House in Orvieto, Umbria

Modern House Tucked into Medieval Walled Village. Welcome Dinner Included.

Modern House Tucked into Medieval Walled Village. Welcome Dinner Included.

Photo gallery for Modern House Tucked into Medieval Walled Village. Welcome Dinner Included.

Living room (main floor), photo taken from the front door.
Rocca di Benano's front steps. The village church is the building on the right.
Dining room (air conditioner visible on wall near ceiling.) Seats up to 10.
Steps on right: cantina that will blow.your.mind. Steps in rear to bed / bath.
Living room (main floor). Bathroom [accidentally!] hidden by lamp.

Overview of Modern House Tucked into Medieval Walled Village. Welcome Dinner Included.

10 out of 10 Exceptional
5 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 10

Popular amenities

  • FireplaceFireplaceFireplace
  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Barbecue grillBarbecue grillBarbecue grill
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • WasherWasherWasher
  • DryerDryerDryer

Explore the area

Orvieto, Umbria
  • Popular LocationSt. Patrick's Well13 min drive
  • Popular LocationDuomo di Orvieto14 min drive
  • Popular LocationMODO17 min drive
  • AirportRome (CIA-Ciampino)104 min drive

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Ground floor twins

2 Single Beds

Main Floor Queen

1 Queen Bed

Top floor King

1 King Bed

Top floor queen

1 Queen Bed

Upstairs Twin (aka "the treehouse")

2 Single Beds

4 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Bathroom 3

Bathroom 4

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Separate dining area

About this property

Modern House Tucked into Medieval Walled Village. Welcome Dinner Included.

Bask in an unforgettable Italian experience. Rocca di Benano offers the perfect mix of old and new.

The five bedrooms, four modern bathrooms, and two common areas are spread out over four floors in a house nestled into a medieval walled village. The villa is your meticulously restored home away from home featuring original stone walls, exposed wooden beams, terracotta floors, and a stunning ancient wine cellar carved out of bedrock. We have outfitted the house with every modern convenience, so you can stream whatever you want to watch while sitting steps away from a cantina probably dug by Etruscan hands some 25 centuries ago!

At Rocca di Benano, up to 10 friends or family members can relax in the comfort of high-end furnishings and bedding, screened windows, and air conditioning. Guests also enjoy free internet, a clothes washer and dryer, landline calls to North America, and a sparkling, brand new kitchen (it's still so new we don't even have the photos up yet!) already stocked with the basics.  

A Rocca di Benano rental comes with exceptional hospitality. Whether you like to plan every minute of your stay or play it by ear, our knowledge of the area will help you design an unforgettable and uncomplicated stay. Long before your arrival, we are available to answer all your questions and offer personal help in creating a unique and memorable vacation. We want to make you feel right at home in Benano and give you everything you need, including the confidence to explore the area and all that it has to offer.

If you would like, we can help you develop an itinerary personalized to your interests. We can steer you to off-the-beaten path towns and restaurants that you will never forget. We can introduce you to our friends in the community who can, depending on your interests, teach you to cook like a local, cook for you in the villa, show you around their organic farm, and serve you a meal there. We can introduce you to the best tour guide imaginable -- a teacher who, when she isn't working, can tour with our guests around the area she loves and has studied extensively. I can also help you arrange winery tours, a visit to an artist's studio (it's in a castle, by the way) in the next village over, or help you arrange for a photographer to capture your vacation memories. On a more practical level, we can help you think through how and where you want to rent your car, suggest driving itineraries, and even put you in touch with a driver/personal assistant. 
Whether your excursions take you to one of the many easily accessible nearby towns or a stroll to the neighboring olive groves, you'll always feel welcomed home at Rocca di Benano on your return.

**About The Villa**

Rocca di Benano is the principal dwelling in the walled medieval hamlet of Benano, which sits on the edge of a valley, high above the ancient hill town of Orvieto.

Main floor: You will enter the villa on the main floor, which includes a comfortable living room, with the original large stone fireplace outfitted with an iron wood-burning stove for easy, smoke-free fires. The dining room can comfortably seat 10, and a professionally-appointed kitchen is already stocked with the basics. The kitchen has new appliances (four-burner gas stove, oven, dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer), an American coffee maker, All-Clad cookware, and regularly sharpened knives. There also is a bedroom on the first floor (queen bed) and a full bathroom with a shower just off the living room.

Ground Floor: The stairs from the kitchen lead to the downstairs sitting (or TV-watching or reading) room. The ground floor also features a medieval cistern, well-lit and under glass, that allows guests to peer into history. If peering isn't enough, guests can actually descend forty feet to the villa’s historic cantina, which probably pre-dates the construction of the village itself. Re-entering the world of modern conveniences, guests will find a separate laundry room with a washer and a dryer. There's also a bedroom and a large, modern bathroom on the ground floor. Note: this bedroom/bathroom combination is the only one in the house without any steps in between the bedroom and the bathroom.

Second Floor: The staircase off the main floor living room leads to the second floor, which features a large bedroom and a full bathroom with a shower across from the bedroom.

At the end of the hallway where the stairs ascend to the third floor, there is a second bathroom that mirrors the one across from the second floor bedroom. The stairs to the third floor can be closed off for privacy and are slightly steeper than the first flight of stairs.

Third Floor: The third floor has two gorgeous bedrooms - one with a king-size bed and the other with a queen-size.

Terrace: The villa’s back door (off the ground floor sitting room) opens onto a private stone terrace overlooking the property’s olive trees, a prolific fig tree (always a guest favorite in late summer), neighboring farms, and a nearby village. A beautiful hand-painted ceramic table and wrought-iron chairs provide outdoor dining space for 8-10 people. There is a brick oven and Italian barbecue on the terrace, with firewood stored on a second terrace immediately below. Guests may use the pool at a hotel 2 miles away, free of charge.

** About the Village**

Once a defensive outpost, Benano dates back at least 1,000 years, and the villa retains a few fascinating features from those early times.

The villa sits on a tiny piazza facing a small, 16th century church. The villa's external wall forms part of the old “rocca,” or fortress. Benano is home to about 25 year-round residents. Guests can take in the inevitable gathering of locals chatting in the piazza or bocce court on summer evenings. Cars and motorcycles are not permitted in the center of the village, so guests are spared the street noise common throughout Italy. Guests can park for free just outside the village gate, 100 feet from the villa's front door.

Property manager

Karen Smith
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Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Barbecue grill

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Check out before 10:30 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Many stairs; little ones need constant attention.

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

We should mention

All guests, including children, must be present at check-in and show their government-issued photo ID card or passport
Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 5000, due to national regulations; for further details, please contact the property using the information in the booking confirmation
A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Orvieto

This villa is located in Orvieto. Cantina Lapone and Villa Puri Winery are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Lake Bolsena and Monte Rufeno Nature Reserve. Terme di Orte and Bowling 3C are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with power boating and swimming nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking and horse riding.

What's nearby

  • St. Patrick's Well - 13 min drive
  • Orvieto Funicular - 13 min drive
  • Duomo di Orvieto - 14 min drive
  • Orvieto Underground - 14 min drive
  • MODO - 17 min drive

Getting around

  • Orvieto Station - 17 min drive

Restaurants

  • Il Ritrovo del Cacciatore - 18 min drive
  • Stop e Go - 12 min drive
  • Gelateria Sarchioni - 9 min drive
  • Bar Tiracorrendo - 4 min drive
  • Da Ciccio alla Capannaccia - 13 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Modern House Tucked into Medieval Walled Village. Welcome Dinner Included. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Modern House Tucked into Medieval Walled Village. Welcome Dinner Included. ?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Modern House Tucked into Medieval Walled Village. Welcome Dinner Included. ?

Checkout is at 10:30 AM.

Where is Modern House Tucked into Medieval Walled Village. Welcome Dinner Included. located?

Situated in Orvieto, this villa is within 6 miles (10 km) of Cantina Lapone, Terme di Orte and Torre Alfina Castle. Bowling 3C and Palazzo Papale are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 75 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 76 reviews" "

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

barb and ed G.

Umbia's best villa, great location, special place
This villa is a step back in time. We arrived with a full refrigerator of food, and a welcome meal cooked by their chefs. The location is convenient to wonderful day trips exploring Umbia and Rome. We had our family of 9 including a baby. Everything about the villa made it easy and comfortable. Our days were spent enjoy Umbria, and Roma and all of the historical sites. We would return to the villa to enjoy the warmth of the wood stove, playing games, making dinners, sleeping well, enjoyed the views from our windows, and exploring the villa's surrounding, There is a sweet chapel next to the villa that was open Sunday night and I sang my heart out all by myself. I felt the spiritual history in that space. The owners worked with us for a year using their knowledge of sites to see, travel tips, and anything else you could think of to allow for this to be a magical trip for our whole family! Thank you for everything!

10/10 Excellent

Gail G., Lake Oswego, OR

The heart of Umbria
Simona greets you on your first night with a delicious and authentic Umbrian dinner. It sets the tome for the adventures to come - Italian warmth, hospitality, family and great food. The location couldn’t be better for experiencing all Umbria and Tuscany have to offer.

10/10 Excellent

Nancy G.

The villa was wonderful!Charming,quiet, & unique!
The villa was beautifully maintained and clean while still keeping its original character. Every detail was attended to and our every need was anticipated (maps of Italy,outlet converters, olive oil,, playing cards, and more). We were welcomed by a delicious dinner cooked by a local chef . The house manager even met us upon our arrival and gave us a tour of the house and explained how everything worked. All of us thoroughly enjoyed our week there.

8/10 Good

Sherry T.

Rocca di Benano is Very Pleasant
The villa is very nice, especially for a 1000 year old place ( with obvious updates...lol) Our personal chef, Simona Fabrizi, and her sous chef, Laura made our first evening there so memorable and delectable. Could definitely get used to that! Deliciso! Benano is so much smaller than we expected and had no amenities in the medieval walled village like cafe or shops of any sort so we had to drive everywhere for food and entertainment. That's not to say that Benano is not pleasantly quaint. However, we were under the impression though that there were things to do there besides walk and look at the glorious views. This is the reason for only 4 stars. The best part of Rocca di Benano is that it is perfect landing place from which to take day trips at your own leisure or with your own concierge if he is available for your travel dates. He was not for ours but it didn't hamper our enjoyment of the Italian countryside. Driving in the countryside is much easier than the helter skelter experiences in the larger cities. GPS is recommended - smart phone GPS works fine. Not sure what our elderly neighbors of our villa thought about our group but they were very polite and kept to themselves for the most part. We probably intimidated them with our party of 8 adults....LOL. Fell in love with Italy and will plan on seeing more of this beautiful country in the future.

10/10 Excellent

John R., Cincinati OH

The Villa was wonderful exceeding our expectations
The Villa exceeded the expectations of our group of 3 couples. Karen had prepared for our arrival with dinner prepared by Semona (loved by all). We later enjoyed a cooking class by Chef Semona at her farm house. Karen also had someone to shop for food for our week and thought out the special needs for us in detail. The villa was very clean and the location was central to the hill towns we wished to visit plus the neighbors were very friendly. Daily, we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast in the dining room or outside on the patio prepared by Francis. Last of all, the connection to have Francis as our guide made our trip the best. He arranged for the rental van, drove, knew where to take us and where the best dining spots were located. It was a great feeling to return to the villa after a day of travel to unwind, relax, share the day's stories and photos and have a good night sleep before the next day's adventure. Internet/wifi in the villa was very good which was important to all of us. We all highly recommend the villa in Rocco de Benano in Umbria to anyone wishing to discover hill towns of central Italy.

About the host

Hosted by Karen Smith

Host profile image
We (Karen and Paul) live in Cincinnati, Ohio and I (Karen) retired from corporate America at about the same time we bought the villa. Without ever planning it to happen, renting and managing Rocca di Benano became my "encore career."

Early on, it became evident that fantastic customer service is be a marketable advantage. I understand the questions that travelers have when they're considering a stay in a rural Italian village. For example, I wouldn't drive in a big Italian city (or in downtown Manhattan, for that matter) on a bet, so when I say that driving around Central Italy is easy, our guests can trust my judgement. I understand travelers' questions because I've been there.

We get to Benano regularly, and we make it our mission to research ways for guests to make the most of their time in Italy. And I spend a lot of time with our guests sharing what we've learned and helping them prepare for a trip of a lifetime.

Why they chose this property

A recent guest's comment captures a big part of what's so special about Rocca di Benano. He wrote: "It was a bit surreal spending a week at Rocca di Benano. By day, we mostly visited and marveled at neighboring ancient hilltop towns, and then had the opportunity to actually lodge in this similar yet much smaller village. You get to witness and enjoy some day-to-day life of the villagers who seem to regularly sit along the street and chat each evening. Their greetings were all so welcoming. The villa provides great views of the countryside whether from a window or the patio. It was very comfortable, well designed, and includes all the modern conveniences. Very clean. It was well supported with resourceful instructions, staff, and suggestions for day trips, restaurants, etc. Highly recommend the experience!"

What makes this property unique

Benano is the perfect location for exploring Tuscany and Umbria. It overlooks Orvieto, offering stunning views of one of Italy’s most beautiful hill towns. Guests can enjoy a peaceful village pace yet be in the heart of Orvieto in just 20 minutes. Orvieto’s position on the main north-south rail line and autostrada makes it a perfect jumping-off point for day trips to many popular tourist destinations in central Italy. A 10-minute drive from Benano is Torre Alfina, recently selected one of Italy’s “most beautiful small towns,” which features a picturesque castle, a good restaurant, and the best gelato in the area. Twenty minutes further along quaint back roads is Lake Bolsena, Europe's largest volcanic lake, which offers fishing, sailing, swimming, and sunbathing. Driving thirty to forty-five minutes in another direction, you reach the four gems of southern Tuscany – Pitigliano, Sorano, Sovana, and the spa town of San Casciano dei Bagni. Benano is close to another jewel, Civita di Bagnoregio, which travel expert Rick Steves calls “Italy’s classic hill town” and his personal favorite. Equally convenient to Benano are the many acclaimed towns that have attracted travelers to Umbria and Tuscany for centuries – Umbria’s ceramic towns of Deruta; Tuscany’s wine meccas, Montalcino and Montepulciano; Perugia, the capital of Umbria and Italy’s chocolate capital; Pienza, home to Tuscany’s finest cheese; the renowned thermal springs and spas of Chianciano, San Filippo and Saturnia; and Monticchiello, a tiny gem in the Tuscan hills. Viceno, only a mile from Benano, has a small store and a place for coffee. The nearby villages of Castel Viscardo (2 miles), Castel Giorgio (3 miles), and Torre Alfina (5 miles) also have restaurants, groceries, bakeries, cafés, gelaterias, and pharmacies.
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