Imagine a charming Italian hilltown in the green heart of Italy. Now imagine a house on the edge of the town with a terrace and garden open to the magnificent view over rolling hills to the mountains beyond. Welcome to La Foglia nel Borgo! A relaxing cottage style house full of rustic charm yet just around the corner from the heart of Otricoli with its restaurants and other amenities. There is plenty to see nearby; Rome, Orvieto, Viterbo, Umbria and more are all easily accessible by road or rail.
La Foglia nel Borgo offers you all the rustic charm of an Italian country house, complete with outdoor dining terrace, garden and magnificent views over the surrounding countryside. But as soon as you leave the garden gate you are in the heart of the small town of Otricoli with its restaurants, shops, bars etc, meaning you can easily access everything you need by foot. Despite its vintage atmosphere the house is well equipped with modern amenities like wifi, HD TV and aircon throughout.
THE HOUSE
The house itself is cosy and well proportioned, a typical Italian village house, with thick stone walls, wooden beams and a vaulted ceiling in the kitchen. In days gone by the house was used by the local country folk as a place to leave their best shoes. Having walked into town in their muddy boots they would clean their feet here and then proceed to church in their good shoes!
From the outdoor terrace you enter through large double doors into the combined dining and kitchen area, complete with a comfortable sofa. The kitchen is fully equipped with an oven, dishwasher, coffee maker, and everything you’ll need to prepare and serve delicious meals.
From here you can access the bathroom and the bedroom which also connects to the outdoor terrace via double doors. The bedroom features a double bed (160x200cm) and an aircon unit.
Upstairs is a light drenched living room with two huge arched windows overlooking the stunning view of rolling hills and mountains beyond. In here you will find a comfortable sofa, armchair and a single sofa bed, as well as a 4K smart TV and a collection of books and games which you are very welcome to browse during your stay.
In decorating the house we aimed to keep the atmosphere relaxed and welcoming, combining antique and vintage furniture and decor with a few modern pieces and a touch of quirkiness too! While the bed, linens and sofas are of course brand new, we made a conscious effort to source many of the other items in the house from vintage or antique shops, which both gives the house character and reduces our impact on the planet’s resources.
THE GARDEN
The feature that really sets La Foglia nel Borgo apart is of course the terrace and garden, which is something of a rarity in compact and historical hilltowns like Otricoli. When you enter through the garden gate you are suddenly in another world! There’s a broad terrace with a dining table, chairs and bench. Umbrellas provide shade and there’s even a small barbeque. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy a home cooked meal, a morning coffee or a glass of wine, even in the colder months.
From the terrace a small flight of steps takes you down to the garden area, with a bench under the lemon tree, small lawn and flowers buzzing with bees and butterflies. Despite the garden’s small size, there’s always something in bloom and usually something that smells delightful. Relax on the bench and admire the view, or sunbathe with a book, your choice!
OTRICOLI
Beyond the garden gate the small town of Otricoli has a lot to offer. In Roman times the city of Ocriculum was an important river port for the olive oil produced in the region, and you can visit the ruins of Ocriculum directly below the town centre. There are some pleasant walking and biking trails through the ruins and surrounding area. The historic centre of Otricoli is fun to explore, you can see where past inhabitants recycled stonework from the Roman town in their own buildings. There is also a small museum with some finds from Ocriculum.
Although Otricoli is a quiet town with quite a small population it is well known locally for its excellent restaurants. There are at least 4 restaurants, all of which are quite highly rated, drawing people in from the surrounding area. You’ll find a fish restaurant, pizza, local dishes, top quality cheeses and meat at a range of price points. Some of the restaurants are open Friday to Sunday, but at least one is open all week. As well as the restaurants Otricoli has a bar gelateria and an array of small shops including bakery, groceries, butcher, pharmacy and a bank with ATM. There’s also a weekly market. In the countryside around Otricoli there are a number of wineries, as well as places to buy locally made produce.
Like most Italian towns and villages Otricoli clings to its traditions so every so often the tranquillity is interrupted by lively village festivals, especially in the summer months. Every year in May the ruins of Ocriculum return to the year AD168, for 3 days hosting a reconstruction of Roman life, games, dances and rituals not to be missed! October sees a similar event, dedicated to the Roman legionaries.
PLACES TO VISIT
Otricoli is perfectly located as a base for exploring the local regions of Umbria, Lazio and further afield. In just 10 minutes by car you reach the A1 Autostrada, the motorway connecting Rome, Florence, Naples and beyond, Rome is about 45 minutes away by car, or, even better, you could drive 20 minutes to nearby Orte station and take the fast train to Rome which takes only 30 minutes. Both Rome airports are around 1 hour away too. The historic towns of Orvieto, Viterbo, Civita di Bagnoreggio, Spoleto, Todi and Tivoli (Villa D’Este and Hadiran’s Villa) are all 1 hour or less by car. Lake Bolsena, Lake Piediluco and the spectacular Marmora Falls likewise. If you want to visit the renaissance gardens at Bomarzo, Bagnaia or Caprarola they are all about 30 minutes away by car. The charming medieval town of Narni is just 15 minutes away, which also offers some splendid walking or cycling trails along the Gole del Nera river trail.
If you’re interested in travelling a little further here are a few more distances: Perugia 1.15, Lido di Tarquinia (beach) 1.10, Assisi 1.25, Siena 1.50, Arezzo 1.40, Florence 2.15
A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
We recommend guests come by car as public transport is limited and a car will allow you to explore beyond Otricoli. There is EV charging available in the town about 200 metres from the house. There is free parking close to the house, about 20 metres away.
The steps up to the living room are a little steep and the garden has some unprotected drops of about 1 metre. For this reason we cannot accept children under 5 years old.
The garden and outside areas are not a sterile environment. You will meet insects there, you will meet lizards and geckos, you will meet the local cats and the neighbour’s chickens, so if that’s not your thing, you have been warned. The only insects we don’t welcome are mosquitos, and we have an eco friendly trap for those which works quite well. Many of the doors and windows have insect screens to make sure the actual house remains insect free.
It’s an old building and as such has a few imperfections in the walls, but rest assured the house is always clean, tidy and well maintained.
Pets are welcome but please check our house rules before booking.
We do have neighbours and we ask guests to be respectful and limit outside noise at night and in the hours directly after lunch when people may be resting.
Please also check the photos of the bathroom and note that for space reasons the shower is located in the middle of the floor. After showering you will need to take a moment to dry the floor.
