Palazzo Terranova, an intimate luxury hotel overlooking Italy's endless Umbrian mountain ridges, is indescribably inspiring. Its beauty becomes a muse -- and guests are pulled into the exquisite nature around them.

So it is not surprising that Terranova has attracted a resident watercolorist anxious to share this landscape and her experience, and a chef who is delighted to share his special Umbrian regional specialties with guests.

For guests who are watercolorists or would like to be, Palazzo Terranova offers a half day painting course with resident artist, Joy Stafford Boncompagni. Joy was born in England and attended art school in Norwich, where she graduated in 1978. In 1983, Joy moved to Italy (Sansepolcro) where she now lives with her husband and four children. Her paintings have been exhibited extensively in the Upper Tiber Valley, Cortona and Arezzo.

Palazzo Terranova is situated on the border of Umbria and Tuscany, an area known as the 'Green Heart of Italy'. The unspoiled Appenines are the perfect backdrop for painting. The beautiful landscape has inspired many great artists throughout history including locally born Piero della Francesco.

This unique Painting course costs guests only €250 and includes a painting kit to take home. Special prices are available for groups.

For artists more focused on taste buds, the Palazzo Terranova kitchen offers cooking classes year round. Resident Chef Patrizio Cesarini is Umbrian and Mediterranean and his food is fresh and genuine. Born in the area, he has travelled many years abroad and has recently returned home. He creates dishes drawing from the Umbrian traditions but with a modern twist. Many ingredients come from the Terranova gardens, so all are organic and seasonal, producing a robust taste that lingers in the mouth.

The courses are available anytime during a stay and can be arranged for individuals or groups in English, of course. The following are a few classes offered:

• Secrets of the Italian Kitchen
• Home-made bread and pasta
• Highlights of The Umbrian Kitchen (seasonal dishes)
• Wood fired pizza and focaccia (create your own)
• Traditional Desserts
• Everything Chocolate.

After each cooking class, lunch or dinner is served, tasting the dishes that have been prepared earlier. Included in the course is a linen apron made in Anghiari, a recipe book and a chef's hat. Cost per guest is €150.

An artfully restored 18th-century villa, Palazzo Terranova is a delightful home-base for discerning travelers wanting to explore the nature and antiquities of both Umbria and Tuscany. Near Umbria's capital of Perugia but just five miles from the border with Tuscany, Terranova is less than an hour's drive from historic hilltop villages that are every bit as charming as Tuscany's, but without the crowds.

There are eight suites in Terranova's main palazzo, and two in a small palazzina on the hillside just below the house. All have very high ceilings, with doors and antique exposed beams. Bathrooms are big, and bed linens are English-made and have a delectable silk content. Window shutters open to the ample hillside breezes and endless views. In each room there is a sampling of the owner's civilized reading tastes. Books and art are everywhere in this house.

When not involved in a painting or cooking class, guests' favorite pastimes include reading on the south-facing lawn or at the large invisible-edge pool. For the active, there is a well equipped fitness room and long walks or bike rides on the hillside behind the house. Picnics are prepared for those who will be out and about for some time. When they return to Terranova, guests can enjoy the services of the resident masseuse and masseur.

Room rates at Terranova range from 400 to 700 Euros per day. The cost to rent the entire property for that special family get-together is just less than 6,000 Euro per day. Considering the palazzo can accommodate up to 22 guests, that is amazingly less than 250 Euro per person.

For reservations and information, call Sanctuare, toll free (800) 225-4255 or (203) 523-0004, www.sanctuare.com, http://www.palazzoterranova.com/

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