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Belvedere di Prato is a stone-built former farmhouse, stunningly situated at the head of a tranquil valley in Northern Umbria, with wonderful views over farmland and forested hills. Located just minutes from the Tuscan border near Monterchi, it makes a perfect base for exploring this fascinating region of Italy.
After many years of neglect, Belvedere has recently been restored to an exacting standard and is now an extremely attractive and well-equipped, family house, with its own private swimming pool and tennis court. Beautiful beamed ceilings, terracotta tiles, and working fireplaces combine to preserve the character of the old house, whilst the furnishings and fittings have been chosen with great care to provide every comfort, with spacious bathrooms, generous double beds, and a wide variety of modern appliances provided.
Books, toys, board games, and videos (we are starting on DVDs) provide entertainment for adults and children if you need a break from sightseeing, and holiday cooks keen to experiment with the mouth-watering range of local delicacies will find a comprehensively equipped kitchen. If you do not feel like cooking everyday, we can even arrange for a chef to come to the house, perhaps to prepare a celebration feast in the original external bread oven.
Belvedere is very well placed for visiting many of Tuscany and Umbria’s best-known tourist destinations, and the delights of Florence, Arezzo, Siena, Cortona, Assisi, Gubbio, and Perugia (to name but a few) are all within easy reach. It is also possible, however, to find plenty of interest even closer to home in the charming but lesser known towns of Sansepolcro (the birthplace of Piero della Francesca), Città di Castello and Anghiari, or the many small mediaeval villages which pepper the hillsides. Lake Trasimeno provides a variety of small beaches, and the wild beauty of the Casentina region is close at hand. Or Belvedere itself may tempt you to spend your days relaxing by the pool or in the carefully tended gardens, venturing out only to join in the evening ‘passeggiata’ at a nearby town or try out some of the many excellent restaurants.
In Spring and Autumn the region takes on a whole new character and, with fewer crowds and fresher weather, sightseeing is perhaps even more pleasurable, whilst taking full advantage of the changing seasons in the surrounding countryside, or the enticing range of shops, markets and local festivals. Even in Winter, full central heating and two log-burning stoves mean that Belvedere can be a cosy retreat, perhaps for Christmas or New Year with family and friends.
As Belvedere is our own house, we pride ourselves on the very personal service we are able to give and would love to talk to you to help with any queries you may have. Full contact details and further information are at our website (see below). We look forward to hearing from you. |
