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Summer's nearly over - and what a summer it's been! It
might seem strange to say "summer's nearly over" at the end of
September, but to us it still feels like summer here, with temperatures
in the mid twenties, and hot sunny days. And it's been an incredible
summer for us - with weddings, anniversary parties and big
celebrations, as well as families and groups of friends enjoying a
holiday at La Chiesa di Santo Stefano. We've been busy all summer and
have thoroughly enjoyed it, although it's not quite over for us yet
with a Learn Italian group due to arrive in less than a week's time.
2010
is already looking busy - with most of August already spoken for, and a
couple of weddings confirmed. So we've no doubt it's going to be
another hectic one. But for those of you who haven't got round to your
planning yet, there are still some weeks free! Please contact us to check availability.
We
hope you enjoy reading about some of the highlights of the year so far,
and as always we would be more than happy to receive your comments and
suggestions. |
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Weddings and parties This
was the summer of weddings and parties at Santo Stefano. Each
celebration was unique, with different styles of flowers, food and
entertainment. From close family groups to friends from around the
world, string quartets to DJs, vintage cars to buses and coaches - it
was a pleasure to watch each event unfold.
The food for every
occasion was superb, with incredible buffets of canapés and antipasti,
followed by pasta and risotto courses, main dishes of the finest steak,
guinea fowl or monkfish, and magnificent desserts.
And it wasn't
just weddings that were celebrated. We had a group of fifty Norwegians
over for two full days of partying for a twenty fifth wedding
anniversary, and a family group of several generations who joined us
for a fiftieth wedding celebration.
We've created a gallery of
wedding and party images on our website, which you can find by clicking
the link below, and following the link to Wedding Gallery.
click here to access the gallery |
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Treia Piazza - an unlikely venue for a rock concert! Treia
festival takes place at the end of July each year, and almost every
night there is a concert in the piazza. This year included everything
from a Beatles tribute band (surprisingly good) to the winners of the
Italian X Factor!
Each day, one round of the Disfida di
Bracciale - an ancient ball game played against the walls of Treia - is
fiercely contested by teams from the town, with the final taking place
on the first Sunday in August.
Several temporary festival
restaurants, or 'locandas' are packed nightly with locals and visitors,
and provide excellent regional food and wine. And it's a wonderful week
to be in Le Marche, because the Macerata Opera Festival is at its height - so there's plenty to see and do. |  |
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Le Marche - an escape in any season Many
of our guests come to Santo Stefano with the intention of exploring the
Le Marche region - but they arrive in the wonderful heat of the summer,
when the hot sunshine suggests that lazing by the pool with a good book
and a glass of wine is the best option. But the Le Marche region - and
La Chiesa di Santo Stefano - has plenty to offer all year round.
We
can now organise a comprehensive range of activities for our guests,
whatever the season. Whether your interest is in art and architecture,
food and drink or the local flora and fauna, we are confident that you
will not be short of interesting pastimes.
Whether you are coming in summer or winter, you might be interested in :
- Yoga and meditation instruction
- Reiki healing or intense massage
- Cookery lessons - from simple pasta to complex Italian cuisine
- Photography excursions and instruction
- Nature tours of the Sibillini National Park
- Truffle hunting (seasonal) - and eating!
- Artisan tours - to see shoes and handbags being made, plus visits to some of Le Marche's famous outlets
- Gastronomy and wine tours - the best Michelin starred restaurants, and the most delicious regional wines
- A personally designed Learn Italian course - and where better to learn!
And
when you're not out and about, there is now plenty to do at Santo
Stefano. Even during the cooler months when you may not want to brave
the swimming pool, guests can enjoy the 5 hole golf course which is
becoming a real favourite. And this year the new outdoor table tennis
table was a huge hit, with weekly tournaments for family and friends.
There's always the gym for the more energetic, and the extensive
library of books provides the perfect excuse for just relaxing - in the
winter in front of a blazing log fire, or in the other months on a
comfortable sun lounger.
If the idea of self catering isn't
really your thing, don't worry. We can arrange to have all your meals
cooked, served and cleared - and our standard daily maid service can be
extended to cover any laundry or other requirements you may have. So
you really can come - summer, autumn, winter or spring - to relax and
explore the wonderful Le Marche region.
Contact us if you have any questions about the above activities.
click here to find out more about activities in Le Marche |
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And as always at Santo Stefano - we can't ignore the food! |
Food
in the Le Marche region is delicious. The images above are just some of
the many mouth watering dishes served at this year's weddings and
parties, but they are indicative of the quality of food you can expect
to find in the area. The region abounds with top class restaurants, but
even the local agriturismos can offer excellent meals at very
reasonable prices. The Italians care a lot about their food - fast food
doesn't really exist around here. And so if you would like a private
chef for a special meal, or you just want to do a tour of the best
restaurants, it can all be arranged for you.
And the good news
is that for people who enjoy cooking the food, as well as eating it, we
can arrange for Italian cooks and chefs to teach you the art of true
Italian cooking. Everything from the perfect pasta to an authentic
tiramisu. Just contact us to let us know if you want a single demonstration, or a week of cooking and eating!
And
in line with the regular requests that we get, we do continually add
recipes to our own site which represent some of the dishes that people
have enjoyed throughout their stay. Just click here
to go to the Chiesa di Santo Stefano information pages, and follow the
option for Food and Recipes. You will find a direct link to the recipes
menu towards the bottom of the page.
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Real Italy - social networking links If
you want to keep up to date with everything that is happening at La
Chiesa di Santo Stefano, we are now posting regular updates on Twitter.
We like to keep our entries relevant to our clients - for example
information on Ryanair's latest suitcase policy (yes, you can bring two
cases now!). So if you have a Twitter account, click here to follow us.
La
Chiesa di Santo Stefano also has its own Facebook page, where we post
photographs, any changes to the property, new ideas, etc. You can
become a fan (which means you automatically get updates) by selecting this link, and choosing to 'become a fan'
And then there's the blog - a much more detailed review of life in Italy and in particular at Santo Stefano.
We have a new NEWS page
which offers links to all these sites, and also we will be making
previous newsletters and photo galleries available from this page. |
Thoughout
the autumn and winter months, we'll be working on the grounds,
re-sowing seed on some of the greens that have suffered during the
heat, and generally getting everything back into shape for what seems
like a busy 2010 ahead.
If you have never visited Santo Stefano, but want to know what other guests think, we have a testimonials section on the website, and now you can view independently verified client reviews on Flipkey
- a new site that has been set up just for holiday rentals, which has a
verification process for all testimonials to ensure that they are
genuine.
The weeks are filling up quickly, so if you're thinking of making Le Marche your holiday destination in 2010, do let us know.
As always, we'd love to hear from you and to see you some time soon at La Chiesa di Santo Stefano.
Best wishes
Sheila and John
If you would like any more information on La Chiesa di Santo Stefano, please visit the Real Italy website, or contact us. |
