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There are few places where you can find serenity, explore medieval hill towns, Etruscan art, and historic cities, and enjoy great food and extraordinarily welcoming hosts. Fontanaro offers all that and much more.
Located in Umbria, “the green heart of Italy” on the border of Tuscany, “the property is set on 40 acres with 2.000 olive trees and a small vineyard of old Sangiovese's grapes. The view lends itself to rolling green hills facing breathtaking sunsets and sunrise like a Perugino's painting.
The home built in 1893, is beautifully restored with modern comforts. It is surrounded by a large grass lawn with lemon trees, an extensive collection of old English roses, a great variety of many flowers and a vegetable garden.
There is a bread oven, a Weber barbecue and a large private Infin...There are few places where you can find serenity, explore medieval hill towns, Etruscan art, and historic cities, and enjoy great food and extraordinarily welcoming hosts. Fontanaro offers all that and much more.
Located in Umbria, “the green heart of Italy” on the border of Tuscany, “the property is set on 40 acres with 2.000 olive trees and a small vineyard of old Sangiovese's grapes. The view lends itself to rolling green hills facing breathtaking sunsets and sunrise like a Perugino's painting.
The home built in 1893, is beautifully restored with modern comforts. It is surrounded by a large grass lawn with lemon trees, an extensive collection of old English roses, a great variety of many flowers and a vegetable garden.
There is a bread oven, a Weber barbecue and a large private Infinity swimming pool with high-performance salt chlorinator (14 x 6m- 46 x 19,6ft ) with a maxi Jacuzzi.
Tourist License / Licencia de turismo N °: 02511800548
House Rules
Pet-friendlyKid friendlyNo smoking
When you leave the house: Please turn off all of the lights Please make sure that the garden lights are turned off during the day.
AC INSTRUCTIONS: Push on Select temperature MAX 22 OR 24 (NOT 18° AS WE ARE CERTIFIED GREEN LEADER). Select swing automatic. Select snow symbol or A that is automatic so it will work for the temperature selected. You can use one remote control for all the rooms.
It is possible smoking just outside the home
Bedrooms
1 Queen1 Twin
Bathrooms
1 Attached (ensuite)
Meet the host
Lucia V
Hosting since December 2013
Languages spoken: English, Spanish, French, Italian
Response Time: Within a few hours
Interaction with guests: The Villa has full time staff available on Whatsapp, so you can enjoy your stay in a truly relaxing Italian way.
Also includes a personal Chef on request.
We absolutely loved our stay at Il Fontanaro’s Frantoio cottage. The cottage was clean and well-equipped, with a private patio overlooking the valley with awesome sunset views. The cottage was a bit rustic but that made it feel even more like your own Italian momma’s place. We also loved the farm’s dogs.
The property was beautiful—the buildings, grounds, and saltwater pool overlooking the olive groves and valley. The hospitality was amazing. Their concierge is available 24hours by text and gave us recommendations, made us reservations, etc. We also had an amazing cooking class that we loved. And the farm’s products are also wonderful. Il Fontanaro is truly committed to sustainable production. We ordered a bunch of the olive oil to give to family and friends.
Il Fontanaro is also conveniently located. We took day trips to Orvieto, Montepulciano, and Siena. Each was a beautiful 1-1.5 hour drive away.
Can’t recommend this family-run place enough, though I would definitely have a car if you intend to leave the property.
If you want more pictures than are available on their website, I’d recommend looking at their Airbnb listing.
Visited September 2022
Written September 16, 2022. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Eric L
1 contribution
Absolute beautiful
We were here in 2020 and also this year. The surroundings are perfect. The tour around the Lake of Trasimeno by bike is very nice. Various places like Assisi, Sienna, Montepulciano are not far away and easy visit.
The workshop cooking with Lucia and Anna was also very pleasant. And of course the red wine Be Mine of Fontanaro in a sunny landscape makes live beautiful.
Visited September 2021
Written September 28, 2021. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Suzanne M
2 contributions
Ideal Tuscany/Umbria Home Away From Home
Our stay at Fontanaro so far exceeded my expectations, I don't have enough superlatives to describe it. Lucia and her staff were invaluable in helping us plan our vacation, and very flexible during the constantly changing COVID travel restrictions in place as we were planning. Their recommendations for restaurants, wineries and activities were all perfect. And the cooking class with Lucia and Anna was the highlight of the trip. The accommodations are comfortable and thoughtfully decorated with so many special touches, and with a stunning view from our terrace. The location is a great home base for day trips throughout Tuscany and Umbria, but is also a wonderful place to just spend the day relaxing.
Visited July 2021
Written August 2, 2021. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Veronica R
1 contribution
Always ❤️ to b back
Despite short stays it’s lovely to spend time here where one feels at peace and at home. Location country-side home-made products and courtesy are surplus
Visited June 2021
Written July 9, 2021. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
JoJoBoyle
London, United Kingdom13 contributions
Perfect, tranquil pet-friendly Italian countryside stay
My husband and I were looking for a peaceful countryside stay with our dog for a week during a European roadtrip and we are so happy we found Il Fontanaro! A beautiful olive oil farm and vineyard with friendly and generous hosts, Il Fontanaro is remote enough to feel super peaceful and truly surrounded by nature but also only 15 mins walk to the beautiful village of Paciano with lovely restaurants, a bar, small park and supermarket. It is also a great location from which to explore Umbria and Tuscany. From the moment we arrived Giovanni, Lucia and Alice made us feel at home and did everything they could to ensure we had a wonderful stay. They arranged anything we needed and were always super responsive and helpful. From suggestions of places to explore in the local area (Cortona and Montelpulciano were favourites) to restaurant bookings and wine tastings, the Fontanaro team really did go the extra mile to ensure we had a fantastic stay. The Frantoio cottage that we stayed in is one of two beautiful cottages at the farm and we loved it - plenty of space for two people, a large and comfortable bed, efficient AC (although it was 38 degrees during our stay and even then we didn't need the AC much), very good WiFi, a well stocked kitchen with a thoughtful selection of complementary groceries provided on arrival (including the farm's delicious wine and olive oil), a beautiful private garden with wonderful sunset views and easy access to the large shared pool. It really did feel like a home away from home. A highlight was the farm tour and olive oil tasting that Giovanni kindly arranged for us, as well as a Sunday morning visit to a local bakery in the village - don't miss this. We also loved being able to access the Il Fontanaro organic vegetable garden and the friendly resident labradors who our dog really enjoyed playing with! Overall, an unforgettable week of slow living in Umbria. Thank you so much Giovanni, Lucia and Alice for the most wonderful week - we will see you again soon!
Visited July 2020
Written August 11, 2020. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Lucia
Thank you!
hope to host you again in the future
Lucia and all Fontanaro team
Written September 1, 2020. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sallie F
3 contributions
Best place and people ever! Have returned 5 years in a row.
This beautiful organic farm just outside a historic walled town in Umbria is our favorite place away from home. The welcoming family-hosts provide everything possible, from handsome furnishings to infinity pool, from the pleasure of their huge friendly dogs to their kindness and excellent ideas of things to do locally. In October we watched their 4000 olive trees harvested and helped in their solar-powered olive mill that produces gold-award winning oil. Guests can use food from their kitchen garden to cook in our apt. as well as take classes from a master chef. Paciano's location permits day visits to extraordinary places (Sienna, Assisi, Perugia, Cortona, more) and wonderfully ordinary ones too, like farmer's markets and small museums. The family opens their arms with kindness; they can recommend restaurants run by friends, things to do (like take a weaving class or learn Italian), and design your adventures perfectly suited. Perfect!
Visited October 2019
Written February 27, 2020. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
UCABK
Seattle, WA10 contributions
If you want to experience the real Italian life, book this amazing place now!
Lucia, Giovanni, Miky and everyone else were the most gracious and warm hosts one could ask for. They make you feel like family and provide everything you need to get the most out of your visit to this area. We plan to stay again on our next trip to Italy! From the cooking class, to harvesting grapes for the fall wine pressing to drinking our morning espresso on the gorgeous, sunlit patio...everything was magical. It is so peaceful there, and several nights during the week, we strolled down the gravel road (10 min walk) to the charming town of Paciano for delicious dinner and wine. Don't hesitate to book this wonderful place....10 out of 10 stars!
Visited September 2019
Written October 23, 2019. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Safari33583599064
1 contribution
Better-than-ever, perfect spot in Central Italy.
Returned to Il Fontanaro after more than 20 years and found that everything surpassed our wonderful memories.
As so many reviews note, the host family and their staff are naturally warm and generous and really know how to make your stay comfortable, enjoyable, and interesting. Whether it's showing you how they make world-class olive oil and other traditional food from their home-grown produce, or introducing you to the local baker or restauranteur, or giving you as much information as you want on other places to visit in Tuscany and Umbria....you will receive so much more than just a beautiful place to stay. And, yes, the carefully tended accommodations are in a perfectly beautiful setting near the quiet medieval hilltop village of Paciano. We plan to return a lot more quickly next time!
Visited October 2019
Written October 14, 2019. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Arpecha
Santa Monica, CA11 contributions
Magical Farm in Paciano Italy
My husband and I had a wonderful 2-day break from being tourists in northern Italy at Il Fontanaro - a 2-hour drive from Florence. We wished we stayed longer in this amazing magical place in Paciano, Umbria region. It was serene and just beautiful. Lucia and her son, Giovanni were wonderful hosts who made us feel like family. We enjoyed every minute of our stay in one of their comfortable villas with AC, WiFi and complete kitchen with laundry area for guests - from the organic food Lucia prepared, excellent wine from Giovanni’s wine cellar hidden beneath the surface of their organic olive oil estate, pasta and dessert cooking lesson with Chef Walter who owns a fabulous restaurant in the area, large eco infinity pool, organic vegetable and fruits garden where guests can freely pick from and amazingly calming view of their farm. They have the best family-owned organic olive oil that the family produces using their state-of-the-art olive oil mill. Giovanni showed us the difference between an ordinary olive oil and their organic olive oil that they produce. The taste and texture are very different. We truly loved our visit - it was informative and fabulous. We ordered their largest tin for our personal use and bottles as gifts to relatives which were shipped quickly to us in California. Can’t wait to go visit again and explore neighboring cities. Thank you Lucia and Giovanni!
Highly recommend!
Visited July 2019
Written September 5, 2019. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Paul S
2 contributions
Visit to Fantoio at Il Fontanero
We were at the villa only 2 nights and certainly hope to return for a longer visit. After the bustle of Rome and Florence it was a glorious respite. The villa is charming, comfortable, and quiet, perched on an Umbrian hillside surrounded by gardens, lawn and lovely views.
Only a few minutes walk away is the small homey town of Paciano.
The owner who lives on the site and her family couldn't be warmer or more welcoming. Delightful people who do whatever they can to help you enjoy your stay.
Good restaurants are nearby but a car is necessary if you plan to explore Umbria.
Visited October 2017
Written October 20, 2017. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
walkingdog7
ciao, thank you for your nice review, we really hope to host you again also! Yes next time please stay more and we will show you our best treasures from thermal springs to food festival and new wine tours! hugs from all of us
Written October 23, 2017. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Exit the Milan-Florence-Rome A1 Autostrada at Chiusi/Chianciano. Turn right at the toll booth and right again, in the direction Chiusi (down town). Continue past Chiusi, driving over the bridge above the railroad tracks.
Continue on and past the roundabout, following the sign directions Arezzo, Perugia.
After about 500 mt, turn left, direction Arezzo/Perugia drive through the small towns of Po Bandino and Moiano, in the direction of Castiglione del Lago on the Road S.S. n. 71.
1 Km after Moiano turn right, signposted Panicale and Paciano and drive up the hill to the village of Paciano.
Turn right into the village at the top of the hill, with a small supermarket (CONAD) and bar (BOLDRINI) on your left. You will then pass a restaurant on the right (named Oca Bruciata).
At the end of the long city stone wall on the left where the road divides, take the right turn into Via Madonna della Stella. Continue on this road until it divides, about 100 m further. Keep right following the sign saying Fontanaro or Tartagli or Residence lʼOlivo and continue downhill 100 m further on where you reach a small church on the right.
Directly opposite the church is a road with another small Fontanaro sign.
Turn left onto this road which descends through olives groves. At the next junction 400 m later, and just past a pair of wooden gates with a US mail box, turn right. You will find a sign with an arrow, with “Fontanaro” written in yellow. You will find 3 arrow signs indicating Fontanaro on this road.
Keep left at the next fork and continue passing the house on the right (La poderina). Just past this house is a shrine at another junction. Keep to the right and continue for another 250m where the road ends at the gate for Fontanaro. (There is an arch of Roses that bloom in May and a big cypress tree.
100% refund within 24 hours after booking (provided the stay is at least 60 days away).
50% refund* if you cancel at least 8 weeks before check-in
25% refund* if you cancel at least 4 weeks before check-in
No refund available once booking is confirmed
About this property
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