best bed: Hotel Vannucci, Citta della Pieve, Italy

The beautiful, boutique, Hotel Vannucci is a wonderful hideaway in the center of the stunning historic town of Citta della Pieve. Like the town, this charming hotel has a history…and it started with a scandal!  Vittorio Emanuele II was the first King of  Italy ( I know, weird that he was called the second but before he was the first king of Italy, he was the second Vittorio Emanuele of Sicily, he kept the II out of respect for his father). In 1848, his favorite mistress (and later second wife), gave birth to a daughter. They named her Vittoria Spinola; she was his favorite. Vittoria had three children with her first husband. When he died, on her father’s urging, she married his much old brother. They settled at the royal court in Pisa, not entirely happily. One day an official dropped off some important documents.  He’d brought his handsome young son, Paolo, with him. Vittoria took one look, fell in love, grabbed her kids and ran away. With Paolo. To Citta della Pieve, birthplace of the renowned Renaissance artist, Pietro Vannucci, better known as Perugino . Perugino was one of the first to use oil paint and was Raphael’s teacher. His paintings are dotted around the town and in major museums around the world like the Louvre, the Uffizi and the National Gallery London. When the love birds arrived, they got involved in local politics, started some businesses and bought a piece of land. They built a couple villas, a greenhouse and a fab garden to accommodate wealthy Romans on holiday. They called it Vannucci Gardens. By 1900, they’d had enough. Vittoria & Paolo moved to Rome. They gave one of the villas to her daughter. This daughter happened to be married to Paolo’s brother. (Confused yet?) These two opened the original Hotel Vannucci in 1903. The hotel changed hands often until famed hotelier Roberto Wirth took over the property in 2018, bringing his magic touch. You may know him as the owner of the renowned Hassler, Rome. The Hotel Vannucci has been fully renovated. The rooms have a simple elegance, the beds are comfortable and the staff helpful and kind. Old work charm combines with modern convenience. A dinner in the restaurant is a must! Be sure to ask for a tour of the wine cellar. The hotel makes a wonderful base for exploring Umbria & Tuscany.

Hotel Vannucci

Number of Rooms: 30

Sweet Suite: The deluxe room with bathtub & a private balcony overlooking the delightful street below and the lovely walled garden where breakfast is served during lovely weather… so charming & comfortable! I had one of the best sleeps of my life!

Favorite Thing: The wonderful outdoor garden in front of the hotel…it is here you can swim in the pool, lounge in the sun, have a cocktail in the garden and eat dinner in the beautiful La Pergola while watching the sun set over the hills during the warmer months.

Near By: The town center, filled with churches, small museums, opera house and a weekly market is steps from the hotel. Perugino’s paintings can be found in the Cathedral, in Santa Maria dei Bianchi, Santa Maria dei Servi and Saint Peter’s Church. The fortress is charming. Citta della Pieve, on the border of Umbria and Tuscany makes a great base for exploring both.

Amenities: pool, fitness center with jacuzzi and sauna, Restaurant Zafferano, vaulted brick wine cellar, free Wi-Fi, cooking courses, pet friendly, massages, wine tastings, bike rental, cheese & olive oil tastings, boat tours

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Homepage Vannucci