Relais La
Fattoria
Castel
Rigone, Umbria
Painting and review are copyrighted work by Ginda Simpson.
The
medieval borough of Castel Rigone, fortified in 1297, sits 700 meters
above sea level overlooking Lake Trasimeno.
La Fattoria, which simply means the farm, is an
elegant hotel and restaurant with breath-taking views of the lake.
The original structure was built at the beginning of the 17th
century on the ruins of an ancient castle, once stronghold and watchtower
over the valleys of Perugia. Upon
the stones of this former castle, a casa padronale was built to
oversee the vast agricultural holdings of Castel Rigone and Pian di Marte.
Protected from outside attacks, the farm became a popular stopping
place for noblemen and cavalry officers travelling through Umbria.
In
the 1960s, Aldo Pammelati purchased the land and the casa padronale.
Keeping the main house
intact, with the help of his energetic young wife, Lidia, Aldo transformed
the Farm into a hotel-restaurant, revitalizing its renown for hospitality.
La Fattoria is an elegant four-star hotel with thirty
fully-equipped bedrooms, a swimming pool, meeting rooms and a large
banquet hall modernized in harmony with its past.
Lidia has won numerous awards for her cooking, including the
prestigious Oscar della
Cucina. Gabriella and Roberto Pammelati now manage the
hotel/restaurant and they learned well the art of hospitality from their
dedicated parents.
Staying
and dining at La Fattoria is a win/win situation and I highly recommend
the experience. In my case,
it is less than an hour from my home, but makes the perfect getaway.