Mangiare! Mangiare! Thank goodness the airline did not weigh passengers like it does suitcases on the way out of Italy, or our family would have been stuck! Come to think of it, that would not have been such a travesty.
An Italian vacation has been on our family’s list for awhile now. Of the nine of us who traveled to Italy this past Christmas for the most amazing two-week holiday, all but one of us had been there before, but never together as a family, and we have Linda Sherrer, the matriarch of the family to thank. Five years ago, Kim and Ben were invited to the Reschio Estate in Umbria by some business clients and they absolutely fell in love with the property. Now, we all know why.
The Reschio Estate dates back to the 10th century, when the initial construction of the castle began. As one can imagine, the 1,500-hectare estate has an amazing history, and throughout the years approximately 50 farmhouses were added to the property. But by the end of the 1900s, the majority of the homes were dilapidated and the estate overgrown.
The Bolza family purchased the entire estate in the 1990s and in 2021, the original castle opened as a hotel, and over half of the old farmhouses have been redesigned and brought back to life. We arrived a few days prior to Christmas, or Natale, and stayed in the Arrighi house, an amazing five-bedroom cozy abode replete with a Christmas tree decorated with the most ornate glass-blown balls.
Arrighi sits atop one of the many rolling hills in the Umbria countryside, and left us with spectacular views that changed colors throughout the day. The home is approximately one mile from the main estate, which housed the castle, the restaurant and the equestrian center with 40 Spanish stallions.
Arrighi was our home base, and from there we stretched out across Umbria and Tuscany to visit the charming countryside cities of Arezzo, Assisi, Cortona and Montepulciano. We found acclimating to the six-hour time difference a bit challenging, thanks in part to late night family games of Uno by the fire, Nintendo golf, and enjoying many varietals of the local wine. Thus, our excursions usually began later than we wanted, but meant that we stayed into the evening and enjoyed all the Festive Christmas lighting, and a Christmas market or two.
Our first excursion was to Cortona, the walled-in community high atop the hillside, on Dec. 23. While our plans were focused around dinner at Osteria del Teatro, none of us had eaten much and were starving when we arrived in town around 2:30. So, we found the most wonderful Caffe Degli Artisti and its soups and pizzas. Funny thing, we learned this trip that Italians do not generally serve pizza for lunch, but we were sure thankful this one did. The food was so memorable that parts of our family made two return visits.
Christmas Eve was spent strolling the hilly streets of Assisi, enjoying the Christmas lights and music (surprisingly all in English), and visiting the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. The Basilica dates back to the 1200s and is an incredible example of Italian Gothic art including frescoes by some of the most well-known painters of the 13th and 14th centuries. Definitely worth a visit, although the young girls in our party will tell you their favorite part of Assisi was the lavender store, where almost everything inside looks or smells like lavender.
The most interesting dining experience also came in Assisi at Michelin-rated Ristorante Il Fontaoio, where they served us a welcoming course entirely made up of olive oil – including baby snow cones, macaroons and crepes. Needless to say, the taste was interesting, but not something any of us would recommend.
When not dining out, we had the welcome fortune of Chef Filippo, a jolly old soul in his own right, preparing meals at Arrighi. Chef Filippo not only kept our bellies full for three-hour eating extravaganzas, but joined in with our family singalongs. One of the great memories for Linda’s daughters growing up was of their uncles singing after dinner. While that talent seemed to skip a generation, it appears to have been revived in the grandkids. Cate, Will and Holland harmonized, while the rest of us did our best to keep up.
Getting back to Chef Filippo, where to begin? Most days he arrived at the house in the morning to prepare dinner for the evening. Every item was as fresh as could be, and he even left some delicacies out until he could be certain it met his standards. While every meal was “heaven in the mouth,” as Cate likes to say, the most fun we had was pizza night. Chef Filippo heated the outdoor wood baking oven to nearly 1,000 degrees (a seven-hour ordeal) and then peppered us with pizza after pizza filled with an array of delicious toppings.
Just before the new year, the Budnicks headed off from the rest of the pack for a few days of exploring Ancient Rome, and a stay at the St. Regis, where the staff went overboard in welcoming and celebrating Cate’s birthday. Upon arrival, there was champagne, fruit and breakfast fare waiting in our room. Later, they sent up a birthday cake, balloon and even a couple presents to top off the celebration.
Cate loves to cook, thanks to Grandpa Ricky’s teachings, and so we celebrated her birthday at InRome Cooking school, where Mario helped us create the most delicious gelato and pasta from scratch. Bellissimo!!
When it came time to see all that Rome had to offer, we spent two days with Rosi Bernardini whom we highly recommend (Instagram – discoverromewithrosi). Her knowledge on the history of the city is deep, and not only did we visit the must-sees like the Vatican museum, St Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum and the Forum, we also took a walk on the Appian Way, traveled deep into the Catacombs and entered a church built in the fifth century. We had so much fun listening to Cate and Rosi go toe-to-toe on Greek and Roman mythology as we walked the Vatican museum corridors. She was more than just a guide: She brings history to life and became a fast friend.
The rest of the family met us in Rome on Jan.2. That evening, we finished our trip with a memorable dining experience (yes, more food) at Mirabelle Restaurant at the top of the Hotel Spendide Royal, with a view of St Peter’s dome in the distance. Be sure to try Cannara’s onions soup au gratin with two cheeses and the Risotto with Castelmagno cheese, radicchio-chicory and Nebbiolo-wine reduction. Cannot go wrong with either!
For anyone concerned about traveling during the pandemic, as long as one is vaccinated and can tolerate wearing a mask for the long flights, it was business as usual. More than 80 percent of the country is vaccinated and each restaurant asked to see your vaccination card or your app with the green check. An antigen test is required to travel a day prior to and from Italy, and because of the recent uptick in cases, the airlines required a specific type of mask upon our return but all in all, we felt very comfortable during our stay. The Italians certainly know how to make their guests feel welcome and we can’t wait to return!
