Castel di Tora holiday lettings

The villa is beautiful with large, spacious rooms and a wonderful mixture of more modern and older pieces of furniture. The pictures just don't do it justice. The kitchen is well equipped with ample pots, pans, cooking and serving dishes and enough cutlery, crockery and glassware to accommodate a small army! The outside areas are equally impressive with a wonderful loggia just off the kitchen for alfresco dining or chilling. The outside kitchen is also close by with its wood fired grill and pizza oven, gas hob and sink with running water. There is also a patio area with sofa, stools and a low table and of course the pool with its own terrace and sun loungers as well as a volleyball net in the garden and table tennis under the covered parking area. As a party of 7 adults from 6 different households we found there was plenty of space for us all to function as individuals and as a group. The villa is very secluded and peaceful but so many places are easily reachable within an hour and the landscapes are stunning. Michela is a very genuine and warm hearted person and was a wonderful host; always quick to respond to any messages before and during our stay. She went out of her way to help us on more than one occasion, even picking up two of our party when transport plans went haywire. The property and its grounds are meticulously maintained and Daniel and/or his wife, Aurica, discreetly turn up every other day to clean the pool, attend to the chickens and ducks.

With magnificent views, this property offered all the privacy we required in an unspoilt part of the Italian countryside. Despite its gorgeous, rural location, the house was within easy striking distance of Rome by car and made a great base for exploring the wonders of the Eternal City. The facilities within the house made it easy to create family meals for our party of 12, with plenty of room to congregate or find a quieter spot. It’s various terraces offered many options to gather and enjoy the sun-dappled views by day and distant lights by evening. The huge pool was a constant draw for everyone. Even in the blazing heat of high summer, the garden offered shade and the house itself was cool throughout. The local area is unspoiled by mass tourism and many restaurants close by offered an authentic taste of Lazio.

The country house was much larger than we expected, the two of us had our own bathroom and shared balcony; there were times we had to shout to find each other! The kitchen equipment was well stocked and there was even a stovetop kettle available which made our morning coffees much easier. The surroundings were so peaceful, you are not overlooked by anyone and the views are very picturesque. There were moments it was so quiet it was the epitome of tranquil. The location was not too difficult to get to but the driveway does have a steep incline which is a given when considering where the place is situated. There were a couple of supermarkets 30 mins away where we were able to buy everything we needed. Maya & Co were very welcoming on arrival and easily contactable. We had some trouble with the water for a couple of days (outside issue with Italian waterworks) and Maya kept in contact and sincerely tried her best to resolve as soon as possible. At night the valley had panoramic views of the neighbouring town lights and in the day, lounging by the pool or on the patio hammock while admiring the view made the time fly by. There was always some sort of breeze that made even the hottest days comfortable. We are considering coming back again as we didn't explore as much as we wanted (I recommend the Terni waterfall as a day trip).

Once we found the location (after a miss communication from the agency regarding where to collect the key) we received a wonderful friendly welcome from Stefano and Sara. The property is in a beautiful location but a car is essential. It's also very easy to park and get the train into Rome from Fara Sabina or Piano Bella di Montelibretti (both have free parking, but we found Piano Bella to have more space). We took Stefano's offer to cook a meal and were so happy we did. The food was fantastic and spending time with the family made for a lovely evening. If you are looking for a relaxing location with easy access to Rome and like meeting lovely people this could be the place for you.

Idyllic farmhouse. Truly amazing views over the valley. Fabulous pool environment. Traditional Italian village with great amenities. Stefano is the perfect host with excellent local and regional knowledge.