Near Rome, romantic treetop hideaway total privacy

Villa in the beautiful Sabina area, just outside Rome. Modern villa with breathtaking views from a mountainside overlooking picturesque hills, villages, olive groves, and Rome - only 1 hour away by car and train. Perfect for a relaxing retreat, or use as a base to explore Rome, the Sabine Hills, Lazio and Umbria. The villa is surrounded by forest and enjoys total peace, quiet and privacy. Great for couples but spacious enough to accommodate up to 5 people + 2 more on a comfy sofabed WELCOME TO VILLA DEGLI ARMENI A unique holiday rental in the Sabine Hills, near Rome. WHY CHOOSE OUR VILLA? ONE WORD: LOCATION! The views are, literally, breathtaking: perched 500m up on the side of the mountain commanding views across the picturesque rolling hills of the Sabina, distant mountains, the Tiber Valley and on to Rome itself, on a clear day you can see the Dome of St. Peter's on the horizon. The villa is surrounded by forest and enjoys total peace, quiet and privacy. The villa and grounds are for the exclusive use of our guests and are not overlooked by neighbours. It's hard to believe all this is just a little over one hour from the hustle and bustle of Rome, but by choosing Villa degli Armeni you get the best of both worlds. A UNIQUE HOME The villa itself was built in the 1960s and retains many original mid century features like the stone fireplace, lofty gabled ceilings, arches and ironwork. There’s an abundance of windows to let in natural light and to look out on the forest and spectacular views. The villa is full of art and other objects we've collected over the years, we like our guests to feel they are in a real home with its own character and history. SPREAD OUT AND RELAX It's a spacious house capable of hosting a larger party of family or friends as well as being a great relaxing retreat for a couple. Plenty of space means that everyone can find their own private spot, or get together in larger groups for a leisurely meal or chat. The large living and dining room is a cool and comfortable retreat in the summer and the cosy heart of the house in the cooler months, with its stone fireplace. Connect your laptop to the wall mounted projector and enjoy your favourite films or TV streaming service in big-screen style! Connected to the living room by double doors is another sitting room and studio, the sofa in here folds out to provide a small double bed if needed. OUTSIDE SPACES A variety of outdoor areas around the villa means you'll always find a sunny spot for sunbathing, or a shady spot for reading, somewhere. Outside on the porch and balcony you’ll find tables and chairs for al fresco dining, deckchairs, a sofa and lounger. Below the house is a grassy area bordering on the forest with another large table. POOL In the summer months ( 20th June to 14th September) we put up the frame pool, it’s over 4.5 metres across and 80 cm deep and while hardly olympic size it’s perfect for kids to splash in or for a leisurely float as you contemplate the infinite blue of an Italian sky. BEDROOMS WITH A VIEW There are two large double bedrooms: the one at the front has three arched windows with incredible views to wake up to. The second double bedroom looks out onto the tree canopy and has it’s own ensuite bathroom (with bath) and terrace, it can be set up with a double bed or two singles. In between is a smaller room with 1 single bed, also opening onto the terrace, and another bathroom with a shower. All rooms except the small bedroom have ceiling fans, there is no need for air con. GET COOKING The spacious kitchen is equipped with dishwasher, microwave, fridge freezer and state of the art oven, granite worktops, small table and everything you’ll need to cook with. Sleeps: 2-5 people Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 1 bedroom with double bed 1 bedroom with single bed 1 bedroom with option of double bed or 2 singles 1 double sofa bed Amenities: ceiling fans, washing machine, dishwasher, hob, oven, microwave, fridge freezer, kettle, toaster, satellite tv, wi-fi, heating, window screens, outdoor dining area with gas barbecue. While staying at the house feel free to use our collection of books, DVDs, board games and toys. There’s a TV with free-to-view satellite channels and wi-fi. Guests enjoy the exclusive use of the entire property, there is no one else around so complete privacy is ensured. The property is fenced and gated. We’ll provide full information before and during your stay about all nearby attractions, so that you can plan beforehand and make the most of your stay. We’ll be more than happy to give advice via email and share our knowledge of the area where we lived for many years. We don't live full time in the area but if we are not there there will be someone nearby to resolve any issues that may arise. LOCAL AMENITIES The village of Poggio Catino is 5 minutes drive away, where there is a village shop for staples, a pharmacy, a butcher's shop and, perhaps most importantly, a bar with excellent gelato and outdoor tables to enjoy the view. Supermarkets, other shops and a busy weekly market can be found at Poggio Mirteto, 15 minutes drive away. RESTAURANTS The area is well served with restaurants of all kinds, during your stay you should definitely head further up the mountain to Cisterna where they prepare simple food served at tables under the trees. Also very close is the restaurant Ortobio which is rapidly gaining and excellent reputation for creative cooking using fresh organic ingredients they grow themselves. GETTING INTO ROME 20 minutes drive away is the train station of Poggio Mirteto Scalo. From here trains go regularly into the centre of Rome, a journey of 50 minutes. If you want to visit Rome city centre taking the train means you’ll avoid traffic and parking problems. The same train will take you all the way to Fiumicino Airport, passing Tiburtina (metro connection), Ostiense (Rome pyramid area) and Trastevere, the Rome nightlife centre (change train here for the Vatican). LOCAL ATTRACTIONS Close to home you can enjoy a number of paths through the forest and picnic areas, don’t miss the secluded hermit’s cave Grotta di San Michele. The surrounding area of Sabina is pretty in the extreme, with its rolling hills, woodlands, hilltop villages and olive groves. Two of the prettiest local villages, Casperia and Roccantica are about 15 minutes away but there are many more to explore. In the summer months local villages all hold festivals with music, dancing and most importantly food and wine! Other local sites not to miss include the Farfa Abbey, the Romanesque cathedral at Vescovio, the Tevere Nature Reserve and the Soratte Nature Reserve. DAY TRIPS We've already mentioned that Rome is only an hour or so away. At about the same distance you'll find the picturesque city of Rieti and it's surrounding Franciscan monasteries, Mount Terminillo (skiing!), Viterbo, Orvieto, Terni, Narni, the baroque Monster Gardens of Bomarzo, the Marmora Falls, Tivoli (Villa D’Este and Hadrian’s Villa) or, for a complete change of pace, Rainbow Magicland, one of Italy's leading theme parks. You will need a car to stay here because of the secluded location. Before your arrival we'll provide you with detailed maps and instructions so you can reach the house easily. The property is gated and there's room to park several cars inside on the driveway. VILLA DEGLI ARMENI AND THE SABINA REGION ARE PERFECT FOR: - Couples and families looking to spend quality time together in a relaxing environment - Slow travelers looking for an authentic experience of real Italy - Nature lovers and hikers - Foodies! The area has great local produce and some fabulous restaurants - Anyone looking for the luxury of time, privacy, and quiet - Anyone looking for a relaxing villa holiday without missing out on one of the world's top destinations, Rome! and because we are all different, it would be less than honest of me not to add WHO OUR VILLA MAY NOT BE THE BEST FIT FOR: - people who are mobility challenged or parents of reckless toddlers, because of the steps up to the house - anyone with insect phobias, the windows all have screens but we are surrounded by forest and along with that comes the occasional ant, bug, or spider. - you will need a car to stay at our villa, even to get into the village for an ice cream, and any sights you may want to visit will mean a drive. - we only have aircon in the living room and have always found that sufficient. However global weather being what it is these days if you visit in summer we cannot guarantee your visit does not coincide with a heatwave. We leave instructions on how to keep the house cool using natural methods and these will help a lot if you follow them carefully. - looking for nightlife? Go elsewhere because the biggest nighttime attractions here are gazing at the milky way or perhaps spotting a porcupine. ABOUT LONGER STAYS We welcome guests who are planning longer stays, and offer large discounts for stays of 1 month or longer. For long stays during the winter months however we do ask guests to contribute towards heating costs, based on the amount of gas used during their stay. We think this is the fairest way, as some people like more heat than others. Heating is usually required from November to end of March, and can cost between €50-100 per week, depending on outside and indoor temperatures. As well as the gas heating there is also a fireplace that connects to all the radiators of the house to supplement the gas heating, or replace it if the weather is not too cold. For this we do supply a good amount of logs free of charge. REMOTE WORKING We frequently host people who are looking for a quiet place for remote working. WIFI internet offers about 15mbps (this is standard in a rural area). There is a study area off the main living room (it can be closed off with folding doors) with a large desk and office chair. In addition there is another desk and office chair in the bedroom at the back, meaning 2 people can work without disturbing one another.