Whoa! A genuine medieval castle! While Dicky and Fifi, who’ve left their Passports in the safe at our last digs, La Minervetta, return to collect, (thankfully informed just an hour out), Ducky, Bella and Pixie continue on, eventually finding themselves bumping down a narrow gravel road. Ducky swears profusely at the Garman in fine Italian only to find the instrument yet again delivers us to our exact destination…the Castle di Petroia .

Pixie’s sleeping quarters reside in the tower! One suite, an urgent need to grow Rapunzel hair should the need for a quick escape arise, and a rising trepidation for the tower is reported to be haunted! Pix occupies her reticence by climbing the narrow, winding stairs to the very top of the turret where the view is absolutely breathtaking. Undulating hills of multiple hues ranging from pastel golds to deep lush greens striated with pencil pines between which narrow roads meander. Picture postcard perfect.

Our lovely host Virginia introduces us to the Castle’s ancestry before we settle in the soft cadence of twilight amidst interesting statues, clusters of lavender and the company of a chubby marmalade cat with a complacent ‘fuck off’ attitude to sup wine, nibble Chef’s treats and marvel at the views, for we are perched on the peak of a hill overlooking a spectacular Umbrian vista. An excellent selection yet again Fifi!

Dicky and Fifi finally arrive just in time to indulge in a sumptuous candle lit dinner of tender lamb supplemented with an indulgent Tiramisu and lively banter from Massimo our Chef, later to retire to our respective Castle elements. Pixi finds her turret a four level butt firming engineering feat, sans ghost; all of us sleeping peacefully after a long day’s travel. Must admit, there’s nothing like being interrupted from one’s slumber by a Cuckoo gently tapping on our respective windows.

Breakfast consisting of freshly baked cake..yup!’ cake!! Then on the road to Venice…