The Vero Blog: Inside Italy
Discover the Heart of Italy: A Journey Through Umbria
Nestled in the heart of Italy, Umbria is a region that captivates visitors with its rich history, charming towns, and breathtaking landscapes. From the iconic spiritual hub of Assisi to the medieval allure of Perugia, each town in Umbria tells a unique story.
Spring Fling In Umbria!
Receive two complimentary hyper-local experiences when you book 3 nights (or more) at our Estate this Spring. Make sure to mention this offer when booking. Includes a freshly prepared Italian-style breakfast delivered to your door each morning. Prices start at €660 (per couple).
*NEW* Self-Guided All-Inclusive Umbria Tour Packages 2024
Our *BRAND NEW* All-Inclusive, Self-Guided Packages are completely private and customised with you in mind (no herds of people here)! Prices start at €1015 per person.
Slow Travel and Why it’s so Important
We see it time, and time again. Our wonderful guests plan a jam packed trip with tours booked, dinner reservations made, and hotel hopping every 2-3 days only to realise, once they arrive at our Estate, that they’re tired and perhaps are doing too much. Upon checking in they discover that in actual fact, they’d really like to slow down and finally savour the Italian moment.
Lonely Planet Awards Umbria ‘Best in Travel’ for 2023
Italy’s green heart, Umbria is a land unto itself, the only Italian region that borders neither the sea nor another country. This isolation has kept outside influences at bay and ensured that many of Italy's old-world traditions survive today. Travel here and you’ll still see grandmothers in aprons making pasta by hand and front doors that haven't been locked in centuries.
Your Ultimate Guide to Umbria
If you’re on the hunt for a real taste of Authentic Italy, then you’re in the right place. Our Ultimate Guide to Umbria will take you from romantic medieval hilltop towns, like Assisi, Perugia, and Orvieto, to towns that host breathtaking traditional festivals, food and wine (some of the Best Places to Visit in Umbria).
Umbria’s Wine Scene: Cantina Goretti
The Goretti family exudes their love for Umbria and all that the territory has to offer. If you get the chance to visit, you will surely meet at least two generations of Goretti, but most likely three, since Nonna Marcella loves to mingle and joyously lingers around the wine barrels ready to showcase her family’s products.
Umbria Under 40 | Italy Segreta
This is the crossroads where tradition meets the future. The untapped potential of Umbria and its tourism sector was apparent to me and my husband from the beginning of our relocation. What we didn’t realise at the time was there was so much already afoot. Honest production from genuine farmers is alive and well in Umbria and traditions have not been lost, rather they are being reborn. Umbria’s time to shine has finally arrived and it’s something to behold.
Your Simple Guide to Buying Italian Wine
It’s something we hear over, and over again “Italian wine is so hard to understand!” - “Please help me cut through the gunk and buy well!” There’s excellent value in every Italian wine category and Vero is here to help you navigate it. Your Simple Guide to Navigating Italian Wine is finally here.
The Ultimate Italian Gift Guide
Got Italy-obsessed family member or friend on your gift list this year? Or perhaps a Secret Santa impossible to buy for? We’ve rounded up a number of options from the Vero Experiences store that can be enjoyed from home and in Bella Italia! Click here for your one-stop shopping tool.
Umbria’s Wine Scene: Azienda Agricola Carini
The rich history of Carini began in the mid 1800’s: Peppino farmed livestock and, in those days, the family produced wine and olive oil simply for their own means. It wasn't until the 1970’s that Armando and Bruna Carini began to market their products locally. After the passing of both Armando and Bruna, their sons, Carlo and Marco, set out to transform the established lands into vineyards, olive groves, and wild areas to raise ‘cinta senese’ pigs and sheep for milking. Although the two sons did not continue their father’s love for certain agricultural practices, they did see an opportunity to grow the business and bring even more recognition to their family and the region they proudly call home.
Umbria’s Natural Wine Movement | Italy Segreta
Explore the lesser-known wine regions of Umbria and you will discover there is something bubbling at the surface, ready for the spotlight. This is the Natural Wine movement in a region that has flown under the radar for years.
Italy’s biggest grape-naming blunder: Gamay del Trasimeno | ITALY Magazine
Along the Tuscan border sits Lake Trasimeno, situated in a north-west pocket of Umbria and just a stone’s throw away from some of the most prominent Sangiovese producers in the world. Even the most seasoned traveler may zip past this lakeshore on the way to discovering the better-known wine regions of Umbria like Montefalco (home to the Sagrantino grape) and Orvieto (known for their historic white blends).
Life Lessons from my Suocera | Italy Segreta
From the poignant moments to simple daily life. These Italian mothers have a point after all. Italy is known for their overbearing mothers and the sons who worship the ground they walk on. It can be hard for someone in love, trying to compete with ‘Mamma’ for first place in their lover’s heart. This was the stereotype I knew and many warned me about, but I have come to realise that having a typical Italian suocera is not all that bad.
An afternoon in Cortona, Tuscany
The ever-enchanting town of Cortona is one of many striking hilltop towns within a 45 minute's drive of our Countryside Estate (opening summer 2022). We stopped by for an afternoon stroll and discovered what all the fuss was about.
7 wineries to visit in Umbria | ArtTrav
Umbria isn’t the first wine region that comes to mind for most, yet this region offers a plethora of off-the-beaten-track producers making exceptional wines in an array of styles. Umbria expert and wine-tour leader Kaila Terraneo of Vero shares her insider tips.
An Interview with ITALY Magazine
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Silvia Donati, contributing editor for ITALY Magazine. We discussed what led Ludo and I to Italy and what we aim to achieve with our brand Vero. This was the first time we were able to share our story with a larger audience - it was an exciting, yet vulnerable experience. Read the full article below.
Poggio Belvedere | by Vero 17th-Century Countryside Estate
Food for the soul set amongst the rolling hills of Umbria. Poggio Belvedere | by Vero is the perfect place to base yourself in order to discover what makes this region so special. Spend tranquil days exploring countless medieval villages, breathtaking landscapes, and the enchanting natural wonders of the ‘Green Heart of Italy’.
The ‘duo’ behind the Vero brand
One half American/Canadian and the other Italian/Australian. Together, we make Vero, where authentic connections and genuine Italian experiences drive us daily. Our mission is to bring you honest Italian moments through food, wine, luxury rentals, and more. We are committed to joining you with regional Italian excellencies that may just change your life. Curious about how we ended up in Umbria? Hint: an iconic city harbour starts the story off, but the journey sure wasn’t linear. Learn what pivotal moment changed our lives and led us to you.
Foraging ‘Asparagi Selvatici’ (Wild Asparagus)
It was early March 2021 and I’d just had one of those moments…You know the kind? Where you look back and think: ‘I’m going to cherish this memory forever’. It started as my normal morning walk up to the castle of Monte Vibiano Vecchio, but early into it I bumped into Giorgio.
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