Delightful Location In Regional Park Of Mt Subasio
In Peaceful Countryside, Yet Only 7k From Assisi
Sleeps 5 (3 Bedrooms)
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Set among olive groves, vineyards and woods in the regional park of Mt Subasio, La Casa Piccola is the perfect house to enjoy the peace of the beautiful Umbrian countryside while being within easy reach of historic sites, restaurants and shopping. This small villa is furnished with attractive modern and antique furniture and fully equipped with everything you will need for an unforgettable holiday. The English/Australian owners are often in residence next door and will be happy to offer advice on enjoying the pleasures of the Green Heart of Umbria. In Assisi, you can eat at one of the many restaurants serving local Umbrian dishes or visit sites associated with St Francis, including the magnificent Basilica with its Giotto frescoes. Only two kilometres away is the mediaeval village of Armenzano, with Perugia, Spello, Spoleto, Gubbio, Siena and the beaches of Lake Trasimeno within easy reach. Mt Subasio is criss-crossed by walking trails, with swimming pools in both Assisi and Spello.
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| Rental Period | Per Night | Per Week | Per Month | Min. Stay (Nights) |
| 3 February 2012 - 30 March 2012 | £450 | 4 | ||
| 31 March 2012 - 27 April 2012 | £550 | 4 | ||
| 28 April 2012 - 5 October 2012 | £600 | 4 | ||
| 6 October 2012 - 9 November 2012 | £525 | 4 |
Notes on prices
Prices are for the property per week in UK Pounds. The house is available for long lets at a discount of 15%, negotiable. A 25% deposit is required at the time of booking, with the remainder to be paid two months before arrival. Payments can be made by cheque or by electronic bank transfer. There is no refund on the deposit if the booking is cancelled. From Summer, 2011, an additional fee of £40 is asked for laundering of towels, bed linen etc and cleaning of house.
Changeover day
Saturday is the preferred changeover day but can sometimes be flexible. Please make arrangements with the owner if you are unable to arrive on a Saturday. You would be expected to depart on your last day by 11.30am. Arrival time is from 2pm.
Accommodation
| Bedrooms: | Bedroom 1 with king-size bed. Bedroom 2 with king-size bed. Bedroom 3 with single bed. Good-sized baby's cot if required. |
| Bathrooms: | Bathroom with shower stall, wc, bidet, wash basin. |
| Kitchen: | The fully-equipped kitchen has gas hob, electric oven, sink, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, microwave, food cupboards, table, chairs, all kitchen equipment, place-mats, tablecloths etc. The kitchen has views over a green valley. |
| Utility Room: | Washing machine, shared with owner. Garden clothes line, also shared with owner. |
| Living Rooms: | Living room has a tiled floor and white walls hung with prints and paintings. View over garden. Furnished with comfortable sofa, armchairs, coffee table, Satellite TV, DVD player, CD player, table lamps, phone, selection of DVDs and videos, books. |
| Other: | There is an interior balcony room with day bed, desk, books, phone point, music centre. The house is equipped with Wi Fi for your laptop computer. |
| Cleaning/towels/ linen/maid service: |
All towels, linen etc are included. Property is cleaned and towels and linen changed weekly. A cleaning fee of £40 is asked for each booking, in addition to the rental, for laundering of bed linen, towels, etc and cleaning of the house. |
| Amenities/Facilities: | hob/stove oven fridge/freezer microwave dishwasher washing machine iron/ironing board satellite tv telephone internet access room fans cot barbecue |
| Location Type: |
Notes on accommodation
All rooms have electric fans for the warmer months and there are heaters and electric blankets if required for the cooler months. Windows have fly screens. The living room and kitchen are on the ground floor, which has high ceilings and an inner balcony room. The bedrooms and bathroom are located on the lower ground floor. All floors have terracotta tiles except for the balcony room which has a wooden floor. The house may not be suitable for very young children (toddlers) as there are stairs between living room floor and ground floor and also between living room and inner balcony room. Otherwise, children are welcome. Babies are also welcome and there is a large cot available.
Accessibility
There are four steps leading to the front door and stairs between living room and lower ground floor, where the bedrooms and bathroom are located, and between living room and inner balcony room. The house may not suit those with serious mobility problems.
Outside
The garden, with its roses as well as fig, olive, walnut, lilac and bay trees, looks out on the surrounding wooded slopes, farms and valleys. Potted geraniums and other plants give a colourful display. Herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary and basil grow in the garden and can be picked for use in cooking. Garden table and chairs, shaded by a wisteria-covered pergola with paved and tiled base, are provided and barbecue equipment is supplied. The pergola is ideal for sitting out and eating on a warm summer's evening or for taking breakfast. There is an off-road paved and tiled parking area at one corner of the garden. The garden is for the sole leisure use of La Casa Piccola visitors although the rotary clothes line is shared with the owners, who may also need to enter the garden to water the plants.
Coast/Beach
Lake Trasimeno with its swimming beaches, water sports, restaurants and ferries to the islands is 45 minutes drive away. Both Assisi and Spello have delightful public swimming pools (about 15 and 25 minutes drive away, respectively). Or you can drive to the seacoast on the Adriatic, about two hours away by car. Mt Subasio regional park itself is criss-crossed with trails through the woods and meadows for those who enjoy walking. Hang-gliding can be arranged with local clubs.
Travel
Perugia Airport is half an hour's drive from the house, with Ryanair services from Stansted on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Additional flights on Thursdays are sometimes available. Rome (Fiumicino or Ciampino) is two and a half hours drive away or you can take the train from central Rome to Assisi. You can also fly to Ancona (with a train connection to Assisi) or Pisa (also linked to Assisi by train). We recommend you have a car while staying at La Casa Piccola.
Distances
Armenzano, an historic mediaeval walled village, is just 2km away and historic Assisi, where you will find shops, bars and restaurants, is only 7km away. There are two good country restaurants within 3km. Perugia (40 minutes by car), Spello (20 minutes), Gubbio (l hour), Spoleto (l hour), Arezzo (1hr 40 mins), Sansepolcro and Cortona (l hr 30 mins) are all delightful hilltowns well worth visiting. Both Rome and Florence can be reached in two and a half hours, either by car or train from Assisi.
Further details
Mt Subasio is criss-crossed with sign-posted country walks through woods and meadows, some of which start only metres from the house. In the summer, there are numerous festas in the area, celebrating everything from truffles to onions to cherries. You can hang-glide from the mountain, swim in Lake Trasimeno or visit the ancient hill towns that combine the art and architecture of the historic past with the convenience and style of the 21st century. You'll find peace in the countryside - Umbria is not known as the Green Heart of Italy for nothing - as well as good food at reasonable prices with local specialities like wild boar and truffles in the many lively restaurants. Castles, galleries with mediaeval masterpieces and other historic sites abound and many will be interested in visiting the sites connected with the Patron Saint of the Ecological movement and of Italy itself, St Francis, who had strong connections with Assisi. The San Francesco Basilica in Assisi is home to the world-famous Giotto frescoes. There are many good supermarkets only a short drive away and a mobile shop with bread, milk, fruit and a wide range of groceries pulls up outside the house every Wednesday morning. If you enjoy local markets, you can find one virtually every day of the week in one nearby town or another. For more upmarket shopping, Perugia has a wide range of fashion, shoe and handbag shops and just over an hour away by car is the Valdichiana Shopping Outlet where you will find most of the top Italian labels. Umbria Jazz is held in Perugia, with many well-known names performing, for 10 days in early July. Other visitors love the wonderful display of wild flowers on Mt Subasio in the spring. Many have commented that La Casa Piccola is the perfect base from which to explore the delights of Umbria.
Booking notes
A deposit of 25% to be made at time of booking with remainder sent two months before arrival. Cheques to be made out to Mrs M K Fletcher and sent to 34 Lincoln Court, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 3EN. You can also pay by electronic bank transfer or, for a £10 fee, PayPal. If the booking is cancelled or postponed, the deposit is forfeited. In addition to the rental charge, an amount of £40 will be added for cleaning of house, laundering of bed linen, towels etc.
Guest comments
"The tranquility and the views at La Casa Piccola were simply wonderful. We had a delightful holiday." Ray, Brenda and Dominic Abbott, Darlington, April 2011.
"What really made a difference to our wonderful week in Umbria was the quality of the accommodation. The care that has gone into furnishing and equipping La Casa Piccola is striking." John, Encarna, Juan and Alejandro Blick, Northampton, UK, April, 2011.
"The garden is beautiful and our 19-month-old daughter loved the cat! We felt warmly welcomed and cared for. A highlight was the fireflies, like lights on a Christmas tree!" Hannah, Malcolm and Harriet, Hobart, Australia, June, 2010.
"Thanks for a relaxing stay in your lovely house, with it's books, videos/DVDs and magnificent views." Ross and Alison Smyrk, Melbourne, October, 2010.
"La Casa Piccola was a perfect base from which to tour the area. We hope to return for a longer stay next time." Christine and Mark Rose, West Yorkshire, July, 2010.
House swap
House swap considered.
Owner profile
Owners Brian and Mary
About the owner
The owners are Mary and Brian Fletcher. Mary is Australian, Brian English. Both worked in journalism, Brian as an editor, Mary as a writer, before their retirement. They have three adult children and two grand-children. Mary and Brian live in Umbria during the summer, where they have many Italian and ex-patriate friends. They bought the main house in 1986 and La Casa Piccola, which adjoins it, two years later. Both needed restoration. They love Umbria and will share their enthusiasm for this beautiful part of the world with you. They are well able to answer your queries about this delightful area, but also try to respect holiday-makers' privacy and do not intrude. However, if you need help or information, they are always happy to answer your questions and give advice.
Year purchased: 1980's
Why the owner chose a home in this location
Mary and Brian bought an old house near the medieval village of Armenzano, in the Mt Subasio regional park, in 1986 planning to do it up slowly over the years. This is the house, now fully restored, they still use. But in 1988, when the wreck of a house next door became available, they bought this, too. Now also fully re-built and restored, this house 'La Casa Piccola' is the one they offer for rental. They fell in love with the area because of its peace, beauty, its tree-covered slopes -- some of them still home to deer, porcupine, wild boar and hares, and its small farms with their olive groves and vineyards. They particularly love the fact that although Umbria is a thoroughly modern area, the friendly local people have managed to retain many of their traditions.
Unique benefits of the property
Those staying at La Casa Piccola will love the peaceful atmosphere, the clear night skies filled with stars, the nearby fields and woods and the feeling that you have left behind the bustle and pollution of more highly populated areas. Many like to sit out under the pergola for breakfast or dinner and listen to the cicadas or the birdsong, while looking out over olive groves and vineyards. Yet despite its rural situation, La Casa Piccola is only a few kilometres from the Assisi itself, with its ancient buildings, shops, restaurants and tourist attractions. The house itself has every comfort, with its fully equipped kitchen, shelves of books, TV, CDs, DVDs and comfortable beds. This is a house that is out in the countryside without in any way feeling remote or isolated.
For booking and further information
Property Ref IT447
Contact Name:
Mary Fletcher
(UNITED KINGDOM) +44 07973751259
This number will reach Mary in the UK or Italy
Alternate Contact Details:
(ITALY) +39 0758019043
This number will reach Mary in Italy
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Property Ref IT447
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