Castiglione del Lago has just started celebrating this year’s 47th edition of the Festa del Tulipano and tonight will see the official opening parade. Dating back to 1956, the Tulip Festival celebrates the arrival of spring and consists of decorating the city centre with tulip petals. Sunday is the pinnacle of the festival with the different sections of town competing with decorated floats and then with teams of runners racing through town. Why not book a last minute minibreak in Casa Leone and experience this amazing festival on your doorstep! Check out the programme.

Did you know that the centre of Italy has some amazing processions for Easter? It is cultural tourism at its best! Cortona, Castiglion Fiorentino, Foiano and Arezzo, to name just a few places that are within 30 minutes of Casa Leone, celebrate with prayers and hymns along the Via Crucis – the Way of the Cross. In Cortona, for instance, the cross stops in front of mosaics created by Gino Severini in 1947 on its way up to the Basilica di Santa Margherita, where the body of Saint Margaret of Cortona who was born in 1247 in Laviano, five minutes from Castiglione del Lago, lies in full view still today.

The Telegraph has published a travel guide to Umbria – and yes, this picture they use in the article is indeed of “our” castle, la Rocca del Leone, located to the right of Casa Leone. Entrance to the Palazzo della Corgna and the Castle costs 4 (very well spent) Euro, in case you needed another incentive to come and visist!

Enjoy 🙂

St Valentine’s Day is just one week away!! So in case you were thinking of getting married in Italy, we wanted to let you know that it may not be as complicated as you might imagine, and obvious bonuses include the delicious food and wine on offer, the excellent locations available and the exoticism of saying “yes!” or “si!” in a different country.

As multi-lingual locals, we are available to help you connect to the right people to get your dream day just the way you want it. From English-speaking photographers, such as Lydia Stamps who are willing to travel with you from your home to your wedding, to local caterers and wedding planners, if you stay at Casa Leone, we will assist you in ensuring you get just what you want!

In case you were wondering what is going on in the area this year, here is a rough calendar of events with links to the relevant websites.

Of note, the Tulip Festival, Kite Festival (Colouring the Skies – Coloriamo i Cieli) and Spring Air Show (Meeting di Primavera) in April/May.

And if you feel like running round Lake Trasimeno, the “Stratrasimeno” Marathon is taking place on the 3rd of March!

Everything has gone quiet as the leaves turn golden and winter sets in. Lake Trasimeno looks like this now. The rain has brought the shores back to their original position and the lake fish are happily increasing their stocks.

It’s time to curl up by the fire and check out these finds:

– National Geographic’s Romantic Italy Photos – an album dedicated to areas around Casa Leone.

– The Guardian chooses Lake Trasimeno in their 5 Freshwater beach holidays!

Casa Leone is offering an olive season special!

If you stay at Casa Leone from mid October 2012, during olive picking season, we will organise for you to spend a day in one of our local olive groves and visit our local olive oil mill.

It’s a unique chance to experience first hand one of the activities that makes Umbria so special – plus there is the added bonus of getting to try and purchase some of the world’s best extra virgin olive oil!

Casa Leone is open and ready for guests!

The beds are installed and made, the kitchen is all done up and functional, as is the rest of the flat.

It has been a boiling effort with one of the hottest summers on record, but well worth every move with Casa Leone now looking better than ever before.

Check out the pictures in the photo gallery or on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/casaleoneitaly