"There are some places that are beautiful in photographs, and then there are places where you arrive and immediately think, oh wow, this is actually even better. Tenuta di Murlo was very much the latter."
As soon as we arrived, I was struck by just how large this villa is – Castiglione Ugolino is the biggest property on the estate, sleeping up to 20 guests across the main house and guest house. The main building was once a 13th-century castle and church, and the original chapel is still part of the property today.
What I loved was that the history hasn’t been polished away. You can still feel the age and character of the building in its old stone walls, vaulted spaces and original details, but it doesn’t feel like you’re staying in a museum. It is incredibly comfortable and surprisingly homely for a property of its size. After travelling, we were also delighted to find a light lunch waiting for us: cheeses, charcuterie, fresh tomatoes, and fresh bread. Nothing overly complicated, but everything tasted incredibly fresh. That became a theme throughout the trip – the food at Murlo is simple, seasonal, and deeply connected to the estate.
After arriving at the property, we headed to the Fattoria for a cooking class. We learnt to make pasta completely from scratch – mixing and kneading the dough, leaving it to rest, rolling it out and preparing the fillings. I discovered that making pasta by hand is not necessarily difficult, but it is definitely more work than it looks. I also discovered that I apparently have a talent for making pasta dough unnecessarily hard. Thankfully, our chef was very patient – and hilarious – and somehow managed to turn our various attempts into a rather lovely dinner. While everything was being prepared, we sat outside by the Tree House Terrace with Aperol Spritzes overlooking the estate.
This is one of the memories that has really stayed with me: all of us sitting around the table, laughing about our pasta-making attempts, talking and watching the sun disappear behind the Umbrian hills. It was one of those simple little moments that somehow ends up being one of the most memorable parts of a trip. Then we went inside and ate the pasta we’d made, served with fresh tomatoes, vegetables, and herbs from the estate. It was fresh, uncomplicated and absolutely delicious – the sort of food that doesn’t need to do too much because the ingredients speak for themselves.
The following morning began with breakfast prepared for us at the villa before we set off to explore Murlo properly. One thing I hadn’t fully appreciated before visiting was the sheer scale of the estate. Murlo stretches across thousands of hectares of woodland, fields, olive groves, valleys, lakes and streams, with nine private villas scattered throughout the landscape. And they really are very different from one another. Some of the older restorations retain a very traditional Umbrian farmhouse feel, with rustic interiors and plenty of original character, while the newer projects have a more contemporary aesthetic mixed with antique and traditional pieces. That variety is one of Murlo’s biggest strengths for me.
It doesn’t feel as though the same villa has simply been recreated nine times in different locations. Each one has its own atmosphere and sense of place. At one end of the scale there is romantic Molinella, tucked away beside a stream and perfect for two. At the other is Castiglione Ugolino, sleeping up to 20 and made for a big family gathering or group of friends. Then there are villas such as Caminata, which was one of my personal favourites. Sleeping up to 12 between the main house and cottage, it has that lovely countryside feeling where I could immediately imagine children running around outside while the adults settle in for a long lunch. There genuinely is something for very different types of guests here.
After a morning of villa inspections, we headed to Il Caldaro, Murlo’s restaurant. The food throughout our stay was one of my favourite parts of the experience. Murlo is a working agricultural estate, so the farm-to-table idea isn’t simply something written on a menu. Produce is grown here, and that connection to the land comes through in the food. Lunch was generous, fresh and wonderfully unfussy – exactly the sort of Italian food I love. Nothing felt overworked; it was simply good ingredients, cooked beautifully. We also tried one of the estate’s rosé wines, which I liked so much that I bought a bottle to take home and have with my partner. I think that probably says more than any tasting note could.
After lunch, I had another first: truffle hunting. Before setting off, our truffle hunter explained how the dogs are trained, what they search for, how to recognise and handle a truffle, and why their value can vary so much. Then we headed into the countryside with him and his dog. It was one of those activities that doesn’t feel like an organised ‘activity’ once you’re doing it. We were simply walking through the estate on a warm afternoon, surrounded by woodland, watching the dog work and learning as we went.
There was something wonderfully slow about it. No rushing, no real agenda, just walking through the trees and waiting to see what the dog might find. As a truffle lover, I obviously loved seeing where they actually come from, but I also really enjoyed learning about the relationship between the hunter and his dog. For the dog, searching isn’t a chore – it is essentially a game and a walk with his person. There was something really lovely about watching the two of them work together.
Later that day, we learned more about the family and the estate’s extraordinary history. The same family has cared for Murlo across generations, but its history stretches much further back. Evidence of settlement dates to around 1000 BC, and over the centuries the land passed through Etruscan and Roman hands. The family’s present-day castle even stands on the foundations of an ancient Roman villa. What interested me most, though, was what is happening at Murlo now.
The family is gradually breathing new life into the old buildings scattered throughout the estate, restoring them as villas while trying to preserve the landscape and the place’s character rather than changing it beyond recognition. And you really do feel that. Murlo doesn’t feel manicured to within an inch of its life. There are forests, valleys, streams, wildlife and enormous stretches of countryside where you can walk without seeing another person. It has a slightly wild quality that I loved, as though the landscape has been allowed to remain itself rather than tidied into something too perfect.
That evening we returned to Castiglione Ugolino, where our chef prepared a five-course dinner for us in the villa. Being able to sit around the table while dinner was being prepared made the whole evening feel wonderfully relaxed and personal, more like being looked after in someone’s home than dining in a formal restaurant. And afterwards I had, without exaggeration, one of the best sleeps I’ve had in my life. The beds were big and ridiculously comfortable, and with the complete silence outside, I don’t think I stood much of a chance of staying awake.
Today we spent some time exploring Assisi, the beautiful medieval hill town and UNESCO World Heritage Site famous as the birthplace of St Francis and St Clare. It is an easy way to add some sightseeing to a stay at Murlo, as is nearby Perugia. That’s another reason I like the estate: you can disappear completely into the countryside when you want to, without feeling cut off from everything Umbria has to offer. We wandered through Assisi’s narrow streets, stopped for something to eat and drink, and then reluctantly started the journey back to Rome.
Murlo is somewhere I’d wholeheartedly recommend to anyone looking to properly switch off. If you want to step outside your villa and straight into a busy village every evening, it probably isn’t the place I would choose for you. But if your idea of a holiday is being surrounded by beautiful countryside, having space and privacy, eating exceptionally well and knowing that experiences, a restaurant and wonderful service are there when you want them, it is very difficult to beat.
Our Villa Specialist, Christina, has just come back from a stay at Castiglione Ugolino in Umbria.
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For travellers who'd like reassurance when something goes wrong, here's our advice.
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