Italy in May 2017

Check out Santi Terzi, San Gemini, Umbria. Many master bedrooms, inside the town walls, cooking class available, easy train access to Rome from nearby Narni, local Roman ruins (Carsulae, a Roman town with few visitors), and many local restaurants. Drive to Deruta for ceramics, Montefalco for the sangrantino wine trail, vineyards, and wineries. Assisi, Spoleto, Terni, Todi, Orvieto, and even Perugia and Cortona are easy drives.

Amalfi coast is beautiful but hard to get transport easily and conveniently, driving is not recommended. Pick a villa in Posiano or Sorrento, lots with 3 masters. Go to Pompeii AND Herculaneum.

Spring is a great time to visit, lots of color and no dust. Have fun, drop a message if you want more.

Gordon has given great suggestions. There is so much to see/do in all the regions you mentioned.

Traveling in Southern Italy by public transportation is slower than by car, and slower than public transportation in the north. The Amslfi Coast/Bay of Napoli area is different from Cinque Terre, especially if you are interested in antiquity. Further down the coast is Paestum, for example.

Thank you Gordon and Zoe. I will take a look. We like to have a car so that we have more options.

Gordon, have you been to Santi Terzi? I am wondering how difficult it might be to get from where you have to park the car to the villa. We are all in our 60's and in good health and physically can probably do it although some of our group brings too much luggage :(

Also I love the idea of being in the countryside and having the wonderful views. Yet being close enough to some quaint villages.

You wrote: "We would love to go to a vineyard, have cooking classes at the villa and just visit some quaint small villages or walled cities."

We are booked at this place for May 6 to May 13: http://www.anticavetreria.net/ This American couple bought an abandoned old glass factory in the small Umbrian town of Piegaro and remodeled it into separate apartments. The biggest apartment is called The Villa and has four master bedrooms with baths: http://www.anticavetreria.net/apartments/villa-umbria-village

It comes highly recommended and is owned by Colleen and her husband. (She's the daughter of a couple I knew many years ago.) Colleen organizes tours (including to a nearby organic vineyard/olive grove) as well as having a chef come in to teach a cooking class on site. There are lots of photos and video clips on that website, so be sure to check them out.

It's in Piegaro, Umbria, not far from Perugia. Be sure to check out this page and the links on the right: http://www.anticavetreria.net/during-your-stay-umbria

And here's the Tripadvisor page about them: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1187261-d1227877-Reviews-L_Antica_Vetreria-Piegaro_Province_of_Perugia_Umbria.html

Who knows? Maybe we will see you there.

Hi Jacque,
Check out Decugnano dei Barbi in Orvieto, they are a villa, winery and have cooking classes. We're taking a cooking class next June while staying over night in Orvieto.
Have a great time.

Jacque
Yes, I have stayed at Santi Terzi twice. Loved it both times, once in 2002 and once more recently. It is big, very big. There are many bedrooms to choose from. There is a smaller villa (Case del Poggia http://www.palazzosantiterzi.it/casadelpoggio.htm) that might accommodate your party.

The parking is directly behind the villa. There are a few stairs to the villa, and then a more to get to the bedroom/living areas. Poggia is more easily accessed. Wonderful views around the town.

Every morning I would go down to the main piazza and have a coffee (cappuccino) at Bar Centrale. The kids would get gelato there every evening. I will send you a message with some pictures if I can.

Gordon, Thank you for your reply. I will take a look.