Monteleone

The house is a truly unique vacation destination located in one of the most charming corners of Umbria. It is a luxurious and romantic residence with its own private 4 season pool, spa and wine cellar perched on a cliff with a majestic view of a fertile Tuscan valley....a private retreat designed for travelers seeking to rest, to explore, and to enjoy the beauty of the area. The home is located in the heart of the town of Monteleone d'Orvieto inside a medieval palazzo that was modified over four centuries and became an elegant noble residence in the 1800's: Its second floor complete with a beautiful terrace, the vaulted stables and underground caves that were used to store local wine and olive oil production, became “Mazzini 31” in 2012 after we purchased it in a state a disrepair. During the process of renovation we discovered its inner beauty as we stripped away layers of wallpaper, paint and plaster to reveal an enchanting combination of wall and ceiling frescoes which span four centuries. With the love and passion that distinguish all of our projects we infused this noble treasure trove with elements of luxurious modern design that transformed it into a unique residence with 21st century comforts and old world charm.

Mazzini 31 is composed of an elegant noble apartment—an apartamento nobiliare-- with terrace, the adjacent stables, and underground caves, all part of a medieval palazzo at the edge of the old town with an incredible vista of the fertile Chiana Valley. The four story building was the home of a wealthy family with vast estates in the area and was reconfigured multiple times over four centuries to meet their changing needs Its current layout is typical of the late 1700’s and features a central grand stairway that gives access to a few private residences, one of which is Mazzini 31. The grand stairway is fully restored with cast iron railings, frescos, and the crest of the Marocchi family which owned the property for centuries visible on the vaulted ceiling. The palazzo is constructed of exposed terracotta brick typical of this area with a carved grey stone entry on Via Mazzini, one of the principal streets of the town. The grand entry hall which showed off the wealth and position of the Marocchi family takes you to the three bedroom residence and terrace on the second floor as well as to the stables which have been converted to a spa/pool and the caves which now house a fully stocked wine cellar both entered on the ground floor.

Terrace & Views

Sitting astride a vaulted brick arch adjoining the kitchen is a dramatic terrace. Built over a charming pedestrian street, the terrace provides a panoramic view of the Chiana Valley. This historic fertile valley was the breadbasket of the Etruscans, the object of conquest by the Romans, and the subject of an engineering project for Leonardo da Vinci. It is hard to imagine a more beautiful spot for enjoying the beauty and serenity of the valley dotted with the quintessential elements of the Tuscan landscape-- olive orchards and vineyards, stone farm houses, and fields of grain. In the distance, the silhouette of Mount Cetona looms. This ancient mountain is the site of settlements dating from 3000 B.C. as well caves in which Francis of Assisi had revelatory visions. Beyond is Mount Amiata, the highest mountain in Tuscany. The terrace features a restored wrought iron railing, terra cotta floor, lounge chairs, and a dining table that seats eight. A sheltering umbrella offers protection from the elements. This beautiful terrace just off the kitchen provides a place to relax on a lounge chair or to enjoy a meal while soaking up the sun, enjoying the gentle breezes from the valley, or watching the sunset over the mountains beyond.

The library was originally the formal dining room of the residence which we transformed into a welcoming entry with comfortable chaises for reading, chatting, and napping. It has a selection of books as well as objects acquired during our travels around the world. The walls are covered with rich, striped frescos and the vaulted ceilings decorated with floral designs both typical of the 18th Century. These creations were carefully restored by skilled local artisans who are descendants of the original artists who worked for the Marocchi family in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s.

Living room & Library

The living room is the largest room in the house and to our surprise its walls had no frescos, probably because they were once clad in elegant silk wallpaper. An intriguing feature of this room are charming pencil drawings on the walls which are clearly the work of the artists who sketched designs as they planned the frescos for the walls and ceilings of Mazzini 31. There is even a caricature of one of the heirs of the Marocchi family who commissioned the artist’s work. In addition, the ceilings are filled with lunettes of imaginary landscapes in frames of pink, yellow, and green that imitate stucco. The floors throughout are made of “terrazzo” tiles typical of the 19th Century in varied colors and complicated patterns that give an eclectic feel to the entire residence. Today the living room blends all these features to provide a vibrant and varied living space with a salvaged marble fireplace, modern sofa, and bold credenza, complemented by precious locally sourced antiques.

Kitchen & Dining

The kitchen combines the square footage of the original small kitchen and the maid’s quarters that were originally adjacent to the formal dining room and connected via concealed doors. We stripped the original plaster from the walls of these rooms and demolished the vaulted plaster ceiling to make structural repairs. Rather than re-plastering, we left all the stone walls as well as the old and new beams of the ceiling fully exposed. In addition to providing a warm space to dine, this treatment shows off ancient and modern elements of the palazzo’s construction. To complement the rustic finishes of the space, we installed modern kitchen cabinets and counters in white lacquer, stainless steel, and quartz. In the modern Italian style all appliances are concealed to offer a clean, elegant 21st Century touch. A rustic farm table with a mix of chairs and three custom chandeliers made from a collection of old plates and dinnerware complete the totally renovated space. The gourmet kitchen is full equipped and will please any ambitious cook. With access to the terrace directly from the kitchen, you can choose whether to eat any meal al fresco or indoors.

Bedroom suites

Mazzini 31 has three large and luxurious bedrooms all with their own private bathroom, All bedrooms have frescoed ceiling and walls, terrazzo tile floor and their own very unique feel. Two of the rooms also have a sitting couch that doubles as an extra twin bed. The work of restoring all the frescoes was daunting and long but the results speak for themselves. Each room has its own distinctive look and feel with, in some cases, frescoes that have been unveiled under layers of plaster, paint and wall covering and are more than 400 years old. IOn some of the walls we found layers upon layers of different frescoes and in restoring them we decided to keep and blend ones from different eras creating a unique effect and blend. As for the rest of the residence we infused the old with daring touches of modern elements like floating colored glass shields concealing wardrobes, classic 60’s italian furniture, custom made marble sinks, modern light fixtures and humorous yet poetic touches that are the trademark of all our renovations.

The price of rental includes gas, water, electricity, Wifi internet, bed linens, bath & hand towels, pool towels, soaps, shampoos and detergents. It also includes final cleaning, 1 midweek cleaning, use of all appliances and equipment. Rents from Sunday to Sunday