Traviata - don't worry about the trip report! I didn't mean to ask for one of those really exhaustive, long reports (interesting, but quite a lot of work!). Just a few lines, e.g. on this thread, how you've liked Umbrian wine and food, would do it, too, of course... I'm just curious to learn how you'll judge Villa Roncalli and other places.
As far as Vecchia Mantova, I don't think reservations are absolutely indispensable, but here we go with their telephone number: +39-0376-329720; closed on Tuesday evenings and on Wednesdays.

franco,

You may get a double message...my first disappeared!

Yes, of course I will share...I would likely not have discovered half of these places without your generosity and that of other Fodorites. Thank you for the phone number...I am thrilled to discover it will be opened on Monday evening.....we only have one day in Mantova, so our timing is good!!

Ciao Franco: Grazie per tua riposta. Non mai visto Montefalco...forse la prossima volta vado in Umbria posso andare li. Adesso, ho quasi 20 piatti italiani (sul i muri) nella mia cucina! E' stupendo! Di dove sei in italia (sud o nord)?

franco, Great information with honesty! Do you have phone number for Villa Roncalli. What can you tell me about Vecchia Mantova location, costs etc. Can you suggest a book for travel resource. We will be staying at Villa Podere Miri in Alberoro for 2 weeks 1st of July. Want to explore local area food/wine/oil vineyards and festivals. Florence one day and 2 nights in Venice at Hotel Ai Mori d'Oriente. I know 2 nights are not enough, but we shall take little bites and sips of 'HER' nectar! Graize!

bypusa, Villa Roncalli's telephone number is +39-0742-391091, closed Mondays, normally open for dinner only, just on Sundays also for lunch.
Vecchia Mantova has nothing to do with Umbria - this was a sidenote of Traviata, following a chat we had on a different thread much earlier (the Vecchia Mantova is a venerable restaurant, but it's actually in Mantova, i.e. in Lombardy, hundreds of miles from Umbria).
Two weeks is a nice time span to discover part of Tuscany and part of Umbria, wisely chosen! You'll notice differences and similarities as well between the two regions, I wonder which you'll like better.
As far as books on Umbria, I'm afraid I can't help much; personally, knowing the region for quite many years, I don't need a guidebook anymore, so I can't recommend anything recent. My own Umbria guidebook is 16 years old, so it's not quite up-to-date (Villa Roncalli, for example, didn't exist at the time). Apart from that, it's still excellent, but only if you happen to read German (I can use guidebooks in four languages, which makes the - mostly depressing - choice somewhat easier): Christoph Hennig, Umbrien. Ein Landschafts- und Erlebnisführer, Oase Verlag. Antiquarian copies are available at www.eurobuch.com
On Venice, I have compiled three "favourite" threads - see above. Enjoy them both, Umbria and Venice!

As some of you may have noticed, I'm back on Fodor's - but since these "favourite" threads have proved quite practicable, I invite everybody to continue posting questions here related to the subject of this thread.

Btw, Traviata, are you back? How did you like Umbria?

franco,

Yes...I am back!! But, just barely, 48 hours...still unpacking....just to tease you, let's see....we visited Osteria Vecchia Montova, Villa Roncalli, Bea, Ruggieri, etc. etc. etc...your suggestions were wonderful..I can't stop thinking about it all and want to return tomorrow...

Traviata, welcome back; I'm glad to hear you've enjoyed it, and as soon as you've unpacked, you'll perhaps tell a little more?

franco,

I am trying to think how to encapsulate five weeks into a trip report....it may take a bit of time, but I am wondering if your other web address is still active??? There are some details you might enjoy..

Yes, it's still active. I appreciate this thought... thank you for keeping some of the secrets of Umbria secret!

Franco;

Thank you for your generous sharing of your love of Umbria ...this is a great thread. We are planning a 2 week visit to Tuscany and Umbria this July. We enjoy a home base (such as an apartment in a rural home or farm) and AM and Evening trips into villages. We really love the quiet and quaint. We are photographers and love the early and late light for shooting. Anyway, any suggestions for a particular area inUmbria as a home base for exploration? We are looking forward to forming our own opinion about the Umbrian truffle. Thanks

Well, sd (difficult screenname, sorry for shortening it), as far as location in convenient distance to everything, the Foligno/Bevagna/Spello/Montefalco area is no doubt perfect; or the region between Todi and Spoleto, as well; or Perugia, but you don't seem to prefer staying in a city. As a photographer, however, I'd absolutely want to spend a few days in the Piano Grande/Castelluccio region, not instead, but in addition to the "civilized" center of Umbria. I can hardly imagine a more picturesque landscape not only in Umbria, but anywhere in Europe. As far as photo opportunities, you might also want to explore the Valnerina with some brightly restored and some totally ruined and abandoned villages (following an earthquake 25 or 30 years ago) - located between Spoleto and Norcia. Have fun!

Ummm . . Umbria. Wild Boar. Sagrantino di Montefalco. Hill towns. Poppy fields.

One place that is seldom mentioned is the ruins of Carsulae. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carsulae Well worth a visit.

Ian

Franco,
My husband and I spent a day and a night one May in Castelluccio with dinner at Taverna Castelluccio. It was one of the most beautiful places we've been - a nearly abandoned stone town on a hill, rising from a high elevation plain.

By night a raging storm settled in and we spent the evening talking to the owner of the Taverna. Reading your post brings back rich memories.

bringing to the top

I know his post is old, but I concur with Ian on Carsulae. We went there in March of last year and it was a really fascinating place. There was literally no one else there, with the exception of a small busload of children on a fieldtrip that were leaving as we arrived. There are plenty of ruins to view, including an ampitheatre and a church. Carsulae is a must for anyone who enjoys history or ruins.

Tracy

First, Franco, thanks for the link to nessundorma's photos of the Piano Grande - really beautiful. And thank you, Theo

Second, I rather enjoy the battles of Campanilismo as long as they're friendly! Fun for an American Italophile to catch an argument (in English, no less) between a Piedmontese and a - well, what are you, actually, Franco? I just realized I don't know. You wouldn't have to be from Umbria to love it and it's food, truffles, wine ... and other riches.

Pasqua felice ~ TC

Tom, it's not that surprising that this discussion was in English: Sampaguita is an American living in Piemonte, and I, too, am not Umbrian, and not even Italian... so I don't partake in battaglie campanilistiche, I just comment on them...

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