RSSChart Whispering in Italy
By Bruce Zaro | September 08, 2008 | 7:02 PM | 3 Comments
Who needs a hotel when you can have a house?
In case you didn’t know, the Chart Whisperer is true and through Italian. I am proud of my roots. My name is Bruce Zaro for gods sake! Each year I like to get back to those roots by traveling to my homeland. There is one part of Italy that truly captures the essence of this county; the gentle hilly countryside of Umbria and Tuscany.
If you have never been to this region, here is a little history. Tuscany or Toscana in Italian, is a region of Central Italy, bordering Emilia-Romagna to the north, 
Liguria to the northwest, Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, Umbria and Marche to the east, Lazio to the southeast.
The region has a population of about 3.6 million people and the regional capital is Florence. For those of you familiar with the leaning tower of Pisa this is also part of the Tuscan legacy.
As many of you know, the U.S. dollar has taken a pounding against the Euro and other European currencies in recent months, although it seems to have stabilized for now. So when I planned this family trip in July, I wanted to explore all of my options on where to stay that made the most economic sense. I am sensible – what can I say?
What I realized was that the best bet was to get the friends together and rent a villa. I told the family “no hotels this trip” - I wanted the authentic experience. The cost of renting a villa is much more affordable than staying in a hotel once taxes and other items are added in.
Now, the Chart Whisperer is no one trick pony. Yes, I chart the markets and stocks, but I can also chart the cost/benefits of renting a villa.
We spent $3,200 for an entire week stay. As you can see, renting a villa is the way to go.
So how do you pick the villa that is right for you? There are a multitude of “agriturismo” listings all over Italy in general. I know, I had never heard of that term either! Agritourism is a style of vacation that normally takes place on a farm. I am not talking about milking cows and bailing hay. Agritourism is often practiced in wine growing regions in Italy and 
Spain. So get the farm image out of your head and think of sprawling vineyards, wheat fields and tomato vines. Much better don’t ya think? There are a ton of websites that cater to finding the perfect villa. We booked our villa on www.agroturismo.it. However, you do have to know a little Italian to navigate through this site. On these sites you can find anything from little farm houses to villas like the one we rented that sleeps 12.
The villa included a fully equipped kitchen and beautiful terrace for dining. The grounds were spectacular and even had a magnificent swimming pool. The surrounding landscape was to die for. Being able to explore all the towns lining the hills and to come back to the pool
for wine and snacks was divine. We made sure the provisions (lots of wine!) were stocked up from the local markets and we prepared typical Tuscan meals to dine al fresco on the terrace.
The highlight meal there was pollo arosto e balsamico with roasted vegetables and rosemary potatoes. Pared with the delicious vino de noblie from Tre Ro
se de Montepulciano and then top that off with an almond torte. Wow…someone get me a napkin. My mouth is watering just thinking about that meal! When you rent a villa, you call the shots. If you want a chef to prepare authentic meals, you can have one. If you want a driver to assist you in exploring the small towns and historic landmarks, you got it.
Location – Location – Location! Our villa was located in Castigleone del Lago - 45 minutes from Perugia and 1 hour from Siena. The charming town of Castiglione de Lago is the sight of famous 4th century battle between the Romans and Hannibal (not Lecter) on 
the shores of the lake. The town itself has a castle and old medieval wall to prove it.
We have retuned to the town many times since we discovered it almost 15 years ago. It has got everything you need. Start with a panoramic view from the ancient olive groves of the lake to the historic wine town of Montepulciano in the distance.
Without a doubt, one of the best parts in renting a villa is that you submerse yourself into the local culture. The villa was set in a farming neighborhood surrounded by gregarious and friendly locals. The neighbors, who were the caretakers, came over frequently to make sure everything was in order. They were so interesting and friendly that we invited them over for wine and snacks most late afternoons. Of course, after a few bottles of Chianti they had to endure my shaky Italian language skills. One reason I love Italy so much is their closeness to the land and the food they grow and eat. During our stay, tractors and combines harvested semolina wheat to be made into pasta amidst acres of brilliant yellow sunflower fields.
Within a short driving distance is Florence as well as the fine wine towns of Montalcino, Cortona (think Under the Tuscan Sun), the medieval walled city of Purugia and stunning Siena. Drink your fill while there because you can’t ship wine to the States. Or, pack some bottles in your luggage. Don’t try and bring bottles in your carry on luggage. Hanlon missed out on some fantastic Brunello because I made this costly mistake!
Now that the US dollar has firmed and tourism is down in Europe, book for next year at better rates than what we got.
Stayed tuned…part 2 of this article will include a further wine and food review, maybe even some charts if you are lucky! I will tell you about the famed San Marzano tomatoes that originated in my relative Abruzzi region far to the south. It is said when these come into ripeness, grown men have been known to cry. Yes, even the Chart Whisperer cries at the site of a ripened tomato. I will show you my plot of these ripening. And if my mother allows me to, I may even tell you the tried and true secret family tomato sauce recipe.
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