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Grand Hotel
Quattro Stagioni
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Grand Hotel
Quattro Stagioni
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There are two main reasons to go to Rieti, a provincial capital in the mountains less than fifty miles east of Rome. One is to ski at nearby Terminillo and the second is to visit the mystical Franciscan hermitages of the Sacred Valley. As famous as they are secluded, as humble as they are monumental, each of these four ancient buildings was associated personally with St. Francis of Assisi. Poggio Bustone was the first he visited, in 1208. It is believed he wrote the Canticle of the Creatures at La Foresta. The Franciscan rules were penned as he recuperated from eye surgery in the stone crevice he used as a bed at Fonte Colombo, also known as The Mount Sinai of the Franciscans. And in 1225, it was at Greccio that the future saint created the first Nativity Scene, using local peasants to personify the Holy Family and its visitors. If The Little Flower were alive today, he would most certainly shun the splendors and riches of Assisi and retreat to his beloved Sacred Valley, perhaps walking across the mountains barefoot to get there.
Your trip can be much easier: just exit the A1 autostrada at Fiano Romano and follow one of the ancient Roman roads, Via Salaria, through some of the prettiest country in central Italy. As you make your way along the base of the Apennines, always keeping snow-capped Terminillo before you, rich farmland alternates with olive groves and hardwood stands as far as the eye can see. This was once the realm of the Sabines, whose women were treated so viciously by the victorious Romans. The first mandatory stop on your route is the Abbey of Farfa, one of the most important medieval monuments in all Europe. During the 10th century, this was perhaps the most powerful parish in central Italy, and the exquisite workmanship of the complex attests to that (even if the monastery now has only four residents!).
Very soon you will come to Rieti, whose ancient nickname was umbilicus italiae (the naval of Italy). Indeed, this charming city is located almost exactly halfway between the north and south, east and west of the boot, just close enough to Rome yet just far enough off the beaten track to be a traveler's paradise. The first thing you'll encounter is the kilometer-long city wall, erected in the 13th century. Tucked inside, at the very center of the medieval and Renaissance part of town, are the 14th-century Town Hall, the 15th-century cathedral, and the ornate Bishop's Palace, which overlooks the multitude of red brick roofs spread out below. Occupying another corner of the same panoramic piazza is Grand Hotel Quattro Stagioni, a stately Renaissance mansion.
Not only can this hotel boast the very best location in Rieti, it also offers myriad historical features combined with all kinds of amenities. Its forty-three rooms, reached by elevator from the elegant lobby, all have direct-dial telephone, satellite TV, mini-bar, air conditioning and private bathrooms with hair dryers. Four rooms have balconies; the suite has a whirlpool bathtub. Every morning a generous buffet breakfast is served in the dining room, and when you return in the afternoon after your spiritual, cultural or sports foray of the day, you'll be glad to enjoy an aperitif in the bar before taking a quick stroll to one of the city's best eateries.
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| Nightly B&B Rates for 2008 (per room) One-Nights Stays OK! |
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| Includes taxes, services & breakfast | |
| Single Room | 77.00 EURO |
| Double Room | 98.00 EURO |
| Triple Room | 120.00 EURO |
| Suite (2 people) | 130.00 EURO |
| Baby Crib | 25.00 EURO |
Outdoor parking is provided free of charge for all guests.
Click here for information about private transfers to the property.
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