Step into Umbria, the Italian region that reshaped my family and still shapes my writing. These reflections come from years of living among its olive groves, cobblestones, and fiercely kind neighbors—stories of belonging, blunders, beauty, and how a place can change you if you let it. For more tales from life in Umbria, join The Grapevine, where new chapters of this ongoing love story always land first.
Rasiglia is an ancient village tucked away in the hills beyond Foligno. Thanks to its rich supply of water, it was once a mill town famous for its textiles. Rushing water and peaceful canals make Rasiglia seem like it is out of a dream.
Read MoreWebsite for Michelle Damiani, author of Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center, the funny and heartfelt memoir of an American family living in Spello, as well as Santa Lucia, a page-turner set on the Umbria border.
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A trip to Italy is better with language basics! Here’s my recommended course to learn Italian and make your trip fantastico!
Festival participant, speaking about “Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center”
Featured speaker on panel discussing Romance for “Santa Lucia”
