Villa in Serra Alta, in a former Convento

Please note: this property has been recently repainted inside and outside (May 2023), with a refresh/restyling of the furniture in the main villa: new modern double beds, modern furniture is some of the bedrooms and living area.

The villa is a former medieval convent converted in charming dwelling with pool, surrounded by silvery olive groves on the top of a hill. It is the ideal place to spend a holiday with the family in the heart of Umbria, in deep contact with nature and history, feeling the mystical atmosphere of the property.

The main villa accomodates up to 8 people, the nearby guests house has 2 independent apartments, each one can accomodate 4 people. The entire property sleeps up 16. Renting just the villa, the guests will have in any case the exclusive use of the entire property and the pool.

LOCATION

The famous town of Assisi, with its patron Saint Francis, revered around the world, is just 15 minutes driving distance. This is the Wine and Oil district of Umbria, where the best wines and excellent extra virgin oils are produced.

Important Umbrian cities and places of interest like Perugia, Spello, Bevagna, Spoleto, Gubbio, Todi, Trasimeno Lake, are around 15/40 minutes driving distance.

At easy walking/driving distance there is a small village with basic shops (a small but complete minimarket with bar, green grocery, butchery and bakery). The villa is 5 kms (3.1 miles) from Foligno, with larger supermarkets and shops. Foligno is a fascinating city of art, history and culture. It offers many attractions for visitors, restaurants, museums, parks, monuments and cathedrals. 

In Foligno there are historic and artistic events throughout the year including historic pageants, art festivals, and food festivals. At easy driving distance is one of the most beautiful Abbeys in central Italy: Abbazia di Sassovivo. Guests of Villa Il Convento can also reach the Abbazia on foot through the olive grooves. There is a large variety of nature walks to experience directly from the Villa.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VILLA

The villa reflects in the authentic decorations and furnishings, the local traditions, the history of Umbria and the personal taste of the owners.

It still preserves some of the original features: large fireplaces, arches, exposed wooden beams and uneven terracotta floors, with some modern touches like the large contemporary kitchen in the main villa and the style of the guest house, that has been recently restored and renovated. The ancient wooden doors have been preserved and restored and guests can still admire medieval nooks on the stone walls.

The villa is on two levels. The main entrance hall consists of a beautiful cloister that serves as a point of connection between the various parts of the house. This is the original cloister, where nuns used to meet and pray together, centuries ago.

To one side is the large kitchen renovated in 2020, with contemporary and functional furniture. This area of the Villa provides direct access to the garden once used as vegetable garden by the nuns', which is now enjoyed as a spacious garden for outdoor dining, with tables that can accommodate up to 20 people, a big hammock, barbecue; this area is shaded in the first part of the day. The kitchen also leads to the laundry and ironing room.

On the other side of the cloister is the living area of the villa. It is very spacious and consists of a dining room overlooking the pool, a second and smaller kitchen with access to a characteristic stone cave (perfect for storing wine bottles), the billiard room, a corner sofa with television, a reading room, a small bathroom and an elegant living room with a fireplace.

There are some dining tables in the villa, one of them can accomodate up to 12 people, another one (on request) in the main kitchen, can be exceptionally prepared to accomodate up to 20 people, for events or large groups.

From the living room a staircase leads to the first floor which is dedicated entirely to the sleeping area. It consists of three double bedrooms (2 queen size beds and 1 king size), two single bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, one with a walk in shower, and a second bathroom with a bathtub.

In the villa there is a little cave carved into the rock which is now used as wine cellar. Here it is is possible to see the beginning of an ancient underground passage-way that has been closed in the past century.

According to legend, the secret passageway connected the Convent to the Benedictine Abbey of Sassovivo a few kilometres away, and was used for secret meetings.

Due to the very thick stone walls, Villa Convento doesn't need air conditioning in the hottest months. Fans available.

GUEST HOUSE

The villa has a nearby guest house, 30 meters from the main building: a lovely country house inside the same garden and pool area. The guest house has its own outside sheltered dining area. It has been recently restored - new bathrooms and kitchenettes, new beds - and tastefully furnished with a modern and simple style with elegant touches. The dependance consist of 2 independent apartments, one of the ground floor and one on the first floor. Each apartment consists of a dining room/kitchenette, two double bedrooms and a shared bathroom with walk in shower.

The apartment on the ground floor has mosquito screens on the windows. The apartment on the first floor has Air Conditioning (70 euros/week, on request, payable locally).

The dependance hasn't the washing machine, the main villa has one in the laundry room.

GARDEN AND POOL

In the beautiful well-kept park surrounding the villa is the large swimming pool (6X 12 metres), where guests can admire amazing sunsets and an open view overlooking the entire Umbrian valley and the mountains on the other side. The villa enjoys a secluded location on top of the hill. The park has multiple sitting/lounging areas with umbrellas to enjoy dining alfresco, sunbathing or just to take in the view and spectacular sunsets.

Just in front of the main villa there is the outside dining area: a smaller garden surrounded by low walls, with a spacious table and an umbrella, 2 smaller tables on the corners, a barbecue and a large hammock near the rose bushes. This garden is shaded by the villa in the first half of the day.

The outside dining area can accomodate up to 16 or more people, adding the other tables that are in the park. 

This garden has a low wooden gate for the safety of children, such as the main doors of the ground floor.

The villa has a beautiful night lightening with lights at the buildings facades, led lights around the pool and light spheres in the garden, this makes the atmosphere even more magic.

The garden is completely fenced.

(*) RENTAL RATES minimum stay 1 week 

Villa, up to 8 guests

Peak season (July & August) € 4200

High season (June & Sept): € 3600

Medium (May, Xmas/Easter): € 2700

Low season (rest of the year): € 2200

Villa + dependance, up to 16 guests

Peak season (July & August) € 6000

High season (June & Sept): € 5500

Medium (May, Xmas/Easter): € 4400

Low season (rest of the year): € 3800

Includes 

 • Welcome pack and toiletries • Linens and bathrooms change once per week • Utilities (except for heating) • internet wifi

Does NOT include 

 • Cleanings, 250 euros/week for the villa, 350 euros/week villa + dependance. It includes final cleanings, complete cleanings each Saturday for reservations of 2, 3 or 4 consecutive weeks, quick mid-week cleanings

• Heating, if used, is metered and payable locally • extra services (cooking service extra change of linens and towels, extra cleanings) on demand

 • Air Conditioning in the apartment on the first floor of the dependance (70 euros/week, on request, payable locally)

AMENITIES:

Wi-Fi Internet in the villa, guest house and the garden

Swimming pool (6 X 12 metres)

Billiard room

Outdoor dining and lounging furniture for a large group of guests, up to 20

Television with satellite channels

Washing machine - Dishwasher

Barbecue - Wood Stove

Private parking inside the property

Air Conditioning in the apartment on the first floor of the dependance 

ROAD

The free motorway (E45) access is just 5 minutes driving distance from the villa, from there guests can easily reach the main cities and attractions in Umbria and central Italy. From the motorway, there is a paved country road that leads to the countryside, it becomes unpaved reaching a few houses (pay attention, it is recommended to surround the houses passing on the left, because the road passing through the houses becomes too narrow. After the few houses (Serra Bassa village), turning on the right, the unpaved country road leads to Villa il Convento in a few minutes. It end at the Villa. The unpaved country road is quite narrow but large enough for cars and minivans.

DISTANCES:

The small village of Uppello: Less than 1 km (easy walking distance)

Free Motorway: 4 kms

Perugia Airport: 20 Kms

Rome Airports: 180 kms

Train station: 4 kms

Foligno 5 km

Spello 10 km

Assisi 22 km

Trevi 14 km

Bevagna 15 km

Montefalco 17 km

Perugia 38 km

Gubbio 64 km

Spoleto 30 km

Terni 61 km

Todi 70 km

Orvieto 105 km

WHAT TO ENJOY DURING YOUR STAY...

ART, (GASTRONOMY/FINE CUISINE), TOURS, NATURE, SPORTS, CULTURE, RELAXATION

·International Art festivals:  The most important are the "Giostra della Quintana" historic festival in June and September, the "Segni Barocchi" festival in September, and the "Primi d'Italia" pasta festival in September.

· Antique markets (the largest is in Pissignano)

· Wine Tours in the vineyards and cellars

· Active Days (guided or self-guided walks/hikes in the surrounding forests - cycling - river rafting - hiking, free climbing etc.)

· Bike riding (cycle lane from Spoleto to Foligno)

· Horseback riding

· Truffle Hunting Excursions followed by lunch including truffles

· Classic City Tours in Umbria and Tuscany

· Cooking Classes in the villa

· Gourmet Tours (which include olive oil, cheese, cereals, and cured meats)

· Winter fun (snow rackets, trekking/cross country skiing) in the mountains

· SPA (an easy driving distance from the villa)

· Foraging Excursions followed by tastings (mushrooms, asparagus, edible flowers and wild herbs);

· Especially suitable for children (Pizza making, Truffle hunting with dogs, Riding with donkeys in the mountains followed by a picnic, Farm visits, an outdoor adventure park and more).

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