While finishing our doctorate degrees in agriculture, Adolfo and I decided to start our own farm. So we bought 50 hectares of abandoned, steep, rocky fields with the ruins of a 15th century farmhouse, near the village that Adolfo's family comes from, and named it Località il Piano! Since 2003 we renovated the old farmhouse in the typical Umbrian style and turned the land into a working organic farm with more than 1,300 varieties of fruit in the orchards, olive groves and vineyards, with a large market vegetable garden, herbs and animals at pasture.
If you want to see what farm life is like, how we make our own cheeses from mozzarella to gorgonzola, and to taste unusual fruit and vegetable varieties, come to Località il Piano! Here you can 'switch off' in our green organic fields and quiet woods. You can help us on the farm, or discover the history and life of Spoleto, Assisi, Perugia, Norcia and other wonders of Umbria. We welcome all guests who are interested in staying on a real farm, walking in the mountains, enjoying fresh air and quiet... those who like the peace of the countryside!
Our farmhouse has been renovated with an emphasis on local tradition and the choice of natural materials. We have furnished it with antique wooden furniture, terracotta floors that we treat with beeswax and we have complemented everything with huge chestnut beams. For our guests we offer 2 spacious apartments with kitchens and a large green space for guests.
Each apartment:
- can comfortably host 4-5 people
- has one very large bedroom with a queen bed, balcony and private bathroom
- the smaller bedroom has two single beds, balcony and private bathroom
- there is a single sofa bed in the living room space
- a baby crib can be added to the larger bedroom upon request.
The two adjacent apartments can be connected to create an accomodation for 10 (+) people.
We produce most of our own food, and have some of it available for sale to guests. The farm has been certified organic since 2004. Fresh mozzarella, grapes, asparagus, artichokes, strawberries, peas, fava beans, apples, olive oil, cherries, lots of eggs and cheese... ask us what's in season and what you can buy directly from us.
Each apartment offers a spacious and well-lit kitchen.
This is a working organic farm which hosts students and volunteers as well as paying guests. Our focus is teaching and learning about hands-on sustainable food production.
So, if you want, you may join us and support us in our work on the farm. You can milk the cows with us, pick fruit or olives, or go picking edible wild herbs. When there is space and time, we will be happy to share our knowledge and experience with you. But you don't have to do anything at all, just simply relax in the shade of the trees and overlook the surrounding hills. You can also wander around the area or sit on the bank of the Nera River.
Our sparsely inhabited valley is a great place to hike and explore. There is excellent hiking and mountain biking nearby on marked trails, as well as quiet green space available for guest relaxation and picnicking.
Many guests also explore Spoleto, which is very culturally active and has a lot of interesting features like Roman ruins, 14th-century castle, and an ancient bridge-aquaduct. We're also within easy day-trip distance of Assisi, Norcia, Perugia, and Rome. We recommend Spoleto's summer music-theater-arts festival events (Festival dei Due Mondi) in June – July (https://www.festivaldispoleto.com/en/).
If you want more tips, don't hesitate to ask us, we'll be happy to help you.
What’s there for children?
This is an excellent place for children! They can run and play fairly freely, as the road ends here and there is no car traffic. Exploration of our fields and orchards and woods is encouraged. Children (accompanied by parents) may come along at chore time, when we milk the cow, feed the pigs, take the sheep to pasture, collect the eggs, etc. A treehouse is available for older children. There is a shallow section of the river where kids can safely wade. We have some toys available for younger children, and on request can loan books.
What’s there for employees?
The tables in the kitchen are large enough to be used comfortably as desks as needed. Most of the time we have medium-speed satellite internet available. It is preferred that guests who plan to use the internet intensively please bring their own internet plan. TIM and Vodafon and 3 have good connection here.