For spring visitors Tamarisk offers a magnificent sight: a pale pink veil of bloom envelops the tree which has given the apartment its name. The delicate blossoms, however, do not obscure the panorama which is, visitors claim, one of Tamarisk's great features. You sit on the comfortable settee in your apartment with a view over mountains and valleys in the distance and, set amidst orchards and vineyards, a medieval village perched on the nearest of the hills. Sunsets are particularly spectacular, ancient stone turning mellow gold in the rays of the setting sun. Of course you might prefer to enjoy the sight sitting under the trees in your own private outdoor dining area.
Tamarisk is part of a converted farmhouse, decorated in a traditional style with white walls, beamed ceilings and terracotta tiled floors. It is attractively and comfortably furnished throughout. We are located close to Panicale, a Medieval hill-top town with excellent restaurants and services, Lake Trasimeno with great water-sports & golf and within easy reach of many, many historical and cultural sites. Casa Fontana sits in five acres of olive groves. The new pool is on the terrace behind the farmhouse and about level with the roof -great views as far as Tuscany to the west and Assisi to the East.
Further details
Though unheated, the swimming pool is generally usable from mid-May to late September.
The grounds are terraced, very peaceful but not manicured to give shelter to wild flora and fauna. Suitable footwear is recommended.
Further details indoors
The first area is a living / dining room with a well equipped kitchen section. The bedroom has a large, comfortable double bed and a walk-in wardrobe. In addition, there is plenty of drawer and shelf space. Lighting is varied, and can be adjusted to suit reading or intimate dinners.
Thick walls ensure that the apartment is pleasantly cool in the summer and, with the help of individually controlled central heating, cosy and warm in the winter. The bathroom is spacious with shower, washbasin, lavatory and bidet. A variety of towels, including pool towels, are provided, as well as bed and table linen. Tamarisk provides all the comforts that make your return home after a day of sightseeing a pleasure to anticipate. The space is easy care through out
Further details outdoors
Pool and Grounds
Pool
The pool is set on the first terrace behind the house and is a good size at 5x12 metres and 1.6 metres deep at the far end. Semicircles of Roman steps allow easy, shallow access to the water. There is a pergola with table and chairs for poolside refreshments (there is a cool-bag and plastic utensils in your flat). Plenty of loungers, cushions and shades make the pool the centre of recreation in the summer. You are truly part of nature here – do not be surprised if you are joined by a thirsty butterfly or a swift during your swim!
Grounds
Your apartment is part of Casa Fontana, a converted Umbrian farm house that sits in five acres of olive groves. We have not yet been able to make an exact count but we think we have somewhere in the region of two hundred olive trees. That's a lot of Martinis!
The grounds are a series of terraces, climbing ever higher to provide increasingly panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. There is a copse of oaks that give shelter to wild boars in the winter and porcupines in the summer. In the spring bright yellow broom and wildflowers of every hue cover the slopes. There are plenty of edibles too, from wild asparagus to sweet golden figs. In the distance you can see huge birds wheeling lazily in the sky.
Summer Food and Art Tour 1 to 7 June guided and catered - gourmet
Summer nights are wonderful at the Casa. There is hardly any light pollution, affording a stupendous view of starry skies – a magnet to romantics and amateur astronomers alike. The moon is almost bright enough to read by, certainly suitable for a night walk! Perhaps the loveliest sight comes in May and June when hundreds of fireflies float and pulse all around the house at night, giving the trees and bushes a magical air.
Late Summer Food & Art Tour guided and catered -sumptuous
Autumn is a particularly cheerful time of the year, offering plenty of sunshine, strolls though golden forests and sumptuous seasonal specialities, such as game and truffles.
November is olive picking time, nature is generally kind and gifts us great weather so that the pickers often strip to T-shirts in the sun and we can have great picnic lunches sitting on the grass. There is nothing to compare the taste of freshly pressed olive oil: take a piece of crusty bread, dribble a little of the dark green oil on it and enjoy the peppery, nutty flavour. In the fullness of time the oil will mature, change colour and acquire a smoother, rounder flavour. The taste may change somewhat but one thing is certain – our oil has never met a chemical either during its tree life or during processing. It is full of antioxidants and other health giving goodness. Casa Fontana's cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil is as good as it gets!
We offer short break 'Olive picking Course' and experience. Pick your break during 10th to 20th Nov.
Covers training, use of equipment, alfresco lunches, visit to olive press, tutored oil tasting, NEW pressed oil to take home (New Pressed oil is very different from the mature oil we are used to = more green, more peppery. Very different and only possible in the 4 weeks following pressing. Normal apartment rentals with picnic lunch included for the 'pickers'