Lake Bolsena Country Inn Authentic Italy - Lakeside Hotel - Family Lodgings - Green Vacation

Character: Picturesque organic farm with elegant grounds and nice, rustic rooms. Advantages: Affordable; great views of the lake; peace and quiet; nice for walking through the farm and its kiwi plantation (one of central Italy's largest). Location: Overlooking Lake Bolsena, 2.5 km from the village and just under an hour north of Rome and Fiumicino Airport. A perfect stopping-off place on the way to Tuscany. Click here to see the map for Lake Bolsena Country Inn. Size: 20 rooms in three houses on separate parts of the estate. There are singles, doubles, triples and family suites (double room, twin room and shared bathroom). Features: Mini-bar, satellite TV, direct-dial telephone, ceiling fan, private bathroom with hair dryer and shower. Very good restaurant serving local specialties using home-grown ingredients; swimming pool; tennis; horses. Price includes breakfast. Minimum stay: One night. Disadvantages: Rooms are comfortable but simply furnished. No air conditioning but it is elevated and there are always cool breezes off the lake, so it's really not needed. Car needed: Yes.

Here it is: the perfect spot for those who long to withdraw from the 21st century for a few days and retreat to an authentic Italian farmhouse with beautiful views, a restful setting, long quiet forest paths and country roads on which to stroll, fantastic meals prepared with homegrown organic produce, and a friendly staff that treats you like a member of the family. This secret paradise is also in a great location: less than an hour north of Rome, just below the Tuscan border overlooking pristine Lake Bolsena.

This is a fascinating part of Italy: about the only thing it's lacking is hordes of tourists! Easily reached within 30-45 minutes are Orvieto, with its great Gothic cathedral, adorable medieval alleys and superb pottery workshops; the enchanting hilltown of Bagnoregio, reached only by an ancient footbridge; the mysterious Etruscan tombs at Tuscania, Tarquinia and Vulci; Pitigliano, considered by many to be Italy's quintessential hilltown; the spa and thermal waterfall at Saturnia; and Viterbo which, with its many patrician palaces, intact city walls and treasure-trove churches, may just be the best-kept secret in the whole country. And that's only the beginning of the attractions you can enjoy here, mostly without having to share with the multitudes.

The inn is on a 75-acre estate which once belonged to the Spada and Del Drago princes. Surrounding the ancient farmhouse and its beautifully landscaped lawns is a dense privately owned forest with ageold chestnuts and other hardwood trees, interspersed with olive groves and organic kiwi orchards. You can roam to your heart's delight on the property, on foot, on mountain bikes or on horseback, or stroll into the town of Bolsena (about 2.5 km away). Perhaps you prefer a game of tennis, or just to lounge by the panoramic swimming pool with a good book such as Desiring Italy, a fascinating anthology of writings by famous women who loved places just like this.

Guest accommodations here are in three buildings. The main house, Il Gallo, has 11 rooms with sleeping arrangements for two, three, four or five people. The second building, Falconiera, is also a beautifully restored farmhouse. It sits about 450 yards away, atop the hill, affording inhabitants breathtaking views across the lake and valley beyond it. This house has its own swimming pool, plus five rooms which all open onto the terrace and can accommodate two or three people. The third farmhouse, Giardino, is about 2km from the main property. It has its own swimming pool and the best views of all from its windows. In all three houses, the simple rooms are furnished in the same country style and feature satellite television, mini-bar, ceiling fan, and private modern bathroom with shower, courtesy set and hair dryer. At Guardino there is one Family Suite consisting of a double room, a triple room and two bathrooms. The farmhouse is about 200 yards from the barn, where the owners keep horses. You need a car to get to the main building and restaurant.

For this property:
Full Board available on request.
A child 0-5 years old stays free in a double room with its parents.
Prices are based on the room's full occupancy.

Click here to view a sample menu from the restaurant.

Click here for information about private transfers to the property.

Please note that you need a car to stay here.