La Fontana


Book now:

Adults:
Children:
 
Farm La Fontana
Farm La Fontana_winter


WEB SITE INTRODUCTION

 

La Fontana is a curious amalgam of Italian and English.  It is set in 7 hectares of grounds, and has its own water supply and well which has been certified as pure mineral water.  It used to be part of a large property that was divided up after WWII when tenant farmers were given rights to purchase land they worked.  It was bought by my mother (an English woman who loved Italy) 20 years ago and has a wonderful mature garden, where no pesticides have been used during this time.  There is swimming pool, and an outside patio where we arrange breakfast meals if need be.  We can also introduce you to the gastronomic delights of this region, which is justly famous for its fresh black truffles and wild boar.  We are producers of a very high quality of olive oil, and we even have weeks in which you can participate in our small harvest in November and December.  We are located in Amelia in the southern part of Umbria, close to many of the most famous hill towns of the upper Tiber valley, Lugnano in Teverina, Orvieto, Civita di Bagnoregio, Lake Bolsena, Lake Corbara, and Todi. 

 

 

BRIEF HISTORY OF AMELIA:

 

Amelia is probably the oldest inhabited town in Italy, and its Pentagonal walls are dated back to 5000-4000 BC, long before the Etruscans.  Pliny the elder refers to the founding of Amelia in 1134 BC.  Amelia takes its name from a King called Ameroe who reigned here in 12th century BC.  Amelia grew in influence under the Romans, (it became a Roman municipality in the first Century BC) enjoying great economic growth as it was a stopping point for travelers in central Italy on road to north and the Adriatic, the Via Amerina. During the Barbarian invasions, Amelia was overrun by the asrmies of Odoacre, and Theodocius until it was held by the Longobards for control of the via Amerina.  Amelia has numerous churches and a cathedral, as well as many palaces, Palazzo Petrignani, Nacci, Barcherini, Farattini and perhaps the most famous Palazzo Geraldini.  Geraldini a native of Amelia.  Alessandro  was a confessor of Queen Isabel of Aragon at the time of Columbus’ expedition to the America’s.  Geraldini thought that his fellow Italian from Genoa had a very good chance of success was able, thanks to his articulate speech in front of the Grand Counsel of the King and Queen of Spain, to convince the Spanish Crown to financially back the expedition.  As a token of the appreciation of Alessandro Geraldini’s contribution to the success of the expedition, the Spanish crown appointed Geraldini as the first Bishop in the America’s (Bishop of Santo Domingo) and this no doubt contributed to the substantial increase in the family’s wealth.

 

St. Francis also passed this way in 1212 to 1213 and he founded several of the beautiful and peaceful monasteries that dot the countryside near Amelia, the most famous of which is the Convent of S. Annunziata which has spectacular views and has a very interesting artistic heritage.

 

 

 

 

LA FONTANA’s ACCOMODATION:

 

We have three self contained cottages and a larger house for rent in Umbria, as well as an apartment in a Palace, (Palazzo Barcherini) in Amelia old town.  The dimensions of the cottages are as follows:

 

A.  Pergola.  This is a self contained cottage immersed in nature, with views over the grounds to the valley below.  The cottage is finished with traditional cotto and traveritine marble.  Pergola is a real favorite with couples as it is very intimate.  There is a dining living area of 15.4 square meters, a bedroom area of 6 square meters and an ensuite bathroom of 4 square meters.  It also has a patio under a vine, a teak table and bench for 4 people (hence Pergola) which overlooks the valley and access to the pool.  (see foto links).  The cottage is stocked with all necessities and we provide you with a selection of local wines and specialties if required.

 

B.  Limonaia.  This is a self contained cottage with its own patio and barbeque for outside dining.  The cottage has been designed using traditional materials, (cotto and travertine) and is quite large with the main dining/ living area, of some 44 square meters, a kitchen of some 9 squre meters and a bathroom of some 4.5 square meters.  The cottage is stocked with all necessities and we provide you with a selection of local wines and specialties if required.  The cottage has its own heating system and can be used year round.  The cottage has well stocked library so you will not be at a loss for rading materials, (see foto links)

 

C.  Roseto:  This is a self contained cottage with large veranda and sliding patio doors overlooking our olive grove. The cottage has a main living and dining area, as well as a kichen, bedroom and ensuite bathroom.  The dimensions of the main living dining area are 40 square meters approximately,  25 square meters for the bedroom, 3.6 square meters, for the barhroom and 3.5 square meters for a galley kitchen.  The cottage has been tiled traditionally and travertine marble has been used in the bathroom.  The cottage has some quite unusual artwork that the owner collected when working as a diplomat in Russia.  The cottage is centrally heated so it can be used year round, (see foto links).

 

D.  Main House:  This is a large traditional country house.  It was designed by a famous Italian architect, Antonio Ruffo (whose sister is the queen of Belgium) and is built on the side of a ravine, that overlooks the swimming pool.  The house has three bedrooms, kitchen dining room, living room and a wonderful patio for outside dining.  It has two en-suite bathrooms finished in travertine marble.It is complete with antiques and fine paintings.  The house includes solar heating for summer and central heating in winter.  The house is 126 square meters of habitable space and is best suited for groups of up to 5 people.  It is available only in the summer.  (see foto links).

 

E.  Palazzo Barcherini:  This apartment is on the top floor of Palazzo Barcherini in Amelia, which is a listed Palace of late 17th century.  It has a courtyard with a colonnade and well in the center of the courtyard.  The views from the top floor over the ancient city of Amelia are stunning, there is a tower which rises high above the town, as you can see all the way to the snow capped Appenine mountains in winter and spring.   All rooms have a view.  The apartment has two wood fireplaces, is centrally heated.  It has two bedrooms, a living room a dining room, kitchen and bathroom, all recently renovated.  The apartment has 115 square meters of habitable space.  It is for rent all year round, and is ideal for 2 couples who want to explore the nature and gastronomic delights of Umbria, (foto links)

 

ACTIVITIES:

 

Cooking School:  Umbrian cooking is quite subtle and full of surprising flavors.  Over the past decade some of the best cooks in Italy have come from Umbria, (a notable one is Carlo Vissani in Baschi, some 20 kms from Amelia).  While we do not intend to try to replicate Vissani we have found that some of the old art of Umbrian cooking, (faraona cooked in its own interiors for example) I truly remarkable and we use local ladies to help us explore the ancient cooking of Umbria.  We would have these course run between October and December for a minimum of four people.

 

DINING:  There are several places to eat in Amelia old town.  The Locanda is in an old Etruscan/Roman vault.  Food is basic Umbrian fare, quite good and inexpensive.  Casacchi is another typical Umbrian eatery at the top of the town, with good sausages, wild boar and truffles.  Carleni an upscale Italian French restaurant has recently changed hands and is at the top of the town in a classic old building.  Anita, the original Amelian eatery is justly famous for its cooking, but is really winter fare, very rich and filling.  There are various good places outside Amelia, on the road to Todi and Montecastrilli there is “La Gabelletta” a favourite with locals, Locanda S. Giuseppe a good home cooking place on the road to Giove and in a palace from 1370 in Narni overlooking a marvelous square from a porticoed balcony there is the Gattamelata.

 

Sports and Outings:

 

Biking:  This is a big sport for us with quite challenging road circuits in the immediate vicinity

 

Ski Randonne’:  In the Parco Nazionale dei Sibillini in spring it is possible to organize a real treat, ski-ing down an untouched valley to a gorge with rushing torrent.

 

Mountaineering:  The Appenines are not the Alps but we have some very nice traverses of the Sibillini and the Gran Sasso.

 

White Water Rafting:  In the cascade delle Marmore, Italy’s highest waterfalls, great white water rafting.

 

Philip Corsano, updated August 2005

 

 

 


Umbria Farm - Terni Farm - Amelia Farm

parking lot luxury suite TV set internet connexion minibar kitchenette sauna bikes for rent ski for rent swimming-pool horse-riding tennis adventure sports wine-tasting barbecue
La Fontana
Strada di Palazzone 8
05022 Amelia 
Terni - Umbria
Italy
Tel: +39 0347 614 1715
Fax: +39 0744 983 465
Description of way


Farm Amelia
Farm Terni
Farm Umbria