In a setting that’s straight out of the movies, this beautifully restored 17th-century stone villa near Spoleto, in the rolling hills of Umbria, is hard to beat. If rustic Italian cuisine, shaved truffles and the grassy green scent of freshly pressed olives after the harvest gets you going, then you need to check your diary now. Gather together your nearest and dearest and head for this gem of a spot, just two hours from Rome.

Surrounded by ancient olive groves and overlooking the old Campello Alto castle and convent below in the Clitunno Valley, Casa di Led embraces the authentic Italian experience year-round, from the flower-filled season of May to the surprisingly good weather months of September and October. It simply oozes with charm and character, making it very hard to leave.

Before long, an idyllic lifestyle sets in, governed mostly by the Italian tradition of riposo (a long alfresco lunch and a lie-down!), endless swims (who can resist that view?) and walks through the olive grove. Jaunts into the village will have you seduced by its charm because all you’ll hear here is Italian … we bet that you’ll arrive for a week and want to stay a month.

What we love
• It combines the best of Italian food, wine, architecture, art and culture, just like its more popular neighbour, Tuscany. Nearby Spoleto draws jazz and opera lovers to the annual music Festival dei Due Mondi in June and July, while others choose Umbria because it is the ‘land of the saints’ or la terra dei santi – St Francis, St Valentine and St Benedict among them.
• This is authentic Italy, especially in September and October when all the locals return after the summer and reopen their restaurants to share their favourite dishes.
• It has a ‘secret season’: October and November see the hills come alive as families head into the olive orchards to harvest with ladders and nets – the valley literally smells of olives!
• From February to May, you can forage for your own wild asparagus…

Need to know
• You’ll find the historic towns of Assisi, Spoleto and Gubbio here, all of which come alive with Christmas lights and festive markets in December. The medieval hilltop town of Trevi is only ten minutes away, and Assisi a mere 25 minutes away – both easy to find on the road connecting Rome in the south and Milan to the north. They enthral with their fresco-lined cathedrals and characterful streets, never mind the irresistible gelato!
• The legendary Camino of St Francis of Assisi passes right by the entrance to the villa. You can do 3-4kms of the same route and be back in time for dinner!
• Download maps.me before you travel. It works offline and shows you all the places of interest in this beautifully photogenic area.
• There’s an antique market on the first Sunday of every month at the Fonti del Clitunno, and on the second Sunday it moves to Spoleto.
• It is possible to arrange transfers, cooking lessons and wine tours.

Review by: Michelle Snaddon