During out drive from Tuscany to Rome we stumbled, randomly, upon an agroturismo online called La Rocca, located in the countryside near the old town of Orvieto. In Italy, an agroturismo is a working farm with guest accommodations. They are ideal for people traveling via car since they tend to be less expensive than accomodations in town, parking is easy (it's a farm after all), and the scenery is usually to die for! Also, your room fee supports the farm, which typically produces the delicious fresh produce and wine sold in the region.
As I mentioned above, we'd only planned to stay for three days, but fell in love with our apartment and the laid back pace of life in the Umbrian countryside. We we were so delighted with our countryside discovery that we came back with Chris' parents after our adventures in Rome, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast!
During our stay, the owners were doing work on the property - mainly improving the already beautiful pool area by the apartments. I recently revisited their website, and they have completely updated and rebranded themselves as Altarocca Wine Resort which encompasses not only their apartments, but a hotel, various restaurants, cooking classes, a spa, and weddings & events. Although we stayed in the apartments, we had visited the resort area for breakfast and a swim but had no idea how comprehensive the rest of their services were!
We'd recommend the apartments in a heartbeat, for the stunning views, the pristine accommodations, the comfortable beds (a rare find in Italy) and the pools set among the vines. We LOVED having an apartment with a full kitchen and spent our days picking up fresh food from the local markets and enjoying our spoils on a private patio overlooking the golden fields surrounding Orvieto.
Here are some pictures from this gem: