Absolutely Gorgeous Villa Set Among Vineyards with Lake and Mountain Views

We wish you a very warm welcome to Villa Gioianna, an extremely fabulous historic Villa overlooking Lake Trasimeno. Villa Gioianna is an exclusive, gorgeous country estate composed of gardens, olive grove, fruit orchard and woods sitting upon a hill above Lake Trasimeno, where it commands a superb view of Tuscany, Umbria and the Lake. We can recommend one of several excellent cooks, all of whom loves to spoil guests with delicious, homemade meals using our produce and other locally sourced ingredients. From a traditional nonna to an enthusiastic "New Italy" cook to Michelin-starred chefs, we will find the right culinary fit for you. Or, combine a meal with a cooking lesson or a wood-fired pizza lesson from a vivacious Italian Mama or a family pasta-making lesson that you will remember for years. We would be delighted to provide a dream location for your special event or for a tour group focusing on yoga, cooking, wine, Pilates, mindfulness, well-being, golf, shopping -- whatever your interest! Please contact us and tell us what you're celebrating. PLEASE NOTE: Vrbo has incorrectly stated cancellation policies, the location, the pricing. I am told this cannot be remedied until after the holidays. If you like the photos and the layout, amenities, etc, we strongly urge you to contact us directly for details. First, a few details: -Pets welcome with prior notice -Start your holiday on any day; end on any weekday -Kindly furnish details of your group and we'd be happy to give you a personalized quote. -More photos, information at all the usual social media places - We prefer to deal directly with guests, so please do contact us with your specific needs - Cancellation and other policies are in the Booking Terms & Conditions, NOT as stated on vrbo's website. Please read the Booking T&Cs before booking. Your time at the Villa should be special. This means something different to every person. We like to maintain personal contact with all of our clients so we can ensure that we provide the best holiday we can to suit your needs and encourage you to write with a description of your group or special event. We'd be delighted to suggest restaurants, sights and activities that will make your holiday a memory you will treasure for decades. When choosing a home for your vacation, we encourage you to consider the following, which we happily quote from John O’Donohue: “Some of our most wonderful memories are beautiful places where we felt immediately at home. We feel most alive in the presence of the beautiful for it meets the needs of our soul. . . . Without beauty the search for truth, the desire for goodness and the love of order and unity would be sterile exploits. Beauty brings warmth, elegance and grandeur.” Creating such beauty and protecting and appreciating the natural assets around us are at the heart of life at the Villa. We hope you will also embrace the warmth, elegance and grandeur of our Villa, gardens and surrounding countryside. We look forward to welcoming you as our guests. OVERVIEW: The Villa was constructed in 1918 but experts have dated its origins much older. The 'padrone', or wealthy landowner, of the surrounding farms 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, but with respect for the original architecture, spirit and history of the house so that it retains the warmth and ambiance of an Italian family country home. This is NOT a house specifically built, decorated or run as a commercial tourist venture with no heart or soul. This is a traditional, real, elegant Italian country villa where the elite of Rome and Florence would take their holidays. It is full of history and memories and lovingly decorated and maintained to reflect the character of the owner and to delight our guests. The Villa now has, among other changes, modern mechanical systems and a well - a boring mechanical fact, you may think, until you're here in the summer, the municipality rations water to a trickle 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 brick ceilings form a simple background for the carefully detailed interior furnished with splendid antiques, sumptuous textiles, supremely comfortable beds and gorgeous lamps dressed with lampshades designed by the owner and made with vintage and antique fabrics. The Villa's bathrooms are notorious locally, both for their beauty and number: as every woman will appreciate, every bedroom has its own spacious, beautifully tiled bathroom. Enjoy them without guilt: in the summer, most 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 4.5 acres of woods, vineyards, olive groves, fruit trees and flower gardens. The Villa is a small working estate that produces its own olive oil, fruit, vegetables, wonderfully fragrant roses, flowers and herbs. We garden 'sustainably;' we compost and practice companion planting and encouragement of beneficial insects, birds and bats (!) to keep plant diseases and pests in check. Our lawns are local grasses and wildflowers, requiring no commercial fertilizer. We recycle or compost virtually all of the waste produced by the Villa. OLIVE OIL: Our olive oil is our pride and joy. 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 consistent 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 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. NEAREST TOWN: The medieval town of Castiglione del Lago is the nearest market town (6 km), sitting high on an olive tree-covered promontory jutting into the west side of the lake. The town's magnificent medieval castle and palace dominate one end of the old town, 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 to meet locals. 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 ferries servicing the lake islands. The new town has 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 airports are Rome, Pisa and Florence. Each is about a 1.5 to 2-hour drive away. Bologna is a bit farther, approximately 2.5 hours. Perugia airport is the closest (approx 40 minutes). MODERN CONVENIENCES *Wi-Fi internet *Laundry Room with Washer, Dryer, Iron and Ironing Board *Transformers for North American plugs * Adaptors for British plugs ENTERTAINMENT *Stereo *Grand piano CREATURE COMFORTS *High quality linens *All cotton comforters made from traditional Umbrian and Tuscan textiles, feather down duvets and choice of feather or hypoallergenic pillows *Sumptuous ensuite bathrooms SUITABILITY *Groups of friends, tour groups *Yoga, Mindfulness, Pilates retreats *Anniversaries, Family Reunions, Birthday Celebrations *Business events, seminars, training sessions *Weddings *Photo-shoots *Film locations INCLUDED *Exclusive use of the Villa, grounds and pool *All linens and towels, including pool towels *Daily pool cleaning UPON REQUEST We would be happy to recommend and arrange other services such as: *Home-cooked and first-class chef-cooked meals *Cooking lessons *Breakfast service *Refrigerator filled prior to arrival *Yoga lessons *Tours, drivers, airport transfers *Wine tasting tours *Horseback riding or biking tours *Many, many wonderful things to see and do in our area ! GREEN CREDENTIALS We aim to be as 'green' as possible. We *Recycle 100% of plastic, paper products and glass/metal, encourage our guests to do so as well, providing facilities so that it is not difficult to achieve this. *Compost all vegetable matter and food scraps. *Severely limit the use of chemicals in the gardens. *Garden sustainably.