La Fattoria Del Gelso - Living La Dolce Vita in Umbria Assisi Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 187551

View of main house - La Fattoria del Gelso

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Location: Assisi, Umbria, Italy, Europe (Just 15 Minutes from Assisi, Outside the Village of Cannara)

Accommodations:  House, 8 Bedrooms, 8 Baths (Sleeps 16)

Nestled in a quiet valley between two mountain ranges and in the shadow of the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi, the villa La Fattoria del Gelso is an ideal place to discover the treasures of Umbria and the secrets of la dolce vita.

This luxurious and comfortable villa is set on a tranquil 40 hectares working farm in one of Italy's most fertile regions, yet is just a short drive to some of the Italy's best artistic, cultural and culinary treasures.

Whether you are a large extended family, families travelling together, a group of friends or a tour group meeting one another for the first time, La Fattoria del Gelso offers the right amount of luxury, familiarity, privacy and togetherness to make your Italian vacation one that you will remember for a lifetime.

The main building of the villa is a two story farmhouse constructed in the 1700s. The farmhouse houses 6 spacious king bedrooms, 5 on the upper floor and one on the lower floor with a separate, private entrance.

A separate annex, just across the courtyard from the main building, houses two additional king bedrooms, which are adjoining and handicap accessible. Four of the bedrooms on the upper floor form two two-bedroom suites, each pair sharing a bathroom and capable of being closed off to give families more privacy.

Each of the bedrooms is furnished with a king bed (which can be separated into twin beds) covered with fine Frette linens and decorated with authentic rustic Italian furniture.

The main building has two large sitting rooms, both with working fireplaces and with comfortable furniture capable of seating your entire group. One sitting room includes a satellite TV with dozens of channels of English language programming and news.

A separate game room with another satellite TV is a perfect refuge for the kids. Free high speed internet is available through the villa's computer, which is located in one of the sitting rooms and is at your disposal throughout your stay, or by wireless (Wi-Fi) if you choose to bring your own laptop.

A fax machine and copier is also available for your use and prepaid cell phones can be provided upon request.

An enormous modern kitchen, installed previously when the property housed a local restaurant, features a six burner gas oven, pasta making table, stainless steel refrigerator and plenty of working space for you and your group to make the perfect meal.

This large space is perfect for cooking classes, which we can arrange for you, or perhaps you would prefer to learn how to make authentic Italian pizza in our wood burning pizza oven on the patio outside the kitchen. If you are not the cooking type, a cook can be arranged for an additional charge.

Outside you can enjoy the extensive grounds, tree-lined and surrounded by fertile green fields. In the distance the town of Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis, can be seen, its white walls and buildings dominating the valley below.

A private pool and expansive patio are the perfect place to relax and enjoy the views and to discover that inner peace that led St. Francis to become the patron saint of birds, animal and the environment.

Located just 15 minutes from the Perugia airport and the Assisi train station, as well as a short 10 minute drive from the SS75 highway, La Fattoria del Gelso is a perfect jumping off point for the historic towns of Assisi and Perugia, as well as the lesser known gems such as Spello, Spoleto, Bevagna and Montefalco.

The owners, an American couple who fell in love with Italy over a decade ago and fed their addiction by establishing an Italian import retail store in the Washington, DC area, have extensive knowledge of and ties to the area.

They can help you plan and organize tours of nearby towns and sights, visits to local vineyards (the villa is located along the famous Strada del Sagrantino - the Sagrantino Wine Road that winds its way through the hills here, welcoming visitors to enter and try this highly acclaimed wine), arrange cooking, language, photography or ceramics classes with local artisans or arrange transportation. Their local partner is available to assist you 24/7.

La Fattoria del Gelso. The villa, the ambiance, the setting and the staff ensure that you will have a memorable vacation that you will be talking about for years to come.

Vacation Rental Features

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• Amenities
  • Washer
  • Linens Provided
  • Off Street Parking
  • Wood Fireplace
  • Wood Stove: Outdoor oven for pizza making!
• Beds
  • King Bed (8) : King beds can be separated into two twins.
• Entertainment
  • Cable/Satellite TV (2) : SkyTV system, with many English language programs and news available.
  • DVD
  • Video Library: DVD plays US and European region coded videos. Feel free to bring your own or browse our selection.
  • CD Player
  • Stereo System
  • Private Pool
• Kitchen
  • Full Kitchen: Professional-level kitchen formerly used for on-premises restaurant.
  • Cooking Utensils Provided: Full compliment of utensils, pots, pans and appliances.
  • Refrigerator (2)
  • Dishwasher: Restaurant-style dishwasher washes a rack of plates or glasses in one minute.
  • Microwave
  • Catering Available: Cook can be arranged upon request for an additional charge.
• Outdoor Features
  • Deck/Patio: Full patio by pool, with hand painted ceramic tables with seating for up to 16.
  • Gazebo (2) : Two covered pool-side gazebos perfect for sunset cocktails or relaxing.
• View/Location
  • Mountain View: Views of nearby Assisi and Perugia as well as majestic Monte Subasio.
• Communications
  • Cell Phone: Prepaid, rechargeable cell phones available to your party upon request.
  • Computer: Windows PC in sitting room, with high speed internet (DSL) connection and networked laser printer. Free Wi-Fi access available for visitors with their own laptop computer.
  • Broadband Internet
  • WiFi (Wireless Internet)
• Suitability
  • Handicapped Accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair Accessible (may have limitations)
  • Kid Friendly
• Activities (on site and nearby)
  • Golf
  • Shopping
  • Sightseeing
  • Restaurants
  • Sailing
  • Boating
  • Swimming
  • Biking
  • Hiking
  • Fishing
  • Antiquing
  • Cinemas/Movie Theaters
  • Museums
  • Horseback Riding
• Other Activities
  • Cooking classes, guided wine excursions, guided sightseeing excursions, photography classes, language classes, ceramics painting classes

Rate Details (In Euros)

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Personal Currency Assistant™

2010 Weekly Rates:
Low Season - €2,500 [Jan. 2-Mar. 6, Oct. 30-Dec. 31]
Mid Season - €3,000 [Mar. 6-June 5, Sept. 25-Oct. 30]
High Season - €4,000 [June 5-Sept. 25]
Saturday to Saturday rentals only.

Rates exclusive of utilities (gas, electric, water) and €150
end of stay cleaning fee

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.

• Credit Cards Accepted:

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Property Photos

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Guest Comments (5)

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• 07/26/09
  Positive Rating
  Robin Sheldon , Philadelphia, PA
  • Dear Bill and Suzy: thank you for making our stay at Fattoria Del Gelso so memorable. We had such a special time mostly due to your help in arranging all of our many activities, and your staff's assistance in seeing those activities through. The house is charming, and even though we did not fill all the bedrooms, it did not seem to big for us (we were 8). Our smaller children loved running around the property and the bigger kids enjoyed the many outdoor sitting areas. The location of the house is superb, and, although we had excursions every day to the surrounding areas, we never felt overwhelmed. The girls agree that one of the highlights was our ceramics class in Deruta and the boys (big ones) said the Paolo Bea winery was a very special experience (my brother in law has even discovered where he can get Paolo Bea wine in Houston). The best part, however, was the birthday dinner that Theresa cooked, with the help of Wendy and Marco. It was the best meal we have had in all of Italy! When we left, my 7 year old son cried. That says it all!
• 12/11/08
  Positive Rating
  Dick Parke , Bethesda, MD
  • I arrived a day early at La Fattoria del Gelso to participate in Experience Umbria’s first food and wine excursion. It was late October, fall was in the air, and I was escaping the crashing and burning of the American economy, with visions of extended years of indentured servitude, known in some quarters as working for a living, when I should be expectantly looking forward to the travel and leisure of retirement. My hosts were still in route from Turin, but they had arranged for a friend to pick me up at the airport in Rome. After dropping our bags and freshening up a bit, it was off to lunch. We ended up at a little café, appropriately called Le Delizie del Borgo, just outside the gate to Bevagna. Seated at table out front, we embarked on a two-hour plus sampling of the food and wine of Umbria. The proprietor was most gracious, taking our desires to sample a number of dishes on the menu, and turning our afternoon into a delightful series of small courses accompanied by a lovely Montefalco Rosso. And so I was introduced to Umbria. Our excursion began in earnest the following morning. There were tours, Assisi with its history of St. Francis; Perugia and, coincidentally, the international chocolate festival and a chocolate making class at the Perugina Chocolate School; Norcia with St. Benedict and all manner of pork, wild boar, sausages; a truffle hunt near Città di Castello. Interspersed were visits to wineries and fabulous two or three hour lunches in Assisi, Spello, Montefalco, and at Il Bacco Felice in Foligno. A typical day would begin with a tour or a winery, then lunch, followed by one or two more wineries in the late afternoon, then after catching our breaths, off to dinner for a few more hours. I remember being asked if I had brought a good book for the “down time.” Despite the hustle and bustle of the days, I felt refreshed. Perhaps that was due to the bucolic ambiance of the morning hours. In the early, autumn dawn, the air is just a bit nippy with a slight haze. Nevertheless, you can see a fair distance in any direction to the hillsides bordering the Umbrian valley with a vision of the ubiquitous grapes changing to olive trees capping the hills. The soil has been turned to lie fallow until the spring and occasionally the shot of a distant hunter breaks the stillness. Flowers are still in bloom, but the leaves of the trees have begun to turn and fall. It is energizing to experience this tranquility and peace, until Teresa, the housekeeper, arrives to serve up a welcome Italian coffee. A week seemed too short a time, but inevitably it came to an end, and I had to catch a train to Rome for a rendezvous with my wife.
• 12/04/08
  Positive Rating
  Clark and Raffaella Bentson , Rome, Italy
  • Bill and Suzy: We just returned from a week in your beautiful home. It is such a perfect place for medium to large family gatherings. We packed 50 people into your dining room for Thanksgiving! The bedrooms were comfortable for the 15 who stayed.. so great to have so many bathrooms and private spaces in country home. We know Umbria well, but Cannara's location is so close to some of the prettiest spots in the area -- not to mention the great vineyards for wine tasting. Such great hospitality by your staff too, who were so attentive and helpful but also left us to enjoy in front of the fire too. Next time we will try a summer party when the pool is open. Thanks again!
• 07/22/08
  Positive Rating
  alison black , Glasgow, Scotland
  • I arrived at the villa worn out and worn down after a family bereavement. It was the perfect getaway- beautifully quiet surroundings and a gorgeous pool, surrounded by fields of sunflowers. The interior decor is beauutiful and the kitchen up to commercial standards. I loved not having to drive everywhere-it's a short stroll into Cannara. But when you do get in the car Assissi, Foligno, Perugia are all on the doorstep. Javier will even explain the best spots to park. We were there for the Umbria Jazz Festival, and even if you chose not to go to the big events, Perugia was a great place just to hang out and watch the world go by. I left a lot more at peace than when I arrived, and would highly recommend the villa to anyone who deserves a break.
• 06/12/08
  Positive Rating
  Collin , Washington, DC
  • We recently stayed at Fattoria del Gelso (May 2008) and had an absolutely fantastic time. The house itself is fantastic- even bigger than our needs. The location is great- just 10 minutes drive to Assisi, 5 minutes to Bevagna, 10 minutes to Spello... Montefalco just around the corner. Absolutely central. Javier was a great help, too- arranged everything for us, from wine tours to cooking classes. In particular we loved Tabarrini in Montefalco- Giampaolo, the young wine maker, is something else- perhaps the funniest man in Italy. We ate so well in Umbria- we recommend the nice restaurant in Canarra (Javier knows the name), and also the one in the walls of the Roman amphitheater in Bevagna (in the hotel L'Orto degli Angeli). We really couldn't have had more fun in Umbria. We'll just have to start planning our return trip now, I guess. Grazie mille!!!

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