SUMMARY....
NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE WITH MOBILITY PROBLEMS
IL CASTELLO -
Car necessary - 350 sq mts - in tiny, walled castle of San Mamiliano - 10 miles from central Spoleto/oldest inhabited village in Umbria/10C - papal border and where the Pope used to visit/with large terrace/stunning mountain views from terrace and all windows at back/village itself is like a picture post-card – sleeps 8 (4 double bedrooms, 3 with large double beds/1 with twin beds), 2 sitting rooms (1 of which could be used as a 5th sleeping space), 2 shower rooms/WCs/1 with full-sized tub/2 washing machines – car essential) – exquisitely pretty and unique location/very spacious/elegant house. Stunningly beautiful local pool (opens about June 10), with tennis courts, bars and picnic areas, just a few minutes down the hill by car. Pedestrian, very child-friendly village and house - safe environment - nearest shops, bars and restaurants 2 miles.
WiFi access available via a dongle with 10 euros/week credit.
L'ARCO -
(car necessary)- (60 sq mets) - (in tiny, walled castle of San Mamiliano - 10 miles from central Spoleto/oldest inhabited village in Umbria/10C with garden/patio + stunning mountain views from all 3 windows and garden/patio – sleeps 2 (1 large bed-sitting room area with large double bed and sofa-bed) - 1 bath/shower room (1/2 sized tub)/WC – car essential) – exquisitely pretty and unique location/very comfortable/luxury apt. Stunningly beautiful local pool (opens about June 10), just a few minutes down the hill by car with tennis courts, bars and picnic areas. Pedestrian village – safe environment - nearest shops, bars and restaurants 2 miles.
WiFi access available via a dongle with 5 euros/week credit.
10C San Mamiliano, a tiny walled, arched and cobbled village...
L'Arco (apartment) : 410 euros/week - SLEEPS 2
Il Castello (house) : 770 euros/week - SLEEPS 8
Arrival/Departure dates flexible, subject to availability.
San Mamiliano resembles a Harry Potter stage set, except, this is the REAL thing !
13 miles to central Spoleto/car necessary.
L'Arco is a spacious apartment - about 60 sq mts. With good sized rooms and an arched hall-way, it is perfect for a couple wishing for a romantic liaison. It has 1 dble bed-sitting rm/1 fully fitted kitchen - seats 3/1 bath rm with half-sized tub + hand held shower/WC. Sleeps 2
The kitchen/diner opens directly onto a pretty patio/garden.
Il Castello is a large spacious house - about 350 sq mts. With large airy rooms and good sized hall-ways, it is perfect for a group to be able to occupy different parts of the house and to be private from each other, if required. It has 4 dble bedrms/2 shower rms, 1 with full sized tub + hand held shower/2 WCs/2 sitting/dining rooms, 1 with large stone fire-place/1 fully fitted kitchen. Sleeps 8
There is a terrace, which seats 8, that is part shaded and has amazing mountain views from all sides. It is lit so that you can eat out at night, under a dark blue, moon-lit sky, speckled with twinkling stars.
Il Castello and L’Arco, in this fairy-tale, hill-top, walled village, nestling just below the snow-line and often above the clouds, with the sweep of deep valleys rising to mountain peaks, silhouetted against brilliant blue skies, is perfect for those who wish to experience tranquillity and savour the atmosphere of a bygone era in a relatively unspoilt and beautiful part of the world, without feeling isolated.
Please note that there is a fabulous local pool with luxury facilities just a few minutes down the hill. Open July 1 - Aug 31.
History of San Mamiliano
Years ago, 10C San Mamiliano - some parts of it 9C, the oldest inhabited village in Umbria, was a fortress and resting place for the Pope. Within its walls, Il Castello, a comfortable and spacious 3 storey stone house, has sensational views of the mountains and valleys from a large terrace and all its windows at the back.
San Mamiliano was part of a restoration project because of its historic interest. Unfortunately, these mediaeval buildings are too old to have retained all their original features internally. So, instead of having the inside cosmetically restored to look old, we opted for a light, airy and modern ambience for both Il Castello and L’Arco. The outside of both our properties, however, along with all the other dwellings in San Mamiliano that have undergone restoration, has retained all its original features.
The arrival of supermarkets in the nearby towns and cities marked a turning point in Umbria. : a few years ago, we were connected to mains water and gas. Until then, we were dependent on an underground stream for water and wood for heat. Now, we have all mod cons ! However, in spite of the availability of gas, wood remains the local Italians' major source of heat and since most local Italians still prefer to cook on the fire, wood is essential for this purpose too. Until recently, only one “proper” road led to our village. There were also two white roads (roads made entirely of stones). Fortunately, a few years ago, both these roads were rebuilt as “proper” roads. As a result, we have a far wider access by car to our neighbouring villages. Indeed, our villagers remember the time before the roads, when they were forced to make their way on foot or horseback by way of tracks marked out by boulders. There is still no public transport to the village so a car is absolutely essential. Or a mule or an Api – forms of transport some of our villagers still favour !
Further Location Details....
Our exact location is the middle of Italy - just slightly to the left ie our nearest ocean is the Adreatic. We're in the Appenines. By car and driving normally, it takes 25 mins to Spoleto, 90 mins to Rome, 45 mins to Asissi, 70 mins to Perugia, 2 hrs 30 mins to Florence (depending on traffic), 3 hrs 30 mins to Naples (also depending on traffic), the Amalfi coast and Pompei. Castellucia, the famous Gran Piano (with fantastic natural flower displays across this gigantic plain around about Easter) is just over 1 hour away. On the way to Castellucia is Norcia, which is worth a visit and where most of our white truffle is to be found (our area is abundant with black truffle all the year round - consequently, it's cheap to dine out on truffle, one of my favourite dishes, at around 10 euros for a bowl of ciriole al tartufo !). However, all around us, ie within a 30 min drive, are an abundance of small towns eg Todi and Spello which are all equally beautiful and fascinating. Benigni (the Oscar winning film-maker of Life is Beautiful and Piccochio) stays nearby in Coliscipoli while working on the film studios in which both these films were produced. And, of course, it is the countryside all round here that features in both these films.
Rome and Ancona airport are 90 minutes drive - Perugia is 45 minutes. Most of the places further than 1 hour by car can be quicker to get to by train and it can be a lot less hassly eg taking a car into Rome or Naples would not be everyone's first preference and our local train station provides an excellent and regular service to almost everywhere you'd wish to go. Places like Asissi, however, are not that far and never really get that busy so that's a place where it's best to take the car.
Why You Will LOVE San Mamiliano !
Around San Mamiliano, in the woods and olive groves, there is a diversity of wild-life: foxes, black squirrels, wild boar, porcupine etc. and many different species of birds, including nightingales. Occasionally, especially at night or of an early misty morning, these animals can be spotted on the roads leading to the village.
This area is to be most appreciated by those who love tranquillity – (though, naturally, there are plenty of country sounds…eg farm animals, wood cutting, tractors - depending on the time of the year etc) – and, walking in woods and mountains, enjoying the spectacular scenery which looks across at the Apennines and over the surrounding valleys but, at the same time, who do not wish to be isolated. It is off the main tourist routes, relatively undiscovered and, therefore, it is unusual to see other visitors in the immediate surroundings. Yet, we have easy access to all the main attractions…..Assisi, Perugia and Rome (about 60-90 mins by car/Rome is 55 minutes by train and it takes 20 minutes to get to Terni station), Sploleto is just up the road and Todi and Piediluco are relatively close by.
Local shops and many trattorias are all within minutes to half an hour down the mountain. Eating out in the summer months is highly recommended. It would be difficult to pay more than 20 euros for a 3 course meal with as much wine as you can drink in the local eateries. Eating al fresco on a warm evening with the sun setting behind mountains silhouetted against a pink-streaked, azure blue sky takes some beating. Then there is the Piediluco lake which was famously painted by that great impressionist, Turner. Here, also, there are many bars and restaurants.
Our local and very beautiful PUBLIC pool, (5 mins by car), is set in the mountains and is first class with a bar and all the usual amenities, and includes tennis courts. There are many other pools and tennis courts in the area. Indeed, for the serious swimmer, there is an Olympic sized pool next to Piediluco lake. On the lake itself, there are all the usual boating facilities (though speed-boats are not allowed) and sun-bathing areas. Riding stables are close by – and, day-long pony treks can be arranged across the mountains at special rates. At nearby Marmore Falls, the largest in Europe, there is white-water rafting. And, bungee jumping, rock-climbing and hang-gliding are on offer in the hills.
LAYOUT OF IL CASTELLO + L'ARCO ....
IL CASTELLO - 4 double bedrooms/2 sitting/dining rooms/1 kitchen/2 bathrooms + terrace
2 double bedrooms on top floor + 1 double and 1 twin bedroom on ground floor. 3 bedrooms have a large double bed in them. The 4th bedroom is a twin room - beds can be joined by request. Please note that the large bedroom on the ground floor is accessed via the smaller twin bedroom because the stairs are open-plan and wind down the side of the wall of the smaller twin room. Having said this, at the foot of the stairs, you turn left through the arched door-way into the large bedroom and, as you turn right, you are facing the smaller twin room. So, the disturbance is minimal.
1 bath-shower room/toilet/washing machine on top floor. 1 shower room/toilet on middle floor.
Fully fitted kitchen on middle floor, with cooker, hob, fridge, fridge-freezer, microwave etc.
2 Large Sitting/Dining rooms on middle floor. 1st sitting/dining room, seats 8, has large open fire-place and looks onto the tiny pedestrian cobbled street. 2nd sitting/dining room, seats 8, has amazing mountain views. It also has a very large SKY SAT TV with English speaking channels...BBC, CNN etc.
L'ARCO - 1 bed-sitting room/1 kitchen-diner/1 bathroom + patio-garden
1 fully fitted kitchen - seats 3/4 - opens directly onto patio/garden.
Through arched hallway with built in shelves to 1 large bed-sitting room with double bed, wardrobe and 2 sofas - seats 6.
In between the bed-sitting room and the kitchen is 1 bathroom with half-sized tub and hand held shower.
Cultural Activities....
Cultural activities abound. Amongst the most prestigious is the International Spoleto Festival which attracts world-famous musicians, dancers and celebrity guests (3 wks June/July). In fact, Prince Charles was reported in our local press to have bought a villa nearby having claimed that Spoleto was one of his favourite places in the world. Less famous, but extremely spectacular, nonetheless, is the festival devoted to St. Valentine which takes place in his actual “resting” place of Terni (I wk Feb) and involves a vast diversity of musical events, carnivals, fancy dress and wine-tastings.
There are many other big festas, too, ranging from the slightly less prestigious, but still spectacular, festival at Todi (the unofficial rival to Spoleto), the specialist Flower festival at San Gemini and the Water festival at Piediluco (all close by)…..to the hundreds of more modest, commune sponsored festas where you can dance, eat and drink all night and it will cost you virtually nothing. And, for those of you who are musical, there are always concerts, master classes etc on in Terni, Spoleto and the smaller places such as Bevagnia and Montefalco…..all this information can be got from local tourist offices once you’re here.
Nearby is the plain of Rieti. In this area are to be found the original worship places, in tiny monasteries dotted around, of St Francis who lived in this area, when he first left his privileged existence in Rome to spread a less conventional Roman Catholicism in the rural areas of Umbria, before settling in Asissi. Some of his “churches” are to be found outdoors, a simple assembly of wooden benches and an alter beneath the trees. 1f you were to start at his monastery in Greccio, there is a map there that shows how to get to 5 or 6 other monasteries by car or on foot.
In all of the numerous churches, to be found in every tiny hill-top village as well as every town and city, there are frescos, most of which have been restored. Our own church houses one of the 4 most important paintings in Umbria, which the Bishop of Spoleto is currently trying to "pinch" but, alas, it is being neglected (which is his argument for taking it to join the others in the Spoleto duomo) and the frescos have remained unrestored - I suppose, it was decided to put the money into doing up the village instead. Most Umbrian, hill-top villages, with beautifully restored churches, have been left to just totally crumble.
Village Traditions....
The few remaining San Mamilianese have retained their traditional way of life as land-owning farmers producing wine, olive-oil, tomatoes and various fruits for local shops and providing the local eateries with fresh truffles. The land around San Mamiliano is “wooded” much of the year and the huge logs are brought down the mountains by packs of mules and delivered to all the neighbouring villages. All these activities are to be evidenced throughout the year and make for extremely picturesque viewing – however, if you were to offer to help chop the wood, pick the olives or the grapes, be sure you mean it as your offer will be enthusiastically seized upon ! As yet, we’ve always preferred to watch ! And, the San Mamilianese are extremely hospitable so don’t be surprised if you are invited to share a dish of ciriole with them (a thick type of spaghetti made of flour and water) or to join them for a glass of grappa, especially in the morning when it will be added to your espresso !
Brief description of Spoleto historic centre, 13 miles away....
Spoleto is akin to a giant, fairy-tale castle. Sprinkled with bars, restaurants and shops, peppered with piazzas, Spoleto sits magestically amidst a maze of tunnelled, cobbled lanes and alley-ways, all leading skywards to the famous Rocca, the aquaduct and, some of the best views in the world. A surreal setting, a stage-set in the making, fringed by mountains, olive groves, vineyards, mediaeval monasteries, towns, cities and tiny hill-top villages - all beckoning a visit, Spoleto is truly a temptress. Succumb to her beauty and you must use all your will-power to leave. Quite simply, Spoleto is the most captivating city in Italy, never mind Umbria, Venice and Florence, being on a par.
Venice has the water. Florence has the Uffici. Spoleto has the mountains. All three have a history to be reckoned with. All three bedazzle us with their rich cultures, their European, aristocratic connections and their sheer beauty. But, Spoleto has the upper hand for the world traveller. It resists tourism with its associated inflated rates and tacky goods on sale ! You are invited to visit Spoleto, but, not as a tourist. You will be welcomed like a long lost member of the family ! Treated like a king. And, you will pay the same rates as all the locals, especially when you pay attention to all our recommended restaurants, bars and gelaterias.
Read more about Spoleto by clicking on or pasting into your browser :
http://www.umbriaholidayrentals.com/general-information/spoleto.html
Please see more info re the surrounding areas and the weather :
http://www.umbriaholidayrentals.com/general-information/umbrian-areas-around-spoleto--weather.html
Private pool included in rate, 20 miles away…....plus speciality lunches, using local produce
Our large private pool (120 sq mts) is available for your use at any time between May to Sept, free of charge, at our Villa Marianna.
Villa Marianna is 20 miles away, along a spectacularly beautiful and quiet road, occasionally used for the famous, once a year, Giro D’Italia cycling race.
At Villa Marianna, we offer speciality lunches...truffle, pasta and pizza dishes, made from our fresh, home-grown produce, subject to demand.
And, every Wed, we are offering a tiny farmer's market at Villa Marianna, where our home-grown produce will be on sale...or, you can pick your own from the fields !
Please note that Villa Marianna is 7 miles above central Spoleto. So, a wonderful day out would be to visit Spoleto in the morning and, maybe, lunch there - there are many divine restaurants to choose from. Then, toodle up to Villa Marianna, along the most beautiful, quiet country road in the world, used by the famous Giro D'Italia bicycle race. Or, have lunch at Villa Marianna, by arrangement. Then, chill by the pool for the rest of the day. Perfect !
Please click on :
http://www.umbriaholidayrentals.com/site/mountains/item/villa-marianna-pg-13.html
Interested in horse-riding ?
GREAT DISCOUNT OFFER !!!
CLICK ON :
http://www.umbriaholidayrentals.com/discounted-rates-.html
Please note that this offer might be discontinued at any time........
Comments (0)