The 6m x 13m swimming pool is surrounded by the olive grove.

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Location: Castiglione del Lago, Umbria, Italy, Europe (Nearest airports: Perugia, Florence, Rome, Pisa, Bologna)

Accommodations:  Villa, 8 Bedrooms + No additional sleeping rooms avail, 9.5 Baths (Sleeps 14)

Keywords:  villa holidays, vacation homes, luxury villas, Italy, large villas, pool, vineyard, wine, olive, holiday, italian villas, vacation, rental homes, bed and breakfast, private chef, cooking lesson, Tuscany, Umbria, luxury family villas, wedding, birthday celebration, special event, photo shoot, filmmaking, country inn, special offer

Villa Gioianna is a gorgeous country residence sitting in a large garden, olive grove and vineyards upon a hill above Lake Trasimeno, where it commands a superb view of Tuscany, Umbria and the Lake.

We have 8 bedrooms, 9 full bathrooms, kitchen, living room, dining room/study, terrace, extensive grounds, private swimming pool, and stunning views.

The Romance: "Gioia" (pronounced joy-ah) means "joy" or "jewel" in Italian; Anna is the name of the owner. Villa Gioianna is truly Anna's jewel, as she has renovated, decorated and landscaped the property to the delight of her guests. Local lore has it that the Villa was constructed in 1918, but experts have dated it much older. The "padrone", or wealthy landowner, of the surrounding farms and vineyards built it as his showcase residence and he and his descendants resided here until the 1970s. In the early 21st century, the Villa was renovated and updated for the new century, but with respect for the original architecture and spirit and history of the house so that the Villa retains the warmth and ambience of a Italian family country home. The Villa now has, among other changes, modern mechanical systems and a wonderfully productive well - a boring mechanical fact, you may think, until you're here in the summer, the municipality rations everyone to a trickle of water a few hours a day, but the Villa's showers continue happily at full pressure. Terracotta and hand-painted tile floors, whitewashed walls, walnut doors and wood-beamed ceilings form a simple background for splendid antiques, sumptuous textiles, supremely comfortable beds and vintage lamps. The Villa's new bathrooms are notorious locally, both for their appearance and number: as every woman will appreciate, there are 9 full bathrooms in the Villa, planned that way so that every bedroom has its own spacious, beautifully tiled bathroom. Enjoy them without guilt: in the summer, 100% of the Villa's hot water comes from solar panels.

You arrive at the Villa via an avenue of cypresses and lime trees, passing through a mature park of 4-1/2 acres of woods, vineyards, olive groves, fruit trees and flower gardens. Our philosophy is: if you can't eat it or smell it, it doesn't belong in this garden. The Villa is a small working estate that produces its own olive oil, fruit, vegetables, wonderfully fragrant flowers and herbs. We garden "sustainably," which, to us, means we compost and practice companion planting and encouragement of beneficial insects, birds and, yes, bats (!) to keep plant diseases and pests in check and we solarize or simply pull, rather than spray weeds. Our lawn is local grasses and wildflowers, requiring no commercial fertilizer. We recycle or compost virtually all of the waste produced by the Villa.

Olive Oil: In late October/early November we harvest the olives by hand in the traditional method of "stroking" the tree, then quickly press them at our local mill. Also in conformance with tradition, we pick the olives before they are fully ripe in order to maximize the flavor, aroma, and peppery taste of our oil. Olive oil from our region - the border area of Tuscany and Umbria - is highly prized for these qualities and has been given its own special regional designation. Guests are welcome to join in the olive harvest, either through our special offer Olive Harvest packages or through an annual week-long Olive Harvest Tour offered by olive oil expert, Dr Carol Firenze.

Nearest Town: The medieval town of Castiglione del Lago is the nearest market town (6 km). It sits high on an olive tree-covered promontory jutting into the west side of the lake. The town's magnificent medieval castle and frescoed palace dominate one end of the old town center, and the 19th century church of Santa Maria Magdalena the other. In between are a number of small shops, restaurants, cafés, bars and bakeries and, on Wednesdays, an outdoor food, crafts, clothing and sundries market. Below the town are public beaches that are a great place for young families and youth to hang out. The beaches offer paddle and rowboats, a pizzeria, gelato, pick-up volleyball and soccer, tennis courts, cafes and a disco. Or, simply float on your back in the lake, gazing back at the ancient town up above on the hill. For touring, Castiglione del Lago provides easy access to the superstrada linking Perugia and eastern Umbria to Siena, Chianti and western Tuscany, and is the embarkation point for one of the ferries servicing the lake islands. The new town has grocery stores and all the conveniences and services of a thriving town.

Location: 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. Within an hour's drive of the Villa are many historic Umbrian and Tuscan hill towns such as Assisi, Arezzo, Cortona, Montepulciano, Orvieto, Pienza, Perugia, Deruta, Spello and Montalcino, as well as other less well-known, but perhaps more charming, smaller villages. Many of central Italy's other leading historical and cultural centers (Rome, Florence, Todi, Siena, Spoleto, Gubbio and Urbino) can be reached in less than two hours.

Airports: The nearest major airports are Rome, Pisa and Florence. Each is about a 1-1/2 to 2-hour drive away. Bologna is a bit farther, but still feasible (approximately 2-1/2 hours). Perugia airport is the closest (about 40 minutes). It services primarily charter and Italian domestic flights and, several times a week, Ryanair budget flights from London.

We are so proud of our area and would love for you to visit. If the Villa does not fit your size or budget, please contact us anyway. We may have last-minute offers or short specials and are always happy to recommend alternatives.

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• Amenities
  • Washer : There is a separate laundry room with washer, iron and ironing board.
  • Dryer : A dryer is available in emergencies (ie pouring rain!) We have several lines where your clothes dry naturally in minutes under the Umbrian sun. Be virtuous, save energy and enjoy the view of the neighboring vineyards as you hang up your clothes to dry. They smell fantastic afterward.
  • Linens Provided : We use high quality linens and towels and change them weekly. Towels and linens may be changed more frequently and additional housekeeping services arranged (payable separately).
  • Off Street Parking : Plenty of parking within the Villa's grounds.
  • Wood Fireplace (4) : Each of the kitchen, living room, dining room and top floor sitting area have functioning woodburning fireplaces. The fireplace and woodburning oven in the kitchen can also be used for grilling, roasting meats and baking pizzas. First night fire is gratis; afterward wood is charged at market rate.
• Beds
  • Queen Bed (6) : Wildly romantic, canopied four poster beds feature in two bedrooms; equally stunning antique brass or ornately carved wooden bedsteads furnish the others. Each of the eight bedrooms has its own beautifully tiled bathroom with a deep soaking tub and/or a commodious power shower.
  • Double Bed (2) : There is one "twin" bedroom furnished with two 3/4 width (48-inch) beds supported by antique wooden bedsteads and a bedroom suite that includes a matching armoire and bedside tables.
  • Twin/Single Bed (2) : The other twin bedroom has two 36" wide twin beds supported by antique wooden bedsteads.
  • Crib (5) : Five child cots/cribs are available for a small extra charge. We also have a proper crib availalbe upon request, also for a small extra charge.
• Entertainment
  • DVD
  • Video Library
  • CD Player
  • Stereo System
  • Music Library : We have a large selection of jazz, rock, classical and contemporary CDs.
  • Private Pool : The 6 x 13 meter tiled swimming pool sits in an elevated position on a small rise in the olive grove, protecting it from the sirocco winds blowing from the south, but allowing fresh afternoon breezes coming from the mountains in the north.
• Kitchen
  • Full Kitchen
  • Cooking Utensils Provided : A cook lives here! The kitchen is well-equipped with quality pots, pans and a full array of kitchen utensils. The Villa contains lovely Villeroy & Boch china and a selection of local, handpainted ceramics for dining. Staples (such as sugar, flour, herbs & spices, paper products) will be stocked in the house prior to your arrival and guests replenish what they have used.
  • Refrigerator (2) : For your convenience, the kitchen has two full-size refrigerators, each with a small freezer.
  • Dishwasher
  • Catering Available : If you ask a local where is the best place to eat, he will say "at my Mom's house!". This is not to denigrate local restaurants but highlight how good the local home cooking is. We work with an excellent local cook -- the quintessential Italian grandmother -- who will cook for you like she does for her own family. She is available upon request and payable separately and can prepare a delicious, home-cooked meal for you and/or teach you some of the secrets of Umbrian cuisine. She will spoil you shamelessly, if you let her. The cost is comparable, per person (based on 10 guests and up) to a local restaurant meal, but offers the convenience of relaxing at home. The quality, in my view, is higher than most restaurant meals.
• Outdoor Features
  • Charcoal BBQ Grill
  • Deck/Patio : French doors open off the kitchen and living room to a broad rear terrace with sweeping views of the vineyards, villages and hills beyond.
  • Balcony : The front balcony and bedrooms overlook Cortona, Castiglione del Lago and Lago Trasimeno.
  • Gazebo : Guests can enjoy open air dining at several locations on the property: on the rear terrace, under a gazebo cloaked in jasmine or a pergola smothered in roses and honeysuckle, at a little stone table in the woods, or at a shaded table on the thyme patio, overlooking the woods.
• View/Location
  • Lake View : Villa Gioianna sits on a hill about 6 km from Lake Trasimeno and has marvellous views of the entire lake, Castiglione del Lago and the mountains and villages on the far side of the lake.
  • Mountain View : The rear of the Villa overlooks vineyards, fields of sunflowers and wheat and, in the distance, Mt Amiata and Mt Cetona.
• Communications
  • Broadband Internet : Free wi-fi internet service for guests on their own laptops. Back-up in the event the internet is down is via a "chiavetta," which requires that your laptop have a USB port.
  • WiFi (Wireless Internet) : Free wi-fi internet service for guests on their own laptops. Back-up in the event or emergency if the internet is down is via a "chiavetta," which requires that your laptop have a USB port and which is not "wi-fi."
• Suitability
  • No Pets Allowed : There are three cats on the property who are not allowed inside the house.
  • Smoking Not Allowed
• Activities
  • Golf
  • Tennis
  • Shopping
  • Sailing
  • Boating
  • Waterskiing
  • Swimming
  • Windsurfing
  • Biking
  • Mountain Biking
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Fishing
  • Hunting
  • Health/Beauty Spa
  • Antiquing
  • Live Theatre
  • Horseback Riding
  • Hot Air Ballooning
  • Rafting
  • Hiking
  • Spelunking
  • Restaurants
  • Cinemas/Movie Theaters
  • Museums
• Other Activities
  • Winetasting, thermal baths and spas, outdoor music and food festivals, jazz, classical and blues concerts, folk dance exhibitions, art, historical and nature tours, outlets and handicrafts shopping, outdoor markets, bird watching.

Rate Details (In Euros)

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Personal Currency Assistant™

Choose B&B or Rent the Entire Villa. B&B from E 49/pp/dbl/nt. Weekly for Villa:
LOW SEASON: Jan 1-Mar 31 and Nov 25-Dec 23 - E 1800/wk
HOLIDAYS:  Mar 31-Apr 28 and Dec 23-31:  E 3600/wk
SPRING:  May 2012:  E 4950/wk     HIGH SEASON:  May 26 - Sep 29, 2012:  E 5450/wk
FALl & OLIVE HARVEST: Oct-Nov 21: E 3850;   US THANKSGIVING: E 395-520/pp/4 nts
Each plus final cleaning and utilities. Discount for early booking, multiple wks
& repeat guests. Reservation by payment of 35% non-refundable deposit; balance due
10 wks prior to arrival.  Any questions, please ask!

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.

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Owner's Profile

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