Palazzo Brunamonti in Bevagna, Umbria
Jun 12th, 2010, 09:48 PM
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Palazzo Brunamonti in Bevagna, Umbria
With only one review for Palazzo Brunamonti on Trip Advisor in 2010 and one in 2009, I am hoping that someone on Fodors can give me some feedback about this hotel.
www.brunamonti.com
We are also considering the Residenza Porta Guelfa which is situated just outside the town wall.
www.residenzaportaguelfa.com
We plan to stay in Bevagna for 4 nights in May 2011. We will use this as our home base to explore Umbria by car.
Many thanks for your help!
www.brunamonti.com
We are also considering the Residenza Porta Guelfa which is situated just outside the town wall.
www.residenzaportaguelfa.com
We plan to stay in Bevagna for 4 nights in May 2011. We will use this as our home base to explore Umbria by car.
Many thanks for your help!
Jun 13th, 2010, 02:19 AM
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We spent 9 nights at Palazzo Brunamonti in Bevagna about 3 years ago. I have only the HIGHEST praise for this hotel. I will attach here what I wrote about it from my trip report:
" Our hotel, Palazzo Brunamonti, was just gorgeous in every way. Our room, No. 26, recently renovated, was huge by any standards and perfect for three people. The bathroom was spotless, the lighting was better than usual in hotel rooms, albeit still could have been lighter. The people who run the hotel, Angela and Pietro, and Roberta, were just the best ever. I haven't slept so well in a LONG time. Even my back was much much better (must be Italy!!). The bed was extremely comfortable, fluffy big pillows. Just heaven!!!
We got up at 7 AM and went down to breakfast which is from 7:30-9:30 AM. It was a decent breakfast and better than most in Italy. There were rolls, croissants, cereals, salamis, yellow cheese, jams, nutella, yogurt, a bit of fresh fruit, a pie, coffee, tea. It was never changed even one iota during the entire week so it became a bit boring but was great nonetheless. And filling if you wanted a big breakfast. "
One of the owners of the hotel also "happened" to be a pharmacist and when my husband was feeling horribly ill with some allergy, kindly gave us something to help him. That was VERY convenient.
We loved our visit in Umbria. If you are looking for restaurant recommendations as well :
1) We ended up in Ottavius restaurant (Ottavius Ristorante, Via Del Gonfalone 4, Bevagna; Tel : 0742-360555) which turned out to be just excellent, albeit pricey (but this would become the norm). Their special was gnocchi in sangrantino (the typical Umbrian wine) sauce and bacon. It was pure heaven. Others had tagliatelle with mushrooms, we all had lamb chops which were superb, salad, great wine and felt happy afterwards.
2) We had a wonderful lunch at Il Cacciatore (Ristorante Il Cacciatore, Via Giulia 42, Spello; Tel : 0742-301603) which also had a beautiful terrace with panoramic view. It was unfortunately closed that day, maybe because of the rain, so we ate indoors. We had a special large gnocchi which was outstanding. It was filled with a cheese and in a meat and tomato sauce. Also tagliatelle with mushrooms, pork with roasted potatoes, lamb chops, salad, outstanding tiramisu and coffee.
3) Next up was Montefalco and L'Alchimista restaurant for lunch (L'Alchimista, Piazza del Comune 14, Montefalco; Tel : 0742-378558; closed all day Tuesdays). We happened upon Montefalco on market day so we took a look around, there was nothing special but it was fun anyway. Our lunch at L'Alchimista was our best this trip. So good that we made a special trip there again for dinner our last night.
The array of choices was dazzling, we could hardly choose what we wanted. The portions were good and plenty and the prices, for once, were not exorbitant. We ended up choosing actually TOO much food because it all sounded so good.
The one restaurant we visited which I would NOT recommend (but which many others here DO recommend) is :
we went out to dinner in town at Piazza Onofri (Enoteca Piazza Onofri, Via Onofri 2, Bevagna; Tel : 0742-361926). The food was even more expensive here than at Ottavius, the portions were smaller and while the food was quite good, it was not worth the money. Would not particularly recommend.
There you have it. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
" Our hotel, Palazzo Brunamonti, was just gorgeous in every way. Our room, No. 26, recently renovated, was huge by any standards and perfect for three people. The bathroom was spotless, the lighting was better than usual in hotel rooms, albeit still could have been lighter. The people who run the hotel, Angela and Pietro, and Roberta, were just the best ever. I haven't slept so well in a LONG time. Even my back was much much better (must be Italy!!). The bed was extremely comfortable, fluffy big pillows. Just heaven!!!
We got up at 7 AM and went down to breakfast which is from 7:30-9:30 AM. It was a decent breakfast and better than most in Italy. There were rolls, croissants, cereals, salamis, yellow cheese, jams, nutella, yogurt, a bit of fresh fruit, a pie, coffee, tea. It was never changed even one iota during the entire week so it became a bit boring but was great nonetheless. And filling if you wanted a big breakfast. "
One of the owners of the hotel also "happened" to be a pharmacist and when my husband was feeling horribly ill with some allergy, kindly gave us something to help him. That was VERY convenient.
We loved our visit in Umbria. If you are looking for restaurant recommendations as well :
1) We ended up in Ottavius restaurant (Ottavius Ristorante, Via Del Gonfalone 4, Bevagna; Tel : 0742-360555) which turned out to be just excellent, albeit pricey (but this would become the norm). Their special was gnocchi in sangrantino (the typical Umbrian wine) sauce and bacon. It was pure heaven. Others had tagliatelle with mushrooms, we all had lamb chops which were superb, salad, great wine and felt happy afterwards.
2) We had a wonderful lunch at Il Cacciatore (Ristorante Il Cacciatore, Via Giulia 42, Spello; Tel : 0742-301603) which also had a beautiful terrace with panoramic view. It was unfortunately closed that day, maybe because of the rain, so we ate indoors. We had a special large gnocchi which was outstanding. It was filled with a cheese and in a meat and tomato sauce. Also tagliatelle with mushrooms, pork with roasted potatoes, lamb chops, salad, outstanding tiramisu and coffee.
3) Next up was Montefalco and L'Alchimista restaurant for lunch (L'Alchimista, Piazza del Comune 14, Montefalco; Tel : 0742-378558; closed all day Tuesdays). We happened upon Montefalco on market day so we took a look around, there was nothing special but it was fun anyway. Our lunch at L'Alchimista was our best this trip. So good that we made a special trip there again for dinner our last night.
The array of choices was dazzling, we could hardly choose what we wanted. The portions were good and plenty and the prices, for once, were not exorbitant. We ended up choosing actually TOO much food because it all sounded so good.
The one restaurant we visited which I would NOT recommend (but which many others here DO recommend) is :
we went out to dinner in town at Piazza Onofri (Enoteca Piazza Onofri, Via Onofri 2, Bevagna; Tel : 0742-361926). The food was even more expensive here than at Ottavius, the portions were smaller and while the food was quite good, it was not worth the money. Would not particularly recommend.
There you have it. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
Jun 13th, 2010, 08:15 AM
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Flame: Thanks so much for your description of Palazzo Brunamonti & restaurant recommendations! Most informative!
Is there a link to your trip report? I'd love to read more about your time in Umbria!
Is there a link to your trip report? I'd love to read more about your time in Umbria!
Jun 13th, 2010, 08:58 AM
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You are most welcome. Unfortunately, I had not posted my trip report on this forum (though I thought I did and looked for it for you now and did not find it). If you like I can do a "cut and paste" of it and put it in this thread for you. Let me know.
Jun 13th, 2010, 07:36 PM
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Well I will give you the highlights below :
We left around 8:15 from the hotel towards Assisi. It was not far at all, less than 30 minutes away, and the town is splendid, gorgeous and very clean. Everything is "dressed in pink" as they are famous for their gorgeous pink marble everywhere. We found a parking lot to park the car, it turned out to be THE farthest away from where we wanted to go (Porto Nuova), but that was fine. We got to see the entire town, or almost, walking through it.
On the way, we stopped for our first gelato (at 10:15 AM!!!) and continued walking towards the Basilica S. Francesco of Assisi. It is up on Mt. Subasio hill and it very impressive from every direction. We spent the entire morning there. Rain caught us just as we were getting close to the basilica and we got a bit drenched but dried out while inside. When we were ready to leave, it had stopped. The basilica is very impressive.
On our way back we stopped at a bar to check e-mail, have a drink and use the bathrooms. We walked back to the car and drove to Spello, where we would have lunch. Spello is a small beautiful hill town, very steep as most of them are, and is noted for its flowers which adorned almost every street.
We had a wonderful lunch at Il Cacciatore (Ristorante Il Cacciatore, Via Giulia 42, Spello; Tel : 0742-301603) which also had a beautiful terrace with panoramic view.
We had a very long walk up very steep hills to get there but it was worth it in the end. Walking down was not a lot easier, that is how steep the streets are. We stopped at an Enoteca (Enoteca Properzio, P. Matteotti 8/10, Spello; Tel : 0742-301521) where I bought already two bottles of wine which I was able to taste beforehand and they were great. I later read about this particular enoteca which is supposed to be quite famous and prize-worthy for its wares. Since this was during our first days in Umbria and I was not aware of prices, I took an educated guess about the prices they charged me. I think that after spending more time in the area and seeing other prices, I may have been overcharged for what I purchased.
We drove home via the COOP supermarket to buy some food for dinner in the evening. Got back at 6:30 and were exhausted but pleased.
NEXT DAY
We had a 10:30 appt. today at Paolo Bea organic winery. I did not realize how close it was so after breakfast we started out and got there way too early. We decided to continue the drive and got to an amazing church Madonna della Stella. We walked in and looked around and loved it. By then it was time for the winery and so we returned.
There was some mix-up in our reservations. Apparently their computer had crashed and they did not have a record of our reservation.
But we took a short tour anyway and had a small tasting at the end. The wine was TOO good NOT to buy some at the end, even though the prices were exorbitant by any means. So of course I bought four bottles.
We then drove to Spoleto. Most things were closed by this time, since Italy is very strict about their 1-4 PM siesta. But we found the Duomo which was beautiful even from the outside (sometimes they are more beautiful than the inside even) and spent some time around there. Spoleto seems to be a completely decaying city, everything was full of scaffolding and looked really bad. Apparently it was quite hurt by the earthquake some time ago and they are still repairing. We had a lovely light lunch there of pizza and antipasti (Trattoria Pizzeria dell'Arco di Druso, Via Arco di Druso 25, Spoleto; Tel : 0743-221695).
We drove back to Bevagna and I went outside to explore Bevagna. I went to see the very large and impressive ceramic Roman floor there, the museum, the churches. I did some window shopping and came back with some delicious pastries from the pasticceria there.
I had a short rest and we went out to dinner in town at Piazza Onofri (Enoteca Piazza Onofri, Via Onofri 2, Bevagna; Tel : 0742-361926).
NEXT DAY
Today was our day spent together with our Italian friend. He came to the hotel before 10 AM and we were ready. We started off on the road towards the Piano Grande, which I had read was beautiful and a very special place. We were all stunned when we actually got there of its beauty. But more of that later. We stopped at a small beautiful town called Cerreto where we had a coffee and then walked around the town.
We saw lots of gardens and mostly elderly people. We stopped to talk with one of them and found out he had been born there, went to Rome to make his living for 60 years and when he retired, he came back "home". We were back on our way.
Our next stop was Norcia – famed for being the "Home of the Pig". Everything here is pig. We bought some black truffle and then went looking for lunch. We found it at Trattoria dei Priori (Trattoria dei Priori, Via dei Priori 3, Norcia; Tel : 0743-816292) where we had a lovely lunch. Pasta with Tartufo Nero (black truffles), salads, sfogliatelle desert and coffee. I finished my camera chip and actually managed to find a new one in only the second store I checked there.
We got back into the car and began a very long, winding, treacherous road on unbelievable high mountains to get to Castelluccio and the Piano Grande. It was truly hair-raising. Right before arriving in Castelluccio, we got off and actually trekked up a mountain. e saw cattle and sheep and many people who came up there to then hang-glide (gulp!!) off those mountains!!
When we finally reached Castelluccio, we saw it was a small dingy little hamlet that had absolutely nothing going for it except that it was right smack in the midst of this gorgeous Piano Grande. And gorgeous it was. We all oohed and aahed for a long time.
On the way back we passed a beautiful little town called CastelSantAngelo and then stopped at Visso to fill up gas and have another coffee!!
Our evening was a dinner and jazz concert around Lago Trasimeno. No one realized, I guess, how far away it was from where we were and how crazy the roads to get there were. We left Visso about 6 PM and the dinner was billed for 8 PM. Well, we were still looking for Paciano, a city not marked at all in the area, after 8 PM.
Finally, we somehow managed to find the place. It was in a beautiful church/abbey type place and just absolutely elegant and stunning. We arrived (and were not even the last ones to arrive!!) having just missed the first course of the dinner, which they were kind enough to bring us anyway. The first course, and the rest of the dinner, while being billed as a Slow Food event, which automatically means it is eaten slowly and is of very high quality, were actually neither. But the wine was good (hee hee) and the food was not terrible. Company was great so what more did we need? We were seated at round tables of about 10 people.
Our jazz singer, Crystal White, seemed to be "on something". We couldn't quite figure her out. Her singing was not great, but the three piece band did a good job playing. We politely stuck it out for about 40 minutes and then decided it was late enough and we had heard enough (we were also not the first to leave). By the time we got back to the hotel, it was 12:30. We had a spectacular day!!!
NEXT DAY
Today we decided to stay "in the neighborhood" since we had a cooking class this afternoon at Malvarina (Malvarina, Via Pieve di Sant'Apollinare 32, Assisi; Tel : 075-806428). So we drove over to the small town of Bastardo, could not resist, that is actually its name. Obviously we took pictures of the sign, everyone must. Next stop was Gualdo Cattaneo, on the way we saw some beautiful vineyards which we managed to snap expertly with the camera. Here we had a coffee at the main piazza and walked around some, befriending yet another adorable kitty with a red collar!!
Next up was Montefalco and L'Alchimista restaurant for lunch (L'Alchimista, Piazza del Comune 14, Montefalco; Tel : 0742-378558; closed all day Tuesdays). We happened upon Montefalco on market day so we took a look around, there was nothing special but it was fun anyway. Our lunch at L'Alchimista was our best this trip. So good that we made a special trip there again for dinner our last night.
The array of choices was dazzling, we could hardly choose what we wanted. The portions were good and plenty and the prices, for once, were not exorbitant. We ended up choosing actually TOO much food because it all sounded so good. We all really really loved it.
We managed to get back to Bevagna for barely an hour rest before I decided to leave for Malvarina (Malvarina, Via Pieve di Sant'Apollinare 32, Assisi; Tel : 075-806428). It was close to Assisi so not far from us, but on a very narrow winding road and I was not sure I would manage to get there without mistakes. I actually did, and so we arrived about 45 minutes early. No problem, we hung out on the beautiful ranch property and just basked in the late afternoon sun.
When it was time for our course, we were introduced to our translator who was a wonderful woman, Piera, born in Italy but raised in Buffalo, returning to Italy with her parents some 20-odd years ago and living there in Umbria ever since. We hit it off immediately. Maria, the grandmotherly cook, was wonderful. She was sweet and could not stop giving my son things to do. She taught us terrific tomato sauce, filled baked zucchini, fabulous gnocchi, pastry deserts and lots of other things. We cooked for almost 3 hours with her and her helpers. In the end Maria took off HER apron and gave it to my son as a gift but not before signing it. He was very pleased. We were then invited upstairs to the gorgeous dining area where we, and the guests of the hotel, were to enjoy our 6 course dinner.
And it was the following : a chickpea and bacon soup, appetizers of melon and prosciutto, gnocchi in tomato sauce, spaghetti with parsley and olive oil, carrot and other salads, filled zucchini, chicken, green beans, artichokes, other things which I probably am forgetting. And the pastries with grapes for desert. Wine and water of course accompanied the meal. Yum. In the end I also purchased 2 jars of Maria's delicious homemade cherry jam.
Driving back was pretty tricky, it was obviously dark already and while there were good signs to the place to GET there, it was more difficult getting back. I did actually make a wrong turn and I am happy there was someone who happened to be walking his dogs on this deserted road that we could ask directions from. Eventually we got back to the right road but whew. We got home and fell into bed!!
NEXT DAY
Today we drove to Deruta because I needed to buy some ceramics. On the way there we saw a market where we stopped and ended up buying quite a few nice things. A pastry cutter like we saw Maria use last night for the gnocchi, a Bialetti Moka coffee pot for me, Italian hats. We saw a porchetta truck which was amazing. An entire pig roasted whole and then slices cut for their sandwiches.
I bought some very nice ceramics for myself and Mom and then we rode to THE steepest hill town we came across till now – Todi. It was a gorgeous view when we finally made it huffing and puffing to the top. Definitely worth it. But wow, talk about hard. We rewarded ourselves with amazing pizza in a little place at the top of the square. It was so good we each had a second portion. They are made in large rectangular pans and they are cut with something that looks like a shearing scissors. Then they are weighed and you pay according to weight. Cool.
We walked around some more, saw the church only from outside since it was closed already. Coffee and water and bathrooms rounded out the day before driving back to Bevagna,
We had a drink at the wine bar which is near Ottavius restaurant. And then we had dinner at Ottavius for our third time. Again it was delicious and we had a great time.
There you have it, I hope it helps you in your planning. And if there are any more questions let me know.
We left around 8:15 from the hotel towards Assisi. It was not far at all, less than 30 minutes away, and the town is splendid, gorgeous and very clean. Everything is "dressed in pink" as they are famous for their gorgeous pink marble everywhere. We found a parking lot to park the car, it turned out to be THE farthest away from where we wanted to go (Porto Nuova), but that was fine. We got to see the entire town, or almost, walking through it.
On the way, we stopped for our first gelato (at 10:15 AM!!!) and continued walking towards the Basilica S. Francesco of Assisi. It is up on Mt. Subasio hill and it very impressive from every direction. We spent the entire morning there. Rain caught us just as we were getting close to the basilica and we got a bit drenched but dried out while inside. When we were ready to leave, it had stopped. The basilica is very impressive.
On our way back we stopped at a bar to check e-mail, have a drink and use the bathrooms. We walked back to the car and drove to Spello, where we would have lunch. Spello is a small beautiful hill town, very steep as most of them are, and is noted for its flowers which adorned almost every street.
We had a wonderful lunch at Il Cacciatore (Ristorante Il Cacciatore, Via Giulia 42, Spello; Tel : 0742-301603) which also had a beautiful terrace with panoramic view.
We had a very long walk up very steep hills to get there but it was worth it in the end. Walking down was not a lot easier, that is how steep the streets are. We stopped at an Enoteca (Enoteca Properzio, P. Matteotti 8/10, Spello; Tel : 0742-301521) where I bought already two bottles of wine which I was able to taste beforehand and they were great. I later read about this particular enoteca which is supposed to be quite famous and prize-worthy for its wares. Since this was during our first days in Umbria and I was not aware of prices, I took an educated guess about the prices they charged me. I think that after spending more time in the area and seeing other prices, I may have been overcharged for what I purchased.
We drove home via the COOP supermarket to buy some food for dinner in the evening. Got back at 6:30 and were exhausted but pleased.
NEXT DAY
We had a 10:30 appt. today at Paolo Bea organic winery. I did not realize how close it was so after breakfast we started out and got there way too early. We decided to continue the drive and got to an amazing church Madonna della Stella. We walked in and looked around and loved it. By then it was time for the winery and so we returned.
There was some mix-up in our reservations. Apparently their computer had crashed and they did not have a record of our reservation.
But we took a short tour anyway and had a small tasting at the end. The wine was TOO good NOT to buy some at the end, even though the prices were exorbitant by any means. So of course I bought four bottles.
We then drove to Spoleto. Most things were closed by this time, since Italy is very strict about their 1-4 PM siesta. But we found the Duomo which was beautiful even from the outside (sometimes they are more beautiful than the inside even) and spent some time around there. Spoleto seems to be a completely decaying city, everything was full of scaffolding and looked really bad. Apparently it was quite hurt by the earthquake some time ago and they are still repairing. We had a lovely light lunch there of pizza and antipasti (Trattoria Pizzeria dell'Arco di Druso, Via Arco di Druso 25, Spoleto; Tel : 0743-221695).
We drove back to Bevagna and I went outside to explore Bevagna. I went to see the very large and impressive ceramic Roman floor there, the museum, the churches. I did some window shopping and came back with some delicious pastries from the pasticceria there.
I had a short rest and we went out to dinner in town at Piazza Onofri (Enoteca Piazza Onofri, Via Onofri 2, Bevagna; Tel : 0742-361926).
NEXT DAY
Today was our day spent together with our Italian friend. He came to the hotel before 10 AM and we were ready. We started off on the road towards the Piano Grande, which I had read was beautiful and a very special place. We were all stunned when we actually got there of its beauty. But more of that later. We stopped at a small beautiful town called Cerreto where we had a coffee and then walked around the town.
We saw lots of gardens and mostly elderly people. We stopped to talk with one of them and found out he had been born there, went to Rome to make his living for 60 years and when he retired, he came back "home". We were back on our way.
Our next stop was Norcia – famed for being the "Home of the Pig". Everything here is pig. We bought some black truffle and then went looking for lunch. We found it at Trattoria dei Priori (Trattoria dei Priori, Via dei Priori 3, Norcia; Tel : 0743-816292) where we had a lovely lunch. Pasta with Tartufo Nero (black truffles), salads, sfogliatelle desert and coffee. I finished my camera chip and actually managed to find a new one in only the second store I checked there.
We got back into the car and began a very long, winding, treacherous road on unbelievable high mountains to get to Castelluccio and the Piano Grande. It was truly hair-raising. Right before arriving in Castelluccio, we got off and actually trekked up a mountain. e saw cattle and sheep and many people who came up there to then hang-glide (gulp!!) off those mountains!!
When we finally reached Castelluccio, we saw it was a small dingy little hamlet that had absolutely nothing going for it except that it was right smack in the midst of this gorgeous Piano Grande. And gorgeous it was. We all oohed and aahed for a long time.
On the way back we passed a beautiful little town called CastelSantAngelo and then stopped at Visso to fill up gas and have another coffee!!
Our evening was a dinner and jazz concert around Lago Trasimeno. No one realized, I guess, how far away it was from where we were and how crazy the roads to get there were. We left Visso about 6 PM and the dinner was billed for 8 PM. Well, we were still looking for Paciano, a city not marked at all in the area, after 8 PM.
Finally, we somehow managed to find the place. It was in a beautiful church/abbey type place and just absolutely elegant and stunning. We arrived (and were not even the last ones to arrive!!) having just missed the first course of the dinner, which they were kind enough to bring us anyway. The first course, and the rest of the dinner, while being billed as a Slow Food event, which automatically means it is eaten slowly and is of very high quality, were actually neither. But the wine was good (hee hee) and the food was not terrible. Company was great so what more did we need? We were seated at round tables of about 10 people.
Our jazz singer, Crystal White, seemed to be "on something". We couldn't quite figure her out. Her singing was not great, but the three piece band did a good job playing. We politely stuck it out for about 40 minutes and then decided it was late enough and we had heard enough (we were also not the first to leave). By the time we got back to the hotel, it was 12:30. We had a spectacular day!!!
NEXT DAY
Today we decided to stay "in the neighborhood" since we had a cooking class this afternoon at Malvarina (Malvarina, Via Pieve di Sant'Apollinare 32, Assisi; Tel : 075-806428). So we drove over to the small town of Bastardo, could not resist, that is actually its name. Obviously we took pictures of the sign, everyone must. Next stop was Gualdo Cattaneo, on the way we saw some beautiful vineyards which we managed to snap expertly with the camera. Here we had a coffee at the main piazza and walked around some, befriending yet another adorable kitty with a red collar!!
Next up was Montefalco and L'Alchimista restaurant for lunch (L'Alchimista, Piazza del Comune 14, Montefalco; Tel : 0742-378558; closed all day Tuesdays). We happened upon Montefalco on market day so we took a look around, there was nothing special but it was fun anyway. Our lunch at L'Alchimista was our best this trip. So good that we made a special trip there again for dinner our last night.
The array of choices was dazzling, we could hardly choose what we wanted. The portions were good and plenty and the prices, for once, were not exorbitant. We ended up choosing actually TOO much food because it all sounded so good. We all really really loved it.
We managed to get back to Bevagna for barely an hour rest before I decided to leave for Malvarina (Malvarina, Via Pieve di Sant'Apollinare 32, Assisi; Tel : 075-806428). It was close to Assisi so not far from us, but on a very narrow winding road and I was not sure I would manage to get there without mistakes. I actually did, and so we arrived about 45 minutes early. No problem, we hung out on the beautiful ranch property and just basked in the late afternoon sun.
When it was time for our course, we were introduced to our translator who was a wonderful woman, Piera, born in Italy but raised in Buffalo, returning to Italy with her parents some 20-odd years ago and living there in Umbria ever since. We hit it off immediately. Maria, the grandmotherly cook, was wonderful. She was sweet and could not stop giving my son things to do. She taught us terrific tomato sauce, filled baked zucchini, fabulous gnocchi, pastry deserts and lots of other things. We cooked for almost 3 hours with her and her helpers. In the end Maria took off HER apron and gave it to my son as a gift but not before signing it. He was very pleased. We were then invited upstairs to the gorgeous dining area where we, and the guests of the hotel, were to enjoy our 6 course dinner.
And it was the following : a chickpea and bacon soup, appetizers of melon and prosciutto, gnocchi in tomato sauce, spaghetti with parsley and olive oil, carrot and other salads, filled zucchini, chicken, green beans, artichokes, other things which I probably am forgetting. And the pastries with grapes for desert. Wine and water of course accompanied the meal. Yum. In the end I also purchased 2 jars of Maria's delicious homemade cherry jam.
Driving back was pretty tricky, it was obviously dark already and while there were good signs to the place to GET there, it was more difficult getting back. I did actually make a wrong turn and I am happy there was someone who happened to be walking his dogs on this deserted road that we could ask directions from. Eventually we got back to the right road but whew. We got home and fell into bed!!
NEXT DAY
Today we drove to Deruta because I needed to buy some ceramics. On the way there we saw a market where we stopped and ended up buying quite a few nice things. A pastry cutter like we saw Maria use last night for the gnocchi, a Bialetti Moka coffee pot for me, Italian hats. We saw a porchetta truck which was amazing. An entire pig roasted whole and then slices cut for their sandwiches.
I bought some very nice ceramics for myself and Mom and then we rode to THE steepest hill town we came across till now – Todi. It was a gorgeous view when we finally made it huffing and puffing to the top. Definitely worth it. But wow, talk about hard. We rewarded ourselves with amazing pizza in a little place at the top of the square. It was so good we each had a second portion. They are made in large rectangular pans and they are cut with something that looks like a shearing scissors. Then they are weighed and you pay according to weight. Cool.
We walked around some more, saw the church only from outside since it was closed already. Coffee and water and bathrooms rounded out the day before driving back to Bevagna,
We had a drink at the wine bar which is near Ottavius restaurant. And then we had dinner at Ottavius for our third time. Again it was delicious and we had a great time.
There you have it, I hope it helps you in your planning. And if there are any more questions let me know.
Jun 14th, 2010, 08:19 AM
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Flame: Wow! You're amazing!!! I do appreciate the time you took to share the highlights of your Umbria trip! Thank you!
It was most interesting to note the places you visited and to see how you arranged your days. Many that you mention were already on our list, others we've added! Restaurant info will also be included! All definitely helpful in our planning!
Your descriptions helped us conclude that Bevagna will be the perfect home base for our stay. (We had considered Spello. Your comments confirmed that it is indeed a vertical hilltown --- good for calorie burning, not so good for the knees!) Also, we will book a room at the Palazzo Brunamonti!
Thanks again!
It was most interesting to note the places you visited and to see how you arranged your days. Many that you mention were already on our list, others we've added! Restaurant info will also be included! All definitely helpful in our planning!
Your descriptions helped us conclude that Bevagna will be the perfect home base for our stay. (We had considered Spello. Your comments confirmed that it is indeed a vertical hilltown --- good for calorie burning, not so good for the knees!) Also, we will book a room at the Palazzo Brunamonti!
Thanks again!
Jun 14th, 2010, 10:21 AM
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You are welcome. Happy to help!
Indeed we chose Bevagna as our base not only because it was pretty much located in the middle of everywhere we wanted to visit, but also because it is entirely flat, a rarity in the beautiful Umbrian hill towns.
Have a wonderful trip!
Indeed we chose Bevagna as our base not only because it was pretty much located in the middle of everywhere we wanted to visit, but also because it is entirely flat, a rarity in the beautiful Umbrian hill towns.
Have a wonderful trip!
Jun 15th, 2010, 07:58 AM
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Hi everyne...Falme123...just wondering how treacherous the driving is to Castelluccio We are going to Piano Grande next week and have lunch plans in Castelluccio. My husband will be driving a stick. It sounds a little scarey!
Jun 15th, 2010, 10:25 AM
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It is not exactly treacherous but it certainly is an experience. I personally did not do the driving for this part of the trip. I was chicken and let my Italian friend handle the driving!! He is an excellent driver but even so there were some "iffy" places. That said, it is SO worth it that I would just drive carefully, slowly, and enjoy. It is a very very unique and beautiful part of Umbria. Just be careful.....
Jun 15th, 2010, 03:26 PM
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mikster: Thanks for asking the question! It piqued my curiousity since I have read about the Piano Grande in other threads.
I went to my Authentic Umbria (Touring Club of Italy) guide book where it describes Monti Sibillini National Park. It looks like it warrants a bit of study before going!
www.sibillini.net
Have a wonderful time! Please report back about the drive and the views and your lunch experience in Castelluccio!
I went to my Authentic Umbria (Touring Club of Italy) guide book where it describes Monti Sibillini National Park. It looks like it warrants a bit of study before going!
www.sibillini.net
Have a wonderful time! Please report back about the drive and the views and your lunch experience in Castelluccio!
Aug 5th, 2010, 03:56 PM
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grb9uk: Thanks for the recommendation & review! We considered staying at the R. Porta Guelfa for its location but we have decided to stay at the Palazzo Brunamonti next May.
It's our first visit to Umbria so it's good to know that Bevagna is a nice town & well-situated for day trips.
I also made note of the restaurants you recommended. Redibis looks particularly interesting - its menu & spectacular setting! Do you happen to know what day of the week the Onofri and Il Podesta are closed?
It's our first visit to Umbria so it's good to know that Bevagna is a nice town & well-situated for day trips.
I also made note of the restaurants you recommended. Redibis looks particularly interesting - its menu & spectacular setting! Do you happen to know what day of the week the Onofri and Il Podesta are closed?
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