A recent famous visitor

A recent famous visitor to La Preghiera was a good looking young Englishman, with his beautiful Japanese girl-friend. They both stayed with the Tunstills whilst attending a large glamourous wedding at a nearby glitzy villa.

La Preghiera has a policy of not disclosing, in advance, the names of prospective guests, famous, or infamous, who need their privacy as much as we all do, and this is one of the reasons why they chose us. Even our staff are not informed.

This young man, with his partner, drove off to our local bar for a spot of lunch, in their new, sleek and super-low Ferrari. The cat was therefore was well and truly out of the bag!

For the remaing few days of their stay there was a constant stream of cars passing the front gate of La Preghiera hoping to catch a glimpse, but in vain, as were the telephone calls from local enthusiasts, which were fielded.

The morning arrived for these two exceedingly pleasant people to leave, because he had a bit of serious driving to do the next day in Monaco.

Oh...by the way...his name? Jenson Button.

Santa Rita of Cascia

Words by Michelle Fabio

One of the most beloved Italian saints is St. Rita of Cascia, a native of Umbria who died in Cascia in 1456. Santa Rita is widely celebrated not only in the Green Heart of Italy but also throughout the country on her feast day, 22 May, with Mass, processions, and other festivities. St. Rita has a most interesting tale for a saint as she was married and had children.

Although St. Rita had always wanted to be a nun, she obeyed her elderly parents’ wishes to marry a harsh, immoral man when she was just 12 years old. She was a loyal wife and mother of twin sons for 18 years, but family life went sour when her husband was murdered and her sons sought revenge.

St. Rita tried to persuade them to change their minds, but when she realized nothing could stop them, she prayed they would be taken from Earth so they couldn’t commit murder themselves; they died of natural causes a year later.

Alone in the world, St. Rita sought admission to the Augustinian convent in Cascia, but was refused because she was a widow. Eventually she was admitted, though--her entrance itself a miracle as she claimed to have been transported inside by her own patron saints, John the Baptist, Augustine, and Nicholas of Tolentino.

St. Rita is often portrayed holding roses and/or figs and sometimes with an injury to her head because when she had asked to suffer as Jesus had, a thorn from the Crown of Thorns on a figure of the crucifixion fell on her forehead and cut her. She is the patron saint of hopeless causes, abused women, and parenthood.

W Santa Rita!
http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy-featured/cascia/celebrating-st-rita-cascia

"Lo Spino" Speed, Dust and Scenery on the Tuscan Umbrian Border

The weekend of the 15th May will see the start of "Lo Spino" this is the 37th time this annual up hill speed race has been run. Competitors, in powerful, modified sports cars or special production cars will thunder their way, through some of Italy’s most beautiful mountain scenery in search of victory. Starting from the little town of Pieve Santo Stefano they will climb 1000 metres, over 7Km in under 3 minutes against the clock, on a steep, twisting course towards La Verna.

The crash barriers and bleachers are in place, the navigators signs indicating the direction and degree of turn have been put up, all that is needed now are the cars and crowds. The first event was run back in 1965 and won by Sangry La in an Alfa Romao TZ1, averaging 102Km/h. At the end of the 60’s its fame was already established and over 6,000 spectators made their way to this remote Tevere valley to watch the spectacle. The fastest ascent was by Parschal Irlando in 1992, driving a BMW with an average speed of 143Km/h.

Safety concerns in 2002 however saw the introduction of measures to ensure the well being of both spectators and drives, the course was shortened from 12Km to seven and modifications to cars were made to limit their speed. Fortunately this has not dampened the race for either the drivers or those watching. It is still as exciting to watch the cars speed their way around this torturous route with breath taking views all about.

If you can’t make the trip to the Upper Tiber Valley, then check out this clip on Youtube to experience the thril from the drivers vantage point. Click here.

Festa dei Ceri - Gubbio Candle Race

If you are in central Italy this month, Gubbio’s Festa del Ceri, held every 15th of May is an event you can’t miss. For over 900 years the people of the Umbrian town have celebrated the lives of Saints Ubaldo; the towns patron saint, St George and St Anthony with a race through the streets.

There is much pageantry and ritual attached to the ceremony with a colourful procession of the three Ceri (25’ wooden sculptures depicting each saint.)Mass is celebrated and a large luncheon feast is held before the teams commence the race.

Starting from the Piazza Grande they travel up the back up the hill to the Basilica di Sant Ubaldo. The teams consist of ten carriers who are changed every ten minutes without stopping until the winners, which are always the Ubaldo team reach the doors of the Cathedral and attempt to close them before the others enter. Once the Ceri are safely stored, the saints are bought out and a candlelit procession continues around the town along with more eating and drinking.

Festival Umbria Jazz - 2009

The wonderful frame of Umbria is the location of many special events in July 2009.

Festival Umbria Jazz, one of the most important appointments in Europe, will take place in Perugia from 10th to 19th July 2009, with no stop shows of different kind of music.

The event, very famous all around the world from its first edition in 1973, includes artists such as Simply Red, Donna Summer, Gino Paoli and Paolo Conte. Perugia is the marvellous city in Umbria full of monuments and things to do.

A luxury guest house in Umbria, La Preghiera, originally a 12th Century monastery, is an historic house which has been restored to an elegant country house estate offering bed and breakfast accommodation near Perugia is glad to offer 15% discount for a stay of three night or more in selected rooms

For availability email: info@lapreghiera.com, www.lapreghiera.com

Sagrantino Wine Trail

Montefalco (Pg).

This year’s edition of the Cantine Aperte open wineries event, scheduled to run on May 30th and 31st, will once more see all the wineries around Bevagna, Foligno, Gualdo Cattaneo, Montefalco and Spello throwing open their doors for those interested in taking a closer look at the developing wine industry in Umbria, complete with tasting sessions and other events such as shows, concerts and more. Over the past years it has come to the attention of the organisers that Cantine Aperte appears to attract young people, either alone or in groups of friends, who contribute considerably to livening up the Sagrantino Wine Trail and all the other culinary events that accompany the event.

Info: 0742.354459

info@iat.foligno.pg.it

May's Programme of Events

May truly sees the start of the festa season, with the Umbrian town of Gubbio staging two of the big events of the year. Both the Festa dei Ceri (the candle race) and Palio della Balestra (crossbow competition) are unmisable occassions in the Upper Tiber Valley calendar.


Until 7th Citta di Castello, Piazza Vitelli, Exhibition covering a range of furniture, arts and crafts
1st - 3rd Citerna “Citerna Fotografia” exhibition of photos by Vasco Ascolini
1st – 3rd Pistrino 19th annual “festa dei fiori” agricultural and flower show.
4th – 13th Cdi C Stadio Bernicchi holds the “Trofeo Cartoedit” junior football tournament.
6th – 8th Cdi C Cathedral, 11th E. Zangarelli musical competition for school children.
7th – 9th Assisi Medieval festival in period costume, archery, processions, flag waving and jousting.
10th S. Giustino Antiques market.
10th Lisciano Niccone “Lo Scambivendolo, agricultural, biological and antiques market.
14th – 17th Cdi C Zoccolanti, the popular religious festival for St Pasquale.
15th Gubbio Festa dei Ceri, the ancient race through the streets of Gubbio
17th Cdi C Piazza Metteotti, Antiques market.
17th Montone 6th Umbertide Endurance motorbike race.
24th Gubbio Replica of the Ceri race in miniture
24th – 2nd Cerbara 24th annual Countryside Cherry festival.
24th Monte S. M Tiberina Ascension Day, featuring a historical procession.
30th -2nd Cdi C Piazza Matteotti, Moto in an open air concert.
30th – 31st Cdi C Communal Pool, 22nd International Swimming competition.
31st Umbertide,Scula Media Mavarelli, 44th annual “Fotografia Umbria” exhibition of photographic equipment.
31st Gubbio The famous medieval Crossbow competition.
31st Cdi C Stadio Comunale, “Matty & Co” football tournament.

Castello to Rome by Canoe

The 25th April saw the start of the 30th annual descent of the River Tiber from Citta di Castello to Rome. This now internationally acknowledged event, is the highlight of the canoeing calendar, especially for the clubs of Castello and Milan whose members made the first trip back in 1969.

Over the intervening years the event was run intermittently but in 1982, canoeist Francisco Bartolozzi, organised the festival for the first time and although the trip was undertaken by a small group, it assured the descents future. The following year there were more participants as well as an accompanying Army lorry used to transport the canoeist belongings, tents and support equipment. Before this all equipment was carried in the canoes and often ended up soaking wet.

1984 saw the competition come of age and attracted over 200 registrations and also have two Army trucks in attendance. Now it is recognised throughout the canoeing world and entrants arrive from all over Europe, include individual professional competitors, family groups, with ages from 5 to 80 years old.



The week long trip covering 25 -30 Km each day, has a troop of supports who follow the competitors, some on foot, by bicycle or in one of the support vehicles. They help at the difficult sections porting canoes around weirs and dams, setting up camp with its famous field kitchen.

The event also has an ecological aspect to it, helping to monitor the rivers course, erosion and pollution. Food cooked during the week uses locally produced ingredients and encourages people to examine the relationships between man and the environment. It allows people to renew old friendships, appreciate the beautiful landscape, towns and villages along the river and experience a tranquil, leisurely trip to Rome.

For anyone interested in cheering on our intrepid adventurers, they will be starting from the Ponte del Tevere, Citta di Castello on 25/4, Umbertide 26/4, Deruta 27/4, Fratta Todina 28/4, Civitella del Lago 29/4, Nazzano 30/4, arriving at Ponte Milvio, Rome 1 May.