Torre Marcella 12
Medieval Lookout Tower and private pool : near Orvieto, Umbria
Nice little touches
- There's a real feeling of connection to history in this tower with its amazing position.
Good to know
- The rooms are all separate so make sure this will suit you if travelling as a family.
Feel like a medieval knight, protected in your tower and with sweeping views of all the surrounding landscape, in this magical historic tower on the border between Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany.
The tower was built in the ninth century as a lookout post to oversee the pilgrims travelling south towards Rome on the Via Francigena, the route to Rome from Northern Europe. By the twelfth-century it was controlled by the knights Templar (Da Vinci Code re-enactment, anyone?) while a few centuries later it was part of the defensive ring of castles protecting the Vatican State. Later yet, in the seventeenth century, it was acquired by the princes of the Spada Family.
Today the tower and its attendant buildings have been transformed into a wonderful place to stay, with an apartment for 2 to 4 in the tower plus 4 independent bedroom suites, plus a large living room/ kitchen space and plenty of outdoor spaces around the pool and in the garden. A great place for family reunions, weddings and even courses, it has plenty of outdoor spaces, wonderful views and lots to explore in the area.
Accommodation
The layout of Torre Marcella is unusual, with a large living room and kitchen in a standalone building, 4 independent bedroom suites in the stone buildings, and a further apartment inside the original medieval tower with its thick stone walls.
The Tower
The tower is striking and it feels quite magical to walk in through a door that is over a thousand years old. The ground floor room has a full-size billiards table in it, in front of a stone fireplace, all under a vaulted ceiling. One floor up there is a sitting room with a large window giving you a view over the garden, pool and landscape. It has a small kitchenette unit in the corner, next to a spiral staircase that leads upstairs to a double bedroom with an ensuite shower-room.
There is a spiral staircase from the double bedroom up to the roof, but this isn't usually open to visitors for safety reasons. Back downstairs a door leads to an attached twin bedroom with its own bathroom, making this tower ideal for a family with kids - though not toddlers. The stairs make this tower apartment unsuitable for those with limited mobility.
Four suites
In the main, lower building connected to the tower, you'll find the remaining four double suites, all with bathrooms ensuite. Between the tower and the suites there is the house where the owner lives, charming Marcella who is great at running cooking courses, helping organise weddings or acting as your private chef. She is a discrete and interesting host.
Living room
In a large and separate building there is a spacious living room, connected to a well-equipped kitchen. The historic importance of the tower and attendant buildings meant that fitting modern kitchens was very difficult, so this gives you an airy, air-conditioned space to all gather, relax, cook and eat together.
Features
Villa Details
- Air Conditioning
- Swimming Pool
- All ensuite
- Wifi
- Free Parking
- Private Pool
- Fireplace
- Barbecue
- Gated Property
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
- 6 Bedrooms
- 6 Bathrooms
- The Tower Has A Double Bedroom And A Twin Bedroom Connected, Both Ensuite.
- The Remaining 4 Doubles Are All Independent.
Kitchen equipment
- American Coffee Machine
- Italian 'Moka' Coffee Maker
- Oven
- Dishwasher
- Fully Equipped Kitchen
Amenities
- Electrical Vehicle Charging Point
- Gated Property
- Free Wifi
- Furnished Outdoor Areas
- Private Pool
What's included
- Pool Towels Provided
Extras
- Winery Tours And Tastings
- Tours, Drivers And Guides Can Be Arranged
- Private Chef On Request
- Cooking Classes On Request
Outdoors
- Private Swimming Pool
- Furnished Outdoor Areas
Nearby Activities
Photos
Where is Torre Marcella ?
Getting here
- Perugia Airport 1hr 15 mins
- Rome FCO Airport 2hr
- Florence airport 2hr
- Pisa Airport 2hr 45min
Around Torre Marcella
The tower is north of Orvieto, which is a beautiful city well worth exploring, as is the rest of this magical area, full of towns built on Tufa outcrops - like Orvieto itself, or Civita di BagnoRegio, or the glorious Pitigliano. Then you have the Lakes of Bolsena and Trasimeno close by, as well as Perugia, Assisi and Arezzo. Head north into the wine regions of the Val d'Orcia, with Montalcino, Montepulciano and Pienza all accessible in around an hour. Head east into the green and forested hills of Umbria, with Todi as a jewel to aim for. Or head south to explore the magical sculpture garden of Bomarzo, a renaissance fantasy sculpted out of the naturally occurring rocky outcrops of the area.
Anywhere you look there is plenty to explore, inclduing plenty of spots that are off the everyday tourist trail, giving an insight into the area that few will see. And when you return home, the umbrella pines of your private garden will shade as you relax in the garden with an Aperol Spritx, perhaps planning next day's adventures.
Nearby Activities
- Castel Viscardo 5 mins or 20 mins walk
- Orvieto 12 min drive
- Montepulciano and Valdorcia 1 hr
- Civita di Bagnoregio & Bolsena, 30 mins
- Siena 1hr 40min
Calendar for Torre Marcella
How to book
Is Torre Marcella perfect for you?
For availability and pricing see the calendar above. If you have any questions or would like help choosing, we visit our properties regularly and can help you choose and book the best villa for your holidays.
We can hold dates for you for 48 hours while you make sure everything lines up, then you simply pay the deposit (30% of total) to secure your booking. The balance will then be due 10 weeks before you travel. You can also add "XCover" to your booking for a full refund if you can't travel.
For more details see our Booking Conditions and XCover. You can add XCover to your booking at any time until you have paid your balance, simply ask your agent.
Worth knowing
Many local administrations now charge a “Tourist Tax” for people staying in rented accommodation and these vary from town to town. The charges are generally per person per night with a maximum number of nights, usually around 5 but sometimes 7, beyond which they will not charge. The charges range between 50 cents to 3 euro. Children are sometimes included, sometimes not and these charges should be collected by the property owners.
Not sure?
It can often be faster to contact us to ask for advice - we visit all the houses so can give you first hand advice based on your wishlist. Once you find a villa you like we can hold dates for you for up to 48 hours while you check flights or make sure everybody is on board.
Any more questions?
Please ring us with any queries - there are a lot of answers in our FAQ page too. If you want to keep searching, have a look at our suggestions below!
Booking Notes
- There is a final cleaning cost of €300 to be paid on site
