• 2. Before You Leave
  • 3. Things to See and Do
  • 4. While at Your villa
  • About RentVillas

RentVillas.com

~ Travel Abroad. Feel at Home.

RentVillas.com

Tag Archives: Torre Alfina

Authentic Italy

02 Sunday Mar 2014

Posted by rentvillas in 4. While at your villa, Things to Do

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Antica Rocca, La Cappella, Suzanne Pidduck, Torre Alfina, Tuscany

In this third installment, guest editor and RentVillas Founder Suzanne Pidduck follows up on part 1 and part 2 from her September 2013 travels on the border of Lazio, Tuscany, and Umbria:

Antica Rocca (sleeps 10) is located in a medieval hamlet.

Antica Rocca (sleeps 10) is located in a medieval hamlet.

This week I’ve got more to share about the area called the Alta Tuscia—situated on the borders of Lazio, Tuscany, and Umbria. In my opinion, this area really offers the best of all three regions. Although located at a cultural crossroads, it has somehow remained unspoiled, with authentic towns, un-inflated prices, rural peace and quiet, and abundant traffic-free hiking, road and mountain biking opportunities in striking natural surroundings.

La Cappella dell'Alfina is a charming farmhouse near Acquapendente.

La Cappella dell’Alfina is a charming farmhouse near Acquapendente.

I visited two exceptional properties near Torre Alfina (our home base for the week), La Cappella dell’Alfina and Antica Rocca, and did some additional exploring throughout the area. Here are the highlights!

Must-sees!

  • Perugia is about 1 ½ hours away, and is worth the trip. With a rainstorm brewing we had lunch on the piazza facing the Duomo and the Fontana Maggiore. Carpaccio with arugula and Parmigiano-Reggiano has never tasted so good!
  • Civita’ di Bagnoregio is a tiny, Etruscan village perched atop a plateau of volcanic tuff. It’s right out of a fairy tale! The village was made famous, quite literally, by Rick Steves! He put it on the map (and has done the same thing with the Cinque Terre) and thereby has helped to save it from disintegration. His photo is everywhere in town! We walked against howling wind along the pedestrian bridge that leads into town and wandered around the hamlet and found a great trattoria. It was a fun adventure!
  • The spectacular duomo in Orvieto.

    The spectacular duomo in Orvieto.

    Orvieto is only 20 minutes away from Torre Alfina and Villa del Castello. We headed there for a stroll, a little shopping, and to gaze at the extraordinary Duomo. We were thrilled to find the town almost empty. What a treat to have it to ourselves! Todi is also wonderful for a passegiata.

  • For a full day trip, I highly recommend Pienza and Montepulciano. Pienza is known for its pecorino, and Montepulciano has outstanding shopping. It’s also fun to do a wine tasting at the Col D’Orcia estate in Montalcino (book in advance), and then stop in either San Filippo Terme or Bagno Vignoni to soak in the thermal baths (just remember to bring swimsuits!).
  • I’d also encourage you to see the “tufo towns” of Sorano, Pitigliano, and Sovana—three towns in the Maremma (southwestern coastal area of Tuscany) carved into or built out of volcanic rock (tufo). If you leave early enough in the morning, it is possible to do all three. But if not, don’t miss Sorano. It’s a gorgeous little artists’ village in an area known for its “fjords”. If you are in Sovana at lunch time, stop at Taverna Etrusca for a light lunch.

Adventures in Italy, Part II

01 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by rentvillas in 4. While at your villa, Things to Do

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Italy, Torre Alfina, Villa del Castello

In this post guest editor and RentVillas Founder Suzanne Pidduck shares part two of a two-part excerpt from her September 2013 Tuscany travel journal:

Villa del Castello (sleeps 6) is located on the border of Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio.

Villa del Castello (sleeps 6) is located on the border of Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio.

This week I’m writing from Villa del Castello on the border of Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio. We’re loving the location—in the medieval village of Torre Alfina—and the fact that it’s off the tourist track, yet convenient for day trips and walking/hiking adventures. The week’s highlights include a hike in the forest of Il Sassetto and a walk along Lago di Bolsena. The weather has changed from hot and humid to cool and wet—but we won’t be deterred by a little rain! Here’s a little more about my adventures in this wonderful undiscovered part of Italy:

Living like a Local

If you’re looking for an authentic Italian village experience, Villa del Castello is your property! It’s located in the center of the medieval village of Torre Alfina, a rustic, rural spot populated by locals—not tourists. We also have three other villas in this area, each wonderful and unique and close by:  La Cappella dell’Alfina, Antica Rocca, and Casale Giardino (more on these villas, as well as the region in general, in next week’s newsletter! Stay tuned!)  Honestly, I almost hesitate to say too much about the area and the villas—lest it become a tourist destination! I can’t emphasize enough how peaceful and crowd-free it is relative to Tuscany.

A perfect spot for al fresco meals at Villa del Castello!

A perfect spot for al fresco meals at Villa del Castello!

Villa del Castello is more spectacular than the photos! The garden area is large and impeccably groomed. The furnishings are Old World and high quality. We felt as though we had stepped into a gracious, well-appointed home. There is good WiFi (in the dining room), adaptor plugs (and a power strip to accommodate all of our chargers!), a Tom Tom to borrow, two cell phones, and even a vegetable garden and chickens (guests are welcome to the bounty!) A few steps away there is a hotel with pool (open to guests of the villa) and restaurant. The village, which includes a world-class gelateria, is also close by.  The caretakers live nearby and are always available.

Italy’s Green Heart

Villa del Castello has an amazing view of the castle!

Villa del Castello has an amazing view of the castle!

This part of Italy is an ideal destination for people who love the outdoors. There is an extensive trail network (for both hiking and mountain biking), as well as lakes (Bolsena and Bracciano).

  •  The owner of La Cappella dell’Alfina took us on a hike in a prehistoric volcanic forest which was only about 1-2 km away from our villa, just below the Castello di Torre Alfina. The forest was an  otherworldly place, with many varieties of old-growth trees and lichen-covered volcanic boulders. We were shown caves in the forest where the villagers hid during the Nazi occupation.
  • This part of Italy is an ideal destination for people who love the outdoors.

    This part of Italy is an ideal destination for people who love the outdoors.

    The Via Francigena is one of Europe’s principal pilgrimage routes (like the Camino de Santiago in Spain) and was established in 990 for pilgrims en route to Rome. It passes through the countryside near Torre Alfina, also called the Alta Tuscia. Locally, the trail criss-crosses the Via Cassia (the ancient road to Rome) gravel paths and rural roads. A number of the trail’s most scenic legs start within a short drive of the villa.

  • Lago di Bolsena is a beautiful volcanic lake that was formed by an eruption that occurred hundreds of thousands of years ago. All around the lake there are beaches, swimming holes, picnic grounds, and restaurants—not to mention clean, clear water! There are two islands in the middle of the lake, both with monasteries on them. In the summer there are regular boat cruises from Bolsena and Capodimonte. We hiked a beautiful trail, the historic Sentiero dei Briganti, which encompasses 100 km of trails along the Tuscany/Lazio border that were originally used as escape routes by local brigands. The trail is ideal for mountain biking, horseback riding, or hiking. Incidentally, Leg 37 of the Via Francigena, which originates in San Lorenzo Nuovo, follows the lakeshore to the beautiful town of Bolsena on a segment of the Sentiero dei Briganti.

Categories

  • 1. Early Planning Stage
    • Airfare
    • First Steps
    • Picking a Villa
      • Top Picks
    • Villa or Hotel?
      • The Costs
    • Which Villa Rental Agency?
  • 2. Before you leave…
    • Cell phones
    • Easy Italia
    • Internet Access
    • Packing
    • Ways to Save
  • 3. Things to see and do
    • France
      • Budget Latin Quarter
      • Paris Christmas
      • Theme Parks
    • Greece
    • Italy
      • Fresh Produce
      • Guidebook
      • Things to Do
      • Tuscan Xmas
    • Spain
  • 4. While at your villa
    • Amalfi Coast and Naples Driving Tours
    • Personal Chefs
    • Provence Tours & Excursions
    • Rome Cooking Classes
    • Rome Tours
    • Tuscan Cooking Classes
    • Tuscan Food Experiences
    • Tuscan Tours
    • Tuscan Wine Tours
    • Wedding Planner

Blogroll

  • RentVillas.com

Instagram

No Instagram images were found.

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • RentVillas.com
    • Join 25 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • RentVillas.com
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...