Villa La Camilla near Todi

The winter months are sliding by and unfortunately we are all still in full or partial lockdown. This makes it difficult for us to go out for new blog stories. We have asked for the help of the home owners and in the coming blogs will publish their stories, about their own home and the surrounding area. We start with Camilla and Otello from Villa La Camilla near Todi.

Slow living in Grutti near Todi

La Camilla private villa is located in the green hills around Todi. It has been the second home of Camilla and her husband Otello for more then 20 years now, bought to escape the hustle and bustle of the city where they live. They called the house “the three sunflowers” ​​because they have three children. They now also have four grandchildren, but the number three has remained.

In the area you can have beautiful walks and bike rides. Camilla and Otello very much enjoy their daily walk to the village of Grutti for a cup of coffee, to read the newspaper at the bar, to have a chat with the locals and get a few groceries at the local “alimentare”, the small grocery store.

Every Saturday afternoon you will find Rosella and Fabrizio on the square near the church selling their delicious porchetta (roasted pork). On Wednesday morning they are at the market in Bastardo, where you can also buy clothes, vegetables and fruit.

Pecorino cheese at the neighbour’s farm

Another much loved walk by Camilla and Otello goes in the opposite direction, to the left as you walk out of the gate. This is not a good road by car, but on foot it is a nice walk to the valley. Just over a kilometer further you come to the house of the “pastore”, the shepherd. The shepherd made his own cheese in the traditional way. Today it is the daughter who continues this craft. She makes tasty pecorino cheese and delicious fresh ricotta.

Go out for dinner in Grutti

Grutti has a nice restaurant, highly recommended by Camilla. Daniela and Gianni are the owners of “Le Noci”. Gianni has a working farm that makes olive oil and wine, of course served in their restaurant. In the summer you can sit outside under the pergola, in cooler months the fireplace burns inside. The antipasto of the house is very rich. One serving is enough for two. Here you should definitely try the pasta with goose sauce, the tagliatelle al sugo d’oca, Otello’s favourite. Camilla goes for the pasta with truffle, the tagliolini al tartufo. The pasta is homemade and the ingredients are fresh. The homemade desserts are worth your while, as are the tozzetti coloured with Sagrantino wine (a kind of biscuit that you dip in sweet dessert wine).

Holiday near Todi

The slow life in the villa and the small rural village near Todi is a relief for Camilla and her family after the busy life in the city. There are several families who now see the house as “their” holiday home and regularly spend a holiday there, just as Camilla and Otello wanted it to be when they started this adventure.

“We hope that our guests will love the carefree holiday, the spectacular landscapes of Umbria, the charming cities ….. but also all the good food they have been able to eat!!!”