{"id":2956,"date":"2014-05-18T20:01:52","date_gmt":"2014-05-18T18:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rickzullo.com\/?p=2956"},"modified":"2017-06-19T15:44:21","modified_gmt":"2017-06-19T13:44:21","slug":"organic-farm-in-umbria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/organic-farm-in-umbria\/","title":{"rendered":"A Relaxing Stay at an Organic Farm in Umbria"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a>If asked to describe your ideal scene of bucolic Italian bliss, what would it include?\u00a0 How about undulant verdant hills in dreamy soft-focus, banded with rows of grapevines?\u00a0 Cyprus trees lining a meandering road that vanishes into the distant horizon?\u00a0 A rustic dinner table in the open air, abundant with the freshest ingredients that have been coaxed into culinary perfection by local chefs?\u00a0 And the passionate conversation that flows like vino<\/em>.\u00a0 If this description pretty much hits the mark, then you\u2019ll have a very accurate picture of where we were staying last week.\u00a0 Did I mention the award-winning organic olive oil produced on site?\u00a0\u00a0 Seasonal vegetables and herbs from the garden?\u00a0 Homemade organic honey?\u00a0 Sorry, I\u2019ll stop there for now\u2026wouldn\u2019t want to make you too jealous.<\/p>\n The name given to this little preview of nirvana is Il Fontanaro<\/em><\/a>, and it\u2019s a unique organic farm in Umbria (agriturismo)<\/em> perfectly situated on the outskirts of Paciano, near the border of Tuscany and Umbria.\u00a0 The property spreads across 40 lush acres with 2,500 olive trees and a small vineyard of old Sangiovese grapes. \u00a0There are no museums around, but the view itself is all the artwork that you\u2019ll need to gaze upon: a canvas in Earth tones and blue that local Renaissance master Perugino (who died only 5 miles from here) would have been unable to surpass.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While the immediate environs are remote and peaceful, if you have a car, exploring medieval hill towns, Etruscan sites, and the bigger historic cities are all within easy reach.\u00a0 We took two day-trips while staying at Il Fontanaro<\/em><\/a>; one to Cortona, and one to Montepulciano.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n In Montepulciano, we toured the most remarkable wine cellar that I\u2019ve even seen. The winery is called Cantine Redi<\/em><\/a>, and for visual impact, it has no equal.\u00a0 Just a few steps from the main square, Piazza Grande, you\u2019ll find the entrance to the majestic Palazzo Ricci; a hulking Renaissance palace built in the late 1400s. Follow the signs to the equestrian staircase that gradually leads down\u2026down\u2026.and down to the basement\u2014or more like dungeon\u2014where the giant barrels of wine are stored. Don\u2019t let this imposing sight distract you from the Etruscan well, which is also present in the cellar.<\/p>\n The wine is great, too, and I picked up a bottle of their Vino Nobile to go with our tagliatelle al rag\u00fa<\/em> back at Il Fontanaro<\/em> later that night.<\/p>\n So if you don\u2019t have a car or are reluctant to drive, what does one \u201cdo\u201d in the middle of the Umbrian countryside?\u00a0 Well, that\u2019s the good news.\u00a0 At Il Fontanaro<\/em>, there are many options to choose from, including the option of \u201cil dolce far niente,\u201d<\/em> the sweetness of doing nothing.\u00a0 Some of us Americans (myself included) could use a dose of that.\u00a0 Our European vacations are too often reduced to a checklist of famous sites and important museums.\u00a0 Nothing wrong with those places\u2026I love them, too.\u00a0 But if we don\u2019t slow down once in a while and enjoy some country living, then we risk being more tired at the end of our vacation instead of feeling rejuvenated. \u00a0Besides, if you only see the major tourist cities, then you\u2019ve only seen one side of Italy\u2014and perhaps not its best side.<\/a><\/p>\nIl Dolce Far Niente<\/h2>\n