Montone Rental Apartment in Montone Umbria "Montone Due"

“Yes, Montone’s a sleepy wee town and you have to make your own fun. But after the hassles of everyday life, we revelled in having stillness and calmness forced upon us. Green, rolling Umbria is just the spot for unwinding amidst great natural beauty and a people who believe that food is more than a necessity, it’s an art form. Who could ask for anything more?”
The Scotsman, August 2006. Read the full article

Full Description

Montone Due (pronounced do-ay) is a sunny little house in the picturesque village of Montone, which needs no introduction to Summer’s Leases clients: it’s the perfect blend of a small scale, old fashioned hamlet with a useful smattering of shops, bars and restaurants to supply the traveler’s every need. Medieval Montone is virtually traffic-free, which adds much to its atmosphere of times gone by. The village piazza is wonderfully silent, filled with the buzz of happy humans enjoying their own pace in their own space! Parking is strictly “without the city walls” - but that’s no problem in blissfully crime-free Umbria and you are never more than three or four minutes walk from your own front door. As you sip a glass of wine and soak up the village atmosphere, we guarantee you won’t miss your car! And you can relax knowing it’s perfectly safe.

Montone Due has been refurbished by its new owners to provide a characterful, practical and comfortably cosy house for two. The sitting room is the first room you come to through the front door: to the left are the kitchen units in the picture. They’re brand new and include 4 gas hobs, an electric oven, a fridge with tiny freezer compartment and a dishwasher. To the right are the chairs invitingly arranged around the fireplace. (There’s a wood store in the basement with plenty of logs for warming up those chilly autumnal evenings.) The dining table is at the end of the sitting room, which, with its exposed stone work and terracotta floors show the medieval origins of the building.

Upstairs is the bedroom, with its new solid chestnut furniture, and the small but perfectly formed bathroom. In summer, you’ll probably be spending most of your time on the little wisteria-covered terrace right by the front door. It’s the perfect spot for a leisurely breakfast, a slow lunch or an extravagant evening meal if you aren’t feeling tempted by the excellent local restaurants. A terrace is a rare and wonderful bonus in a medieval village! In front is the neighbour’s vineyard and you are surrounded by the multi-layered houses of the surrounding neighbours. The steeply winding streets of Montone make a pleasant panorama as you lounge in the shade and ponder your next sightseeing trip. Will it be to the Wednesday morning market at nearby Umbertide for sun-drenched fruit and locally produced cheeses for lunch? Perhaps Assisi, the stunningly picturesque birthplace of Italy’s patron saint (an hour’s drive away) will call you. The famous wines from the Lungarotti vineyards at Torgiano are barely 45 minutes away or you may prefer to explore the antiques and furniture factories of nearby Città di Castello and then pop up to Sansepolcro in Tuscany for lunch at the outstanding Fiorentino.

Whether it’s art and culture you are looking for or simply the opportunity to chill out in beautiful surroundings, Montone Due is the perfect choice!

Montone Due was the ideal spot to relax and soak up the country life in this unique area in Umbria. What a great resting place for a couple who want to explore the many special little hill towns and villages that are home to these warm and gracious people of central Italy! It has been a privilege to share a very small slice of their culture. There is so much to see within close driving distance of Montone Due. Church bells ringing; birds singing; no cars in the village; driving past orange poppies and grains blowing in the wind; charming stone buildings and cobblestone streets; the geraniums, luscious herb garden and wisteria covered terrace; quiet unhurried meals with wines that if they were this good and at such a good value at home we would have to work out an extra hour each day to burn off the calories - Montone Due is in the perfect location and it should be featured in Architectural Digest.

Linda and Ron Greenman, Portland.

We were very impressed by Montone Due. The quality of all the furnishings, the fittings, cook wear, bed linen etc were all excellent - we couldn’t fault it.

Montone itself was also a lovely surprise with all the restaurants, plus shops, post office and cashpoint all a stones throw away.

Our final meal at Locanda del Capitano was a real highlight and some of the nicest food we had in our 2 week stay. Particularly because it was a class above basic (but delicious) bistro fare you get at most restaurants. We met the chef owner and waiter and the English lady partner and really enjoyed talking to them and would encourage anyone visiting Montone to eat there.

We found all the local people we met really friendly and chatty.

We’d love to stay again and are very envious!!!!

Hilary Dolamore and Tom Bilson, London SE13.

We had a really excellent holiday. The house was wonderful and contained everything we could possibly have needed. It was spotlessly clean. The village itself was beautiful and the villagers were so welcoming and friendly. We did nearly all our shopping in the small local shops. There was a choice of restaurants in the village for different budgets and styles of eating. The café in the piazza was ideally placed for breakfast, aperitifs, ice-creams, whatever, and everybody in the village was very friendly to us and seemed to welcome our attempts at speaking Italian.

Everything was perfect in Montone and we would really like to return.

Didier Georgeault/Joanna Portman, Antony.

Montone Due is a jewel. Compact and easy to keep; top quality amenities. We found it spotless and ready to go.

Marcia Stone, Indiana.

Beautiful house, everything we needed was thought of and even some we didn’t. Very simple but elegant decor with furniture that enhanced it. Great selection of books, added lots to my amazon request when we got home. Used some of the booklets on places to go, was meant to be a relaxing holiday were we sat around drinking good wine and chilling out, but instead spent most days driving to a lovely town in Umbria, came away with loads of ideas of where to go next time we go to Italy.

Sara + Paul Hardman, Bury.

We had a brilliant time. Beautifully renovated property, just perfect for two. Well equipped with new, good quality furnishings and appliances. We would definitely like to return if time permits.

Montone is a beautiful village in a stunning part of Italy. An excellent location for a self catering as the village can supply all your immediate needs. Will recommend it to everyone.

As owners of a B&B, we know how difficult it is to achieve and maintain such a high standard of accommodation - please pass on our thanks to the owners for sharing their hideaway with us.

Lesley & Alistair MacGregor, Fife.

Simply: All expectations (and they were high) were exceeded. The apartment was beautiful and so thoughtfully equipped. Everything we needed, everything, was there. A note pad in the first drawer I looked, a range of good cookbooks, an extensive collection of guide books, cds, restaurant recommendations and info on the local services, a well equipped kitchen with not just enough for two, but enough for 8. It was also spotlessly clean. Perfect. The village, and the region, were wonderful. A perfect place to spend a week... and if I could, a month, a year. Montone strikes the balance between small and having the necessary facilities. Again, everything we needed was available. A few good restaurants, cafes, a news agent, a few small grocers. The setting was beyond words. I hope to always remember the views across the valley to the mountains 360 degrees around.

We will be back.

I won’t hesitate to recommend ‘Summer’s Leases’ to friends. Thank you.

Rebecca B, Paris.

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