Italy, slower
“Umbria,” says the owner, “is Italy’s best-kept secret.”
It is easy to understand why. The rolling hills are every bit as beautiful as Tuscany’s, the medieval borghi just as enchanting, yet this quieter part of central Italy still feels deeply local and wonderfully unspoilt. Romans escape here for weekends and summers. Trattorias still cook primarily for Italians rather than tourists. And in the villages surrounding Casa dell’Oliveto, English is still seldom heard.
Set among softly folded green hills near Narni, this elegant Italian villa for sale began life as a 19th-century farmhouse before being carefully transformed into a refined countryside retreat. The restoration unfolded slowly and thoughtfully over many years, guided by the owners’ deep affection for the landscape and traditional Umbrian architecture.
“We bought it as a ruin over 30 years ago,” the owner explains. “And when we were finally ready to build, my wife designed the house herself.”
The view that stayed
The story of Casa dell’Oliveto begins, fittingly, with a view.
The owners had travelled down from Milan with friends who were searching for land in Umbria. Another property further down the hill ultimately suited the friends better, but the owners could not let this one go. “I remember saying to my friend, ‘But why are you giving this up? It’s got one of the most beautiful views in Italy.’”
That instinct proved right. Today, the house sits quietly within a deeply rural landscape of olive groves, nocciola (hazelnut) plantations and open countryside, with long views stretching towards Narni – the medieval hilltop town said to have inspired CS Lewis’s Narnia.
Unlike more heavily visited parts of Tuscany, this corner of Umbria still feels authentic and gently undiscovered. “It’s quintessentially Italian,” says the owner. “That’s one of the things we love most.”
Gathered living
Throughout the villa, reclaimed materials and artisanal finishes lend warmth and character without ever feeling overly polished. Terracotta floors, exposed timber beams, aged stone and custom woodwork create interiors that feel tactile, grounded and deeply liveable.
At the centre of the home lies a striking square living and dining room – once the original stable and now transformed into a generous gathering space filled with light. Large doors spill directly onto the garden and shaded loggia with its long views as far as the eye can see.
“We spend a huge amount of time in the loggia and on the shady terrazzo beside it,” says the owner. This covered outdoor living and dining area overlooks the rolling Umbrian countryside and nearby medieval hill towns, with a traditional outdoor pizza oven adding to the easy rhythm of long lunches and slow evenings outdoors. “That’s where family and friends gather. When you’re in Italy, life happens outdoors.”
Beyond a dramatic stone archway sits the bespoke farmhouse-style kitchen, crafted from masonry and solid wood around a large central island. “In winter,” says the owner, “the kitchen becomes very special. Lots of life around the table while cooking happens.”
The home includes four luxurious bedroom suites, each with its own beautifully finished bathroom. Importantly, no bedroom feels secondary. “We designed four equally appealing bedrooms,” the owner explains. “Nobody feels they’ve got the smaller room.”
Upstairs, another covered loggia has become one of the family’s favourite spaces for sundowners. This outdoor space has its own spectacular views across the valley and surrounding hill towns. Gardens envelop the house in greenery, while the swimming pool, sun terrace, furnished gazebo and outdoor shower encourage an easy flow between indoors and out throughout the year.
Olive seasons
Life at Casa dell’Oliveto follows the rhythms of the land. The property’s 70 olive trees produce approximately 70 litres of olive oil each year through a family raccolta – the annual olive harvest that marks the close of summer. Sisters arrive from Zimbabwe and the United States. Pasta boils in the kitchen. Olives are shaken from branches into waiting nets.
“It’s huge fun,” says the owner. “Someone’s cooking, someone’s picking olives, someone’s shaking branches.”
Once harvested, the olives are taken to the nearby frantoio, or olive mill, just three kilometres away. “You sit there with a glass of wine while your olive oil is pressed, then you leave with fresh oil.”
There is an ease to life here that feels increasingly rare. Wild boar move quietly through the valley below. European bee-eaters return seasonally to nest nearby. Nightingales and cuckoos mark the changing seasons. “It’s deeply connected to nature,” the owner says simply.
Quiet authenticity
Although wonderfully peaceful and immersed in the countryside, Casa dell’Oliveto remains surprisingly accessible. Narni Scalo station lies nearby, with fast rail connections to Rome and Fiumicino Airport. The surrounding hill towns of Narni, Amelia and San Gemini offer beautiful piazzas, excellent ristorante and layers of Italian history without the intensity of mass tourism.
San Gemini in particular remains one of the owners’ favourites. “It’s absolutely enchanting. And you’ll find market stalls with Umbrian delicacies, wonderful restaurants, no tourists.”
For those searching for an Umbrian farmhouse for sale, a soulful retreat for sale in Italy, or a graceful luxury villa in Umbria that captures the quieter, more authentic side of Italian life, Casa dell’Oliveto feels remarkably special.
Written by Sally Rutherford
What are the property details?
- Erf size: 4 320m²
- Dwelling size: 424m²
4 bedrooms
5 bathrooms
1 lounge
1 lounge/study with antique fireplace
1 dining room
1 study
- Swimming pool
- Pizza oven
- Double carport
- Borehole
- Irrigation