}
 
 
 
 
It's a cold, grey day in November. Rain beats on the windows, the news is depressing; you wish you were somewhere else.

Why not Italy? Crisp autumn and winter days, bright blue skies, air like champagne, and the gastronomic, archaeological, art historical and musical delights of Umbria await you.

La Maliarda is the perfect spot for a winter break. A new, efficient wood-burning stove supplements the central heating. New, fluffy duvets and hot-water bottles ensure you will be snug in bed. As our guests tell us, we seem to have thought of everything, so your stay should be comfortable and hassle-free.

This undiscovered "green heart" of Italy offers a choice of what the country is most loved for: ancient, unspoilt hilltop towns with spectacular views, substantially unchanged since the Middle Ages, where life goes on much as it always has; enchanting countryside; and a mass of first-rate art and architecture. And the best surprise is that there are no tourists. Often it will be just you admiring the Benozzo Gozzolis in Montefalco, or the Pintoricchios in Spello.

 Orvieto, with its glistening marble hilltop Gothic Cathedral and newly-restored Last Judgement by Signorelli; Assisi, birthplace of Sts Francis and Clare, with its newly-restored Giotto fresco cycle of the Life of St Francis; Spoleto, with its luminous frescoes by Filippo Lippi; Perugia and Todi - all are within easy driving distance, not to mention Gubbio, Florence and Rome, which make pleasant day trips. Carsulae - the Pompeii of Central Italy - and the many Etruscan remains in Perugia, Gubbio and Orvieto remind one that this area was populated long before the Renaissance got underway.

The Medieval towns retain their character, are fiercely independent, and compete with each other in pageants and palios. The rhythms of the Church year continue to be celebrated, as do those connected with agriculture and viniculture. Below you will find just a few of the events which make a visit in this season so attractive. And for those wanting outdoor activities, there is fabulous walking all over the area, and lang-lauf skiing on the Piano Grande in the Sibillini National Park in the winter.

Calendar of Events

October
Assisi: Feast of St Francis, October 4th.
Castiglione Del Lago: Cucina Tipica and wine festival

November
Perugia: Festa dei Ognissanti, All Saints Fair
Florence: Opera and concert seasons at the Teatro Communale until January.
Trevi: Festa della Sedana Nera (black celery). Medieval fun and games topped by gigantic communal meals prepared by local ladies in various cellars throughout the village.

December
Siena: Festa di Santa Lucia, pottery fair
Presepio: Christmas cribs and nativity scenes - often life-sized - all over Umbria

January
Folingno: Festa di San Feliciano - traditional fair
Trevi: Festa di Sant Emiliano - torchlit procession

February / March
Spello: Olive and bruschetta festival
Terni: St. Valentine's Day fair
Norcia: Crossbow competion, truffle and sausage festival

Easter Celebrations
Assisi: Holy Week Celebrations
Grassina (near Florence), Gubbio and Bevagna: Good Friday Processions
Florence: Scioppio Del Carro, fireworks in the Piazza del Duomo on Easter Sunday.

Sunday Concerts
Sunday Concerts in the Teatro Francesco Torti in Bevagna many Sundays throughout the season.

And all this on your doorstep. The budget airlines usually offer cheap flights at under £50 return to about fifteen destinations in Italy from eight airports in the UK – typically Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool, and Newcastle. There are also flights to Ancona from Stansted, Bristol and Liverpool. Booking early on line can achieve better prices. Ancona and Rome Ciampino are both around two hours’ drive away. Both journeys are enjoyable, though the traffic around Ancona is lighter. For weekday flights, Ryanair flies from Stansted to Perugia (40 minutes)

h.guillebaud@btinternet.com