La Cucina Sabina Villa & Resort — Hotel in Montelibretti

Our family gathered at La Cucina Sabina in late June to celebrate many milestones in our lives. Thirteen of us shared the lovely Frank Lloyd Wright-style home for a week, which was the perfect setting for our three-generation gathering. Everyone had private space (lovely en-suite bedrooms) as well as big, comfortable couches and chairs to lounge on, and a dining area large enough for all 13 of us. The grounds included an Olympic-sized pool with lounge chairs and an umbrella, which we used at every opportunity, lovely outdoor furniture, and a large dining patio. The views were spectacular, and we gathered each evening to watch the dazzling sunsets.

We chose the Deluxe Package, which included a daily breakfast buffet featuring fresh croissants, delicious frittatas, fresh fruit, eggs to order, juices, and pastries. Did I forget the coffee?? Yes, and an espresso machine which was well-used throughout our stay, providing cappuccinos, cortados, Americanos, and every combination of coffees you can think of! In addition to breakfast, La Cucina Sabina prepared five meals for us during our stay, which Chef Riccardo selected with input from our entire family via a spreadsheet. He was totally game for our shenanigans! Chef Riccardo also took us to his hometown to shop for one of our two cooking lessons, which was, for me, a special experience! The last part of the Deluxe Package included daily housekeeping, which was much appreciated. It was so nice to return from breakfast each day to our rooms with freshly-made beds and sparkling bathrooms!

When planning our stay, I worked with Valentina to arrange for several excursions. She was attentive to every detail, and all of our plans came to fruition without a hitch! One of the most important parts of our package was the transportation provided. La Cucina Sabina has two vans to accommodate all of us. Nico and Valentina drove us to all of our destinations throughout the week, which greatly added to our enjoyment. The area surrounding La Cucina Sabina is rich in history and beauty, and just a short distance from Rome (40 minutes), which makes it a perfect destination. Valentina was a gracious host during our stay and was always available for questions and requests. She is also well-versed in the history of the surroundings and led us on a wonderful hike to Fara Sabina, which we all enjoyed, even our youngster! Caroline also worked her magic to arrange a trip to the Vatican for part of our group, and despite the Jubilee going on, it was a seamless and wonderful experience.

This now brings us to the most important part of our experience. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted and instantly made to feel at home. Every member of the staff was outstanding and professional. We were greeted daily by Carla and her delicious breakfasts, who soon learned our quirks and anticipated our preferences. Despite our language barriers, we communicated freely and had lots of laughs when trying out each other's tongues. Vera, also working in the kitchen, was delightful. Cosme was our consummate waiter and wine expert at dinner, and we all enjoyed talking with him about geography, travel, life, hopes, and dreams. Valentina exuded passion, which was contagious. She is of many talents, and we were the beneficiaries. We especially enjoyed her yoga class! Similarly, Chef Riccardo displayed his love for Palombara and freely shared his knowledge of the area, along with his culinary skills. Shopping and cooking with him was another highlight of our trip, providing much frivolity and a delicious lunch!

The Villa is a beautiful backdrop for a most comfortable stay, but the magic of La Cucina Sabina is in the people who bring it to life! Thank you, Giuseppe, and your entire staff, for a most memorable week at your wonderful home!

The...

For those seeking an experience filled with amazing food, gracious host and staff, photo worthy landscapes, and luxurious accommodations.....this is the place for you! My husband and I knew as soon as we were engaged that we wanted a memorable destination wedding in Italy, we just didn't know where and how to make it happen. Through a search on Tripadvisor, we found La Cucina Sabina. After reading the reviews and communicating briefly with the villa proprietor, Giuseppe Micheletta, we knew we had found our destination. The year leading up to our wedding, we had exchanged several emails with Giuseppe and even flew to Italy for a quick weekend trip to see the villa for ourselves. Every single interaction with Giuseppe, including meeting him in person, was pleasant and professional. He was always responsive and accommodating to our requests. He gave us great suggestions and all his referrals, from our officiant to the florist, were just as professional as he and all a pleasure to work with. Two weeks prior to the wedding, I decided I wanted a band. A little late, I know, but Giuseppe did not hesitate and provided us with a great recommendation. A few days prior to the wedding, we arrived at the villa with family and friends in tow. We had 18 guests, including ourselves, staying at the villa and another 6 guests staying nearby. Giuseppe greeted us, made us feel right at home, and checked in periodically during our stay to see how we were doing. The day prior to the wedding consisted of all our guests relaxing, enjoying the views of the countryside, and cooking meals together in the large kitchen. The day of the wedding started with family and friends getting ready in the villa, a fun ride through the city of Palombara as we made our way to Savelli Castle for a beautiful ceremony with the most spectacular views. The evening ending with a formal reception dinner that I literally can not put into words, one must travel to Palombara Sabina and stay at La Cucina Sabina to experience the food we experienced during our reception. The traditional Italian wedding cake that was served, I know this will be the most memorable dish of our entire stay. And the band, oh what a fun and talented band they are. Our wedding festivities ended with a group cooking class where Giuseppe explained the history of the Sabine region, the production of true Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and how to make traditional pizza. The group participated in making pizza and tiramisu that we then enjoyed for a sunset dinner on the patio. A true fairy tale weekend in a beautiful country! We were so truly fortunate to have worked with Giuseppe in planning our wedding, to stay at his gorgeous villa, to eat the most enjoyable food prepared by Carla and Vera, and to have had so much support to make our special day that much more special (the officiant, the amazing band, the beautiful flowers from Cristiana). From us and all of our friends and family who visited the villa, our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Giuseppe and his...

Vacations are ultimately about choices. What does the vacation offer for experiences? Are they large or small in scale and group size? Is it heavily structured or more open? As travelers, we base our decision to take the vacation or not based on those amenities and experiences. Our recent vacation with La Cucina Sabina not only met all of those preconceived notions of a great vacation but exceeded them.

Nestled in the foothills of the Apennine Mountains, the mid-century modern villa is set back from a small country road on top of a hill overlooking acres of olive groves. From the moment we arrived, we didn’t feel as if we were on vacation, but instead relaxing at a friend’s home – and that feeling continued as we were met by that family for the next week: the outstanding staff – from Chef Riccardo, to his Sous Chefs Vera and Rosie, and many other staff members including Nico and Giancarlo – our greeting was one of Italians eager to share their country, their culture, and themselves. The owners, Giuseppe and Mike, and host Valentina rounded out our extended Italian family ensuring every need was met, but more so getting to know us on a personal level during our stay.

The cooking classes were true culinary immersions – not just an outline of ingredients and steps, but engagements about the ingredients…how the dishes evolved…where they came from as well as differences across the many regions of Italy. The classes were a mix of demonstration and actual execution by the group. There is no greater satisfaction then eating what you yourself have created.

The excursions were likewise culturally immersive – led by locals from the towns who are passionate about giving you the true Italian experience from their own eyes. Moreover, these are not packaged, commercialized, or high traffic outings that give you a superficial view of Italy. Instead these are introductions to the culture, beauty, and people of this wonderous country. Hilltop towns like Tivoli, Palombara Sabina, and Orvieto present the charm and history without the massive crowds. Small, family-owned shops line the cobblestone streets – offering the opportunity to shop for true craftsmanship. Even the Rome tour is tailorable – you can go to the all the “hot spots” or maybe duck into many of the thousand churches for examples of renaissance art and architecture. The guides are constantly greeted as you walk through their hometowns – even Rome seemed more like a village than a big bustling city!

The term “trip of a lifetime” is over-used. Going back to the concept of choice – the vacation with La Cucina Sabina delivered exactly what my expectations were when I made the choice to vacation with them – everything I wanted in a vacation: small group, boutique, culturally-respectful and immersive, slow paced, tailorable, farm-fresh food – every aspect was what my wife and I wanted to experience. We will become their ambassadors and share with our family and friends so they too may be able to experience Italy in...