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In the green heart of Umbria, this immaculately restored Convent with garden has been tastefully converted into two apartments, each with terraces and discreetly 'hidden' from each other.
On one side of the Convent is a small farm-yard consisting of ducks, geese and roosters. Up the lane is Bazzano’s main and very beautiful church. On the other side of the Convent live an Italian family. So, at any one time, you may hear roosters crowing, Italians chattering and bells ringing - a cacophony of Mediterranean sounds. At other times, silence ! Living in the Convent is not like living in a make-believe picture postcard version of Italy. What you are about to experience is as real as it can get.
Unlike nearby 'touristy' places such as Assisi, Todi and Perugia, Bazzano nestles in a totally Italian enclave. The mediaeval city of Spoleto - reputedly a favourite haunt of Prince Charles - remains relatively unknown....and its tiny offshoot, Bazzano, is the area HRH is believed to have bought a holiday home, specifically for its beauty and seclusion.
The Convent is of significant historical interest, housing a 16C fresco by the famous local painter, Lo Spagna, who also has work in the Duomo and the Vatican. The stepped garden, with its fruit trees, Tuscan pines and chestnuts, is shared by the guests. Here you'll find a sun-bathing area and an ancient pergola beneath which you can eat in the shade. So, at the end of a hard day's sight-seeing, enjoy living like an Umbrian - eat and be merry!
Bazzano-di-Spoleto is 20 minutes from Assisi, Bevagna, Trevi and Montefalco. The Sybilline mountain range is to the back of you. A two hour drive across them to the sea-side on the Adiatic coast, or to Norcia and the Gran Piano, is a drive through heaven! Todi, Gubbio, Orvieto and San Gemini - famous for its flower festivals - are a 1 hour drive. Perugia, Bolsena and Trasimeno are 45-90 minutes by car. Naples and the Amalfi coast are 3-4 hours by train. And, Venice is 5 hours by train.
However, the mediaeval city of Spoleto is THE place to visit. It resembles an illustration from one of those classic fairy-tale books. Strolling through its streets is like being caught in a time-warp. Here, you can enjoy the finest wines, the tastiest truffles, the most mouth-watering olive-oils and the best ice-creams in Italy. The spirit of its fascinating past is immersed in every stone and cobble. It is the kind of place where fantasy meets reality and, while you're on your passeggiata, maybe it will ! |
