Long term lets (over 1 month) Short-breaks (4 days or less) Corporate bookings
Changeover day:
Flexible
Access:
Car essential Nearest amenities: 2 km
Notes:
Sorry - no pets allowed Suitable for children No smoking at this property Self-catering
Home description
L'Arco has been our home until recently. It is at the bottom of a tiny mediaeval alley and next door to our big house, Il Castello (see 4377 for more photos of immediate environment). It is snug, completely self contained and perfect for 1 person or a couple with 2 small children who would sleep together in the large family room.
It has the large bed-stting room that is divided into the sleeping area with a large double bed, next to the window and the views, and the lounge area, which has 2 matching, large and comfortable 3 seater sofas - one that converts into a small double bed. The SKY SAT TV is in this area of the room.
Then, through a small ancient corridor, on the side of which is a large fitted cupboard for extra storage and a bathroom with a half sized tub, a hand held shower and a WC, you enter a nicely sized, fully fitted kitchen/diner that comfortably seats 4 - though, we have equipped it to seat just 2 people......if there are additional children, we would equip it according to the age of the children.
The double doors of the kitchen open directly onto the very pretty garden/patio, which seats 4. And, we can provide a BBQ by request - no extra charge.
The tiny, walled village of 10C San Mamiliano is the oldest, inhabited village in Umbria. And, it is truly a picture post-card setting, visitors often likening it to places they've seen in the National Geographic magazine. L'Arco is right in the middle of all this history and splendour.
We are extremely sad to have just left San Mamiliano and its tiny community of warm and friendly people but we had to move to Spoleto to look after our growing number of holiday rental apartments there. See link to our website below.
Living in San Mamiliano, you are well away from the beaten track but still have very easy access to Spoleto, Assisi, Todi, Perugia, Montefalco, Bevagna, Trevi, Orvieto, San Gemini....... and Rome is just 55 minutes by train from Terni station, a 20 minute drive from here.
L'Arco is well-equipped with everything you could want for a perfect holiday, including Sky SAT TV with its English speaking films, documentaries and news channels from all over the world.
Patio/garden - 3 steps up to fully fitted kitchen/dining room.
Looking up alley from patio/garden.
Entrance to Alley-way leading to L'Arco at bottom.
Magnificent panoramic views from all 3 windows.
To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/6760
The Umbria region
The Umbria region of Italy has been called "The Green Heart of Italy", due to its central location and equal distance from Rome and Florence. The area is less discovered than its eastern neighbor, Tuscany, but just as magnificent. Umbria is a beautiful, unspoiled, countryside area of rolling, forested hills, vast grassy meadows covered with flowers, large olive grove plantations, and several lakes and valleys. The landscape is dotted with many picturesque medieval villages, and the people of the area are known for their distinctive cuisine, friendliness and hospitality. Like so much of Italy, food, wine, and entertainment are the core of Umbria's charm. A vacation here is a feast of the senses. So, bring your camera, leave your diet at home, and explore this tranquil treasure.
The town of Perugia is the capital of Umbria and one of the best preserved medieval towns in Italy. A walk down the main street, Piazza Il Novembre, gives visitors incredible views of the town's medieval and Renaissance structures, like the centrepiece of town, the Duomo. The town overlooks the Tiber River, and a sunset dinner overlooking the valley will provide life long Italian memories! Take some time to visit The National Gallery of Umbria, which contains paintings from the 13th to the 18th century by masters such as Piero della Francesca, Benozzo Gozzoli, Beato Angelico, Pinturicchio, Perugino and others.
The hill town of Orvieto is known for three things: wine, ceramics, and its famous Cathedral. The broad marble pillars of this magnificent church are carved with biblical scenes that tell the story of creation. The Duomo has some fascinating frescoes by Signorelli, and sits next to a famous gelato shop. Local stores carry varieties of the town's famous Orvieto Classico white wines, and ceramics that built the town's reputation.
Todi, located about 20 miles south of Perugia, also sits atop a hill overlooking the Tiber River. The town is centred around the Piazza del Popolo, one of the most beautiful squares in Italy. One of the most popular sites is the Temple of S. Fortunato, with 14th century frescos and a crypt which preserves the remains of the poet Jacopone da Todi, the town's namesake.
The town of Spoleto once thwarted the great Hannibal as he journeyed south. Today, Spoleto is a brilliant reflection back to medieval times and has some of the most incredible scenery to prove it. Some of the town's impressive sites include a 1st century AD Roman Theatre, the 4th century Christian Church of San Salvatore (one of the world's oldest surviving churches), and the Rocca Albornoziana - one of the most magnificent of Italy's castles. Each June, the town welcomes the world to the Festival of Two Worlds dance and theatre festival, a two-week long celebration of the performing arts.
The town of Assisi gained fame as the birthplace of St. Francis, a simple friar who around the year 1200 challenged the Church to adopt a more simple lifestyle. Today the town is known as the City of Peace, and is rich in medieval architecture and religious artwork. Perched on the slope of mount Subasio, Assisi's main attraction is the Basilica of St. Francis, one of the artistic and religious highlights in all of Europe. From top to bottom, the church is frescoed by the famous artists of the day. The view of the surrounding area from outside the Basilica encompasses the richest valley in all of Umbria.
Other hill towns in Umbria are less visited than the more populated centres, but offer opportunities for an experience in Italy at its most natural. Panicale, Paciano, and Gioiella are all quaint little towns that are deeply rooted in their agricultural heritage. Olives, grapes, cheese, dates, wine, and other similar products are the heart and soul of these small hamlets. They offer visitors a look at Italy through native eyes. Of course, being in Umbria, they are filled with their own gorgeous views, and the food in their little out-of-the-way restaurants and bistros shouldn't be missed.
A trip in Umbria is a trip back in time. Medieval mists stretch across Roman landscapes. The Renaissance mingles with the Middle Ages. Vintners work vineyards owned by family members for 500 years. Farmers drizzle bread with freshly pressed olive oil. Women kneel in churches filled with artwork by famous artists. Children kick soccer balls down cobblestone streets. An Umbria vacation is a delight for the senses. Take your time and enjoy the show.
Spoleto / San Mamiliano above Ferentillo area
Our exact location is the middle of Italy - just slightly to the left ie our nearest ocean is the Adreatic. We're in the Appenines. By car and driving normally, it takes 20 mins to Spoleto, 90 mins to Rome (or 55 minutes by train), 45 mins to Asissi, 70 mins to Perugia, 2 hrs 30 mins to Florence (depending on traffic), 3 hrs 30 mins to Naples (also depending on traffic), the Amalfi coast and Pompei. Castellucia, the famous Gran Piano (with fantastic natural flower displays across this gigantic plain around about Easter) is just over 1 hour away. On the way to Castellucia is Norcia, which is 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 euros for a bowl of ciriole al tartufo !). However, all around us, ie within a 30 min drive, are an abundance of small towns eg Todi and Spello which are all equally beautiful and fascinating. Benigni (the Oscar winning film-maker of Life is Beautiful and Piccochio) stays nearby in Coliscipoli while working on the film studios in which both these films were produced. And, of course, it is the countryside all round here that features in both these films.
This is also the St Francis area and there are numerous monasteries round about, where he has stayed, within a 30 min radius - 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 which shows how to get to 5 or 6 others by car or on foot. 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. Our own church houses one of the 4 most important paintings in Umbria, which the Bishop of Spoleto is currently trying to "pinch" but, alas, it is being neglected (which is his argument for taking it to join the others in the Spoleto duomo) and the frescos have remained unrestored - I suppose, it was decided to put the money into doing up the village instead. Most of the other villages with beautifully restored churches have been left to just totally crumble.
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. Places like Asissi, however, are not that far and never really get that busy so that's a place where it's best to take the car.
San Mamiliano is the perfect location to base oneself in order to see the rest of Italy, it being located just left of the very centre of Italy, between Terni and Spoleto, and just above Ferentillo. It takes about 20 minutes to drive to the nearest train stations, either Spoleto or Terni.
A car is essential since, while San Mamiliano is central to all the Umbrian hot-spots and close to all the local amenities, (unlike so many of these Umbrian hill-top villages that are without local amenities, remote and from where it takes forever to get anywhere whatsoever), and, there are good roads into San Mamiliano, the local bus, historically, has never gone to the village – probably because, until recently, there were no roads, only boulders marking mule tracks up to the village !
San Mamiliano was originally a fortress/castle built by the Vatican around the 10C to protect its boundary with Perugia. In the middle ages, the Pope would stay in San Mamiliano on his way to Rome. Over the years, San Mamiliano developed into a bustling and fairly large community, housing some 300 people. Now, it houses only 5 of its original families, the rest of the San Mamilianese having died or moved into the towns and cities in search of work. Consequently, it is too small to sustain a shop, a bar or an eaterie, though there are plenty of the latter in the surrounding hills.
San Mamiliano has been part of a restoration project because of its historic interest. As a part of this project, our property was substantially restructured and modernised to architectural standards about 7 years ago. Unfortunately, the apartment was too old to have retained its original features on the inside so we opted for a light, airy and modern ambience. The outside, however, along with all the other dwellings in San Mamiliano that have undergone restoration, has retained all its original features.
The arrival of supermarkets in the nearby towns and cities is a sure sign that things are developing in Umbria. : a few years ago, we were connected to mains water and gas. Before then, we were dependent on an underground stream for water and wood for heat. However, in spite of the availability of gas, wood remains the local Italian’s major source of heat and since most local Italians still prefer to cook on the fire, wood is essential for this purpose too. Until recently, only one “proper” road led to our village. There were also two white roads (roads made entirely of stones). Fortunately, a year ago, one of these roads was rebuilt also as a “proper” road. As a result, we have a far wider access by car to our neighbouring villages. Indeed, our villagers remember the time before the roads, not so many years ago, when they were forced to make their way on foot or horseback by way of tracks marked out by boulders. There is still no public transport to the village so a car is absolutely essential. Or a mule or an Api – forms of transport some of our villagers still favour !
The few remaining San Mamilianese have retained their traditional way of life as land-owning farmers producing wine, olive-oil, tomatoes and various fruits for local shops and providing the local eateries with fresh truffles. The land around San Mamiliano is “wooded” much of the year and the huge logs are brought down the mountains by packs of mules and delivered to all the neighbouring villages. All these activities are to be evidenced throughout the year and make for extremely picturesque viewing – however, if you were to offer to help chop the wood, pick the olives or the grapes, be sure you mean it as your offer will be enthusiastically seized upon ! As yet, we’ve always preferred to watch ! And, the San Mamilianese are extremely hospitable so don’t be surprised if you are invited to share a dish of ciriole with them (a thick type of spaghetti made of flour and water) or to join them for a glass of grappa, especially in the morning when it will be added to your espresso !
Cultural activities abound. Amongst the most prestigious is the International Spoleto Festival which attracts world-famous musicians, dancers and celebrity guests (3 wks June/July). In fact, Prince Charles was reported in our local press to have bought a villa nearby having claimed that Spoleto was one of his favourite places in the world. Less famous, but extremely spectacular, nonetheless, is the festival devoted to St. Valentine which takes place in his actual “resting” place of Terni (I wk Feb) and involves a vast diversity of musical events, carnivals, fancy dress and wine-tastings.
There are many other big festas, too, ranging from the slightly less prestigious, but still spectacular, festival at Todi (the unofficial rival to Spoleto), the specialist Flower festival at San Gemini, the Water festival at Piediluco (all close by), our own commune’s historic Pageant, involving 400 volunteers and showing life in Ferentillo over the last 1000 years…..to the hundreds of more modest, commune sponsored festas where you can dance, eat and drink all night and it will cost you virtually nothing. And, for those of you who are musical, there are always concerts, master classes etc on in Terni, Spoleto and the smaller places such as Bevagnia and Montefalco…..all this information can be got from local tourist offices once you’re here.
Nearby is the 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” are to be found outdoors, a simple assembly of wooden benches and an alter beneath the trees.
Around San Mamiliano, in the 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 the village.
This area is to be most appreciated by those who love tranquillity, walking in woods and mountains and enjoying the spectacular scenery which looks across at the Apennines and over the surrounding valleys but who do not wish to be isolated. It is off the main tourist routes, relatively undiscovered and, therefore, it is unusual to see other visitors in the immediate surroundings. Yet, we have easy access to all the main attractions…..Assisi, Perugia and Rome (about 60-90 mins by car), places like Sploleto, Todi and Piediluco being relatively close by.
Local shops and many trattorias are all within minutes to half an hour down the mountain. Eating out in the summer months is highly recommended. It would be difficult to pay more than 15 euros for a 3 course meal with as much wine as you can drink in the local eateries. Eating al fresco on a warm evening with the sun setting behind mountains silhouetted against a pink-streaked, azure blue sky takes some beating. Then there is the Piediluco lake which was famously painted by that great impressionist, Turner. Here, also, there are many bars and restaurants.
Our local and very beautiful pool, (5 mins by car), is set in the mountains and is first class with a bar and all the usual amenities, and includes tennis courts. The entry fee is about 5 euros. There are many other pools and tennis courts in the area. 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. Riding stables are close by – and, day-long pony treks can be arranged across the mountains at special rates. At nearby Marmore Falls, the largest in Europe, there is white-water rafting. And, bungee jumping, rock-climbing and hang-gliding are on offer in the hills. In this fairy-tale, hill-top, walled village of San Mamiliano, nestling just below the snow-line and often above the clouds, with the sweep of deep valleys rising to mountain peaks, silhouetted against brilliant blue skies, L'Arco is perfect for those who wish to experience tranquillity and savour the atmosphere of a bygone era in a relatively unspoilt and beautiful part of the world, without feeling isolated.
How to get there
-Fly to Rome
-Cheap flights with Ryan Air to Rome and Ancona depending on where you are travelling from.
-If you decide to hire a car locally in Spoleto, then Avis is a car-hire firm that many of our guests use ((0039)348 265 4005 – someone there speaks English) – and, providing you book through their local Spoleto office, they will meet you with a car at Spoleto station. Also, Avis operates from the airports if you’d prefer to pick up there and drive here. And, an interesting website that I’ve seen with apparently good deals is www.euro-cars.com
Nearest Travel Links
Airport:
Rome, Ancona, Perugia: 70 km
Railway:
Spoleto and Terni: 12 km
Activities near Spoleto
Sports: Watersports Horse Riding Fishing
Great for: Walking holidays Rural / countryside retreats
Facilities
Luxuries:
DVD player
General:
Central heating, TV, Video player, Satellite TV
Standard:
Kettle, Toaster, Iron, Hair dryer
Utilities:
Cooker, Microwave, Fridge, Washing machine
Rooms:
Bedrooms (1), Bathrooms (1)
Furniture:
Sofabeds (1), Double beds (1), Cots (1), Dining seating for 4, Lounge seating for 4, Sleeps maximum of 3
Other:
Linen and towels provided. Highchair available.
Outdoors:
Private garden, BBQ
Access:
Parking space
Further details indoors: Please request a high chair and/or cot - available at no extra charge.
Further details outdoors: The tiny, court-yard styled garden is private in so far as L'Arco is at the end of a cul-di-sac. There are no other dwellings in this alley apart from the back entrance to our house, Il Castello, next door and this entrance is permanently locked, the guests in Il Castello having their main entrance around a corner on the main street as well as a large terrace of their own at the top of the house. Privacy is ensured in this way for everyone.
The local pool is fantastic . It is set in the mountains and it has tennis courts, bars and picnic areas. And, it just a few minutes down the road by car. You can easily walk it - takes about 30 mins - a truly spectacular walk ! But, returning up hill would be too much for anyone other than the ultra-fit !
Further details
A CAR IS ESSENTIAL SINCE WHILE THE ROADS ARE GOOD THE LOCAL BUS DOESN'T STOP AT SAN MAMILIANO FOR HISTORICAL REASONS.
The Booking Information is sent automatically in response to an enquiry.
Lettings of at least 3 weeks attract a discount - the longer the letting, the bigger the discount. See Booking Info for further details.
We provide all utilties gas c/h, unlimited hot water etc plus towels, linen (beach towels, if requested) etc plus a Welcome Pack…wine, bread, butter, milk, tea, coffee, sugar, all the condiments, fruit, pasta, olive oil etc….enough for our guests not to have to worry about food shopping before settling in ! All for free.
Beware of owners who charge extra in winter for heating costs - it could well turn out to be more then you're paying in rental costs - gas and electricity charges are exorbitant in Italy.
With us, there are no hidden extra charges.
Days booked in addition to a week are costed at the weekly pro-rata rate.
Flexible arrival/departure days.
You can book for a minimum of 3 days at a daily rate that is 20 euros a day in addition to the weekly pro-rata rate. 1 and 2 day bookings are 30 euros a day in addition to the weekly pro-rata rate.
Mobile phone available on request for refundable deposit of 100 euros.
If you arrange to hire a car locally in Spoleto, then many of our guests use AVIS and, PROVIDING YOU BOOK THROUGH THEIR LOCAL SPOLETO OFFICE, AVIS will meet you at Spoleto station with the car or send a cab for you FREE OF CHARGE.
Days booked in addition to a week are costed at the pro-rata weekly rate.
Conditions
We don't allow pets. Sorry !
Rental rates
Rental prices originally quoted in: Euros €
Convert to:
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
7 Jun 08
1 May 09
390£ 310
0-
0-
3 Nights
1 May 09
1 Nov 09
410£ 325
0-
0-
3 Nights
11
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion. Please see more details and lots more photos on my personal website, which also shows details and photos of 30 + other apartments in and around central Spoleto - you will automatically receive access to this website in response to an enquiry.
A car is absolutely essential here since, while the roads are good, the local bus doesn't go to San Mamiliano for historical reasons.
An extra tarif is charged over the Christmas period - see Booking Information for details that also contains info re attracting discounts and the cancellation conditions. It is automatically sent to you on receipt of an enquiry. Arrivals should not be on Christmas Day.
Discounts available for bookings of 3 weeks or more or for booking both Il Castello and L'Arco simultaneously - they are next door to each other and can be joined up on request.
Availability notes
To see availability please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/6760
Click to view availability for this property.
Please enquire about availability and I will get back to you immediately or as soon as I can. At the same time, I will send you Booking Information that contains details of how to attract a discount etc and my website address, which contains more photos and information of many other apartments in and around central Spoleto and Umbria.
Contact owner
To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/6760
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