Casa di Caterina is a family home of three bedrooms and two bathrooms (with a third bathroom being added by early Summer) located on a hill above Lake Trasimeno. My husband and I are creative by inclination and profession -- he is a furniture maker and I am a writer/teacher -- and our home reflects our family's talents and hospitality. It is a very welcoming and relaxing place with loads of books,
a well-outfitted kitchen and an inviting hammock in the garden. Casa di Caterina's tranquil setting provides the perfect respite from the stresses of modern life and/or is a convenient base for exploring the Umbrian and Tuscan countryside and its many medieval towns and villages: Perugia – a bustling university town, Todi, Cortona, Assissi, Sienna, Arezzo and Gubbio to name a few. It is just a short drive to Castiglione de Lago, a charming fishing village on the edge of Lake Trasimeno where one can sail, swim and fish. Castiglione del Lago and two neighboring towns -- Panicale and Paciano – have each been designated as one of the 'borghi piu belli d'Italia' -- most beautiful villages in Italy -- and it's true. Once fortified against frequently invading foreign armies, they are now lovely but not overly restored towns full of life and warmth. Aside from the obvious benefits of local (coffee) bars, several excellent family-run restaurants, food shops, postal, pharmacy and bank services, a very good hospital, wineries nearby, walking and biking trails and amazing art, the villages have lively social lives with summer concerts, festivals, art exhibitions, and theatre. 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. Everything you could wish to see in central Umbria and Tuscany is at your fingertips - you are 10 minutes from the main train line leading to Rome in 2.5 hours, Florence in just over 1 hour, 1/2 hour drive to Perugia - perhaps for its annual chocolate festival, Montepulciano or Chianti for wine, Pienza for amazing cheese and countless little hilltop towns along the way. Less than an hour drive to Siena famous for its horse races, the Palio, Montalcino for its famous Brunello wine... and so much more. We welcome anyone and everyone keen to explore the magic of Italy.
