About Us:
We fell in love with Italy eight years ago after deciding to have a break from France and went to Umbria. On the journey there, we stopped for a drink and some lunch at a small road side restaurant catering mostly for truck drivers and workmen, and instantly fell in love. There among the olive trees and gardens we found a strange mix of smart business men in typical Italian style and truck drivers, who incidently still looked stylish, as well as builders and general workers all enjoying the most incredible food and wine in the sun.
Instantly there was a sense of calm and relaxation - to be sitting in the prettiest restaurant with beautiful trees and dappled sunlight around us. Every year from then on, Sally and Graham Feary and our two sons, Tom (16) and Sam (12) have visited either Umbria or Tuscany for our summer break. Its very family orientated with different generations of the family all going out together for dinner and at midnight, children, teenagers, mums, dads and grannies are milling around in the piazza still.
The lifestyle captivated our family so much that we began to look for a more permanent connection to the country. And it was a search that led up a bumpy (and muddy) road to the door of Casa Fontanelle, an old, hillside farmhouse, about 20 minutes by car from the Umbrian capital, Perugia. It was love at first sight but it wasn't a seduction by sunlight, for Italy was in the grip of a severe winter at the time.
The farmhouse was derelict but we felt straight away that there was something special there. The views were so peaceful and, as anyone who has renovated a place will know, gut instinct sometimes tells you that it's right.
With the help and guidance of a highly qualified English architect (living in the area), Casa Fontanelle has emerged from the ruins and we now have a six bedroom, four bathroom, Italian farmhouse complete with an infinity swimming pool (one built on a slope so that it appears to go on forever). We've added a lot of luxury fittings using local marble in the bathrooms and furnished it in a mix of modern and traditional style. The house sleeps 12 comfortably as it's very large, but it does mean that there is plenty of space if groups of friends or families want to go on holiday together.
It's not difficult to enjoy life in Italy but the area around Casa Fontanelle is particularly rich in things to see and do. Read our 'things to do' section. The region is the geographic centre of the country and is known as "the green heart of Italy". The “green” refers to the fact that Umbria is farming land. It is more agricultural than its neighbour, Tuscany, with more undulating rather than rolling hills and far more cultivated land. Of course, there are the olive and cypress trees – and vines – but the region is more highly concentrated in agriculture than others around it. There are stunning views from the house and we’ve tried to make the most of them. You go from the kitchen into the dining room, through to the lounge into the gardens and pool. The spaces flow into one another - and .if you need any further temptation, there’s a vineyard behind the house!
We should also mention that we run a travel agency in England for the last 20 years, so we think we know a thing or two about organising holidays and of course we have all the licences through our company - ABTA bonding, IATA licence and ATOL financial protection. We like to think that we have covered every item to make your holiday as comfortable and as trouble free as possible. We also have someone to meet you when you arrive and help organise things if required. Jane is English but has lived in Italy for more than 12 years so she can sort out any problems if they arise and book restaurants - we want to take all the hassle out of going on holiday.
So if you would like a change to the hussle and bussle of life and find somewhere that has not been overtaken by tourists (an English voice is rarely heard in this area) then try Casa Fontanelle and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of a natural environment.