My wife and I found Anne while going through You Tube videos about the Umbrian region. What attracted us to Anne was her extensive knowledge about each particular site she visited. She just doesn’t point out a particular site, she delves into the background meaning of the work of a sculptor or painter. When we went to Deruta, we had an excellent home cooked rural banquet put together by Giuseppa.
If one watches Anne’s videos – you’ll be introduced to Peppa. We had seen Peppa in so many of Anne’s videos, we asked her if we could meet her. Peppa said yes and invited us over to her home for lunch. Wow, what a wonderful woman she is, a saint. Meeting her and her dog Ringo was one of our trip highlights. The meal she provided was outstanding and what a beautiful location in the countryside around.
My wife and I found Anne while going through You Tube videos about the Umbrian region. What attracted us to Anne was her extensive knowledge about each particular site she visited. She just doesn’t point out a particular site, she delves into the background meaning of the work of a sculptor or painter. When we went to Deruta, we had an excellent home cooked rural banquet put together by Giuseppa.
If one watches Anne’s videos – you’ll be introduced to Peppa. We had seen Peppa in so many of Anne’s videos, we asked her if we could meet her. Peppa said yes and invited us over to her home for lunch. Wow, what a wonderful woman she is, a saint. Meeting her and her dog Ringo was one of our trip highlights. The meal she provided was outstanding and what a beautiful location in the countryside around.
Annie Robichaud is without a doubt a guide above the rest. She is the only American guida regionale (authorized regional tour guide) for all of Umbria. But more than that, she is a treasured “Italian” in her own right, having lived in Italy since her early twenties, married an Italian, and raised three children in the Umbrian tradition. A longtime resident of Umbria, Anne has the personal living experience of knowing and understanding Umbrian history, culture, and relationships that are so valuable in imparting the true Italian experience in this only landlocked region of the country.
What a wonderful week of touring the Umbrian hill towns with Anne Robichaud! We visited during Easter as we were interested in the Easter traditions here and she came through with flying colors. The Holy Thursday Scavigliazione (“de-nailing”) in Assisi was unbelievable. And the Holy Saturday blessings of the cheese breads and the lovely lunch with Giuseppa, are memories we shall treasure forever. We also toured several hill towns from tiny Collepino to Deruta to Perugia to Gubbio and Orvieto.
In every town, Anne knew the locals so we visited the finest artisans and ate in the best restaurants everywhere we went.
Her knowledge of the history and the beautiful artwork in every town is unsurpassed and you will be in awe of the treasures you will see with her, and the authentic experiences that you will have. If you are looking for a tour guide who is fluent in English and Italian, we highly recommend Anne. You won’t be disappointed!
Dear Anne and Pino,
We’ve had many tours of Italy but your Gubbio tour, Annie, was simply the best! Exuberent, authentic, lively, and colorful . . . and somehow you pulled it all together and gave us the history, customs, food, and culture all in ONE day! We’ll be back–where will we go next? How can the Festival di Ceri be beat?
We appreciated your attention to detail and all of the little things you pointed out that made our experience so much fun!
Staying at your place was so peaceful and lovely–all of the art and nature, your sweet animals–the peace and quiet, the smell of flowers. I’d love to do a cooking lesson or two from your blog after meeting the wonderful Peppa nearby at her farm.
Again, thank you–this was simply the best stay, the best tour, the most fun place to be.
Hi Anne, I love your tours! Your insights of all the fascinating details, for me the attention to architectural and cultural background are really amazing!
I would never notice on my own the the different eras of construction and artistic embellishment in the various hill towns we have toured with you.
You made the past come alive–just imagining how it must have been! And to see the Festival of the Ceri in Gubbio was fantastic! To be there witnessing the life and enthusiasm of thousands of people celebrating their traditions! Wow!
Thanks so much
Once again fun, crazy, informative tours of beautiful Assisi and surrounding Umbrian hill towns. Our first visit with Anne was in 2010, then 2015, and now 2022. Hopefully, we will be back in 2024.
Love you, your family, your stories.
Thanks
Anne, David and I have been on many guided tours; but this was our first experience with a private tour, let me assure you that there is no comparison, our daughter Lisa picked a winner when she chose you. Your love for all things Italian and your talent for finding the unusual seldom seen antiquities, make your tour unique. I could go on forever, suffice it to say that my daughter Lisa, her husband Greg Maloney, David and myself Will never forget our time with you.
Dear Anne, You really made our trip to Umbria much more memorable. You opened our eyes to the artisitic, cultural, political and religious sigificance and history of every town we visited with you. And who can forget all the wonderful local meals and the special wine tasting you arranged both for our private and great group tours, and the great joy we derived from all the fun company?
Our trip to Umbria was truly outstanding, thanks to Anne and her skills. We feel we experienced the real Umbria: medieval festivals, tiny hillside towns, lunch in a farmhouse. Anne arranged everything to fit our desires and our budget, and it was a trip of a lifetime.