Villa rentals in Italy

In a house in the Niccone valley - which runs from the Tuscan town of Mercatale di Cortona into Umbria and the upper Tiber valley - this villa rental in Italy is private but not isolated.

And there are magnificent towns and villages to explore near this villa rental in Italy. The beautiful medieval hilltop town of Cortona has Etruscan roots, still visible in the walls. The spectacular main piazza, with its 12th century town hall, is a wonderful place to sit at a pavement cafe imbibing the atmosphere. There is plenty to see and good restaurants.

Montone describes itself as one of the most beautiful small towns in Italy. This is not an exaggeration. Book dinner in one of its restaurants and arrive early for an aperitivo in the square.

Assisi was the birthplace of St. Francis, and the Basilica built in his memory houses one of the greatest collections of medieval art in the world. The town of pink-and-white stone shines on the side of Monte Subasio and has many fascinating corners and buildings to explore.

Perugia is the capital of Umbria. Don't miss the underground city, the Corso Vanucci, the Etruscan Well and Arch. Lose yourself in the maze of medieval streets, and the shopping's good too.

Gubbio is perched on the side of Monte Ingino, and has a grid of medieval streets with some stunning medieval architecture. Take a ride on the funicular up Mount Inginio to the Church of St Ubaldo, where you can see the saint in his glass coffin.

Arezzo is a large and lively city, good for shopping, bars and restaurants. The church of San Francesco houses the most famous fresco cycle by Piero della Francesca.

Visit Orvieto and have a glass of the famous Classico wine while sitting in the delightful Piazza Duomo; then see the Signorelli frescoes in the Duomo (cathedral) itself.

Florence, Rome and Siena are all near enough for day trips; a guide book is a worthwhile investment. And other towns worth a visit include Montepulciano, Pienza, Urbino, Montefalco, Spello, Citta di Castello, Sansepolcro and Todi.

This villa rental in Italy also has plenty for families with children. Lake Trasimeno has ferry trips to two of the islands from Passignano and Tuoro. Tuoro Beach has trampolines and other amusements for small children. There are public tennis courts in most towns, including Cortona, Umbertide, Niccone and Mercatale. There is good walking: look out for the CAI tracks marked with red-and-white stripes. There are public open-air baths at Umbertide (open July and August), and a swimming pool with flumes in Camucia (summer only). The Mirabilandia Theme Park is north of Ravenna (about two hours from these villa rentals in Tuscany). This is a relatively inexpensive, state-of-the-art adventure park and great fun for all ages.

[ local map | map of Tuscany ]

There are local wine and olive oil tastings in the Niccone Valley, near to these villa rentals in Italy. These take place every Monday evening at I Girasole di Sant'Andrea, the only commercial vineyard in the Niccone Valley. Successful wine producers in Sicily, the Gritti family moved to Umbria in the 1970s buying a small vineyard along with their house. Their first vintage was in 2000: now their ever-growing vineyard covers over 40 hectares. The main grape variety is the Sangiovese, this is joined by Montepulciano, Colorino and a little Merlot. Ask for more details of times and prices when you book.

Your hosts can also arrange a demonstration of truffle hunting with dogs at I Girasole di Sant' Andrea (£10 per person). This includes truffle tastings.

And this villa rental in Italy puts you at the heart of the Piero della Francesca Trail. Piero della Francesca, born in Sansepolcro in 1410, was a master of the Renaissance renowned for his re-invention of perspective. Five of his great works can be seen on day trips (all in one day if you’re feeling both culturally inclined and energetic).

In Arezzo, in the church of San Francesco, are the frescoes that make up The Story of the True Cross, a remarkable feat on a grand scale (seen in the film The English Patient). Going east from Arezzo is Monterchi where the famed La Madonna del Parto (The Pregnant Madonna) is now part of an exhibition of Piero's life and work. East to his birthplace of Sansepolcro, and the gallery there has the much-copied but unsurpassed Resurrection as well as other Piero paintings and frescoes.

East of Sansepolcro, over the ‘mountains of the moon’ lies the jewel of a perfect city in Urbino. The paintings of Frederico, Duke of Urbino, and his wife Batista are now in the Uffizi galleries in Florence but the ‘best small picture ever painted’ is the star attraction in the elegant, renaissance Ducal Palace.

Arezzo is probably best visited as a day trip because it has many attractions both in its history and art and in its shopping potential. With an early start the other three places can all be seen on a one-day driving trip. The National Gallery of Umbria in Perugia contains a further work and other renaissance dmasterpieces.

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