Volterrano Colli - www.volterrano.co.uk
Midway between Florence and Perugia right on the Umbrian/Tuscan border with superb views over the Nestore Valley. Ideal for a quiet relaxing holiday and in a strategic position for those wishing to explore the medieval towns of Umbria and Tuscany .
Restored old farmhousedating from the 1700s, with its own private pool, facing south with grassy terraces sloping down to woods – full of wild flowers and good for mushroom
and porcini picking.
Three bedrooms sleeping 7
+ baby.
Tour of the House
The interior is in the traditional style with beamed ceilings, whitewashed walls and glazed terracotta tiles. It is very comfortably furnished with a mixture of antique and modern furniture. The accommodation is on three floors with a large living room opening onto a covered terrace for outside dining and a kitchen/dining room (with seating for 7/8).
The master bedroom has a double bed + cot. Bedroom 2, with its own balcony,has twin beds and makes a second good sitting room. Bedroom 3 has twin beds and a single sofa bed. There are two bathrooms with showers.
There is gas central heating throughout, plus a wood burning stove in the living room. To keep everyone happy there are plenty of games for rainy days inside as well as maps and guidebooks to help plan your sightseeing trips.
Outside there are paved terraces and grassy areas with garden furniture for relaxing and alfresco eating. The swimming pool is on a lower terrace and measures 10x4 metres, with the water being purified by the salt electrolysis method (no harsh chemicals).
The house, terraces and pool benefit from a south-facing aspect and have a wonderful uninterrupted view over the Tuscan hills, great for watching the flora and fauna and the breathtaking sunset.
Location & areas of Interest
The house is 1 km up a winding road from the village of Volterrano in the Commune of Citta di Castello in northern Umbria. It overlooks the Nestore Valley, a tributary of the River Tiber in the Upper Tevere Valley.
This part of Italy is an area of great scenic beauty with the landscape ranging from wooded hills to terraced farms. The whole region is steeped in history with much medieval architecture including hilltop castles, watchtowers and customs houses (most of which are now owned by the rich and famous). The area was a partisan stronghold during the Second World War, with our house being used as a lookout by British soldiers.
There are a number of neighbouring farms where it is possible to buy olive oil, eggs and firewood. The gravel roads and farm tracks provide some good local walks (maps in the house show walking routes in the locality). Cyclingis very popular in the valley, there are lots of flat roads for leisurely cycling or, for the keen, the hill roads are regularly used by cycling clubs for cardiovascular training. The woods around are good for mushroompicking, including porcini.
The nearest shops and bars are downhill from the house in the village of Volterrano which straddles the border of Umbria and Tuscany. From Christmas Eve until January 6th, the village becomes a "living nativity scene"' the Presepe Vivente festival, which is televised every year.
Morra is the next village with a 13th century church and a sanctuary containing frescoes by Signorelli, a major Renaissance painter from the area as well as some Gothic frescoes in the sacristy.
Citta di Castello, the major town of the Upper Tevere Valley, is a beautiful walled city with fine buildings, museums, good markets and wonderful restaurants as well as two public swimming pools. The annual international music festival runs for three weeks from the end of August. Thermal hot springs and a health spa dating from Roman times are located nearby.
Medieval cities and towns are plentiful in this area of Italy.
Well known amongst them are:
Florence, the capital city of Tuscany, easily accessible on the motorway about an hour and a half away.
Perugia, the capital of Umbria, closer at hand with Assisi nearby, taking about an hour on the free motorway. The stunning newly restored Giotto frescoes in the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi are not to be missed.
Gubbio, where the venicular railway is everyone’s favourite.
Castiglion Fiorentino and Cortona. charming walled cities easily reached for shopping, sightseeing or dining out. Castiglion Fiorentino also has a good sports centre for tennis and swimming - with separate pools for children.
Siena, due west of the house, a good hour away but well worth a visit and Sansepulcro - for fans of Piero della Francesca - is twenty minutes north of Citta di Castello .
Lake Trasimeno , the largest lake in Central Italy, is safe for bathing and other water sports and takes approx 1 hour to reach. There are a number of resorts around its shores and its islands can be visited by ferry. Restaurants in the area specialise in serving fresh-water fish.
Getting There
Flying
It is essential to have the use of a car to get to the house as well as whilst you are there. So if you fly it is advisable to hire a car from the airport rather than relying on local transport.
Fortunately there is a wide choice of airports all within reasonable distance and many are served by the budget airlines. The nearest are:
Perugia – approx 45 minutes. Ryanair
Florence – approx 1 hr, 30 mins. Alitalia , BA etc
Rimini – approx 1 hr, 50 mins. Ryanair
Ancona – approx 1 hr, 30 mins. Ryanair ***
Bologna – approx 2 hr, 15 mins. Ryanair
Pisa – approx 2 hr, 30 mins. Ryanair, Easyjet
Rome – approx 3 hours. 2 international airports served by most airlines.
*** The drive from Perugia airport is particularly convenient as it involves driving on a fast but quiet dual carriageway, the E45. The drive from Ancona airport is also on quiet roads.There is quite an advantage when getting to grips with a new hire-car in not having to deal with heavy traffic.
Or Driving
The journey from England by car takes about l5 hours of driving at safe speeds.The house is 35 minutes' drive from the Autostrada del Sole, the main motorway through Italy .
A route from Calais minimising costly motorways could be advised.
Belgium Motorail goes to Bologna .
By Rail
The nearest railway station is at Castiglion Fiorentino, on the main Milan to Rome rail link, though the nearest train stations with car-hire facilities are Arezzo or Florence .
Directions
Full directions from airports or driving from UK will be sent on booking, or emailed on request.
Comments from Visitors
"Italy was absolutely spectacular! We had the best holiday. The house was just perfect – the location amazing. I miss the views so much already. I won’t ever forget Volterrano" – D. Salsberg , New York.
"The holiday was absolutely perfect. The house exceeded even our best expectations, the countryside was fabulous and the people were very friendly. I would have no hesitation in recommending it to friends and family" - J. Dalton & R. Handley, London.
"We thoroughly enjoyed our week at Volterrano, the house was ideal and we felt we got a real flavour for the area." – R. & C. Jaggard, Edinburgh.
"I personally will never forget waking up, opening the windows and leaning out over the red tile roof, breathing in that sweet air and looking out at that incredible view! It was as close to heaven as I’ve ever been"
– S. Stewart, Modena NY.
"What a comfortable house in a perfect location, where we were happy and had a terrific time." – B. Cornwall, Pittsburgh.