Agriturismo Fattoria di Monticello
San Venanzo, Umbria
All grown on the green hills of Umbria
Agriturismo Fatorria di Monticello is a farmhouse B&B located between Perugia and Orvieto, in the green valley of Umbria, the name given to the region at the foot of Tuscany, a quiet and peaceful place surrounded by green hills, lakes and forests, earning it the nickname 'the green heart of Italy'.
Tuscan farms are also clustered on gentle hills, but those in Umbria are scattered across the mountain ridges, giving them a more secluded and tranquil feel.
After walking for a while along a valley road surrounded by woods, when you begin to wonder if you are going in the right direction, a vineyard and olive grove suddenly appear at the foot of a hill that suddenly opens up. This is the Fattoria di Monticello.
The family farm began in the 1940s. They planted a vineyard and an olive grove on the hills between the valleys and cultivated wheat fields. On the other side of the hills there are barns and pastures for the breeding of cattle and horses. They say they have always given priority to environmentally friendly grazing. 'Monticello' is an Italian word meaning small hills, and the farm, which is actually built on several hills, is quite large at first glance. The agriturismo, where guests stay, is on the highest part of the hill, and the winery and farm buildings are on the hill opposite the vineyard.
Since it is a large farm, you can try many things, not only wine tasting but also olive oil, one of the best products of Umbria, grown in the highlands and carefully hand-picked and pressed. In summer you can also take a course in horse riding.
This agriturismo, unlike other places, is a newly built detached building for the accommodation of guests.There are five small rooms on the second floor. On the first floor there is a restaurant where the locals come to eat. You can also taste simple but hearty dishes made with wine, olives, wheat, vegetables and meat grown and bred on the farm. It is truly the embodiment of the farm-to-table concept.
When the restaurant is not very busy time, they also offer 1:1 cooking lessons. Here, you can cook a menu of your choice with the restaurant's chef, the cheerful Nicoleta, and then eat it for dinner. We decided to make fresh pasta, and we kneaded and made pasta in different sizes, from papardelle to umbrickelli, and cooked them with the sauce that Nicoleta had recommended. We also tried pasta with green pesto made from turnip leaves, which we had never seen before but it was great delicious!
An elderly couple of travellers whom we had met during our stay in Tuscany had recommended that we stay in Umbria. They said we would have a more peaceful and relaxing time. I think they were right. Every single day of our stay here has felt like a Sunday.
Olives of Umbria (Olive)
Umbria is a cool highland area, according to the farmer. This means that the olive trees do not grow very large and the fruit ripens slowly. The harvest is also carefully picked by hand.
However, due to global warming, the temperature in the lower regions has become too high. As a result, the olive trees have grown too tall, and when they are harvested, they are shaken with poles, which also reduces the quality.
That is why he insists: "Umbrian olives are of a different quality!
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