

In allegato pdf il programma dell'intera stagione. Clicca sotto per il download:

teatrodepliant.pdf-2.pdf

LET'S SLOW!! IT'S GOOD FOR THE SOUL!

2009-10-10T19:27:00.002+02:00

DEDICATED TO ALL OUR "SLOW" CLIENTS 2009 WHO SHARED WITH US THIS "MANIFESTO"!

....RIKA, KANJI, YOSHIKO, RIE, FABRIZIO, GIOVANNA, VITTORIA, AUGUSTO, EDITH, ANTON, JOHAN, MAKIKO, MIHO, ERIKA, TRACY, CAMDEN, MARTIN, KAROLINA, PETER, DOUGLAS, VINCENT...

AND ALL THE AGENTS AND SUPPLIERS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO ADVERTISE AND PROMOTE UMBRIA AND TO KEEP ALWAYS HIGH THE LEVEL OF THE SERVICES DURING ONE OF THE TOUGHEST TOURISTIC SEASON OF THE HISTORY!!!

...DENISE, ARILD, SIDSEL, ROBIN, ANNA, MARCO, PIERLUIGI, ALESSANDRO, GIUSEPPE, ROBERTA, SIMONA, LAURA, GIOVANNI, PIERA, ROBERTO, VALERIO, LUCIA, GRAZIELLA, FRANCESCA, FRANCESCA M., LUCIANO...

THANK YOU EVERYBODY!

AMAZING NEW EXCURSIONS AND ITINERARIES FOR 2010

2009-10-01T18:44:00.002+02:00

DISCOVERING UMBRIA IS HAPPY TO INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE OPENED THE SALES FOR THE NEXT SEASON 2009-2010 WITH A NEW BROAD OFFER OF EXCURSIONS AND FOOD, WINE AND OIL TASTING!

COMING SOON:

MYSTIC&TASTING
HIKING IN THE WILD

contact us: info@discoveringumbria.it

The splendid natural landscape of Umbria can be visited at all times of year. It is fascinating to observe this wonderful land where the colours and perfumes change in accordance with the eternal cycle of the seasons: from the verdant green of spring, to the yellow grains of summer, to the thousand colours of the leaves in autumn and the rarefied, magical atmosphere of winter.

UMBRIA AWAITS FOR YOU, DISCOVER IT WITH US!

National Exhibition Market of the of the White Truffle

2009-09-17T12:41:00.002+02:00

From the 30th October to the 2nd November the beautiful town of Gubbio will host the 27th National Exhibition Market of the of the "King of the food": the White Truffle.
The exhibition, organised by the Mountain Community of Alto Chiascio, is an appointment of absolute importance among the Autumn events for the extraordinary quality of the local white truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico) and for the other exquisite local food (cheeses, salami, selected meats, extra virgin olive oil, honey, traditional sweets, etc..).
The event hosts also an exhibition of a selection of pieces coming from the local artistic handicraft such as ceramics, wrought steel, embroidery, wood, leather, stucco…

UMBRIA IS BEAUTIFUL ALL OVER THE YEAR!
DON'T MISS THIS GREEDY EVENT! UMBRIA AWAITS FOR YOU!

Grape harvesting 10 days earlier in all over Italy

2009-08-27T10:50:00.002+02:00

This year the grape havesting will be brought forward (around 10 days) because of the effects of the very hot Summer. According to Coldiretti (Italian Association of Farmers) the Vendemmia (=grape harvesting) 2009 should be of 47 millions of hectolitres, with a slight increasing of the 5% in comparison to 2008.

This year the production seems to be healthy and there are not any special situations due to deseases.

However - as Coldiretti says– the possibility of high temperatures even in September, could establish particolar problems of suffering in some vineyards and the hot weather could reduce the production.

Neverthless at the moment, due to the global economical breakdown, Italian wine makers seem to be very afraid of the problems on the wine market, which have reduced a lot the medium prices (about -24%) to the final consumer.

TODI ARTE FESTIVAL 6-13 SETTEMBRE 2009

2009-08-21T11:21:00.003+02:00

Torna anche quest’anno l’appuntamento del Todi Arte Festival, la rassegna umbra dedicata alla musica, al teatro di prosa e lirico e alle arti visive. Per il secondo anno la direzione artistica della principale manifestazione culturale e turistica cittadina è affidata all’esperienza e alla professionalità di Maurizio Costanzo, con la collaborazione artistica di Marco Mattolini.

Il manifesto dell'artista Antonio Buonfiglio.

Un appuntamento che raccoglie piccoli e grandi eventi artistici che prenderà il via domenica 6 settembre 2009 per concludersi la domenica 13 settembre.

Un tuffo nell’arte e nella cultura nel cuore dell’Umbria. Todi si appresta così a diventare il cuore artistico della Penisola con l’obiettivo di valorizzare il territorio e la sua cultura.
Il festival quest’ anno si snoda lungo 3 direzioni: “il teatro che allunga la vita” con gli spettacoli di due grandi protagonisti del palcoscenico, Giorgio Albertazzi (che interpreta “Signori, 5 minuti!”, in prima assoluta) e Franca Valeri (che insieme a Urbano Barberini sono i protagonisti di “Oddio mamma” di Sam Borrick e Julie Stein e la regia di Daniele Falleri, in prima nazionale); “il teatro che resiste” con una kermesse dal titolo “Viva il teatro” a cura di Marco Mattolini. Una grande maratona di spettacolo con attori e maestranze sul palco che racconteranno le loro esperienze in teatro. E poi: “il teatro in omaggio al Futurismo” con Roberto Herlitzka e Nancy Brilli che interpretano “Il poeta straniero ovvero Straniero Ugo il poeta” di Maurizio Costanzo e Enrico Vaime per la regia di Marco Mattolini.

Tutte le informazioni su : http://www.todiartefestival.com/

Comune di Todi: http://www.comune.todi.pg.it/

UMBRIA "IL PAESE DELLE FIABE" 18-20/09/09

2009-08-17T17:41:00.006+02:00

“Il Paese delle Fiabe” è nel cuore dell’Umbria.

Vieni a Castel Ritaldi per vivere un week end da favola!
L’evento è un’occasione unica per conoscere la cittadina umbra e il suo territorio.

A Castel Ritaldi, graziosa cittadina sita al centro della Strada dell’Olio Extravergine d’Oliva Dop Umbria e della Strada del Sagrantino, da 18 al 20 settembre 2009 si svolgerà la X edizione del Premio “M.Tabarrini - Paese delle Fiabe”, con scritti arrivati da molte parti d’Italia. Per tre giorni, in questo angolo verde dell’Umbria, si potrà guardareil mondo soprattutto attraverso la lente magica della fantasia. Tra le numerose iniziative in programma (letture, giochi, attività ludico-ricreative,musica, degustazioni, spettacoli pirotecnici) ci sarà ancheun ospite d’eccezione: Margherita Hack che presenterò il suo ultimo libro.

Venire dal 18 al 20 settembre nel “paese delle fiabe” sarà quindi un’occasione unica per conoscere non solo Castel Ritaldi, ma anche tutto il territorio circostante, che offre numerosi spunti per gli amanti della natura, del paesaggio, dell’arte, della cultura e dell’enogastronomia. Insomma, per tutti quelli che vanno alla ricerca di un tipo di turismo ancora a dimensione d’uomo. La manifestazione di Castel Ritaldi, promossa dall’Amministrazione comunale, ha lo scopo di diffondere la cultura della fiaba in particolare tra i giovani, come mezzo autentico di espressione, ed è dedicata alla memoria di Mario Tabarrini, nativo di Castel Ritaldi e autore di diversi libri di narrativa, novelle e racconti per ragazzi.

Durante l’evento si svolgerà la premiazione dei vincitori del concorso al quale, come tutti gli anni, hanno potuto partecipare adulti e bambini con le loro fiabe. La decima edizione, che quest’anno propone come tema “l’anello”, ha visto arrivare fiabe da molte regioni dell’Italia. La manifestazione sarà ricca di iniziative, come quelle di venerdì 18 settembre legate all’ambiente con Fiabambiente “maghi e streghe puliscono il mondo”, dove i bambini saranno i protagonisti insegnando educazione ambientale agli adulti. Sabato 19 settembre sarà dedicato al tema della scienza con Fiabascienza. Tra gli appuntamenti da non perdere della giornata lo spettacolo Il Circo della scienza che si terrà all’anfiteatro comunale. Animazione, letture di fiabe, giochi e musica continueranno fino a domenica coinvolgendo grandi e piccini. Per la serata finale è previsto uno spettacolo pirotecnico con musica e buffet. In questi anni il Comune di Castel Ritaldi si è impegnato ad innalzare il livello qualitativo della manifestazione. Sono state infatti avviate relazioni significative, importanti e stabili con alcuni dei soggetti più attivi della vita culturale della regione e non solo quali: Presidenza della Repubblica, Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione, Regione Umbria, Provincia di Perugia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Gal Valle Umbra.

Per maggiori informazioni sul programma si può visitare il sito http://www.paesedellefiabe.it/

Per maggiori informazioni su Castel Ritaldi si può vistare il sito http://www.comune.castel-ritaldi.pg.it/

Fonte:
Adtv agenzia di comunicazione
Danilo Nardoni – 349.1441173 – d.nardoni@alice.it
Gerardo Capolsini – 340.3376278 – gerardo@bonsaicomunicazione.it

DISCOVERING UMBRIA SUPPORTS "4-LEGGED TOURISTS"

2009-08-11T18:47:00.010+02:00

Discovering Umbria is proud to inform that we are supporting the Ministry of Tourism's campaign the shameful abandonement of animals during Summer time.

The portal http://www.turistia4zampe.it/t gathers together the details of thousands of bars, restaurants, pizza parlours, fast foods, hotels, apartments, camping sites, country resorts, holiday villages and beaches where animals are admitted. Partners in the initiative are Federturismo, Confturismo and Assoturismo, as well as many other tourist facilities that chose to join.This is a website that can be read as a guide by anyone planning to go on holiday with his/her pet providing a number of useful suggestion and indications.

The letter that the Minister of Tourism send us as supporters:

Following 4 LEGGED-TOURISTS guidelines Discovering Umbria will promote and highlight the accommodations and service providers who accept our 4 legged friends.

IN CIVITELLA DEL LAGO 25-26/7/09 Food and Wine!

2009-07-23T11:45:00.003+02:00

In Civitella del Lago (TR) FOOD AND WINE tasting next Saturday and Sunday 25th and 26th July.
The wine tasting will be conducted by FISAR SOMMELIERS (Italian Federation of Sommelier) from ORVIETO.
La degustazione dei vini sarà condotta dalla Delegazione Fisar di Orvieto.

The amazing view of Corbara Lake from the rock of Civitella del Lago
La bellissima vista del Lago di Corbara dall'alto di Civitella del Lago

Pane, Prosciutto e Fantasia - 25 – 26 Luglio 2009 - PRECI

2009-07-21T17:41:00.001+02:00

Pane, Prosciutto e Fantasia
25 – 26 Luglio 2009 a Preci festa in onore del prosciutto e degli antichi mestieri

Novità 2009: la notte bianca del gusto

Preci, 7 luglio 2009 - Torna anche quest’anno il tradizionale appuntamento con la
manifestazione Pane, Prosciutto e Fantasia, organizzata dal Comune di Preci, in Umbria,dedicata al prodotto “principe” del territorio, il prosciutto I.G.P. di Norcia.
L’iniziativa – giunta quest’anno alla IX edizione - si svolgerà nell’ultimo week end di luglio,sabato 25 e domenica 26. Novità assoluta del 2009: la prima notte bianca del gusto,con musica e artisti di strada e degustazioni aperte fino alle 2.00 di notte. Accanto al prosciutto, si potranno inoltre degustare tutti i prodotti tipici locali, dalle norcinerie al farro di Monteleone, dalle lenticchie di Castelluccio I.G.P. al miele, dai formaggi alla trota, dallo zafferano ai biscotti, dai vini all’olio e ai tartufi. Anche quest’anno sarà presente all’interno della manifestazione una mostra-mercato di prodotti tipici ospitata nelle cantine del centro storico. Altro appuntamento clou della manifestazione è la Rievocazione degli antichi mestieri.
Nelle cantine sarà possibile vedere all’opera come un tempo il fabbro, il canestraio, il norcino e il sellaio e le lavorazioni di pane, maiale, formaggio, oltre all’ antichissima macinatura del grano.
Come di consueto Pane Prosciutto e Fantasia non dimentica i più piccoli. Con la fattoria dei bambini, un laboratorio all’aperto per cimentarsi nei mestieri di una volta. I bambini potranno “giocare” e imparare a fare il pane, le salsicce e la ricotta.
Nei due giorni della manifestazione sarà possibile ammirare la storica Abbazia di S. Eutizio e il Museo della Chirurgia di Preci (quest’ultimo sarà aperto anche durante la notte bianca del gusto).
Per ulteriori informazioni sul programma e sulle iniziative si può visitare il sito
www.paneprosciuttoefantasia.com

Just for fun! Are you thinking to reach Perugia by Ryan Air??

2009-07-18T19:26:00.002+02:00

Are you thinking to reach Perugia Airport from London by Ryan Air???

Watch the video before!!!

JUST FOR FUN! ENJOY THE VIDEO!!

CANTINE ALLA RIBALTA & CHEF ALLA RIBALTA 2009

2009-07-17T12:13:00.005+02:00

CANTINE ALLA RIBALTA & CHEF ALLA RIBALTA 2009

Le cantine dell’Umbria protagoniste per sei settimane sulla rupe di Orvieto. Ogni venerdi sera alle ore 20.30 incontro a cena con i protagonisti del vino e del cibo ed inoltre una selezione dei migliori prodotti dell’Associazione GUST’ARTE.

Dal 31 luglio al 4 settembre 2009

CENA SULLA TERRAZZA DEL PALAZZO DEL GUSTO
Ogni Venerdì sera alle ore 20.30 sulla TERRAZZA DEL CHIOSTRO SAN GIOVANNI

INCONTRO A CENA CON I PROTAGONISTI DEL VINO e con le eccellenze degli Chef orvietani. Tutte le cene sono con menù completo e servizio la tavolo con inizio alle ore 20.30 (€ 28,00 p.p.)

I vini sono presentati e serviti dai sommelier della F.I.S.A.R di ORVIETO

ORGANIZZAZIONE CURATA DA ITINERA tel.0763341818 / 0763393529 – 3479125494

PER PRENOTAZIONI B&B, AGRITURISMO, HOTEL A ORVIETO CONTATTACI: info@discoveringumbria.it
___________________________________________

PROGRAMMA

Venerdi 31 Luglio ORE 20.30

GRAND OUVERTURE CON UNIVERSITA’ DEI SAPORI di PERUGIA chef : Massimo Infarinati
L’Università dei Sapori nasce nel 2000 in Umbria, dove si incontrano arte, natura, spiritualità, cultura e tradizione enogastronomica. Caratterizzata da una dialettica costante e approfondita con il mondo imprenditoriale, si propone oggi come palestra gastronomica nella quale acquisire, al fianco di qualificati professionisti del settore, le tecniche di lavoro più coerenti con le prassi professionali. Formazione, dunque, ma anche promozione della cultura dell’alimentazione, valorizzazione delle produzioni tipiche e di qualità, per fornire al vasto pubblico degli addetti ai lavori e degli appassionati le giuste chiavi di interpretazione del pianeta food.

TERRE DE LA CUSTODIA - www.terredelacustodia.it/
Da queste terre dure e aspre nel cuore dell’Umbria tra il confine di Gualdo Cattaneo e Montefalco, dominate da grandi combattenti, condottieri e capitani di ventura come Braccio Baglioni e gli Oddi di Todi, che con l’esuberanza della spada hanno protetto il nettare di queste terre, la Famiglia Farchioni, rievocando le sue antiche origini di viticoltori e cantinieri già dal 1780, ha rifondato il vigneto e la cantina, l’azienda Agraria Terre De La Custodia. Qui i frati francescani e le clarisse di Montefalco proteggendone l’esistenza all’interno dei loro chiostri hanno permesso la miracolosa sopravvivenza di vitigni autoctoni del mondo. Ed è in queste terre che l’azienda agraria Terre De La Custodia ha ricreato questo antico mestiere di fare vino.

Menu’
Panzanella di pane umbro, lingua di chianina con salsa di cannellini al timo e fiore di zucca in tempura
GRECHETTO DEI COLLI MARTANI
Risotto al piccione e gelatina di Rosso di Montefalco
ROSSO MONTEFALCO
Lombo di Romagnola al Sagrantino e spezie dolci con patate dorate
SAGRANTINO DI MONTEFALCO – EXUBERA
Flan tiepido di Cioccolato fondente
Salsa Vaniglia Bourbon
Biscotto all’olio extravergine d’oliva

Venerdi 7 agosto ORE 20.30

Ristorante: AL SAN FRANCESCO – Orvieto (TR)
Gust’ Arte : NORCINERIA ORETO – Orvieto (TR)
Cantina: CANTINA NOVELLI – Montefalco (PG)

AL SAN FRANCESCO – ORVIETO
Nel cuore della città di Orvieto, a due passi dalla cattedrale, si celebra la cucina Tradizionale Italiana del Ristorante al San Francesco. L’ambiente è accogliente ed elegante, gli spazi sono versatili e permettono la realizzazione di una vasta gamma di eventi. Lo staff qualificato e professionale è pronto a soddisfare ogni richiesta della clientela. www.cramst.it

CANTINA NOVELLI - MONTEFALCO www.cantinanovelli.it
Un luogo sorprendente unico nel suo genere dove colori ed atmosfere si trasformano con il passare delle ore. Cantina Novelli vi aspetta x riscoprire insieme i piaceri della vita: Montefalco Sagrantino, Montefalco Rosso, Trebbiano Spoletino e le prime Bollicine da autoctono Umbro. Per info e visite guidate in abbinamento a produzioni tipiche locali 0039 3402165222 o cantina@grupponovelli.it

Menu’
Una selezione delle eccellenze della norcineria Oreto
BLANC DE BLANC 2007
Ravioli di zucchine e ricotta ai pomodorini pachino
TREBBIANO SPOLETINO 2008
Medaglione di maiale bardato ai quattro pepi
Verdure grigliate
MONTEFALCO SAGRANTINO 2005
Macedonia di frutta fresca con cialda e gelato
ROSE’ DE NOIR 2007

Venerdi 14 agosto ORE 20.30
Ristorante: ZEPPELIN – Orvieto (TR)
Gust’ Arte : NORCINERIA DAVID ROSSI – San Venanzo (TR)
FRANTOIO CECCI – Monterubiaglio TR

ZEPPELIN – ORVIETO
Il ristorante Zeppelin, nel cuore della Orvieto rinascimentale e affascinante, è un laboratorio di cucina senza tregua, dove si possono gustare piatti della tradizione umbra e della Tuscia.
Zeppelin è anche una scuola di cucina internazionale dove potete divertirvi a realizzare i piatti più gustosi a fianco di professionisti da tutto il mondo! www.ristorantezeppelin.it

TENUTA LAMBORGHINI – PANICALE (PG) - www.lamborghinionline.it
La tenuta Lamborghini si trova in Umbria, tra il versante sud del lago Trasimeno ed il bellissimo borgo di Panicale. Ci troviamo quindi al confine tra Umbria e Toscana; Cortona e la Val di Chiana distano solo poche decine di chilometri. La tenuta fu acquistata da Ferruccio Lamborghini nei primi anni 70 che, in viaggio in queste zone, si innamorò del paesaggio aspro e dolcissimo allo stesso tempo. Abbandonata la celebre attività automobilistica decise di ritornare alle proprie origini: l’agricoltura.
La superficie totale è di 100 ettari, suddivisi tra un campo da golf a 9 buche, un agriturismo, e la parte vinicola di 32 ettari vitati.
Inizialmente furono impiantate diverse varietà sia a bacca rossa che bianca; oltre al classico sangiovese ed al ciliegiolo si decise anche per varietà più insolite per quegli anni, quali merlot e cabernet sauvignon.

Menù
Tesori della norcineria del Peglia
Sfogliata con spinaci e salsiccia , con vellutata di pecorino e salsa di peperoni rossi
Gnocchi al pesto di basilico con coriandoli di pomodoro pendolino
TRESCONE 2005
Filetto di maiale ripieno di prugne e rosmarino, con caponata di peperoni, melanzane e zucchine, misticanza di campo
CAMPOLEONE 2004
Tortino di ricotta e mascarpone , con salsa di fichi

Venerdi 21 agosto ore 20.30

Ristorante: LA PENISOLA – Baschi (TR)
Gust’Arte : MACELLERIA MEZZOPRETE – Ficulle (TR)
AZ. AGRICOLA CASA PARRINA – Orvieto (TR)
Az. AGRICOLA VICENO – CASTELVISCARDO TR

LA PENISOLA – BASCHI
La Penisola, accogliente hotel e prestigioso ristorante, è a pochi minuti da Orvieto e Todi, sulle rive del Lago di Corbara. Il ristorante, immerso in un’atmosfera di quiete e relax è un ambiente sobriamente elegante, che soddisfa le esigenze di ognuno, con una grande sala, una saletta ed una suggestiva terrazza sul lago. Sulla tavola serviamo piatti speciali, in particolare pesce di lago e tartufo, preparati con ingredienti genuini ed abilità artigianale. Il luogo è perfetto per i banchetti ed in particolare per i vostri matrimoni, poiché, grazie alla sua affascinante atmosfera, riesce ad aggiungere sapore a questi momenti speciali. www.ristorantelapenisola.it

GRUPPO ITALIANO VINI – BIGI ORVIETO - www.gruppoitalianovini.com

L’Umbria, “Cuore verde d’Italia”, crocevia tra Nord e Sud, tra i mari Adriatico e Tirreno, è una terra dove il vino viene coltivato sin dall’epoca etrusca. Dire Orvieto significa parlare della splendida città murata, sorta su uno zoccolo di tufo per mano degli Etruschi e divenuta romana come Urbs Vetus (vecchia città), ma anche del prestigioso vino bianco umbro di cui la Bigi è da anni uno dei più prestigiosi produttori.

Menù :

Prosciutto al pepe rosa con spiedino di frutta e fichi
VIGNETO TORRICELLA ORVIETO CLASSICO 2008
Risotto alle vitabbie
STRAZZAVOLPE GRECHETTO UMBRIA IGT 2008
Tagliata di manzo con spicchio di belga arrostito
Pecorino con miele al tartufo
SARTIANO ROSSO IGT UMBRIA
Semifreddo all'aroma di miele nostrano con semi di papavero e cialdine croccanti
VINSANTO OCCHIO DI PERNICE 1995 MELINI

Venerdi 28 agosto ore 20.30

NORCINERIA, MACELLERIA E GASTRONOMIA LUCA SALOMONE – Orvieto (TR)
Gust’ Arte : COOPERATIVA ORVIETANA DI PANIFICAZIONE - Orvieto (TR)

LUCA SALOMONE
Nel negozio di Luca Salomone, a Ciconia, oltre alla carni di ottima qualità si può trovare un vastissimo assortimento della migliore gastronomia locale. La macelleria, gestita da Luca e dalla moglie Laura, è un eccellente punto di riferimento per coloro che cercano prodotti sani e naturali, carni certificate, gustosissime specialità tipiche e piatti già pronti per essere immediatamente consumati, con un rapporto qualità prezzo che è quanto di meglio si possa trovare. ww.lucasalomonemacelleria.it

ARGILLAE - www.argillae.eu
Argillae, ovvero lo spirito della materia, nasce dalla passione radicata nel tempo di famiglie (Bonollo, Di Cosimo, Ascenzi) che, partendo dall’amore per la terra e per i suoi frutti, hanno dato vita ad un progetto che, facendo tesoro del passato, vuole proiettarsi nel futuro.La filosofia aziendale si concretizza nella scelta del nome “Argillae”, nella consapevolezza che, per produrre un vino ed un olio pregiato, occorre partire dalla scelta di un territorio vocato e non a caso. Questo è stato individuato, dopo lunghe ricerche, in un sito unico, collocato nell’orvietano che, per struttura ed esposizione, si è mostrato particolarmente atto a produzioni di grande pregio Passione e competenza, tradizione e tecnica, amore per il territorio, riecheggiano nei prodotti aziendali, vino ed olio di eccellente qualità, autentici ambasciatori dell’Umbria.

Menù:

Gran tagliere dei salumi orvietani e crostini della festa
ORVIETO DOC 2008
Sfogliatina di pasta fresca con radicchio rosso e salsiccia
PANATA UMBRIA IGT 2008
Arrostino di sottopancia di vitello agli aromi
Fantasia al forno degli orti orvietani
SINUOSO UMBRIA IGT 2007
Farfalline di pasta frolla con composta di frutta e con cioccolato, pappole , tozzetti e ciambelline al vino
CONSENSO- GRAPPA RISERVA BONOLLO

Venerdi 4 settembre ORE 20.30

Ristorante: LE GROTTE DEL FUNARO - Orvieto (TR)
Gust’Arte : SALUMIFICIO SCIANCA – Montecchio (TR)
FORNO LA DOLCE VITA – Orvieto (TR)

LE GROTTE DEL FUNARO – ORVIETO
Piatti che coniugano creatività e tradizione, prodotti di qualità, vini eccellenti, pizza in forno a legna.
L’ambiente, un dedalo di grotte affacciate sul ciglio della rupe, è suggestivo e stimolante per i sensi e per il palato. www.grottedelfunaro.it

CANTINA DI FILIPPO - www.vinidifilippo.com
La cosa più importante per la produzione dei nostri vini è la coltivazione ottimale dei nostri vigneti, che ci permette di ottenere uve di qualità, senza le quali è impossibile fare dei buoni vini. Le condizioni che noi riteniamo importanti nella produzione di uve di qualità sono le seguenti: la bassa produzione ad ettaro: i nostri vigneti producono mediamente 8000 kg di uva ad ettaro,la coltivazione con metodi naturali che oltre a dare produzioni più basse, da anche uve (e quindi vini) privi DI anticrittogamici, diserbanti o altri composti dannosi alla salute. Tutti i nostri vigneti sono coltivati con metodo biologico certificato,la perfetta conoscenza dei nostri vigneti che ci permette di selezionare le uve più idonee ai nostri vini. Le determinazione della giusta maturazione dell'uva, in modo da raccoglierla nel miglior momento per dare un buon vino. La raccolta manuale delle uve, che ci permette di conservarne meglio l'integrità fino alla lavorazione.

Menu’:

Gran banco della norcineria gaudiosa
Stracci di pasta all’uovo con lardo di colonnata e zucchine con scaglie di pecorino umbro
GRECHETTO DOC COLLI MARTANI 2008
Costatelle di agnello con sformatino di verdure
SALLUSTIO –ROSSO MONTEFALCO 2006
Torta desiderio con pasta frolla fragole, pan di spagna e crema di limone
VERNACCIA DI CANNARA IGT 2008

AMMESSI AL PREMIO "TURISMO RESPONSABILE"

2009-07-14T18:22:00.002+02:00

La nostra proposta Weekend "DIDATTICA DEL VINO" sviluppata in collaborazione con la delegazione FISAR di Orvieto è stata ammessa a partecipare alla I°Edizione del Premio "Turismo Responsabile Italiano", promosso da L’Agenzia di Viaggi, da 44 anni il più importante giornale professionale per il turismo in Italia.

Il giornale arriva in abbonamento postale a 9.800 agenzie di viaggi e all’intera industria turistica, con una circolazione complessiva di 13.000 copie Italia: Nord 51%, Centro 26,7%, Sud 13%, isole 9,3%. Indice di lettura: 3 persone per copia.

Il Premio "Turismo Responsabile Italiano" si basa sui criteri di qualità dettati dall' UNWTO (Organizzazione Mondiale del Turismo:

"Le risorse ambientali devono essere protette; le comunità locali devono beneficiare di questo tipo di turismo, sia in termini di reddito sia in termini di qualità della vita; i visitatori devono vivere un'esperienza di qualita".

Il Premio TRI è stato sviluppato da L'Agenzia di Viaggi con il patrocinio dell'ENIT, di UFTAA e FIAVET.
La cerimonia di premiazione si svolgerà a Milano in BIT il prossimo Febbraio 2010.

Clikka sull'immagine per ingrandire l'articolo:

“UMBRIAESTATE” 24 LUGLIO- 8 AGOSTO

2009-07-07T11:21:00.003+02:00

ACCADEMIA MUSICALE INTERNAZIONALE PRESENTA LA XVIII EDIZIONE DI “UMBRIAESTATE”
24 LUGLIO-8 AGOSTO ASSISI

L’Accademia Musicale Internazionale (già nota come Umbra) è un’associazione culturale senza scopo di lucro, fondata dal maestro Piero Vincenti nel 1990 a Perugia con l'intento primario di promuovere, con particolare attenzione ai giovani, il linguaggio musicale favorendo un'attività didattico-concertistica che li veda protagonisti direttamente sia in veste di allievi-esecutori sia in veste di ascoltatori.
Le attività promosse dall’Accademia spaziano dai corsi internazionali annuali e triennali di alto Perfezionamento, rivolti principalmente a musicisti diplomati presso il conservatorio o un istituto musicale pareggiato, al concorso nazionale per clarinetto (2009: VIII edizione dall’11 al 13 settembre.), al concorso internazionale di pianoforte, (2009: IV edizione dal 9 all’11 ottobre), la prima edizione internazionale del concorso di musica da camera (8-9 ottobre), al meeting del clarinetto, al Tirana Music festival, a “Aperitivo in musica” (serie di concerti di musica classica, jazz, ed altro che si tengono annualmente da dicembre ad aprile) e UMBRIAESTATE.
La kermesse musicale in svolgimento ad Assisi dal 24 luglio all’8 agosto 2009 vedrà la presenza di grandi nomi internazionali e italiani che di giorno, nella veste d’insegnanti, aiuteranno gli iscritti alle masterclasses a perfezionare la propria tecnica in diverse “specialità” (pianoforte, musica da camera, violino etc) e di sera daranno vita a serate di grande musica.
Anche quest’anno le masterclasses hanno un afflato internazionale: non solo numerosi docenti ma anche molti dei circa 150 iscritti provengono oltre che dall’Italia dall’estero (Albania, Cina, Giappone, Gran Bretagna, Francia, Stati Uniti, Messico, Germania, Polonia). Inoltre, per dare l’opportunità ai numerosi partecipanti di ricevere un insegnamento adeguato, sono stati predisposti due cicli: il primo dal 24 al 31 luglio e il secondo dall’1 all’8 agosto. I corsi si tengono presso il Convitto Nazionale d’Assisi e sono rivolti a giovani musicisti che desiderano perfezionarsi sotto la guida di grandi maestri. Ai partecipanti alle masterclasses, al termine del corso, è data anche la possibilità di esibirsi in concerto: e infatti molti dei 17 concerti previsti vedranno proprio i giovani musicisti salire sul palco per esibirsi.