Many months delayer, but we were back to traveling overseas. Our plane was overbooked as we each sat on the aisle across from each other. After 5+ hours in the United packed lounge in Newark, we boarded a very full flight to Rome. Luckily, no one sat in the middle seat between us and after 8 easy hours, arrived on Rome right on time. Our bag made it to Rome and after being the first customer to the Hertz counter, started on our way for the 2 1/2 hour trip to the Villa. There are benefits of traveling on Sunday as it appears no one is at the airport and the traffic is fairly light.
We stopped 30 minutes before our villa in a small town of Castiglione del Lago which overlooks 49 square mile, Lake Trasimeno, and had a very nice lunch on the street outside an Italian vineria specializing in meats and wine. I believe we were the only Americans in the small town as it is not on the tourist trail. As we were enjoying our wonderful charcuterie board of local meats and pecorino, noon time bells started ringing above.
Upon arriving at the cottage, Villa Vinciluna, located in the small town near Cortona, called Montanare, the owner and her son showed us through the renovated residence that has a breathtaking venue of a large pool and patio nestled in an olive grove.
Once unpacked, not much surprisingly, we hustled to the food store returning with pasta,salad, bread and wine for tonight‘s dinner, and considered the “basic necessities” for Italians!
We had a romantic and relaxing dinner under the Tuscan Sun, obscured by heavy cloud layer! The relaxing has begun!! Monday, we take an easy drive to the town of Arezzo and have a wine tasting at Agriturismo Santo Stefano!!!