Description
Large 5 bedroom 3 bathroom villa with large pool mountain views, sleeps 10/11
The house is situated on the slopes of the Cimini mountains, with truly breathtaking views in all directions of rolling countryside and mountains, 10 minutes from the beautiful medieval town of Soriano. It sits surrounded by it's own lawns, meadow, olive groves, fruit trees and nut orchard in a quiet rural location, with masses of space for kids to roam safely to their hearts content. At various times in the Summer you can help yourselves to cherries, apples, figs, giungiole (delicious local fruit), pears, hazelnuts and our own market garden.
It is 20 mins from the medieval papal city of Viterbo, 40 mins from scenic Orvieto, 1 hour from the Tuscan seaside, 2 hours from Florence and an hour north of Rome by car. By train from the nearby station at Orte, you can get to Florence in 2 hrs and Rome in 40 mins. It is situated in beautiful countryside, very similar to neighbouring Umbria and Tuscany but far less touristy. Soriano itself is a very friendly local market town with all the necessary amenities and shops. It sports some excellent yet reasonably priced restaurants. There's lots of good eating in surrounding towns. The area is known for its many thermal springs. Nearby are the Lakes di Vico and Bolsena (great for visiting, eating by the water and swimming/water sports in the summer) and chestnut/beach forests on the Monte Cimini (great for long walks in the mountains). La Fagetta, the summit of the highest Cimini mountain is a 20 minute drive from here with the most spectacular views - a truly magical place in the evenings with it's huge beach trees, carpets of wild flowers and a good restaurant to come down to at the end of it al!
Soriano-Chestnut Festival(Sagra di Castagne): This takes place in the first two weeks of October, which usually sport excellent weather. There are medieval pageants and contests between the quartiere/rione of the town most nights in the main square in Soriano (See photo). The whole community get together to perform, provide typical local food (eaten together in great cellars and halls), joust, and run Soriano's own palio (horse race). This is the best time to get a real feel for the local life and community - a really heartwarming experience - and free chestnuts! This period tends to get booked early.
The house is very spacious with plenty of room for kids ( and adults) to play inside as well as out. There are 4 large double bedrooms and a 5th with bunk beds. There is a further space for sleeping in the large playroom where there is a table tennis table and table football. There is a also a cot bed and a Z bed. We have 2 large communal bathrooms. One has a large modern shower (refurbished this year), the other a lovely truly huge bath. The master has an ensuite bathroom as of 2016. There is also an outside shower by the pool.
We have a huge south facing sun terrace with a covered eating area which has wonderful views across the pool, nut orchards and the Tiber valley to the Appenine mountains beyond. This is a wonderful place to eat long holiday lunches in the shade or in the sun as you wish. In the evenings it is beautifully lit and even nicer for eating al fresco. There is also a lovely covered loggia at the front (with a great view of the Cimini mountains and the castle at Soriano) for a quiet place to read or a late afternoon snooze. It also has a large outside fireplace for cooler evenings.
The pool is large, surrounded by plenty of sunterrace and is also in a great spot (a real sun trap), but also has a lovely view for miles. There is a diving board and convenient steps in for little ones.
We are also 1 hour from the nearest beach of Sant'Agostino if you want a day at the seaside. It is a large and long sandy beach with areas that are managed (where you have to pay) and large unmanaged stretches. The water is clean and very safe for little ones as it only gets deep slowly. There is an excellent and reasonably priced seafood restaurant and number or bars/cafes. The Tuscan coast is 80 mins away - great for a day out. It's a huge space with plenty of bars or restaurants at one end, or a more quiet rural setting at the far end. We go several times a year. The lovely town of Tarquinia (the old Etruscan capital) is very near and definitely worth a visit (for dinner too if you want) before coming back. There's a wonderful fish maket just down the coast at Civitavecchia or the Tuscan coast is a further 45 minutes the other way.
Near Terni, 1 hour towards the central mountains, are the highest waterfalls in Europe - definitely worth a visit.
Lake Bolsena is a 40 minute drive - it is cradled in the crater of a huge (extinct!) supervolcano. Truly spectacular views are to be had all round - there are beaches, watersports, many good restaurants (some on stilts out in the lake) and boats for hire to explore the little islands out in the lake.
Nearby to Bolsena is the famous 'dying town' of Bagnoregio (Bognor Regis!). A truly spectacular and extraordinary medieval citadel on a rocky promontary out into the Tiber valley only accessible by a narrow footbridge. A must see and a great place for lunch. It is gradually being eroded - bits from the edge fall off each year in the rains and plunge hundreds of feet down into the ravine below. We go every holiday!
Proprietor speaks English, French, Italian,and some German.
Local agent Floriana speaks fluent English. She is a local tour guide and can arrange tours for our guests around the medieval heart of Soriano and many other local sites. Her mother provides exellent traditional pasta making lessons - great fun for adults and children alike. She is a mine of information for local travel and activities/sites to visit and for any info you need re getting to Rome etc. We'll give you plenty of info re the local restaurants.
You can see more and contact us via our facebook page (casaglenister).
3 Bathrooms
Bathroom 1 - Toilet , Bath with Shower , Shower Enclosure , Bidet , Huge bath and lovely views.
Bathroom 2 - Toilet , Shower Enclosure , Bidet , Recently refurbished completely.
Bathroom 3 - Outdoor Shower
Bathroom 4 - Toilet , Shower Enclosure , Ensuite to the master bedroom with large modern shower bathroom one is upstairs, tastefully decorated in local tiling and has a very large bath with a shower attachment. It has lovely views from the window! The second bathroom is also very large, recently decorated and is situated downstairs, contains a large modern thermostatically controlled shower in a large shower enclosure and also houses the washing machine. Both bathrooms have usual sink, toilet and bidet facilities. The master bedroom has a large ensuite with shower toilet and washbasin
5 Bedrooms, Sleeps 11
Bedroom 1 - 1 Large Double Bed
Bedroom 2 - 1 Large Double Bed
Bedroom 3 - 1 Large Double Bed
Bedroom 4 - 2 Single Bed
Bedroom 5 - 2 Child Bed
Bedroom 6 - 2 Sofa bed/Futon , in games room
Master bedroom is beautifully furnished with antiques and original paintings with ensuite bathroom and leads out onto a large loggia/balcony covering 2 sides of the house with a spectacular 360 panorama of pool, rolling countyside , mountains, and the historic town of Soriano with its castle. Upstairs is a further double bedroom with similarly beautiful views and also a children's bedroom with bunk beds and french windows onto the balcony which has the best view in the house! These rooms all lead out onto a very large games room with full sized table tennis table, table-football, in the corner of which there is a raised area with a single mattress and room for a Z bed. Downstairs there are a further 2 large double bedrooms, one with double bed and one with 2 single divan beds which can be made into a large double if necessary. They both have lovely views onto the garden. A travel cot and a Z bed are available for any bedroom.
Although children are welcome you must be aware that the pool area is not enclosed and there are (gated) steps leading down to the pool area, so normal vigilance is required. The games room is a big bonus for those not so good days . We have a full sized ping-pong table, and a table football table in a large games room upstairs - so plenty to do for kids if it rains (not often in spring and summer!). There is lots of land for the kids (and adults) to explore, open grassy spaces to play or quiet places to relax. There is a first floor loggia with spectacular views. Floriana who will welcome you to the house, is a local tour guide and will tell you all about the many wonderful things to do locally and in Rome. As the house is set in the countryside a car is a necessity.
The pool is normally open from May till early October.
Central heating is available (usually unnecessary!) - it is a warm cosy house with 2 large open fireplaces. Gas is metered and charged at no profit to us.
Smoking is not absolutely forbidden but we would prefer it if done outside.