Elegant, cozy, and distinctive, Il Palombaro (The Dovecote) has been lovingly restored, retaining its original charm and adding the most modern comfort, amenities, and convenience. When you come up the road, you will see a place that could be on the front cover of "House Beautiful." Surrounded by dramatic terraces and artist-designed gardens, the house sits on a hill with views of a peaceful countryside-farmhouses, vineyards, olive groves, woodland edged with wildflowers, and rich pastures. Il Palombaro is a personal house, with a special charm and lots of room for you to feel the peace and pleasure of your Italian adventure.

Il Palombaro is private but close to all the things you need to make your stay in Italy pleasant and enriching. Art and spiritual journeys are part of the joy of this region. From the house, you can easily reach world-famous art cities featuring works of Piero della Francesca - Arezzo, Perugia, Sansepolcro, and Monterchi-and works of Giotto in Assisi. From the house, you can visit all of the major Franciscan pilgramage sites as well as a score of Umbrian and Tuscan hill towns-Cortona, Perugia, Gubbio, Montone, Siena. Most are close by, and none is more than an hour and a half away. If you want to go farther, Rome, Orvieto and Florence are easy train rides from a main station. Because this was a border territory in the old days, striking castles are visible on drives around the region.

In the valley and nearby towns, starting just 10 minutes from the house, you will find characteristic restaurants featuring Umbrian cuisine and fine Italian cooking. Nearby Città di Castello also has top quality restaurants. The variety of fresh produce, cheese, and prosciutto as well as fish and meats all make cooking at home a delight. In the autumn, harvest festivals abound in Umbria-chestnut, wine, mushrooms, and even more.

Guests can use the beehive wood oven-perfect for homemade bread and pizza or for feasts prepared, if you wish, by a delightful partnership of Italian and American cooks justly well known in the Niccone Valley. Kids of all ages will want to try the friendly gelati places in Umbertide and decide which is their favorite.

Lake Trasimeno with swimming and good fish restaurants is nearby. If you are a serious walker, the region is filled with fine hiking trails and good but easy mountains; this house is near 5E, one of the side trails of the European hiking network. Or you can take short walks in the woods right out your front door. A horseback riding stable nearby offers guided rides over the hills. And--how long has it been since you have really seen the stars? The relative lack of ambient light and the hill location makes this a wonderful house for star-gazing. The closest neighbors of this house run an alpaca farm with llamas also, and the animals are quite friendly.

Il Palombaro features a large, excellently equipped family-style country kitchen opening directly onto a terrace, for indoor or outdoor dining with an enchanting view. In the dining room, an antique table seats up to ten. Guests can also gather in the living room around a rustic stone-hearth fireplace. Hand-painted tiles add a folkloric touch to modern bathrooms: a powder room and two full baths-one with shower, one with jacuzzi. There are three double bedrooms, as well as a sitting room with a double sofa bed. The house comfortably sleeps 6 people; a baby crib is also available.

This house, inviting at every season, is available in spring through early June, in fall after late August, and in winter for holiday reunions. In the spring, Il Palombaro is surrounded by lovely wildflowers, and there's wild asparagus above the house. The house has modern zone heating if you are taking a vacation during the cooler months. While beautifully situated in the country, the house is close to shopping and sightseeing. The nearest town, Umbertide, has an open-air market and well-stocked supermarkets, as well as little friendly shops where you will feel very welcome. When you arrive at Il Palombaro, a charming English-speaking woman helps you get settled. In the house, a wide variety of guidebooks, maps, general information and brochures are available for you to browse, and there is an eclectic library, including Italian literature in translation and works to inspire you about Italian culture.