Rosa di Tufo

Rosa di Tufo has been the (pink) home of the DeVito family for generations, and offers something outside the typical tourist experience. This open, breezy house is well-suited for those looking to catch their breath: Tufo is a small town in the hills of Campania--close enough to Naples, Vesuvius, and the Amalfi Coast to make day trips of them, remote enough that you can feel the sanctuary of it. Off the beaten path: yellow grapes are grown in these hills and turned to white wine, Greco di Tufo. The first floor contains the three bedrooms, bathroom, and washer. On the second level are the kitchen, main room, half-bathroom, and living room, in which is a sofa that pulls out to a bed if extra sleeping space is needed. The floors are marble and with all the windows open we get a nice breeze. We champion use of the kitchen, and can even offer help with meals. There's also wi-fi, a modest library, and a ping-pong (!) table. There are many balconies on the second floor and a garden on the back that gets plenty of sunshine and breeze. There is a washing machine, but without dryer--we hang clothes to dry on the balconies and they end up smelling like sun and basil ;) I will be living there and able to greet you and make sure that you are situated, as well as to provide any advice you might need regarding the house, the city and the region. The city of Tufo, pop. one thousand, is tucked in the hills between the two provinces of Benevento and Avellino that comprise Irpinia, the eastern half of the Campania region, sometimes described as the Switzerland of Italy. Here "life" is held in the middle of an ancient medieval village, festivals, lively outdoor markets, the countryside and acres of lush vineyards that produce some of the best wines of the bel paese--Greco di Tufo , Taurasi and Aglianico del Vulture. The rhythms of daily life and the generations-old customs in Tufo provide a travel experience that immerses you in fascinating legends and medieval settlements, towns and villages. From the house it is an easy walk up the hill on cobbled stoned streets through piazza Umberto, up to the summit of the city to the restored castle of Tufo. The town grew up around the castle during the Longobard period, 568-774 AD. The Lombards were a Germanic language of people that has dominated a large part of Italy until the VII century. Also within walking distance from the house are the sulfur mines and the mill, considered to be the oldest example of industrial architecture in the European Union, the San Michele Arcangelo di Cave and the cemetery where in the beginning the inhabitants of the village have celebrated their patron saint and the river Sabbato, which is part of the largest water catchment area in the whole of Europe. The word Sabbato is derived from the Hebrew Shabbat, but also by the legends of the witches of Benevento, dating back to the VII century. Each step calls to mind the age of this place and the weight of that age. The Avellino train station is about a twenty minutes drive from the house, and taxis are a possibility. In reality, however, if you are interested in making the most of the region you are going to want a car. Naples, the Reggia di Caserta, the Amalfi Coast and many other sights are each about an hour or so drive from Tufo.