Local Vinyards
Poggio Santa Maria
An amazing local vineyard - give Francesca a call ahead of time to not only have a short tour, but to have a tasting session. Overlooking Lago Chiusi and about 5 mins from our house, sit and try the SB83 Rose and the Michelina Sangiovese red.
Avignonesi Winery Fattoria Le Capezzine
Founded in 1970s, Avignoneis is run by the Saverys family and extends over 300 hectares with vineyards entirely estate grown and cultivated according to organis and biodynamic principles. A lovely wine tour, a must for tasting and lovely spot for lunch.
Salcheto
Founded in 1984 is setting new standards in ecological production on their 60 hectare site. Book a tour of their production centre and see how ever step of the production process has been re-imagined to be environmentally sustainable. If you visit in September, you will even see the grapes being harvested on the roof!. Enjoy a lunch and wine tasting - particularly the Salcho and the Obvius
Poggio Bertaio
A real family run vineyard - a few minutes from Ariabella. The "Apo" is a great wine - only produced in vintage years and named in honour of the founders grandchild name for grandfather Fabio. But you can also just pull up anytime, with a 5litre carafe and have the everyday wine "decanted" via the "petrol looking" pump ..but you must drink it quickly!
Watch the sun go down at Madrevite
About 10 mins from the house, Madrevite runs a number of evening picnics - most Saturdays and Sundays during July and August and less frequently in other months. You can prebook, bring a blanket and sit and watch the sun go down whilst enjoying local wines, food from local food trucks all whilst watching the sun go down across Lake Chiusi.
https://www.madrevite.com/picnicco/
Restaurants
The great news here is you are spoilt for great restaurants in the local area. Here are some of our favourites.
Lillo Tattani - a very quaint little restaurant in Panicale which has amazing views at sunset over Lake Trasimeno. A very rich and varied menu. A more family friendly restaurant in Panicale is Masolino - ask to see the secret passage where the priests use to convene.
Castiglione Del Lago - we love the oven baked pizzas from La Cantina and the views over the lake. Definitely also ask for extra Ciaccino for starters.
If steak is what you are after - then you have to go to Trattoria Bruno Coppetta in Citta Della Pieve. Will need to book ahead - ask for the tables downstairs if you want to be warm by the open firepits, or sit outside during summer. Whilst in Citta Della Pieve, find the wells and the worlds narrowest street.
Montepulciano is a must - a well earned walk up the hill and you will find lots of amazing restaurants. La Vineria Di Montepulciano is great, we have always loved Ai 4 Venti up in the main square for its quaintness, but also Le Logge Del Vignola for smaller groups.
Cortona has lots of lovely restaurants - but you will find it hard to beat Enoteca Meucci which is one the way to Cortona. Get there 15 minutes early to give yourself time to peruse the winery downstairs. If there is a wine made in Tuscany or Umbria - they will have it - almost most vintages of it and you may find you just spend the evening in the wine shop!
Activities
There are a number of great bike hire shops - in both Castiglione Del Lago but also Sinalungo Motors (they have scooters and manual bikes) and there are well known bike tracks which they can point you towards. There is a formal Umbria e-bike page which provides routes and ideas https://www.bikeinumbria.it/en/
If golf is your thing, then you have to play at Antognolla Golf - which is in the grounds of an amazing castle. The course is well worth the cost.
Padel - lots of courts in Castiglione Del Lago and they are super flexible if there is rain.
There is also great rafting down near Terni - we would recommend Nera River a.s.d. - Rafting e Cano
Val D'Orcia could be its own page - walk through the fields where Gladiator was filmed - see the history in Pienze. Stop off on the way at La Foce and tour the gardens (need to book as only certain days of the week) and hear the history fro the 2nd World War - visit a few wineries on the way and maybe drop off for the sulphur baths at Bagni San Filippo ( natural pools which are 10 mins trek from the road but not on even ground).
Major Festivals/Events throughout the year
The area is awash with local festivals and events that seem to pop up everywehre...so this list will not do justice to the broad range of evnets that are taking place throughout the year...but here are some of our highlights
May
Festa dei Ceri which is celebrated on May 15 in Gubbio (75 mins away): Also known as St. Ubaldo Day, this is one of Italy's oldest folklore festivals. Three large wooden structures (Ceri) are carried through the streets and up to the Basilica of St. Ubaldo. If you are after thousands of people squeezed into the main square with absolute madness and fun - then this is the event for you.
Pici festival - Every last last Sunday of May, in Celle sul Rigo (45 mins away), you will discover the Pici's Festival! It normally runs from Friday night to Sunday (last Sunday of May) - huge amounts of Pici made by the local families and served to everyone sitting out in the main square. Has been running for more than 50 years!
July
Boasting centuries-old origins, the Palio di Siena is Italy's most famous historical horse race . It takes place twice a year in the splendid setting of Piazza del Campo , Siena's main medieval square: on July 2nd and August 16th . The Palio is a tradition that lasts a total of four days, from the morning of June 29th until the races on July 2nd ( Palio della Madonna di Provenzano ) and, again, from August 13th to 16th for the Palio dell'Assunta. This is a ticketed event.
Often around 20th July, the Teatro del Silenzio in Lajatico (which is 2 hours away) holds several concerts. Lajatico is Andrea Bocelli's home town and he holds these concerts in the fields above the village. Its quite an event! It will start late and go on often until post midnight. But it is an event not to be missed.
August
The Bravìo delle Botti is an annual, intense barrel-rolling race in Montepulciano (30 minutes away), held on the last Sunday of August. Eight historic districts (contrade) compete by having two athletes ("spingitori") push 80-kg wine barrels up 1,800 meters of uphill streets to the Piazza Grande, often accompanied by medieval parades and flag throwers. Main square is packed but you can cheer the competitors along from any point on the main streets.
September
First and second weekend of September - most villages have harvest festivals including proving your tractor or excavator skills! Pozzuolo and Panicale are particularly mad festivals.
October
The feast day of St. Francis of Assisi is celebrated annually on October 4th. This date marks the day after his death, observed as his feast in the Catholic Church, where he is honored as the patron saint of animals, ecology, and Italy. As the patron