Umbria villa holidays,
your questions answered

Most travelers fly into Rome Fiumicino (FCO) or Florence (FLR). Our villas around Umbertide, in northern Umbria, are about 2 hours 30 minutes from Rome and about 2 hours from Florence. Perugia's small airport (PEG) is closer but has few flights.

Orvieto, in southern Umbria, is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Rome by train or car. Assisi and Perugia are about 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes by car.

No. Umbria is its own region, next to Tuscany on its eastern side. It is the only region in central Italy without a coastline, which is why it is called the "green heart of Italy". Cortona, in Tuscany, is about 45 minutes from our villas near Umbertide, so it is easy to see both.

Yes. Trains link Perugia, Assisi, Spello, Foligno, Spoleto and Orvieto, but villas are in the countryside and the hill towns are best reached by car. Park below the old centres: Perugia has escalators and a mini-metro up to the town, and Orvieto has a funicular. US drivers need an International Driving Permit with their license.

Our Umbria villas run from €3,250 a week (Villa Sogno Casetta, sleeps 4) to €28,000 a week (Villa Castiglione near Umbertide, sleeps 20). Villa Sogno Farmhouse sleeps 12 from €7,700, and Villa Caminata sleeps 12 from €14,000.

Usually, yes; villas of the same quality often cost about 30% less than in Tuscany. Villa Sogno Farmhouse sleeps 12 from €7,700 a week, about €90 per person per night with a pool.

Northern Umbria, around Umbertide, puts Perugia, Gubbio, Assisi and Cortona within an hour; most of our villas are there. Central Umbria (Assisi, Spello, Montefalco) is wine country. Southern Umbria (Todi, Orvieto) is closest to Rome, and our villas at Massa Martana and Guardea are there. See all Umbria villas.

Umbria is quieter, greener and less expensive, with medieval towns that see far fewer tour buses. Tuscany has the bigger names: Florence, Siena and Chianti. If it is your first trip and you want the famous sights, choose Tuscany; for a slower week, choose Umbria.

May, June, September and October. Mid-June to early July brings the lentil fields of Castelluccio into bloom. Autumn is the grape harvest and truffle season. August inland is hot and quiet.

Umbria has truffles almost all year. The black summer truffle is found in summer, the white truffle peaks in November, and the prized black truffle of Norcia runs through the winter. November is the month for truffle hunts and truffle dinners.

Umbria Jazz takes over Perugia for about ten days every July, with a winter edition in Orvieto around New Year. Book a villa early if your dates overlap.

A week from one villa is enough for Assisi, Perugia, Gubbio, Orvieto or Todi, a winery or two, and slow days by the pool.

Umbria is known for Assisi and St. Francis, medieval hill towns such as Perugia, Gubbio, Spoleto, Orvieto and Todi, black and white truffles, Sagrantino di Montefalco wine, Norcia's cured meats and Perugia's chocolate.

Assisi, Perugia, Spoleto, Orvieto, Todi, Gubbio, Bevagna, Spello and Montefalco.

See the Marmore Falls, take the ferry to the islands on Lake Trasimeno, ride the open cable car up the mountain at Gubbio, and go on a truffle hunt with a dog. A villa with a pool, such as Villa Caminata, fills the hot afternoons.

Yes. Umbria is one of the quietest and safest regions of Italy, with little crime in the towns or the countryside.