Villa with large pool in Umbria

The villa has two self-contained apartments, and spectacular views with a large-sized swimming pool. The property is outside a tiny medieval hamlet in the breathtaking Valnerina area of southern Umbria, far off the beaten tourist track, yet within easy reach of the main sites, including lovely Spoleto, Assisi and Lakes Trasimeno and Bolsena. Year-round holiday rental is available of part of a typical Umbrian 'casale', a splendid villa which probably dates back to the 16th century, and possibly much further. The accommodation for rent comprises two self-catering apartments -- La Loggia and La Terrazza -- restored to a very high standard. Whichever one you choose, you will be staying in very comfortable accommodation, furnished with taste. With its original stone walls, beamed ceilings and terracotta floors, La Loggia is a very appealing place to spend a holiday, and great care has been taken in its restoration. The living room is part of the ancient foundations of the house, with a lovely divan literally gouged out of the rock and scattered with cushions. The kitchen has all modern appliances, including dishwasher and washing machine, but retains plenty of original features and is furnished in traditional style. The master bedroom is a lovely airy room with a four-poster bed and beautiful hand painted furniture. It has restful views out across the hills and valleys. The second bedroom, a twin, is light and attractive, with French windows which open on to similar views. The bathroom is large and inviting, with original stone walls and hand painted tiles around the separate bathtub and shower unit. Outside, a pretty terrace overlooking the pool offers the perfect place for breakfast, lunch or a pre-dinner drink. La Terrazza has whitewashed walls, wooden beams and a delightfully romantic vine-covered terrace which is completely enclosed. In late August/September you can lean out of the bathroom window to pick the grapes! There is a pretty master bedroom, furnished with hand-made Umbrian fabrics and with bathroom leading off it, and a smaller bedroom, with bags of character, leading off the kitchen/living room. Outside the main accommodation area is an old stone-walled cantina, which would once have been used for storing wine and curing hams, and has now been converted into a reading/play room and provides extra space for the dishwasher and washing machine. In the heat of the summer, this is the coolest spot in the entire property. It is also perfect as an extra third bedroom for teenagers or extra guests, with 2 fold-out beds available on request. The accommodation has central heating, so is cozy in winter, with a log fire in the living room. The upper part of the house is our much loved holiday home, where we spend most weekends and part of the summer. The house is set in its own extensive grounds, just outside the village of San Mamiliano. Guests have the use of all the grounds, including a romantic private vine-covered terrace for La Terrazza, and a lovely belvedere looking out over the valley, for La Loggia. The property has an unusually large swimming pool, with stunning views over the surrounding hills and valleys. Particularly suitable for two families or groups of friends. It also has an outdoor pizza oven by the pool, which is a lot of fun and makes really excellent pizza, as well as bread and slow cooked food overnight. When Italian-English owners Mario, Clare are in residence in a separate wing of the property (most weekends and the summer), we do our best to give guests all the space and privacy they want. But we are also happy to help out in any way, by pointing out special places to visit, booking trattorias or advising on the best places to buy good local products such as olive oil and truffles. Clare will be happy to take guests horse-riding on the beautiful mountains nearby, while Mario is always pleased to chat about one his favourite subjects -- wine. Although the pool is shared, it is an unusually large one, with plenty of room in and out of the water. Many of our guests return year after year. Away from the crowds: San Mamiliano is tucked away in a hidden corner of Umbria. Here, you won't find coach loads of tourists. Nor will you find yourself sitting next to other holidaymakers when you eat out at the excellent country trattorias, of which there are a number within easy reach. There are spectacular walks and horse riding, tennis, canoeing and white water rafting (including some descents suitable for children) all available nearby. There also excellent opportunities for wine and olive oil tasting, and several very good restaurants within easy reach. There are also many little known local treasures, which the owners will be glad to point out. These include the highest waterfalls in Europe, an exquisite 7th century frescoed abbey and several abandoned hilltop villages, which can be reached on foot and are idyllic spots for a picnic. You need a car to enjoy San Mamiliano, which is an excellent base to explore all the main sites in Umbria (Spoleto 20 mins/Assisi/Perugia/Todi/Orvieto/Lake Trasimeno 40 mins) and then retreat to peace and quiet at the end of the day. The nearest bigger villages are Ferentillo and Montefranco. The house can be reached in approx. 1.5 hours by car from Rome, 2 hours from Ancona or Pescara, or just 40 minutes from Perugia, serviced by Ryan Air flights from Stansted. Other Activities: canoeing and white water rafting; collecting wild asparagus in Spring; walks to abandoned hill villages; close Spoleto, with arts, museums, restaurants. This part of Umbria is stunning in Spring and Autumn too and we offer guests a warm welcome year-round. You can roast chestnuts by the fire in Autumn, eat new olive oil (and watch it being made) on bruschetta in Winter, pick wild asparagus from the hillsides in Spring and have barbecues round the pool in Summer (lit for night-time swims). The stars are exceptional, with a good chance of seeing shooting stars in Summer. Ask about out special offer packages in Autumn, Winter and Spring, which can be tailored to suit and can last just a few days or more. They can be based on self-catering or B&B, with optional dinner. These breaks may include spectacular walks (self-guided or with guide) to abandoned hill villages or mountains with 360 degree views, complete with delicious picnic provided. We can also offer horse riding and even cooking lessons from a Spoleto chef who will teach you how to prepare a meal based on local ingredients, (you can agree the menu together), which you will then eat with superb local wines.