Charm & Comfort Among the Green Hills of Umbria

Year Purchased: 2006

About: Merritt and Kate would very much like to have you enjoy staying in one of our beautiful units in this renovated farmhouse with spectacular views of the olive groves, vineyards, and sunsets within the rolling green hills of Umbria. Just a 2-kilometer walk or drive to the medieval hilltown of Montecchio and only 11 miles by car to the world-renowned hilltown of Orvieto. Merritt is a multi-talented guy, working currently as an Episcopal Priest, a Life & Work Counselor, and a real-estate agent! Kate is an Associate Professor and Instructional Designer at a Health Sciences College. We have an adorable West Highland White Terrier who brightens our every day. Merritt enjoys reading history and playing chess. Kate is an avid reader and would-be artist (work gets in the way too much). Both Merritt and Kate continue to study and love the Italian language.

Why Montecchio:
We chose the Montechhio area because of the natural beauty all around, the string of "undiscovered" (by hoards of tourists, that is), charming hilltowns of Umbria within easy driving or biking or hiking distance, and the easy access to the famous cities of Rome and Florence by train or car. The people in this area are very warm, friendly, and helpful. Umbria has many things in common with the terrain of it's neighbor, Tuscany, but it is a bit less "manicured" and more natural, in our opinion. In any case, for those wanting to venture into Tuscany, after passing through Orvieto heading north by car you are immediately across the border into Tuscany and ready for lunch in Montalcino within an hour from our place. Also, Lago di Bolsena, the cleanest lake in Europe, beautifully situated below other hilltowns, is just a 45-minute drive

The Unique Benefits at this Condo:
We enjoy taking the train into Rome (one-hour ride from Orvieto) and being car-free to visit the city leisurely and then make the short return home (you can park your car in the huge lot at the back of the Orvieto station for free). There is also a train to Florence which takes about 1.5 hours. We frequently like to walk through the hills to enjoy the views and also walk into Montecchio to do some shopping, visit the bank or post office, buy the local foods in the small shops, and enjoy a delicious espresso or cappuccino, or home-made gelato! There are also two wonderful restaurants in Montecchio and a very romantic restaurant in a restored fortress in our tiny village of Tenaglie. For longer day trips by car, we like to go to Perugia (capitol of Umbria), Spello, Gubbio, Assisi, and Spoleto - all beautiful old towns with wonderful architecture. Shorter trips bring you to the equally lovely hilltowns of Amelia, Narni, Todi, Orte, Giove, and Lugnano in Teverina. We have picnics at Lago di Bolsena and also Montecchio has a public swimming pool operational during seasonal weather for which you pay a nominal fee to use. We also enjoy doing next to nothing - reading, sketching, and dining on the terrace or below on the picnic table under an umbrella beside the olive grove. Sunsets can be deeply colorful and magical. In the cool of the summer evenings we walk the road above Tenaglie for the panoramic view below of the Val di Amerina and the Tuscan hills beyond. Or we walk the other direction to Montecchio for an espresso or delicious gelato and sit among the residents who gather in the piazza. The frequent evening flight of small bats and later the glow of fireflies sparkling among the fields and olive groves indicate a very high level of clean, fresh air. Our place is a haven from the stresses and constant noise of the busy outside world.