Casa La Valle

The valley is the Tiber's, the house is stone, and it sits in Umbria. About 20 km from Perugia, 30 km from Giotto's frescoes in Assisi, and 20 km from Gubbio's Festa dei Ceri. Your hosts are Olivia and Fabio, the owners. Olivia was born in Bologna and grew up here; Fabio came to Umbria by choice. My parents fell in love with this house immediately, despite its rough state: the roof was gone, the floors needed work, and two cows lived in the kitchen! Within a year it was livable, and with me as a tiny child, they managed for the next three years without many comforts. Those were the best years of our lives! My father Vittorio, who taught at an art school in Bologna, changed course and became a mason. My mother Renza, who designed buildings, became a weaver. Many others had made the same choice to move to the countryside, and for years the valley felt like one long celebration. Slowly they rebuilt the house, keeping its traditional character while enriching it with their creativity and objects collected from their travels around the world. The rooms look out over a vast flowering landscape, original drawings decorate the walls, and eclectic furnishings will catch your eye, while pines and oaks frame the lush garden. Where the old stable stood, my mother created her weaving workshop, which provides the cushions, curtains, and blankets throughout the house. Because they had always welcomed friends and guests warmly, they opened the B&B in 2003, discovering how much they enjoyed sharing time with visitors.