Local Information

The Climate. The house is situated in the hills of Tuscany, where the climate is milder than on the plains, with breezes off the hills on hot days. From even before Easter, coats are often not needed and the same is true often in the grape harvest times of October. Temperatures in summer (June, July and August) are usually in the 25-35 degrees Celsius range. During the hottest months suncream etc. is strongly advised.

Food. If you cook Italian food, you will find excellent and inexpensive ingredients and the cost is modest if you avoid imported speciality foods. A large supermarket (Coop), situated to the right of the road as you approach Camucia, is relatively inexpensive. Local wine is good and reasonably priced. Cortona is becoming a good wine producing area and there is a very good winery in walking distance from the house (Baracchi winery). Cortona is close to the established and more famous wine-producing areas such as Torgiano and Sagrantino. Wine can be bought locally in supermarkets or in a winery outlet in a bright yellow building situated on the left of the road from Camucia to Lake Trasimeno) or at the Co-op. Cortona is close to important wine-producing areas, such as the Chianti region, Montepulciano (vino nobile), and important Umbrian wines in the Assisi area such as Torgiano. Bread is sold by a delivery man from a white van every morning except Sunday. He arrives between 12.45 a.m. and 1.15 p.m., and waits by the furthermost farm at the top of the drive.

Eating Out. There are good pizzeria places and a number of inexpensive trattoria options in Cortona and Camucia, as well as some more sophisticated restaurants for special occasions. The local food in the area offers opportunities to eat simply, or to gourmet standard. There are frequent open-air “sagre” (festivals) when one can enjoy a particular speciality such as snails, pigeons, wild boar, frogs’ legs, truffles and autumn wild mushrooms. These are advertised on posters in Cortona.

Post, Telephone and Internet. The postal address is given below. No landline telephone is available but British mobile ‘phones function well if set up for international use (this must be done before leaving the UK). 

La Casa del Mulino 444 Ap.1,
San Pietro a Cegliolo,
52044 Tavarnelle di Cortona,
(Arezzo), Italy.

Car Hire and Driving. Major car hire companies have offices in the airports and also in Arezzo (nearest city). There is also local care hire at Panichi Autos.

Taxis may be found outside the train stations. Some drivers know the Casa del Mulino, if not they should be able to find it using the map. Cost varies from 15-20 Euros. It is better to ask the cost in advance if you can!

Rail Travel. Train travel is relatively inexpensive in Italy and the state-run service is usually quite reliable. Travel is charged per kilometre so a return is twice the cost of a single. We have been told that a Rail Europe Family Card can be purchased before leaving home. One of our guest families (with 2 children) made great savings by using this card once to Rome, once to Orvieto and three times to Florence. Please check this information as it can vary from year to year. Train information in English is available through Trenitalia.

The Italian State Tourist Office. This service can provide you with maps and useful advice before you leave.

Keys, Maps and Local Contacts. Details will be sent to you when you have booked. We have a local contact, Signora Annunziata, who lives in the farm close by and helps look after the house. She is happy to help although she does not speak English. Our friend and representative, Sarah (a native English speaker), lives a few hours away but can be contacted by e-mail or phone.

Smoking. The house is a no smoking house. We would be grateful if smokers could use the veranda and garden. Please remember that the major cause of forest fires in the region is discarded cigarettes.