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| Destinations > 8 Day Wine, Chocolate, and History Tour of Tuscany and Umbria |
| 8 Day Wine, Chocolate, and History Tour of Tuscany and Umbria | | ITALY |
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This package is self-guided. Start in Gubbio, Umbria or Chiusi, Tuscany!
**** IMPORTANT NOTE ****
When arriving in Gubbio, there is public parking in the city center. Park there,
and call the Relais Ducale for someone to pick you up. They will direct you to
their own parking area, and bring you to the top of the old city in their van.
That is where the hotel is situated.
Villa il Patriarca is located in the wonderful Etruscan land, a unique setting where hospitality
and elegance are gracefully joined to a top level service. Situated on a hill
and surrounded by pine and cypresses, with view on Tuscan hills, the Villa Il
Patriarca Hotel Chuisi offers its guests the opportunity of a relaxed holiday
with all modern comforts.
Enjoy dinner at the La Taverna del Patriarca, typical Tuscan Osteria located in the old wine cellars of our villa. This onsite
restaurant offers a very creative cuisine in which traditional dishes are reinterpreted
in original style and matched with a very wide selection of wines.
The Villa Il Patriarca Hotel also offers a spacious and elegant banqueting hall,
which can host up to 350 people for ceremonies, wedding parties or meetings. During
leisure, guests can take a refreshing plunge in the swimming pool, laze around
the beautiful garden or explore the city and its surrounding attractions.
Located in the heart of Italy, midway between Rome and Florence in the part of
Tuscany well known for its wonderful wines, Etruscan artifacts, excellent cuisine,
olive oil and its history of exceptional art. Set in a park of large cypresses,
the hotel has just 23 rooms, each uniquely and comfortably decorated. Eight of
the rooms are in the Villa and others are in a recently restored wing with elegant
and romantic furniture, bright colors and interesting themes.
There are several categories of rooms: standard, superior, junior suites and
suites (two dedicated to Federico Fellini and his wife who were often guests at
the hotel in the past). The Restaurant 'I Salotti' was awarded a Michelin Star
in 2003 and 2004. Its Noble Tuscan Cuisine reflects the perfect balance between
tradition and innovation, and made with the best local produce. A prestigious
wine cellar with over 1000 labels adds to its attraction. A new Taverna offering
local specialties has recently been opened in the antique cellar. There is a luxurious
swimming pool in the garden, where light lunches can be served. The hotel staff
can arrange wine-tasting in the local wineries, guided tours, and cooking classes.
There are also special weekend events (La Dolce Vita - a romantic escape from
routine, and "Grand Tour Gourmet, for food and wine lovers. The land of the Springs,
for relaxation and well-being, in cooperation with local thermal centers of Chianciano
Terme and Montepulciano.
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In the Heart of the Tuscan wine country, find Montepulciano, is built along a narrow limestone ridge and, at 605 m (1,950 ft) above sea
level. The town is encircled by walls and fortifications designed by Antonio da
Sangallo the Elder in 1511 for Cosimo I. Inside the walls the streets are crammed
with Renaissance-style palazzi and churches, but the town is chiefly known for
its good local Vino Nobile wines. a long, winding street called the Corso climbs
up into the main square, which crowns the summit of the hill. In July-August there
is Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte, an arts festival created by the German composer
Hans Werner Henze. In August there are two festivals: the Bruscello takes place
on the 14th, 15th and 16th, when hordes of actors reenact scenes from the town's
turbulent history. For the Bravio delle Botti, on the last Sunday in August, there
is a parade through the streets followed by a barrel race and a banquet to end
the day.
The main street of Montepulciano stretches for 11.5 kilometers from the Porta al Prato to the Piazza Grande at
the top of the hill. The main landmarks include:
The Communal Palace, Palazzo Tarugi The church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (late 16th century). It has a simple Mannerist
façade with a three-arcade portico. The interior has a single nave, and houses
a precious terracotta altar by Andrea della Robbia.
The Sanctuary of the Madonna of St. Blaise, on the road to Chianciano outside the city. It is a typical 16th century Tuscan
edifice, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger on a pre-existing Pieve,
between 1518 and 1545. It has a circular (central) plan with a large dome over
a terrace and a squared tambour. The exterior, with two bell towers, is built
in white travertine.
The Sanctuary of St. Blaise. The walls of the city were designed and built under the direction of Grand
Duke Cosimo I de' Medici in 1511 by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder. Famous citizens
Roberto Bellarmino, a Roman Catholic Saint, Cardinal, and Doctor of the Church
was born here on October 4, 1542. He is one of the 33 Doctors of the Roman Catholic
Church and was active in the Counter-Reformation. Agnes of Montepulciano, a Roman
Catholic Saint. The Florentine classical scholar and poet, as well as one of the
revivers of Humanist Latin, Angelo Poliziano was born in Montepulciano on July
14, 1454.
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The Relais Ducale is situated in the historic center of Gubbio. The ancient stone and brick walls
are incorporated in the design of many of the rooms. The position, architectural
structure, and beautiful gardens make Relais Ducale a beautiful home. The delightful
staff at the hotel will help you during your stay and make it enjoyable.
The 30 rooms and suites with their antique furnishings as well as the garden
rich with flowers and colors, create an ideal atmosphere for resting as well as
enjoying quiet luxury. The breakfast is served at the bar or during the summer
months, outside on Piazza della Signora, from where you can enjoy wonderful view.
This old-style hotel occupies the central Palazzo Raffaelli, where in the past
the old patrician family Bosone includes Dante Alighieri as a guest. The breakfast
room is a delightful small room with frescoed ceilings. The restaurants Taverna
del Lupo and Bosone Garden offer truffles and other delicious local dishes.
The Relais Ducale is the annex of the Ducal Palace, where the Duke of Montefeltro
used to welcome his owns guests. The rooms and suites with their antique furnishing,
the verandas which can be enjoyed even in winter, the suspended garden rich of
flowers and colors, the small rooms for reading and conversing, all of them create
the ideal atmosphere for resting , enjoying a quiet luxury. The Relais Ducale,
part of the chain Pregio Hotels, reflects the history and the fascination of the
medieval town of Gubbio.
Enjoy dinner at the Taverna del Lupo. St. Francis of Assisi is said to have domesticated the wolf of Gubbio, and as
the legend tells, the same wolf used to come and have lunch at the Taverna del
Lupo. It may just be people’s imagination, but the magical atmosphere of the past
times is an integral part of the Taverna experience.
Rodolfo Mencarelli and his wife Lisetta believe in the regional cooking: the
truffle is the main protagonist along with the best home made pasta and selected
local meats. The building dates back to the Middle Ages and is decorated with
antiques and unique ceramic vases collected through the years by Mencarelli family.
The wine cellar, updated by the Sommelier Gianluca Allegrucci, is open to the
public and it’s possible to taste and buy wines and spirits.
The Taverna del Lupo is member of the “Piatto del Buon Ricordo” and “Chaine de
Rootisseurs” Associations. In recognition of the unique fine dining experience
the Taverna offers, and on top of several other awards, the restaurant won the
prestigious 5 Star Diamond Award in 1998.
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History of Gubbio from Wikipedia, "the free encyclopedia ":
The city's origins are very ancient: as Ikuvium, it was an important town of
the ancient Umbrian people in pre-Roman times, and is famous for the discovery
there of the Eugubine (or Iguvine) Tables, a set of bronze tablets that together
constitute the largest surviving text in ancient Umbrian. After the Roman conquest
in the 2nd century BC — it kept its name with only a slight change (Iguvium) —
the city remained important, as attested by its Roman theater, the second-largest
surviving in the world.
Gubbio became very powerful since the earliest Middle Age. The town sent 1000
knights to fight in the First Crusade under the lead of Count Girolamo Gabrielli,
and according to an undocumented tradition, they were the first to penetrate into
the Holy Sepulchre when the city was seized (1099).
The following centuries were quite turbulent and Gubbio was engaged in wars against
the surrounding towns of Umbria. One of these wars saw the miraculous intervention
of its bishop, Saint Ubaldo Baldassini, who secured Gubbio an overwhelming victory
(1151) and a period of prosperity.
In 1350 Giovanni Gabrielli, count of Borgovalle, a member of the noblest family
of Gubbio, seized the power and became lord of Gubbio. However his rule was short
and he was forced to hand over the town to Cardinal Albornoz, representing the
Church (1354).
A few years later, Gabriello Gabrielli, bishop of Gubbio proclaimed himself again
lord of Gubbio (Signor d’Agobbio). Betrayed by a group of noblemen which included
many a relative of his, the bishop was forced to leave the town and seek refuge
at his home castle at Cantiano.
With the decay of the political prestige of the Gabrielli family, Gubbio was
thereafter incorporated into the Montefeltro State, and eventually became part
of the State of the Church when this family extinguished (1631).
In 1860, when the State of the Church collapsed, Gubbio entered the Kingdom of
Italy.
Main sights:
The historical center of Gubbio is of concentratedly medieval aspect: it is an
austere-looking town of dark grey stone, narrow streets, and Gothic architecture.
A fair number of the houses in Gubbio date to the 14th and 15th centuries, and
were originally the dwellings of wealthy merchants; they often have a second door
fronting on the street, usually just a few inches from the main entrance, narrower,
and a foot or so above the actual street level. This type of door is called a
porta dei morti (door of the dead) because it is commonly stated that it was used
only for removing the bodies of any who might have died inside the house. This
is almost certainly false, but there is no firm agreement on the true purpose
of the secondary doors. One of the most likely theories is that the door was used
by the owners to protect themselves when opening to unknown persons, leaving them
in a dominating position.
The main monuments of the city include:
the Roman Theater, built in the 1st century BC using square blocks of local limestone. The cavea
had originalley a diameter of 70 meters. During summer it is used as a suggestive
site of lectures of ancient poets and authors. Roman Mausoleum (sometimes said
to be of Pomponius Graecinus, but on no satisfactory grounds)
Palazzo dei Consoli. The massive Palazzo dei Consoli (first half of the 14th century), housing the
museum with the Eugubine Tables.
Palazzo and Torre Gabrielli Duomo (Cathedral), built in the late 12th century. Its most striking feature is the rose-window
in the facade, with, at its sides, the symbols of the Evangelists: the eagle for
St. John, the lion for St. Mark, the angel for St. Matthew and the ox for St.
Luke. The interior has latine cross plan with a single nave. The most precious
art piece is the wooden Christ over the altar, of Umbrian school.
The Palazzo Ducale, built from 1470 by Luciano Laurana or Francesco di Giorgio Martini for Federico
da Montefeltro. Famous is the inner court, reminiscent of the Palazzo Ducale of
Urbino. The ducal studiolo, with carved wooden panels, is now at the Metropolitan
Museum in New York.
The Church of S. Francesco (second half of the 13th century), the sole religious edifice in the city having
a nave with two aisles. The vaults is supported by octagonal pilasters. The frescoes
in the left side dates from the 15th century. The Church of Santa Maria Nuova,
a typical Cistercian edifice of the 13th century. In the interior is a 14th century
fresco portraying the so-called Madonna del Belvedere (1413), by Ottaviano Nelli.
It has also a work by Guido Palmerucci. Also from the Cistercians is the Convent
of St. Augustine, with some frescoes by Nelli
The Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo, with a nave and four aisles, is a sanctuary outside the city. Noteworthy are
the marble altar and the great windows with episodes of the life of St. Ubaldo,
parton of Gubbio. The finely sculpted portals and the fragmentary frescoes give
a hint of the magnificent 15th century decoration once boasted by the basilica.
The Museo Cante Gabrielli in the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo (once belonged to the Gabrielli).
Culture
Gubbio is best known for its palio, the Corsa dei Ceri, a spectacular run held
every year on May 15, in which three teams, devoted to S. Ubaldo (the patron saint
of Gubbio), S. Giorgio, and S. Antonio, run through throngs of cheering supporters
(clad in the distinctive colours of yellow, blue and black, with white trousers
and red belts and neckbands), up much of the mountain from the main square in
front of the Palazzo dei Consoli to the basilica of S. Ubaldo, each team carrying
a statue of their saint mounted on a wooden octagonal prism, similar to an hour-glass
shape 4 meters tall and weighing about 280 kilograms.
The race has strong devotional, civic, and historical overtones and is one of
the best-known folklore manifestations in Italy; the Ceri were chosen as the heraldic
emblem on the coat of arms of Umbria as a modern administrative region.
A celebration like the Corsa dei Ceri is held also in Jessup, Pennsylvania. In
this small town the people carry out the same festivities as the residents of
Gubbio do by "racing" the three statues through the streets. This remains an important
and sacred event in both towns.
Gubbio was also one of the centres of production of the Italian pottery (maiolica),
during the Renaissance. The most important Italian potter of that period, Mastro
Giorgio, was active in Gubbio during the first half of XVI century. | |
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