Castelonchio Owner Interview
Barry and Karen are the wonderful owners of Castelonchio, a villa for 6 and a private pool near Cortona and Perugia; here are their thoughts on how and why they bought the house.
When did you buy Castelonchio?
We had been visiting and living in Tuscany for years when, during a visit to Perugia and Lake Trasimeno, we fell in love with an abandoned farmhouse with its south facing view of the lake and saw its potential.
We bought the house way back in 2001 though the house was in such a sorry state it had to practically be pulled down and built again from the ground up. We didn't get to live in it until 2006 and it was only a couple of years later in 2008 that we were able to welcome our first guests.
The house had been uninhabited since the second world war and was a wreck. We have got to know locals whose family were born in the house and farmed the land many years ago.
What do you most enjoy about letting out Castelonchio?
We enjoy meeting interesting people with whom we are able to share our local knowledge of the area to ensure that they can have a memorable holiday.
There are some wonderful places to visit in the area, like Antica Dogana, an old customs house with lake view dining in the garden. The food is wonderful and it has delightful murals in the indoor dining room.
Transport, be it road or rail is very convenient and close by, giving easy access to lots of historical sites and museums - some of our recommendations are:
- "Le Celle" of Cortona, a Franciscan hermitage of 1211.
- Spello, pink and white stoned medieval town, renowned for its wonderful old paving and floral decorated narrow streets.
- Bevangna, an attractive ancient little town remarkably on the flat!
Have you had any famous guests?
A well known actor from a long running UK "soap" has enjoyed staying with us several times - we won't say who to protect his privacy.
To read more about Castelonchio or book a stay there, visit the main page: Castelonchio
