Dear Friends,

Couples often call with a classic dilemma - She wants to see everything; he wants to relax. Where should they go? The marvelous rural area north of Rome, featured in this newsletter, is the perfect choice. It amazes me how close to Rome this ancient countryside begins. People in the know cherish Northern Lazio and Southern Umbria for its exquisite beauty, central location, art, and archaeological treasures. Good highways cross the region, and so does the main train line between Rome and Florence, making it easy to find excitement in Rome or relax in a timeless landscape of windswept canyons and rolling hills, dotted with castles and medieval hill towns.

The area is known for its Etruscan sites, Roman spas, and marvelous cities - Orvieto, Todi, Viterbo, and Spoleto - and world-class gardens such as Villa Lante, Villa Farnese, and Tivoli. To read more about what to see and do in the region, see our Daytrip Ideas for Northern Lazio, Rome, and Umbria.

Then there's the food. The cuisines of Lazio and Umbria change with the seasons, feeding the soul as well as the body. (See What's for Dinner? to learn more about regional specialties.) The olive oil produced here is arguably the best in Italy. Enjoy fresh fish at the restaurants on Lake Bolsena, or visit Orvieto's Antico Trattoria dell'Orso, where regulars come from as far as Rome for the faro soup. At Villa Vallerosa, a working farm in the Sabina Hills, guests can sample everything from wine and olive oil to fresh vegetables and prosciutto, all produced on the estate. There are Michelin-starred restaurants throughout the region in places like Viterbo, Todi, Orvieto, Rieti, and Tuscania.

Everything is fresh and natural - the food, the air, and the people. Where else can you window shop on Rome's chic Via Condotti in the morning, then relax by your pool in the afternoon? You may even stop to watch a farmer and his donkey cross the road on the way. To explore and experience a new culture, and at the same time, to rest - isn't this is exactly what a vacation should be?

Ciao,
Kit

P.S. - The header photo is a view of Gelsomino and Todi.