La Toretta Bianca B&B Shows How One American Changed Life & Career to Find His 'Paradise' in Italy

(A vew of the Adriatic, above, as seen from the country inn)

No one said it was going to be easy, says Thomas Christel, who spent more than 20 years working in the high-tech world from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups.

But Christel eventually changed his life.

He fell in love with an Italian woman, who showed him "there was more to life then working seven days a week, 12-14 hours a day."

"After a worldwind romance across Europe for two years," he says, "we got married in her home-town along the Adriatic coast in Italy. Then life's choice came up, live in the States or in Italy?"

(Thomas and Romina Christel in front of their charming country inn)

Both had careers, having met working for the same start-up company based in Switzerland. She was an educational design consultant and Christel was vice-president of worldwide marketing. They decided "to role the dice" and moved back to her hometown of San Benedetto del Tronto in central Italy along the Adriatic coast.

They Find a Country Villa Overlooking the Adriatic

After a false start in looking and buying a monastery to transform into a bed & breakfast with conference rooms, they ended up finding a beautiful country villa overlooking the Adriatic and the Sibillini mountains. After spending 8-12 months renovating it, they opened the bed and breakfast this March (2007). The place is called La Torretta Bianca (the Little White Tower).

(The gardens of the inn produce a variety of fruit, including delicious cherries)

The inn has several terraced gardens with all kinds of fruit trees from almonds and hazelnuts to white cherries, apples, peaches, both black and white figs, and a number of olive trees that produce over 50 liters of oil a year.

"The Marche region offers a whole other side to Italy," says Christel, "enjoying good people, food, wine and amazing sights from medieval cities, castles to single arch roman bridges. It has something for everyone."

(The Marche region offers historical sights, like the remains of castles)

Christel credits his "dream" to "20-plus years of climbing the corporate ladder and saving as much as possible, buying a fixer-upper about eight years ago in the Washington D.C. area and turning it over in 2006," doubling his investment.

Eating Healthy and Loving It

"At times it can be pretty frustrating," he says, "a new culture, new language, a new way of doing things, but then I look at my life as a whole and I can't complain. I live in paradise. Each day I eat healthy fresh foods -- fresh bread, fresh vegetables out of the garden, and fresh fruits right off the tree.

(Enjoying a pleasant lunch on the patio)

"The province still offers a unique opportunity to step back in time…to where people live off the land and enjoy simpler things in life, a good 3-4 course meal with "la famiglia," cool hikes in the Sibillini Mountains, or the warm sands of the Adriatic beaches.

(The warm sands of the Adriatic beaches, at right, or a hike in the Sibilini Mountains, below, are but two of the activities nearby)

"I haven't become a farmer yet and still do some consulting work for clients back in the states. Today's virtual office makes it possible with the internet, VOIP and video conferencing. I find myself working more and more outside on the patio, in the garden, with our wireless connection. The time difference only helps my clients, due to the fact that I can get an early jump on the day, being 5-7 hours ahead.

(In the fresh air of the Sibilini Mountains...)

It Just Takes a Simple Catalyst to Change Your Life

"So changing one's life can happen at anytime and to anyone, all its takes is a simple catalyst, such as falling in love. When I look back on the first 20 years of my career, moving with every great job opportunity, taking risks in the start-up game, the contributions, the drive, the success and the failures….

"No one will remember me, what I have done or didn't do, that I changed the way a company does business, introduced automation or added a few thousand leads into the pipeline. I always strived putting my employer ahead of myself in a world full of lay-offs and riffs. I think for the next 20 years, it's family first! This is one cultural nuance the Italians have right, and I hope it will never change. See you in Italy!"

For more details about the inn, visit www.bebtorre.com, or email Christel at tchristel@bebtorre.com.

How to Get There

San Benedetto del Tronto is a small town of just over 50,000 inhabitants on the Adriatic Sea in the Marche Region. It is located in central Italy below Ancona and above Teramo.

By Plane - you can fly into Rome and then it's about a 3 ½ hour car ride or by bus from downtown Rome direct. Or you can fly into Ancona Airport or Pescara Airport and it's about a 50 minute car ride. At Ancona Airport the inn can provide transportation services for a flat fee.

By Train - San Benedetto has a train station and can be reached from all over Italy via Bologna or Pescara. Call 0735-581-754 and the inn will pick up you at the train station, just minutes away