Panicale - I borghi più belli d' Italia

Panicale is indeed one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. As we were driving up the hill yesterday we were both excited and feeling the pure joy that comes when we visit Umbria. It is so beautiful and has a great feeling of peace. We are going to enjoy the next five weeks trying not to act like tourists!

                                            This is Panicale, but not from our end

Katia, our wonderful lady who manages all the best rental properties in Panicale, met us at the fountain and showed us to our 'home.' It is superb and difficult to explain, best attempt, it is built into the outside ancient wall of a hilltop village only metres from the gate and the piazza. Before the spectacular makeover it would have been an animal shelter, wine cellar or similar.

Our home 'Il Roseto' covers all the ground floor of the wall you can see.

The lounge area and through to the dining area.

The kitchen leads off the dining room

                                      There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms

And this is what really attracted us, a garden that we can enjoy. We don't like eating inside in the summer so this is perfect.

A welcome gift for us. How lovely!

After showing us the apartment Katia then took us around the village and introduced us to the various shop people. This is a very small village that supports its own, using the zero miles principle where possible. We can buy groceries, fruit and vegetables, fresh daily bread, wine and most other needs right here in our village. There is a men's and a ladies hairdresser, a newsagent and a bank. I think the restaurant count is five. Pretty spectacular for a village with a population in the hundreds. Katia said that in the winter only 48 people actually live inside the village walls.

We unpacked and settled in but there wasn't much time as the last night of Jazz by the Fountain (not the correct title) was beginning at 9.30 pm and we needed to have good seats. The way to do that is book a table at a restaurant in the piazza. With help from Aldo at Bar Gallo we had a wonderful night at Il Gallo nel Pozzo where Simone looked after us well. 

The food was spectacular with lovely layers of flavour. A terrine of pheasant, mushrooms and Sicilian orange, this was followed by a pasta, gigli alla Norcina with local sausage, porcini mushrooms and black truffles. I LOVE truffles. Then I finished off with a Sicilian cannoli. Naturally there was a Aperol spritz and some local red involved in the meal.

The seven piece jazz band played non-stop for 2.5 hours and they were great, the female vocalist had a perfect voice for the job. It was after midnight before we got into bed but only seconds before we were asleep.

I nearly forgot to mention the view and the sunset!