Spoleto Italy Vacation Rentals Presents Listing #12253

La Passionata

Apartment w/ 2 Bedrooms - 1 Bathrooms - Sleeps 4

More Photos Of This Vacation Rental Below!!!!

Vacation Rental Description

This very pretty part of a 16C Convent was bought about 8 years ago  
by an architect who very sensitively restored and converted it into 2  
elegant apartments while retaining many of its original features. The  
private entrance, by way of its original and impressive iron gates,  
leads to the heart of the Convent where the library and the prayer  
rooms used to be – hence its 8 huge arched windows through which the  
nuns would contemplate the stunningly natural beauty all around.  
 
When we first saw it and entered, there was absolutely no question in  
our minds that we had to have it…and, we’ve seen many an old  
building, having owned and restored our own house within the walls of  
the nearby hill-top 10C San Mamilianese fortress some 17 years ago.  
 
On one side of the Convent is a small farm-yard consisting of ducks,  
geese and roosters. Up the lane is Bazzano’s main and very beautiful  
church. On the other side of the Convent live an Italian family. So,  
at any one time, you may hear roosters crowing, Italians chattering  
and bells ringing – a cacophony of Mediterranean sounds. At other  
times, silence !  Living in the Convent is not like living in a make- 
believe picture postcard version of Italy. What you are about to  
experience is as real as it can get.  
 
The local Italians, all of whom are very friendly, will be fascinated  
by you. So, best learn the odd word such as, “Piacere” ie “Pleased to  
meet you” to show willing ! English is not spoken around Bazzano. It  
is spoken occasionally at the posher restaurants in Spoleto and, of  
course, increasingly so in the more touristy places such as Assisi  
and Perugia. But, unlike Tuscany, where English is spoken everywhere,  
Umbria has retained its Italian identity and has remained  
authentically Italian. 
 
La Passionata, a large, open-plan apartment of about 150 sq.mts, is  
both sensuous and splendid. This spacious apartment, with its beamed  
and domed ceilings, has 2 double bedrooms – 1 double on the ground  
floor with a casement window overlooking the gardens and 1 twin in  
the loft space with a sloping roof and a sky-light - a fully equipped  
kitchen/breakfast room built into the rocks, an awesome L-shaped,  
open-plan dining/sitting room with its own 16C fresco as a centre- 
piece - the artist, Lo Spagna, also has work in the duomo in Spoleto  
and the Vatican, a huge 16C stone fireplace and 1 bathroom. The  
main “wow” factor, however, are the 6 huge arched windows on two  
sides of the dining/sitting room that overlook the spectacular  
countryside, the gardens and that evoke a feeling of intimacy with  
the natural beauty surrounding you.  
 
This apartment can sleep up to 5 people (or 4 adults and 2 children –  
z-beds available). But, 4 persons is the optimum number of guests for  
maximum comfort as there is only 1 shower/bathroom. 
 
La Romantica, the smaller apartment, is exquisite. This fairy-tale  
apartment is below and to the side of La Passionata and its entrance  
is hidden from view.  
 
Neither apartment intrudes on the privacy of the other in any way.  
And, each apartment has its own terrace with garden furniture for  
added privacy.  
 
The guests share the large garden, which has a spectacularly old  
pergola used for eating under in the summer months, day or night  
since the garden is lit, as well as a BBQ. 
 
The beautiful garden is easily big enough to accommodate everyone and  
retain privacy. Here, there are sun-beds and garden furniture and,  
guests can relax amongst the Tuscan pines, chestnut, olive and fruit  
trees. There are also areas to sunbathe.  
 
It should be noted that there are about 60 steps up to La Passionata  
and about 50 steps up to La Romantica. The steps are shallow, wide  
and there is a hand-rail most of the way. So, they are quite easy to  
negotiate ! 
 
Usually, it is possible to park outside the Convent but there may not  
always be space because the hamlet is so tiny. However, a minutes  
walk up the lane, there is plenty of parking in front of Bazzano’s  
main church. 
 
There are 2 very economically priced restaurants, Due Querce and  
Il Ristorante Antico, that are just 1 - 2 miles drive along beautiful  
country lanes that weave through olive groves and poppy fields. Due  
Querce is a very big restaurant that has a very diverse menu,  
including pizza. In the summer months, you can eat outside of either  
of the restaurants but, because Due Querce has large gardens, it  
attracts the crowds and, you can often spot the occasional celebrity  
enjoying an evening here away from the bright lights and the  
intrusive lenses of the paparazzi.......and, the prices are the same  
as any other country trattoria, their owners valuing their  
less wealthy local customers just as much. Indeed, one of our biggest  
boasts is that some years ago the press excitedly reported that  
Prince Charles had bought a holiday home in this area in order to be  
close to his beloved Spoleto, quoted as being “his favourite place in  
the world”. Fortunately for him, his address is our local secret. 
 
While you are in Umbria, you must sample the most famous Italian dish  
of all….tartufo ie truffles. Umbria is the centre for 
truffles.....black truffles are common all around here and the white  
truffles are a little further afield, towards Norcia. 
 
Just 10 minutes outside of central Spoleto, Bazzano is a wholly  
Italian enclave and heaves with a history reflected in many of its  
wondrous old buildings, its awesome church and its grand palace  
nestling amidst the olive groves.  
 
Bazzano is famous locally for its walking territory. Albeit untouched  
by tourism, it's a little more sophisticated than its neighbouring  
villages, particularly regarding its small country roads that meander  
up and down the surrounding hills and join the upper part of Bazzano  
with its lower part. Strolling back down to the Convent with the  
stunning panoramic views changing at every twist and bend in the road  
and enjoying a glass of cold Orvieto at the end of your walk can best  
be described as a dream-like experience.  
 
Bazzano is  also close to all the “hot-spots” eg Assisi, Perugia,  
Orvieto, Bevagna, Trevi and Montefalco - all places you must visit !  
And, not to be missed is a drive across the Sibbiline mountain range  
or through the Apennines to the sea-side on the Adriatic coast (about  
2 hours), or to Norcia and, then, on to the Gran Piano (about 1½  
hours) – this is a drive through heaven!! And, you MUST eat in the  
tiny hick town of Castellucia that sits on a hill in the middle of  
the Gran Piano. Italians come here from far and wide to taste the  
speciality lentils, faro and white truffle. And, while the  
restaurants look nothing from the outside, they are wonderful inside,  
all with spectacular views. Indeed, many very seasoned travellers  
have described the Gran Piano as being the most beautiful area in the  
world. Certainly, it is very startling ! 
 
The Convent in Bazzano is sufficiently off the beaten track to have  
remained relatively undiscovered and, therefore, it is unusual to see  
other tourists here. Yet, you still have easy access to all the main  
attractions.  
 
Local shops and many trattorias are all within minutes to half an  
hour by car. Eating out in the summer months is highly recommended.  
It would be difficult to pay more than 25 - 30 euros for a 3 course  
meal with as much wine as you can drink in the local eateries. Of  
course, the more “flash” places in Spoleto and the more touristy  
places can cost more. However, all pizzerias tend to cost much, much  
less. Eating al fresco on a warm evening with the sun setting behind  
mountains silhouetted against a pink-streaked, azure blue sky takes  
some beating.  
 
In summing up, I’d say that both La Passionata and La Romantica are  
to be most appreciated by those who love walking in woods and  
mountains and enjoying the beautiful scenery which looks up to the  
mountains and over the surrounding valleys. In the surrounding woods  
and olive groves, there is a diversity of wild-life: foxes, black  
squirrels, wild boar, porcupine etc. and many different species of  
birds, including nightingales. Occasionally, especially at night or  
of an early misty morning, these animals can be spotted on the roads  
leading to Bazzano.  
 
The Convent and its surrounding area is perfect for those who wish to  
savour the atmosphere of a bygone era in a relatively unspoilt and  
beautiful part of the world while, at the same time, having the  
world’s major Italian tourist attractions on your own doorstep. 
 
There is very easy access to Assisi, Orvieto, Perugia,  
Trevi, Montefalco, Norcia, Castelucia and the Gran Piano, Spello,  
Gubbio, Bevagna and a whole host of other tiny towns and cities. And,  
it is about a 1 hour drive to Rome.

Vacation Rental Amenities

La Passionata is furnished with high quality fixtures/fittings and  
furniture. It is also equipped with a large SKY SAT TV – this means  
it has all the documentary/film and news channels in English as well  
as a host of other programmes eg National Geographic, Animal Planet  
etc. 
 
The rustic kitchen is fully fitted and equipped with fridge/freezer,  
microwave, hob, oven.....everything you would need for your holiday  
although, there is no dish-washer. 
 
The cantina, just a few steps down from the apartment, contains a  
washing machine. 
 
The following items are also included in the rental rate : 
 
- sun-loungers; 
 
- BBQ; 
 
- bikes; 
 
- cutlery (inc bottle openers), pottery, glasses, linen, towels,  
sheets, duvets etc; 
 
- ironing facilities; 
 
- a hair-dryer; 
 
- unlimited hot water and all the utilties...gas, electricity, wood  
(where appropriate); 
 
- a Welcome Pack consisting of wine, bread, rice, fruit, pasta, olive  
oil, all the condiments, tea, coffee, sugar etc - enough to keep you  
going while you find your bearings.

Activities and Attractions

As well as the prestigious Spoleto festival featured in the Bigitte  
Bardot film based on her young life as a star, there are many other  
big festas, ranging from the less prestigious, but still spectacular,  
festival at Todi (Spoleto’s unofficial rival), the specialist Flower  
festivals at San Gemini and Spello, the Water festival at Piediluco  
(all within 1 – 2 hours), Ferentillo’s historic Pageant, involving  
400 volunteers and showing life in Ferentillo over the last 1000  
years…..as well as hundreds of more modest festas  where you can  
dance, eat and drink all night and it will cost you practically  
nothing. Italians know how to love life to the full!  
 
Further information on any of these festas can be got off the  
internet or from the tourist offices in Spoleto, Terni and Assisi  
when you get here. 
 
About an hour away is the Piediluco lake which was famously painted  
by that great impressionist, Turner. Here, also, there are many bars  
and restaurants. Indeed, for the serious swimmer, there is an Olympic  
sized pool next to Piediluco lake. On the lake itself, there are all  
the usual boating facilities (though speed-boats are not allowed) and  
sun-bathing areas.  
 
There are 3 local outdoor pools close to the Convent – one in  
Spoleto, a 50 metre one in nearby Pissignano and a 50 metre pool in  
Scheggino, another very pretty village well worth visiting with an  
all-day pizzaria and a restaurant. 
 
For those who prefer to explore places only accessible on horse-back,  
there are riding stables close by and day-long pony treks can be  
arranged across the mountains at special rates. Treks also take place  
on full-moon nights.  
 
At Marmore Falls, the largest in Europe – about an hour away, there  
is white-water rafting. And, rock-climbing and hang-gliding is on  
offer in the hills. 
 
Then, about 1½ hours away is the relatively undiscovered plain of  
Rieti. In this area are to be found the original worship places, in  
tiny monasteries dotted around, of St Francis who lived in this area  
when he first left his privileged existence in Rome to spread a less  
conventional Roman Catholicism in the rural areas of Umbria, before  
settling in Asissi. Some of his “churches” in this area are to be  
found outdoors, a simple assembly of wooden benches and an alter  
beneath the trees. 
 
And, last but not least is 10C San Mamiliano, the oldest inhabited  
village in Umbria, where we lived until recently, when we moved to  
Spoleto to be nearer to the majority of our apartments. This tiny,  
walled fortress, with its fifteen or so Italian inhabitants, whose  
history embraces a time when the Pope used to stay here (San  
Mamiliano marks part of the boundary of the Vatican state), is  
perched just below the snow line, often above the clouds, on a hill  
that faces the Apeninnes and that overlooks Ferentillo in the valley  
below. If you visit the tiny Italian community of San Mamiliano,  
please mention our names in the village and you will be responded to  
as one of the extended family ! 
 
 
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE LOCATION OF BAZZANO-DI-SPOLETO 
 
Castellucia, in the middle of the famous Gran Piano (with fantastic  
natural flower displays across this giganic plain around about  
Easter) is just over 1 hour. Castellucia, itself, is tiny and hick  
but has about 3 amazing restaurants that serve up the local lentils,  
faro and truffle and, that Italians visit from far and wide - such is  
this area’s reputation for its cuisine.  
 
Nearby is Norcia, which is also worth a visit and where most of our  
white truffle is to be found (our area is abundant with black truffle  
all the year round - consequently, it's cheap to dine out on truffle,  
one of my favourite dishes, at around 10 - 15 euros for a bowl of  
ciriole al tartufo !).  
 
However, all around us are small towns eg Todi, Trevi, Spello,  
Orvieto, Narni, Bevagnia and Montefalco that are all beautiful and  
fascinating. Benigni, for instance, often stays nearby and, indeed,  
lived in Coliscipoli (about an hour away) while working on the films,  
Life is Beautiful and Pinnochio, both of which were filmed locally. 
 
This is also the St Francis area and there are numerous monasteries  
round about, where he has stayed - although you'd have to research as  
to where they are since I've only visited 2 or 3 on foot via mountain  
roads and I was led there by friends but, while I could only tell you  
how to get to 1 of them in Greccio, I know that others are reachable  
by car. Actually, there is a map at Greccio that shows how to get to  
5 or 6 others by car or on foot. And, in all of the numerous  
churches, to be found in every tiny hill-top village as well as every  
town and city, there are frescos, most of which have been restored.  
 
Most of the places further than 1 hour by car can be quicker to get  
to by train and it can be a lot less hassly eg taking a car into Rome  
or Naples would not be everyone's first preference and our local  
train station provides an excellent and regular service to almost  
everywhere you'd wish to go.

Vacation Rental Rates

Nov, Dec, 2007 - Jan, Feb, March, 2008		| 550 euros/wk  
April, 2008					| 630 euros/wk  
May - Oct, 2008 				| 690 euros/wk 
 
The weekly rate is for the whole apartment, to include up to 4  
persons, and is inclusive of all utilities, linen, towels etc plus a  
Welcome Pack. 
 
In response to an enquiry, you will automatically receive info re my  
personal website, where you will see many, many more photos and more  
apartments as well as the booking conditions, how to attract a  
discount and the cancellation policy. 
 
Any day arrival/departure. 
 
You can book on a daily basis.