Villa Luppis Culinary Luminary - For Wine Lovers - Green Vacations

Character: Charming, elegant, historic former monastery, now an upscale country inn surrounded by a quiet park. Advantages: Very helpful staff; beautiful and peaceful surroundings; shuttle to and from Venice each day (free of charge on Tuesday and Saturday; 54 Euro round trip on other days); small cooking and wine appreciation classes available; discounts at nearby outlet shopping and golf courses. Location: On the border of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, about 40 minutes from Venice and the Marco Polo Airport. A great location for day trips throughout the Veneto and into Friuli, an extremely beautiful region that is almost totally ignored by tourists. Click here to see a map. Size: 31 rooms, including singles, doubles, junior suites and suites. Features: Direct-dial telephone with modem, satellite TV, air conditioning, stereo and mini-bar. Some rooms have balconies. Swimming pool surrounded by centuries-old trees, tennis court, jogging track, gym, meal service at the pool, on the patio or in the elegant gourmet restaurant. Price includes breakfast. Minimum stay: One night. Disadvantages: No one has reported any! Car needed: Yes.

At the beginning of the 11th century, a group of Camaldolite monks built themselves a beautiful monastery in the country about 35 miles from Venice. Their order used this wonderful retreat for centuries, carefully restoring it in the 16th century when it was severely damaged in the war between the Hapsburgs and the Venetian Republic. Three hundred years later, like so many other religious buildings in Italy, it was secularized by Napoleon. This was when the Chiozza-Luppis family acquired it and turned it into an elegant country estate. They used it for decades to entertain a succession of illustrious international houseguests. Ask to see the portraits they had sculpted on the casement ceiling of their private chapel: the only other place in Europe where you can see this type of art is the castle of Cracow.

Recently the family completely remodelled their ancestral estate, turning it into one of the nicest country inns in this part of Italy. From the minute you drive under the ancient portico and step into the gracious reception lobby, you will be welcomed as their personal guests (and you'll also receive a greeting from St. Gregory the Great, who looks down from a 16th-century altarpiece on the wall!). More priceless antiques and old paintings are everywhere, yet there is no pretentiousness about this inviting atmosphere where guests can gather for a drink at the bar or a conversation in the lounge. And if you feel inspired to try the antique piano, go right ahead!

Although the villa is immense, there are only 31 guest rooms. Each is furnished comfortably with typical local antiques, soft colors and pretty upholstery, and features air conditioning, satellite TV, stereo and mini-bar. Some have balconies and all have big windows offering wonderful views of the silent park. The four suites are all individually designed. Perhaps the most fascinating one is Antica, where the original wood-beamed cathedral ceilings and terra cotta floors have been preserved.

More pleasures await you outside throughout the 12-acre grounds at Villa Luppis. There's a large swimming pool surrounded by centuries-old trees, a tennis court, a jogging track and a gym. You can also dine outdoors or enjoy a snack by the pool. Inside you'll find two elegant restaurants presided over by a renowned local chef.

Of course you are likely to want to take a few day trips while you're enjoying the Luppis family's hospitality. Take advantage of their daily shuttle bus to and from Venice, or the special discounts they offer for green fees at the nearby Castel D'Aviano Golf Club, for ski passes at the Piancavallo slopes, and for clothing, linens, wine and more at designer outlet stores. We also recommend you set aside one day to explore wonderful off-the-beaten-track Friuli-Venezia Giulia, including Pordenone (10 miles), Udine (40 miles), and the incomparable Roman ruins at Aquileia (42 miles). A side trip to the culinary haven of Treviso couldn't hurt either!

For this property:
The shuttle for Venice leaves Villa Luppis at 9:30 a.m. and returns from Piazzale Roma at 6:30 p.m. It is free of charge on Tuesdays and Saturdays and takes forty minutes. Other days it costs 54 Euro per person round trip.
A baby crib is free of charge and must be reserved at time of booking.
Half Board costs 60 Euro/person paid locally.
Castel D'Aviano Golf Club is twenty minutes from the hotel.
Piancavallo Ski Resort is 25 miles from the hotel.
Venice Marco Polo Airport is 35 miles from the hotel.
Also available for groups of eight or more: private wine-tasting days and short cooking programs.

Click here for information about private transfers to the property.

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