Todi sits right at the heart of Umbria, Italy's only landlocked region and one of its most charming. The Todi countryside is an area that is hailed as one of Italy's most livable due to the beauty of its undulating hills and the authenticity of its culture and cuisine.  Umbria is a region that still feels relatively untouched by the flocks of foreign tourists and homeowners that are drawn to its better known neighbor, Tuscany. Todi is still largely inhabited and run by the Italians who grew up there. The surrounding countryside- though dotted with splendidly restored villas and castles- is still tended mostly by families who have tilled the soil and looked after their olive groves and vineyards for generations.
       Many of the region's architectural and artistic highlights are in Assisi, Perugia, Orvieto and Spoleto and Spello, all an easy drive from our house.  Most towns are reachable by car within an hour or less. In many towns you will find Romanesque or medieval churches and their bell towers tucked away inside a meandering warren of cobbled streets that spill down hillsides; you will discover frescoes, oil paintings and art treasures that rank with Italy's best. In each town you can enjoy the locally produced fine food and wine before setting out to visit the sights. You can duck into local craft or wine shops, or enjoy a panoramic view of blazing swathes of sunflowers in the warmer months.  Music and dance is celebrated at world famous outdoor summer festivals: there is Umbria Jazz in Perugia and The Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto.  There is yet more jazz played live in Orvieto in December. You can visit the wine museum near the vineyards of Torgiano and buy hand-painted ceramics at any number of shops in nearby Deruta. You can savor the celebrated red wines of Montefalco and buy the richly textured Umbrian traditional linens availalble at several shops Todi itself.
       Pastimes are plentiful in and around Villanova itself. A cappuccino in one of the region's most beautiful piazzas in Todi is a most pleasant way to while away a summer afternoon. (Note that from September 2008 the town's main piazzas will be wi-fi hotspots.)  But don't expect throngs: Todi is a quiet hilltown free of the crush of tourists, who are all hustling and fighting each other for a tiny strip of sand along one of the many Italian rivieras.
       For the more athletically inclined, jogging up and down the hills around Torregentile provides a most vigorous workout, that is, if doing laps in the pool isn't already enough;  there are also two sets of public tennis courts nearby and a small stables only a few kilometers from Villanova.  But for the best recreation of all visit the restaurants, pizzerias and gelaterias of Todi - they are wonderful enough to entice you back many times for the duration of your stay.