Price	Starting from € 7000 per week (more information)	Price on request.
Sleeps	12
Bedrooms	6
Bathrooms	6
Accessibility	The house is on different levels.
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La Selva Christmas

This spacious villa sleeps 15 in glorious comfort, making it the perfect place to gather family and friends for Christmas and New Year celebrations

La Selva sits on wooded slopes surrounded by vineyards in this particularly lovely corner of Umbria. Tucked into a rural landscape and yet close to a collection of some of Italy’s most precious hilltop towns, such as Todi and Orvieto, it’s a place that’s blanketed by stars and full of Christmas magic.

The accommodation spans the main villa, with five double en-suite bedrooms, and the garden guest house, which has a large en-suite double on a mezzanine above a sitting area. There’s a delightful combination of space and privacy – from little private nooks for bookworms to the long dining table for everyone to gather at. The beautifully proportioned rooms are full of colour and character, and you’ll be warm and cosy thanks to the under-floor heating. There’s a fireplace, too – perfect for Father Christmas deliveries as well as extra warmth as you break into the panettone. Or light the firepit outside and stay warm as you stargaze.

Good food is integral to Umbria and La Selva’s kitchen is expertly equipped. There are two ovens and, as importantly, two dishwashers for the absence of hardworking elves. If you’d rather be partying than paring parsnips, we can arrange a trusted private chef for your entire stay or perhaps for a one-off celebration. And with good food comes delicious wine - the house is not far from Montefalco and Bevagna, famous for their oak-aged Sagrantino wines, the lighter Rosso di Montefalco, and Grecchetto, a fresh white.

Italians really do know how to make Christmas magical. The house can be sustainably decorated, meaning it will be full of wonderful foliage, from the door wreath to the tree that we’ll plant outside afterwards. If you can bear to tear yourself away from La Selva’s cosy loveliness, head to the twinkly lights of the surrounding towns to listen to world-class music – catch the Winter Jazz Festival in nearby Orvieto, or a service at the breath-taking Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi, and to visit the restaurants, Christmas markets, museums and galleries of places such as Todi and Perugia. A festive supernova!

Rooms description

Bedrooms

There are three spacious en-suite bedrooms on the first floor, and one on the split-level floor, all with high, beamed ceilings and traditional cotto floors. Downstairs is a smaller en suite double with a resin floor. The sixth bedroom is a delightful space with an exposed stone wall on a mezzanine level in the garden guest house. All the beds have luxurious memory-foam mattresses and are dressed with beautiful, cool, comfortable, coloured linens. Original Moroccan Berber rugs decorate the floors. These are bedrooms that you will dream about long after you have returned home.

Bathrooms

All of the bedrooms have en-suite shower rooms with high-performance fixtures and fittings.

Kitchen

The sleek kitchen design includes a resin floor and a long island that accommodates Smeg appliances: a dishwasher, two ovens and a five-burner gas hob. The wooden units are modern yet rustic while the deep butler’s sink was salvaged from the original farmhouse. Guests’ needs are looked after with an ice maker, a wine cellar and a high-end coffee machine. The clever layout means the kitchen looks over the sitting room, enabling whoever is cooking to be part of the social picture while having plenty of space for culinary creativity. Open to the kitchen and the sitting room but within its own space is the dining area. A long, oak dining table made by a local carpenter takes centre stage, while the glass Foscarini pendant lampshades overhead add the design magic - their strong olive and terracotta colours reflecting the surrounding landscape. The beautiful wooden dining chairs with their coloured seats that subtly unite the space are by another young Italian brand - Miniforms.

Living rooms

The ground-floor sitting room is beautifully proportioned and a couple of steps lower than the kitchen. Two sets of French windows lead to the veranda and views across the garden to the valley beyond, while a fireplace with a fabulous copper flue offers a functional focal point. Fireside seating and comfy sofas and chairs are matched with coffee tables made from the salvaged window shutters of the old farmhouse. Puglian lamps with handmade shades, Sicilian ceramics, and modern art by Giuliano Cardella, all in rich, deep colours, add character. On the first floor there is a spacious, open-plan library, TV and study room that leads out to the upstairs terrace. A local carpenter made the bookcases while the Petite Friture Vertigo pendant lamp adds flair.

Other rooms

The garden guest house overlooks the pool and includes a ground-floor kitchen, bathroom and sitting room, while upstairs there is a large mezzanine double bedroom. Beautifully decorated in white linens with lots of green plants it's perfect for those who want a calm space away from the main house.

Facilities

Cleaning

2 mid-week cleanings on Mondays and Thursdays + final cleanings. Linen change weekly for stays longer than a week

Amenities

private pool, pool heating, air conditioning, dogs allowed, floor cooling, nespresso machine, sonos music system, hob/stove, oven, fridge, fridge with freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, iron+board, satellite TV, television, wifi, central heating, cot, high chair, barbeque, wine cellar, hairdryer

Accessibility

The house is on different levels.

Outside

La Selva sits in half an acre of lawned garden, surrounded by fruit and olive trees. With a wooded slope behind and stunning views all around, the property is 500m from the nearest road, making it private but not isolated. For al fresco dining there is a veranda at the front of the main house and another with a BBQ, next to the heated pool (12mx4m). Please note that the villa is accessed by a 'white' gravel road. There's rarely more than one tractor a day that uses it, ensuring guest's can enjoy the peace and quiet of this beautiful spot.

Notes

There are three extremely comfortable single beds available which can be placed in any of the bedrooms in the villa, or on the ground floor of the guest house. These are available on request and at an additional cost. Complimentary soap, shampoo and shower gel that is produced locally from organic essential oils is available at this property.

Availability & Pricing

weekly prices

from 8 June 2024 to 14 September 2024	€ 9500
from 14 September 2024 to 5 October 2024	€ 8500
from 5 October 2024 to 21 December 2024	€ 7000
from 21 December 2024 to 4 January 2025	€ 8500
from 4 January 2025 to 17 May 2025	€ 7000
from 17 May 2025 to 7 June 2025	€ 8500
from 7 June 2025 to 13 September 2025	€ 9500
from 13 September 2025 to 11 October 2025	€ 8500
from 11 October 2025 to 20 December 2025	€ 7000

Weekly cleanings: EUR 350
A special Christmas package with decorations and set up trees: EUR 300.
Pool heating and fire place wood included
Baby cot: EUR 75 per week
Extra bed (high quality): EUR 250 per week
Dog: EUR 200 per stay
3 extra single quality beds available for EUR 250 per bed per week
Wood per m3: EUR 75

In House extra services on demand:
Chefs (fine dining, traditional, BBQ, Pizza)
Massages
Yoga & PT
Babysitting
Wine tastings
E-bikes rental
Transfers

Security deposit: EUR 1500 to be paid to SU before arrival as specified in the booking confirmation.
Deposit: 30% upon booking, balance 30 working days before arrival.

Tourist tax: EUR 1,20 per adult per night. Children under 12 are not subject to this tax. To be paid in cash up on arrival.

CIN: IT054022C202030787

Sustainability

For every booking we make on this property, we will plant a tree through our charitable partner, Trees for All.

Arrival & Departure

Saturdays (depending on other bookings) arrival as of 4 PM and departure latest 10 AM.

Leisure & Activities

Activities

Antognolla Golf club, an 18-hole course and one of the best in Italy, is 59km away and watersports are available at Lake Trasimeno (83km). There are lovely walks available directly from the property. The property is in an area known for its wine and guests can enjoy tastings along the Sagrantino wine route that includes Giano, Gualdo Cattaneo, Bevagna, Montefalco and Castel Ritaldi.

Specials

Special Umbria is happy to tailor-make itineraries for our guests, including guided tours, wine and olive oil tastings, massage therapists or yoga classes. We are able to organise a private chef for your entire stay or someone who can prepare traditional, local food when required, such as a welcome dinner the day you arrive, breakfast delivery/preparation and a grocery service. Please contact us directly for rates and availability.

Happenings

The world-famous, annual Umbria Jazz Festival takes place in the first two weeks of July. Previous artists include Diana Krall, John Legend and Lady Gaga. Please ask for more details.

More information

Umbrian festivities

In addition to the fabulous festive atmosphere, Umbria offers a variety of activities to make your holiday season unforgettable. Be moved by beautiful concerts featuring traditional Italian Christmas music inside some of the most glorious buildings on earth, explore the region's renowned art galleries and museums, or simply relax and enjoy the breathtaking views of the Umbrian countryside from the cosy comfort of your luxury rental.

What to do and where to go

The world's biggest Christmas tree in Gubbio Dec. 7, 2024, to Jan. 6, 2025

Gubbio takes Christmas seriously, not least by lighting up the world's largest tree featuring thousands of multi-coloured bulbs that twinkle over the town from Mount Ingrino. Gubbio itself, an ancient medieval town famous for its Roman ruins and historic aqueduct, hosts delightful attractions and events for both young and old. Discover Christmas Land, the fantastic markets, the tree - which was ratified by Guinness World Records as the world's biggest Christmas tree in 1991, 3D images on the façade of the Palazzo dei Consoli, the ferris wheel, the nativity cribs tucked away in the town's pretty streets, and much, much more. (More info)

Concerts and the nativity in Assisi Dec. 7, 2024, to Jan. 6, 2025

At the start of December every year, Assisi and its surrounding villages come alive with the sights and sounds of Christmas and this year will have particular resonance since it is the 800th anniversary of St Francis' first nativity scene.

A rich programme of events combines history, tradition and spirituality with a message of hope for the future, paying particular attention to environmental sustainability. The Town is decorated with Christmas trees and puts on spectacular light displays, Christmas markets, concerts and nativity scenes that offer a moving immersive experience. (More info)

Skating and shopping in Perugia (between end of November and early January)

Perugia’s Christmas celebrations are set to be supercharged this year! The Christmas market, the biggest of its type in Umbria, has outgrown its original location in Rocca Paolina, the university town’s16th century Renaissance fortress, and will occupy the town’s centro storico, spilling down the main street, Corso Vannucci, and into Piazza della Repubblica. Twinkling lights will illuminate the stalls which are the perfect place to hunt for delicious food and drink as well as beautiful artisanal presents. Don’t miss the huge tree in Piazza IV Novembre, nor Italian Father Christmas - Babbo Natale – in Piazza Matteotti. But most impressive of all is the ice rink: the biggest of its kind in Italy, it’s a fabulous figure of eight skate loop around Piazza Italia. (More info)

A Christmas tree on Lake Trasimeno Dec. 7, 2024, to Jan. 6, 2025

Head to the delightful town of Castiglione del Lago and throughout December and into the start of the new year you'll be able to see another of the world’s biggest Christmas trees. Part of the Luci sul Trasimeno festival, the tree is picked out in lights on Lake Trasimeno. A kilometre in length, the tree is made up of 2,450 bulbs that hover just above the water, held up by 5km of cable. Visitors are able to see the tree from just behind the castle tower and can even sponsor a light. For every light sponsored, an olive tree will be planted as a symbol of peace and hope. Guests will find lots of other things to see and do, from a Christmas market to a huge nativity scene. (More info)

Winter Jazz Festival in Orvieto Dec. 28 , 2024, to Jan. 1, 2025

Umbria's Winter Jazz Festival is now in its 30th year and the 2023 programme has 90 events performed by 30 bands and more than 150 musicians. Spread over five days, from 28 December to 1 January, visitors can soak up soul, jazz, gospel and funk from noon 'til night in the delightful Umbrian town of Orvieto.

There are two moments that have always characterised the Winter Jazz Festival. The first is the New Year’s Eve Dinner and the concerts before and after midnight - an excellent augur for a happy new year. While the second is the gospel concert that follows New Year's Day Mass in the Duomo, performed this year at 5pm by the Virginia State Gospel Choir, with the religious songs of the African American tradition now a firm festival fixture. (More info)

New Year's Eve

There is no better place to celebrate the end of one year and the start of another than here in Umbria. The region's towns and cities come alive with fireworks, live music and traditional Italian feasts. Whether you choose to join the local celebrations and have a New Year's Eve dinner in one of the many incredible restaurants, or to host your own party in private luxury at your SpecialUmbria property, you are guaranteed to see in the New Year in style.

The Christmas holiday season in Umbria offers a unique blend of cultural experiences, festive celebrations and a proper switch-off giving you a chance to reflect and reset in this extraordinarily beautiful part of Italy. With one of our luxury rental villas as your base, you can explore all that this stunning region has to offer, creating fabulous memories to last a lifetime.

Surroundings

Location

Click for detailed map

Surroundings

La Selva is tucked away in the hills yet is close to San Terenziano and Grutti, both a five-minute drive by car. San Terenziano has everything you could need for your stay, from local food shops, bars, restaurants and amazing gelato, while Grutti's restaurant is a must for its wonderful local dishes. For a large and easy food shop, albeit without the same charm, you can head to the mall at the exit to the E45, 15 minutes away by car. La Selva is surrounded by olive trees, vineyards and beautiful views of Collazzone and Saragano. Guests can enjoy the privacy and tranquility of the house's location while many of the lovely medieval towns that dot the hilltops of this beautiful Umbrian landscape, including Montefalco, Deruta, Todd, Assisi, Perugia and Bevagna, are under an hour away.

Travel

Air
The nearest airports are: Perugia [PEG] (40 km); Rome Ciampino [CIA] (157km); Rome Fiumicino [FCO] (178 km); and Florence [FLR] (200 km).

Train
The nearest train station to the property is in Todi or Perugia where car hire is also available.

Road
The E45 motorway exit closest to the property is at Collepepe (11km) southbound for Todi and Rome, and northbound to Perugia and Florence.

Distances

La Selva is close to several towns and cities in both Umbria and Tuscany, including: Montefalco / Bevagna, known for their wonderful wines (20km); Todi (22km); Deruta (23km); Foligno (28km); Spoleto (36km); Assisi (38km); Perugia (40km), Rome (138km); Siena (146km); and Florence (187km).

Your villa and Covid-19

To prevent any possible spread of Covid-19 and to enable you to enjoy a safe and relaxing holiday, all our villas are cleaned to the highest standard possible, and according to the latest Italian health and safety regulations.

Perfect hygiene: to ensure an exceptional level of hygiene in all our villas, we’ve worked with our owners to create a Covid-19 villa management protocol. Based on recommendations from the World Health Organisation, and in compliance with current Italian national law, this protocol goes above and beyond our usual rigorous cleaning standards.

Prior to arrival, your villa will have been fully sanitised, including all surfaces, objects, kitchen items, curtains, sofas, throws, pillows, toys, and in and around the pool. You are welcome to ask for a detailed list of the entire cleaning procedure we do after each departure and before welcoming new guests to the property.

The owner of this house has complied with the following standards:

To ensure the necessary information concerning social distancing and the use of masks is available to all guests
To guarantee availability of and accessibility to hand hygiene systems with hydro-alcoholic solutions and soaps in all inside areas of, and pertaining to, the villa
To guarantee cleaning and disinfection of all areas according to national authority guidelines. Further information is available on request
For the swimming pool: to guarantee the efficacy of the water treatments, while respecting legal limits (the parameter for free active chlorine in the pool is between 1.0 – 1.5 mg/l; combined chlorine ≤ 0.40 mg/l; pH 6.5 – 7.5 or equivalent oxygen)
For air conditioning systems: to guarantee the air re-circulation function is switched off and, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, with the plant in off-mode, to clean the air filters of the heating/cooling plants that use heat pumps, fan coils and convectors, at the end of each stay