About SpecialItaly


 

Since the late 1990s we, Rob Landeweerd and Jeroen Macco (both of Dutch nationality), have developed a passion for Italy in all its senses: good food, fashion, its mountains, hills and sea landscapes, its art and culture and above all, great friendly people. We have travelled through the entire country from North to South and found our home in the so called “green heart”, Umbria. We enjoy offering good food and hospitality, making people feel at home, whether in the company of our families and good old friends or with new acquaintances and people from our business network.

In 2006 we decided to buy a property in Umbria. In the end we chose for having our own property constructed just on the border with Tuscany, not far from Lake Trasimeno. Building our own house, we discovered ourselves how important it is to be aware of all the various aspects of constructing property in Italy: knowing the Italian way of doing business, speaking the language and keeping as much as possible the focus on adhering to deadlines and results. But, most importantly, in undertaking a project like this we experienced so much fun! We realised to have found a unique opportunity: combining the international business experience built in our professional careers with our passion for all the beautiful things Italy has to offer.

In 2008 we decided to start our company Specialumbria to get involved in the estate business (property and project management services) for clients who have their second home in Umbria and need assistance in every single detail. Since then we built a large number of exclusive villas and apartments for our clients, all different in style from the mainstream. Properties that can be called each and every single one of them: 'SPECIAL'. In 2009 we have added an extra service to our activities with this website: Renting out exclusively beautiful villas, apartments and country houses. Luxury places to stay in Umbria...in all senses. In 2010 Domenico Casamassima, born in Puglia, became our partner and together we developed further our services. In 2012 we expanded our activities with Sales on the SpecialItaly website: a fine selection of only the most special places for sale in Umbria, Tuscany and Le Marche. In 2025 we started with a small selection of villas for sale in Puglia as well. For this we are offering our clients only the most special places where in fact we would like to live ourselves. Every single property has something really special and needs to fit within our own personal criteria. In 2026 we changed our brand name Specialumbria in Specialitaly.

We have known personally how difficult and stressful it can sometimes be when you are not on the building location yourself to keep an eye on the progress and to instruct the people to build according to your wishes. And since buying, building, restoring and having your own property abroad must be an exciting, energy-creating activity, we are available with our team to make this dream come true for clients from all over the world.

And why do we like to do this? Because we are enthusiastic of the unique combination among the progress of our own building project, being regularly in Italy and enjoying the fun from our former positions: offering high quality services and working with people from all over the world.

We have some fine properties for sale. We also offer a fine collection of rental villas.

SpecialItaly is regularly being featured in the press.

Meet our team

Rob Landeweerd (1970) 

earned his Bachelor's Degree in Hotel & Hospitality Management. He has held various roles in the hospitality industry and later worked for several years at Randstad Group. In 2001, he joined 30days, a start-up recruitment and personnel search company, which he successfully developed and managed as Managing Director from 2002 to 2007.

Rob is one of the founding fathers and a company owner of SpecialItaly. Within the SpecialItaly team, he focuses primarily on rentals, project management, and interior design projects. He is also responsible for all marketing activities. Rob communicates fluently in Dutch, English and Italian.

Jeroen Macco (1971) graduated in Business Administration from Nyenrode Business School and earned a Master’s Degree in Business Economics from the University of Groningen, Netherlands. He worked as a Strategic Management Consultant for both the Royal Netherlands Air Force and ING Group. During his more than seven years at ING, he also held several management roles in Human Resources and Business Management within the company’s international operations.

Following this, Jeroen worked as an independent consultant for the Russian, Kazakh, and Romanian consumer operations of ABN AMRO Bank. In early 2010, he obtained registration as a recognized real estate agent in Italy.

Jeroen is one of the founding fathers and a company owner of SpecialItaly. Within the team, he focuses primarily on sales, project management, and all financial, fiscal, legal, and regulatory matters related to clients’ projects and properties. He communicates fluently in Dutch, English and Italian.

Domenico Casamassima (1978) joined the SpecialItaly team in 2010. He graduated in Food Technology from the University of Potenza and also studied Dietetics at the University of Perugia.

Domenico is one of the company owners of SpecialItaly. He serves as the Head of Interior Design, leading all design projects with creativity, precision, and attention to detail. In addition, he is responsible for project management and property management in the Lake Trasimeno and Tuscan border area, ensuring that every property under SpecialItaly’s care meets the highest standards of quality and comfort.

Fluent in Italian and English, Domenico combines his design expertise with hands-on management skills, making him a key driver of both the company’s aesthetic vision and operational excellence.

Sara Ceccherini (1978) joined SpecialItaly in early 2017. She focuses on all aspects of sales management and serves as one of the company’s registered real estate agents. Sara brings extensive experience in international luxury services, tourism, and real estate, including high-profile projects for the Royal Family of Dubai and other prominent institutions in the Middle East.

Her expertise includes developing public relations, organizing business-to-business networking events, managing press relations, and executing marketing strategies. In early 2019, she obtained registration as a recognized real estate agent in Italy. Sara is fluent in Italian and English and combines her industry knowledge with a strong client-focused approach.

Lorenzo Antenucci (1989) joined the SpecialItaly team in January 2022. He is responsible for rental requests and contributes to property management activities. Born and raised in Umbria, Lorenzo studied Administration in Perugia.

Prior to joining SpecialItaly, he lived and worked for eight years in London, including six years at the exclusive fashion brand Tom Ford, where he honed his skills in international client relations and luxury service. Lorenzo is highly client-focused and brings great passion to the properties he manages, ensuring exceptional experiences for both guests and owners.

He communicates fluently in Italian, English, and French.

Lidia Paroli (1976) joined the SpecialItaly team in Spring 2018 as Accounting and Financial Controller. She holds a pivotal financial role, managing all financial, administrative, and tax matters for both our clients and our two SpecialItaly companies. In addition, she oversees all project management administration, ensuring that processes run smoothly and efficiently. Lidia communicates fluently in Italian and English, bridging operations across diverse teams and clients. Her expertise, precision, and dedication make her an indispensable part of the team, guaranteeing that both financial and administrative operations are handled with the utmost professionalism.

Alessandro Falini (1985) studied Engineering at the University of Perugia and has been with SpecialItaly since March 2017. He serves as Head of Property Management for the majority of the company’s properties in the Lake Trasimeno area, including Castiglione del Lago, Città della Pieve, and Piegaro. He is responsible for the daily management of the villas, overseeing guest check-ins, and ensuring that each property meets the highest standards of quality and service.

Alessandro communicates fluently in Italian and English, and his organizational skills and attention to detail make him a key contributor to delivering exceptional experiences for both guests and property owners.

Tamara Secci (1975) joined SpecialItaly in 2011 as Rental Support Officer. She is responsible for managing all rental communications and bookings, as well as supporting the content on the SpecialItaly website and other online platforms where the company is present.

Born to a Dutch mother and a Sardinian father, Tamara has a long-standing professional relationship with Rob Landeweerd, having worked alongside him for many years at their former company in the Netherlands. Her extensive experience, organizational skills, and client-focused approach make her a key member of the team.

Tamara communicates fluently in Dutch and English.

Elisa Brilli (1984) joined the team in 2022. She serves as the Sales and Project Management Support Officer at SpecialItaly, acting as the detail-oriented backbone of the team. Elisa oversees the myriad tasks behind the scenes that keep the sales process running smoothly. Her meticulous work, exceptional organizational skills, and dedication ensure that every aspect of sales and project management is executed efficiently.

Chiara Braganti (1996) has been a Junior Property Manager in the Property Management team at SpecialItaly since January 2026. She assists guests throughout their stay in our properties and serves as one of the main points of contact for property owners. She is responsible for all guest services.

Chiara graduated from the University of Perugia with a degree in Public Communication and has worked in various digital and social marketing roles in both Italy and the UK. She is fluent in Italian and English.