Love for Norcia

On October 30, a powerful 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck Italy, and the epicenter was near the historic Umbrian town Norica, a region still reeling from the massive earthquake in August. The town, including Palazzo Seneca, a Virtuoso and Relais & Chateaux property, was devasted by the quake .

The Bianconi family has managed this 24-room gem for 150 years, passing the tradition from generation to generation. The family has dedicated their lives to growing the town and region. When the quake hit, brothers Federico and Vincenzo Bianconi ran to the streets to save people from the rubble. Now as the town begins to rebuild, the people are looking to the Bianconi family for support and guidance. 

"Norcia’s old town is highly damaged and is considered “Red Zone”. We don’t know when this area will be accessible. The town has been deeply wounded.  Our goal is to merge ideas and resources in order to rebuild our community," Federico Bianconi to us. 

Brownell has set a goal of $5000 to aid the recovery and rebuilding of the town. This family mirrors our core values and has warmly welcomed many of our clients to Palazzo Seneca. Your donation will help the Bianconi family and the Norica residents rebuild their town, homes, and lives.




This campaign was started by Brownell Travel, a Virtuoso agency based in Birmingham, AL. We have worked closely with our Virtuoso partners at Palazzo Seneca, especially the owners Federico and Vincenzo, and our goal is to help them as they support the rebuilding of Norcia. The funds will go to their program that is dedicated to reestablishing their community and the people in it. Once we reach our goal, we will present the funds to our partners in Italy.