Stunning 17th century villa with private pool in Spoleto, Italy

Details of the Cottage

This outstanding villa is ideal for large families or special interest groups wishing to enjoy a high standard of accommodation in an authentic, fully restored, Umbrian villa. Situated 5km from the city of Spoleto, home to the International Festival de Due Monde and many annual festivals, there are extensive walking trails in the hills and valleys adjacent and easy access to Perugia, Assisi, Todi, Norcia etc. Local attractions include: fishing, golf and wine tasting and visits to olive mills, village cheese making and local chefs are easy to arrange. This is an extensive villa dating back to the 17th Century which has been restored with style and finesse by local architects. There is underfloor heating for winter rental. The house has thick old stone walls and is well insulated in both hot and cold weather. It is also ideal for family gatherings and celebrations. The grounds The villa is set amongst an acre of established evergreen and deciduous trees, an olive and fruit tree orchard, several private courtyards, an open grassed space, an enclosed courtyard to the east and and an open terrace to the west, with glorious sunset views. Also to the west is a 15m enclosed swimming pool (fully serviced). The house is flanked by several courtyards which provide both intimate areas and convivial spaces allowing midnight merriment or post prandial siestas. Ample parking for 6 to 8 cars is available within the walls. Umbria A visit to Umbria is as much about an encounter with a culture and a way of life as the observation of a beautiful place. Umbrians are of course proud of their past and the buildings and monuments which are part of their world. But anyone who lives in Umbria quickly absorbs the pride that Umbrians take in the routines of daily life the time taken to be with families, the time tending the gardens, the time spent within their communities and of course the time taken over food. Umbrians celebrate life at every opportunity. There are festivals celebrating: Food: The harvests of truffles, olives, asparagus, celery, and many more, and of course the annual wine production. Wine: The distinctive sagrantino grape is grown in the Montefalco area and the wine it makes rarely leaves Italy because it is enjoyed so much locally. Faith: Patron Saints Each village has a Patron saint - not just St Francis of Assisi or St Benedict of Norcia – and there are annual festivals to honour their memory. History: There are famous street events in Gubbio and Spello but also on a smaller scale in small villages like Scheggino. Here they pay respect to their women each August in memory of the defence and protection organised by the women when the village was raided in the absence of the men. Music: Is everywhere and Spoleto has a rolling programme of musical events throughout the year. Almost every church is used as a venue for performances in the summer and you may well meet visiting music groups from UK who enjoy the audience enthusiasm. There may be wonderful opportunities to share these celebrations in Umbria and so take time to check whether there are local festivals happening during your visit. Your visit to Umbria is an opportunity to genuinely experience this life-style, to discover your inner snail and to have time to do as Umbrians do, whether walking on Sundays for the weekly passeggiata or taking time each morning to visit a café for coffee. UMBRIA The region is mostly mountainous and hilly and presents a landscape rich in woods and water resources. It is crossed by the Apennines, which form numerous valleys. This region has a comparatively large lake: the Trasimeno. Cities: Perugia is the regional capital. Other important cities are Assisi, Gubbio, Orvieto, Todi, Spoleto,Terni. ART In Umbria the traces of the Etruscan civilization are remarkable, as visitors can see in Todi, Bettona, Orvieto and Perugia. Both Spello and Spoleto have important Roman remains and other important Roman sites can be found in Assisi and Gubbio. The Romanesque architecture thrived in this region at the beginning of the twelfth century: some beautiful examples are the Cathedrals of Spoleto and Assisi and St. Silvestro and St. Michele in Bevagna. The Gothic style reached very high levels, and imposing examples are present in almost every city. Renaissance buildings can be seen in magnificent monuments in Perugia, Gubbio and Todi. MUSEUMS In Perugia there is the NATIONAL GALLERY OF UMBRIA, which is one of the most important exhibition of the Gothic painting, with masterpieces by Duccio di Boninsegna, Beato Angelico, Piero della Francesca. THE NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM oF UMBRIA houses a splendid and very rich Etruscan collection. Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis, one of the greatest figures of Christianity, has the superb Basilica of San Francesco with the world famous Giotto’s frescoes, showing in 28 splendid paintings the life of the Saint the Pinacoteca Civica and the Cathedral’s Museum. Spoleto has the Gallery of Contemporary Art. In Gubbio there is the Civic Museum, which holds the famous “Eugubine tables”: seven bronze plates, from the second century B.C. Foligno can offer the tourists the Archaeologic Museum and the Pinacoteca Civica. To be visited Umbria is rich in history and in nature and there is no shortage of outings: * The Marmore Falls in the Val de Nera are the highest in Italy and provide a spectacular sight. * The Fonti del Clitunno, the ancient Roman spring just north of Spoleto, is the source of the Clitunno River * Mount Subasio towers above Assisi with a National Park to explore. * The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli below Assisi is the burial place of Saint Clare who founded an order for women at the time of Saint Francis Assisi and the Basilica of Saint Francis is full of interest for young and old * The ancient city of Spoleto offers the Roman Theatre, Druso’s Arch and the Torre del Olio, from which the people are supposed to have poured boiling oil on Hannibal when he threatened the city * Near Perugia, it is possible to visit the Ipogeo del Volumni, which is an Etruscan tomb. * For spectacular scenery a visit to the Piano Grande at Castelucchio beyond Norcia is unforgettable. * The Via di Roma, one of the Pilgrim Paths from Canterbury to Rome, is clearly signed from Assisi to Spoleto and provides excellent walking through olive groves and easy hilsides