 Dear
Friends:
A villa is perfect for multigenerational travel, and we've noticed
an increase in the number of families and friends traveling together
to celebrate special occasions. This year the Warshaws, of Southern
California, rented a villa high up above Lucca for a month and invited
different sets of family members and friends to join them, each for
a week (see them all dining together in the photo on the left). K.
Staley of Berwyn, PA, returned with her group of reuniting alumnae
of Mt. Holyoke College, who have been traveling together for some
50 years, to a villa with views over Lucca and the mountains. The
Fabrizzios of Hockessin, Delaware, rented the main farmhouse at Villa
Grazia near Cortona last year for their three-generational family,
including infants, and were invited to a big garden party given by
their villa owners. Being welcomed and incorporated into this Italian
family's celebration was a wonderful
experience, one that you can not get in a hotel or on a tour. The
Fabrizzios can not wait to return in 2005!
Living
in a villa offers a unique opportunity to settle in and make yourself
at home in a foreign culture. It allows for each age group's different
needs and varied styles but doesn't mean you have to spend every minute
together. Parents can relax by the pool with the kids while grandparents
visit a museum; grandparents can spend time with the grandchildren
while their parents go off for a romantic dinner.
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TOP
TEN REASONS TO VISIT LUCCA
1.
ARCHITECTURE:
You'll find Romanesque cathedrals, medieval
and Renaissance architecture, and some of Tuscany's most beautifully
conserved villas and splendid gardens.
2.
NATURE:
Lucca is a city for strolling and bicycling. The sandy beaches
of the Versilian Riviera are less than 30 minutes away. The hiking
paradise of the Cinqueterre is an hour away, and the mountains
of the Garfagnana are just to the north. You can enjoy all
that nature has to offer when you are staying at the beautiful
Casa
Versilia.
3.
MUSIC:
Lucca's most celebrated citizen is Giacomo Puccini. Visit the
Puccini Museum in Lucca, or, if you visit in July or August, attend
the annual Puccini Festival in nearby Torre del Lago.
Lucca also hosts a rock festival each summer. Many other concerts
and operas are scheduled throughout the year.
4. FESTIVALS
AND SPECIAL EVENTS:
In July, there is a medieval parade and horse race, as well as
the annual Puccini Festival. September is the time for Murabilia,
the Walls in Flower Garden Show.
5.
SHOPPING:
Lucca hosts a marvelous antiques market on the third weekend of
every month, with everything from furniture to ceramics and handmade
lace. There is a craft market the last weekend of every month,
as well as a clothes market (great for cashmere) every Wednesday.
For antique lovers, Villa
Luisa offers many hidden treasures.
6. MARBLE:
The town of Cararra, north of Lucca, is famous for its lustrous
white marble, prized by Michelangelo, but you can buy items in
all colors of marble to bring home as gifts or keepsakes. Il
Fioraio has marble countertops and is owned by a sculptor.
7. OLIVE
OIL: Lucca is renowned for its extra virgin olive oil,
which can be used in countless ways and drizzled on everything
from antipasti to desserts. You can learn to cook with olive
oil at Saporta cooking school, or participate in the harvest during
a special olive oil week at Villa
del Barbaro in Tuscany (see below).
8.
WINE:
Lucca has excellent DOC wines, like Rosso delle Colline Lucchesi
and Montecarlo.
9. PORCINI
MUSHROOMS: Renowned for its meaty texture and woodsy
flavor, the porcini is Tuscany's most prized mushroom and is a
local delicacy in Lucca.
10.
FAMILIES
WITH CHILDREN will find a wealth of activities for
children in and around Lucca. Read
about the activities you can plan with your children.
Do
you have Italian roots? You can find out more on the generations
website: gens.labo.net
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Fun and Easy Recipe for
Porcini Risotto
1/4
cup dried porcini mushrooms
3-4 cups warm vegetable stock
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp extra virgin olive
or truffle-flavored oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 sprigs fresh thyme,
leaves chopped to about 2 T.
Rinse the
mushrooms in cold water, drain, and add to warm vegetable stock
to soften. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium
heat and sauté the shallot until soft. Add the rice and stir.
Add mushrooms, cut into smaller pieces if necessary. Reduce heat
to medium-low. Add the stock, one ladleful at a time, as you stir
the rice. As the rice absorbs the liquid, add more. After 15 minutes,
test the rice for doneness. When the rice is tender (but not mushy),
remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, add truffle-flavored
oil or olive oil, grated Parmesan, and fresh thyme.
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THE PUCCINI
OPERA FESTIVAL
Every July and August
40,000 opera fans gather to celebrate the music of Lucca's most
famous citizen, Giacomo Puccini, the great Italian composer
who gave us such classics as La Boheme, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly.
The festival is staged in nearby Torre del Lago, on the Tuscan
Riviera, near the villa where the composer lived, worked, and
is buried. An open-air theater on the lake is an idyllic setting
for listening to performances of his works. For more information,
visit the festival website at www.puccinifestival.it
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Let
us know what you're looking for and we will help you select
the setting perfect for your family vacation.
 Looking
for a magnificent villa with a lily pond, pool
and a staff?
Villa
dei Leoni offers grace, elegance, and the convenience
of flexibility. The villa can be booked as a whole, or
some of the rooms can be closed off for smaller groups.
Each of its six lovely bedrooms has its own en-suite bathroom.
 Who
hasn't dreamed of living in a castle?
Villa
Castello,
north of Rome, lets you live royally while exploring the
wonders of Lazio and Umbria. The villa sleeps ten with a
pool, tennis court and air-conditioned bedrooms. Three independent
apartments and six suites can be rented together with the
noble floor to accommodate additional guests, sleeping a
total of about 48.
Imagine
watching the sun sink into the sea. Enjoy spectacular
sea views from the sun terraces of The
Rocks and La Roccia in Positano, which can be rented
separately, or together to sleep 11.
 Affordable
Farmhouse Accommodations
Casanova
is located halfway between Siena and Florence in the beautiful
Chianti hills. This authentic wine-producing estate is an
ideal base from which to explore Tuscany, or just to relax
and enjoy the view from the beautiful "infinity" swimming
pool.
 Podere
Belcaro, a farm estate near Siena, is a great spot for
large family groups to experience a typical Tuscan farmhouse.
Perfect for groups with young adults since it is within
walking distance of a village.
Villa
Grazia is a gracious farmhouse in southeastern Tuscany,
near Cortona. The grounds boast a large swimming pool and
extensive gardens, as well as grape vines and olive trees.
The farmhouse may be rented as a whole or divided into two
large apartments, plus a separate cottage makes this a great
location for up to 20 people.
 Perfect
for summer sojourns! Enjoy the ambience of a
rustic farmhouse with the comfort and convenience of air
conditioning.
Villa
Santa Fina,
an architectural gem, is a lovely tower with views of the
unique skyline of San Gimignano. The
surrounding 30 acres include a terraced garden with a pool
and a pergola for dining outdoors.
 Podere
San Francesco, located near Cetona in southeastern Tuscany,
is best suited for groups of adults or families with older
children. This 18th century farmhouse is air-conditioned,
furnished beautifully, and has a lovely pool. The spectacular
kitchen, furnished garden terrace, and outdoor kitchen with
barbecue and pizza oven are perfect for al fresco dining.
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 Looking
for a villa in the south of France? Domaine
Amen, located
near Avignon, was originally built as a convent and is now
renovated to reflect the taste and style of its owner, a
renowned painter. Relax in the pool or admire the panoramic
views from the villa's north wall, made entirely of glass.
The beautiful grounds include fruit trees and rose gardens
and are spotlighted in the evening. Domaine Amen is near
a village and is perfect for a group of up to 14 adults,
but is not recommended for children.
The
Old
Grist Mill is our only villa with a trampoline! This
child-friendly property is twelve acres of peace and quiet
in the heart of Provence, just a few minutes walk from the
ancient, rural village of Noves. The machinery of the original
mill is still intact, but the miller's house and the old
mill have been converted into spacious and comfortably furnished
apartments and houses, allowing flexibility in accommodating
groups of various sizes. There is plenty of outdoor space
for children to play, as well as a swimming pool, ping-pong,
and fishing on site.
 …or
in Spain? Can
Cunill is a 16th-century farmhouse in Selva, an area
known for its contrast between the sea and the mountains.
Can Cunill accommodates up to 25 people but also comfortably
accommodates smaller groups as the rooms can be made up
in various configurations. Barcelona is less than one hour
by rail from a nearby station and the city of Girona is
about 15 minutes. Enjoy the attractions of Catalonia by
day, and return to your lovely farmhouse for a quiet evening
by the pool, or relax in one of several living rooms, most
with fireplaces.
 La
Cabana, set in a peaceful field next to a farm in Catalonia,
is well situated for enjoying the Spanish countryside and
visiting the larger cities and historical sites of the area.
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"We
loved Soggiorno.
We have decided that a villa is the only way to go and would probably
not stay in hotels again. The location was perfect. Easy to get
to Lucca and everywhere else. My sister asked me to stand in a certain
spot in the swimming pool. She then instructed me to raise my arms
up in the air, as if reaching the sky. Then she said to start to
turn around slowly and she proceeded to sing --- 'The hills are
alive...' Goodness, it was beautiful. I keep asking my daughter
if she can close her eyes and remember the view. It was spectacular."
-R.
Locke, Dallas, TX
Ballooning in Tuscany
If
you want to enjoy the magic of flight and experience incredible
serenity and a bird's eye view of Tuscany, there's nothing quite
like a hot air balloon ride over the Chianti hills. Your pilot will
guide the journey and then host a champagne breakfast when you land.
Sometimes getting there can be ALL the fun.
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LANGUAGE
CLASSES FOR TRAVELERS
Doorways
is offering Italian and Spanish language classes for clients in
the Philadelphia metropolitan area. It is easy and fun, and you
will even learn how to order your favorite dessert — "gelato"
— and to thank them — "grazie" — for bringing
it to your table! You can send an email to info@doorwaysltd.com
to get more information or click
here.
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