We wish you a very warm welcome to Villa Gioianna, a ridiculously beautiful Villa overlooking Lake Trasimeno and located right in the middle of the most wonderful area for fabulous food, gorgeous wines, culture, outdoor sports and art. Umbria has been named Foodie Destination of 2023 by Lonely Planet and we deserve the accolade! Villa Gioianna is a country estate composed of an historic villa with three floors plus a magnificent cantina with billiard table and bar, gardens, olive grove, fruit orchard and woods sitting upon a hill above Lake Trasimeno, where it commands a superb view of Tuscany, Umbria and the Lake. Food, Glorious Food ! You are spoiled for choice of a number of wonderful restaurants, trattorie and cafes nearby. We can recommend one of several excellent cooks, each of whom loves to spoil guests with delicious, homemade meals using our produce and other locally sourced ingredients. From a traditional nonna to an enthusiastic "New Italy" cook to Michelin-star chefs, we will find the right culinary fit for you. Combine a meal with a cooking, pizza or pasta lesson from a vivacious Italian Mama. Get close to the land and learn to forage, hunt truffles or pick olives and taste the fresh oil right after pressing. Food festivals abound. Or, if you prefer, go completely luxe with a gourmet tasting menu with accompanying wines. A world-class winery is minutes away, many more within a half hour drive. -Start your stay on any day except Saturday -Kindly furnish details of your group (size, # rooms needed) -More photos, information available - The price you pay on this site includes a mark-up to cover the fees charged by vrbo REVIEWS: We have been on vrbo since 2007, renting since 2005. Recent reviews include the following: Janice, Stayed November 2022 “This is a gorgeous villa , we loved our stay in Umbria. The local scenery is spectacular, location excellent . So much to see and do in this part of Italy. The villa itself if filled with beautiful antiques and very comfortable. I am already missing my bed at the villa, it was so comfortable. The host will give you unlimited information about the are too! I would highly recommend a stay!! The villa is rented out most of the year, so it may not be available when you want it. ” Sue, Stayed July 2022 “Anna was a most attentive and helpful host throughout our 14 day stay. Thirteen of us from four generations of the same family - aged 2 to 75 - had a fabulous stay at Villa Gioianna - the well-maintained pool was big enough to accommodate all of us, and our noisy children loved having the run of the extensive estate, in complete safety and privacy. We had two wonderful cooks who prepared and served us our delicious suppers, and one of whom - Nonna - gave the children a memorable treat in the form of a hands-on lesson on how to make fresh ravioli. There are wonderful visits to be had locally in beautiful, unspoilt Umbria - but the best times were spent relaxing in and around this beautiful property. Thank you, Anna, for arranging everything so perfectly for us.” Marion, Stayed September 2021 “We stayed at the villa for two weeks. It felt like a dream come true! The villa, the location, the grounds, the pool... We felt so relaxed and comfortable - living the dream! The location of the villa is perfect for short trips to local towns and villages or for longer trips further afield. One of favourite trips was to the winery right next door for a tasting and to stock up on wine. Anna was a joy to communicate with - full of friendly guidance and good tips. We hope to be back.” Marie, Stayed July 2021 “We had an AMAZING family holiday in Anna's lovely house. All our dreams were realised in this stunning environment full of vineyards, olive trees and sunflowers. Mario and Andrea were very kind and helpful during our 2 weeks stay and Anna has been a great host with excellent communication. She's a very talented writer and gave us all info we needed and great tips to make the max out of our visit: Grazie mille per tutti Anna!” OVERVIEW: The Villa was constructed in 1918 but experts have dated its origins much older. The 'padrone', or wealthy landowner, of the surrounding farms built it as his showcase residence and he and his descendants resided here until the 1970s. In the early 21st century, the Villa was renovated and updated, but with respect for the original architecture, spirit and history of the house so that it retains the warmth and ambiance of an Italian family country home. This is NOT a house specifically built, decorated or run as a commercial tourist venture with no heart or soul. This is a traditional, real, elegant Italian country villa where the elite of Rome and Florence would take their holidays. It is full of history and memories and lovingly decorated and maintained to reflect the character of the owner and to delight our guests. The Villa now has, among other changes, modern mechanical systems and a well - a boring mechanical fact, you may think, until you're here in the summer, the municipality rations water to a trickle a few hours a day, but the Villa's showers continue happily at full pressure. Terracotta and hand-painted tile floors, whitewashed walls, walnut doors and wood-beamed brick ceilings form a simple background for the carefully detailed interior furnished with splendid antiques, sumptuous textiles, supremely comfortable beds and gorgeous lamps dressed with lampshades designed by the owner and made with vintage and antique fabrics. Each bedroom is air-conditioned. You arrive at the Villa via an avenue of cypresses and lime trees, passing through a mature park of 4.5 acres of woods, vineyards, olive groves, fruit trees and flower gardens. The Villa is a small working estate that produces olive oil, fruit, vegetables, wonderfully fragrant roses, flowers and herbs. We garden sustainably and recycle or compost virtually all of the waste produced by the Villa. OLIVE OIL: Our olive oil is our pride and joy. In late October/early November we harvest the olives by hand in the traditional method of 'stroking' the tree, then quickly press them at our local mill. We pick the olives before they are fully ripe in order to maximize the flavor, aroma, and peppery taste of our oil. Olive oil from our region - the border of Tuscany and Umbria - is highly prized for these qualities and has been given its own special regional designation. Guests are welcome to join in the olive harvest. NEAREST TOWN: The medieval town of Castiglione del Lago is the nearest market town (6 km), sitting high on an olive tree-covered promontory jutting into the west side of the lake. The town's magnificent medieval castle and palace dominate one end of the old town, the 19th century church of Santa Maria Magdalena the other. In between are a number of small shops, restaurants, cafés, bars and bakeries and, on Wednesdays, an outdoor food, crafts, clothing and sundries market. Below the town are public beaches that are a great place to meet locals. The beaches offer paddle and rowboats, a pizzeria, gelato, pick-up volleyball and soccer, tennis courts, cafes and a disco. Or, simply float on your back in the lake, gazing back at the ancient town up above on the hill. For touring, Castiglione del Lago provides easy access to the superstrada linking Perugia and eastern Umbria to Siena, Chianti and western Tuscany, and is the embarkation point for ferries servicing the lake islands. The new town has all the conveniences and services of a thriving town. LOCATION: A few kilometers away is Chiusi, whose old town is worth a visit for its Etruscan museum and good restaurants. The new town has excellent transportation links, with high-speed train connections to all destinations on the Naples-Milan high-speed train line, including Rome, Florence and Orvieto, and convenient access to the A-1 Autostrada. Within an hour's drive of the Villa are many historic Umbrian and Tuscan hill towns such as Assisi, Arezzo, Cortona, Montepulciano, Orvieto, Pienza, Perugia, Deruta, Spello and Montalcino, as well as other less well-known, but perhaps more charming, smaller villages. Many of central Italy's other leading historical and cultural centers (Rome, Florence, Todi, Siena, Spoleto, Gubbio and Urbino) can be reached in less than two hours. AIRPORTS: The nearest airports are Rome, Pisa and Florence. Each is about a 1.5 to 2-hour drive away. Bologna is a bit farther, approximately 2.5 hours. Perugia airport is the closest (approx 40 minutes). MODERN CONVENIENCES *Wi-Fi internet *Laundry Room with Washer, Dryer, Iron and Ironing Board *Transformers for North American plugs ENTERTAINMENT *Stereo *Grand piano *DVD player and hundreds of DVDs CREATURE COMFORTS *High quality linens *All cotton comforters made from traditional Umbrian and Tuscan textiles, feather down duvets and choice of feather or hypoallergenic pillows *Sumptuous ensuite bathrooms SUITABILITY *Groups of friends, tour groups *Yoga, Mindfulness, Pilates retreats *Anniversaries, Family Reunions, Birthday Celebrations *Business events, seminars, training sessions *Weddings *Photo-shoots *Film locations INCLUDED *Exclusive use of the Villa, grounds and pool *All linens and towels, including pool towels *Daily pool cleaning UPON REQUEST We would be happy to recommend and arrange other services such as: *Home-cooked and first-class chef-cooked meals *Cooking lessons *Breakfast *Refrigerator filled prior to arrival *Yoga lessons *Tours, drivers, airport transfers *Wine tasting tours *Horseback riding or biking tours *Many, many wonderful things to see and do in our area ! GREEN CREDENTIALS We aim to be as 'green' as possible. We *Recycle 100% of plastic, paper products and glass/metal, encourage our guests to do so as well, providing facilities so that it is not difficult to achieve this. *Compost all vegetable matter and food scraps. *Severely limit the use of chemicals in the gardens. *Garden sustainably.