When thinking of a great base for touring Tuscany and Umbria, Camaleonte immediately comes to mind. The shores of Lake Trasimeno lie 10 minutes to the east and a 20 minute drive west along level and easy paved roads leads to Tuscany, the autostrada and a train station with high speed service into Florence or Rome. In other words, this is a great spot for zigzagging back and forth over the border alternating between Tuscany's charming hill towns and the main attractions of Umbria.

A third of a mile away from the tiny village of Pozzuolo, Camaleonte occupies a corner lot in a residential enclave of similar homes. Across the street are the owner's clothing store and a small hotel with a great restaurant serving traditional Umbrian delicacies. Between the house and its nicely landscaped swimming pool is a large, furnished stone patio with a barbecue. Along one side of the house is a glassed in, dining veranda off of the main kitchen.

For years, Parker guests have raved about the hospitality of the very kind owners who live across the road from this very reasonably priced property. To quote one client, "they treated us like family", to quote another, "their charm, generosity and delicious cuisine was the highlight of our trip", and the list goes on. While many homes offer the option of ordering meal service or taking a cooking class, few will compare to the highly personal experience enjoyed at Camaleonte. In concert with having a fantastic, home cooked dinner, lucky guests may be serenaded by the charming couple who sing and perform on their piano.

Both comfortable and contemporary, Camaleonte is a solid choice for those preferring fewer steps and wanting a number of bedrooms and bathrooms on the ground floor. The upper floor bedrooms have French doors opening to a wraparound balcony with views of Lake Trasimeno in the distance. All the windows and doors in Camaleonte are screened. With five regular sized double bedrooms and five bathrooms, this home is ideal for five couples. In addition, there are two smaller bedrooms; one is outfitted as a cozy queen and the other with a single bed.

Pozzuolo has a mini-grocery store, a pizzeria, two cafes, a pharmacy and the starting point of a five mile, wooded trail that ends on the shores of Lake Trasimeno. Located right over the Tuscan border, the village is 20 minutes east of Montepulciano and 10 minutes west of Castiglione del Lago, set along Lake Trasimeno. Umbrian lake towns come alive in the summer with jazz concerts, sunbathers and watersports. The Chiusi train station is 20 minutes away; Cortona: 25; Cetona: 30; Citta della Pieve or Pienza: 40; Perugia: 45; Siena, Montalcino, Assisi, Orvieto or Todi: 60; Florence, Radda in Chianti or Spoleto: 90; Rome: 2 hours.

Technical Description
Ground floor: Five steps up into entry hallway. Living room with TV and CD player. Small kitchen with stove top, oven, fridge, fireplace and doors to the covered porch. Dining room with sitting area and fireplace. Main kitchen with double sinks, six burner stove top, oven, fridge, dishwasher and doors to furnished, glass enclosed veranda. Two bedrooms each with a queen size bed, one with extra single bed and en suite bathroom with tub and hand shower. One small bedroom with a queen size bed. One bedroom with a single bed. Two bathrooms with shower. Stairs down to garage with washing machine.

First floor: Two bedrooms each with a queen size bed and doors to a shared balcony, one with en suite bathroom with tub and shower. One bedroom with two single, joinable beds and doors to a balcony. One bathroom with shower.