Please note that the pool referred to is an extremely pretty public
pool, set in the mountains and just a few minutes away by car.

"Terrazza Bella" is so-called because of its large terrace, an
extremely unusual luxury in the historical centre of Spoleto. A
glamorous, light and airy apartment, it has a very large
sitting/dining room with a brand-new fully fitted kitchen - inc
microwave/dish-washer etc/2 double bedrooms (with adjoining balconies
that stretch the full width of the apartment and overlook the
picturesque pedestrian street of Porta Fuga)/bathroom with big
tub/shower and washing machine. And, there is a single bed in the
sitting room dressed up as a sofa-bed with a throw and cushions.
Ideally, it is suitable for 2 couples.

This luxury apartment is in the middle of an important and
significant 14C Roman building that has been gutted and completely
restored. It is on the official tourist map of Spoleto (available at
the information office) listed as La Rocca dei Perugini - one of the
33 listed buildings in Spoleto. It was originally built in the 6C as
the strong-hold of Perugia to watch over the citizens of Spoleto,
whom the Perugians, alias "the Barbarians", had just conquered!
However, while the building itself is ancient, as with many very
ancient buildings, parts of it were irreparable and so had to be
gutted. Hence, the entire centre of this ancient building has been
replaced by luxury modern apartments that cannot be seen from the
outside - it's very clever and very beautifully designed. Our
apartment is at the top with views from the kitchen/dining room and
the terrace of the hilly countryside, dwellings scattered around and
nearby roof-tops. So that, while your immediate surroundings are
modern, the context you are in dates back to the days when Spoleto
was a Latin colony and Roman community.

Terrazza Bella is also handy for the train station and the bus
station for those of you who may not wish to hire a car since you can
get to practically anywhere in Italy by train or bus from Spoleto -
the timetables are comprehensively spelt out on the internet. Though,
if you prefer to have a car, it is possible to park in one of the
lanes just a few minutes walk away. Or, you can hire a secure car-
parking space right outside the apartment for 50 euros a week.

The entrance to the apartment is through a wide Roman stone passage
with a luxury all glass business centre on the left and those in-
built small glass alcoves displaying small luxury items on the right.
A few metres along this passage is a lift or stairs, which take you
up through the centre of the building to our apartment.

The large sitting/dining room is complete with Sat TV inc BBC, SKY,
CNN, film and documentary channels as well as many other English
speaking channels/TV/DVD/VCR It has 2 double sets of dark, wooden
patio doors (1 of them all glass) and a large wooden shuttered
window - all along the front of the room. The doors lead onto the
huge terrace - an absolute luxury in the historic centre of Spoleto -
looks really great when the large window and both double doors are
wide-open onto the terrace as the terrace becomes an extension of the
room. The terrace, while private, is open plan; about 5 metres away
to the side of the apartment, is the beginning of another large
terrace that belongs to the other apartment that is a twin of ours,
except in reverse. There is also a tiny balcony in the apartment
above that diagonally looks down onto our terrace - it is too small
to sit on on so wouldn’t be intrusive. But, in the summer, when all
the Italians are eating outside anyway, privacy isn't an issue -
besides, with a large unbrella, sunbathing can easily be
done "privately" for the more modest. But, in the hot weather,
certainly for Italians, modesty really doesn't come into it !!!!

The terrace is a natural extension of the apartment as the large
sitting/dining room opens directly onto it via 2 double doors and the
large kitchen window. Big terracotta pots full of colourful bushes,
shrubs and flowers decorate this area that looks onto the hills,
dwellings scattered around and nearby roof-tops. Wooden, garden,
dining furnture seats 6. And, there are sunbeds and lounge chairs to
snooze on.

In this building, there are only 5 apartments with large terraces -
one is next door and the others are below and, also belong to us -
all the other apartments have just tiny balconies.

So, one of the reasons I bought these apartment in this historic
building is that one has all the advantages of contemporary, open-air
living while still experiencing what it's like to live in the most
ancient and beautiful part of Spoleto. The street that La Terrazza is
in is pedestrian as are many of the tiny streets immediate to the
apartment - this means that you can meander at ease through the
ancient streets past flower shops, wine and truffle shops, many
boutiques and shoe shops, bars and cafes and, of course, a myriad of
interesting restaurants - cheap and expensive (though nothing here is
really expensive compared to other city prices)… up to the famous La
Rocca and the Duomo.

And, immediately opposite Terrazza Bella is a posh internet point;
the owner, Andrea, welcomes foreigners because he can
speak English - unusual in these parts.

But, the other reason I bought this apartment is that it was the
first apartment in the historical centre of Spoleto to be advertised
to the world as a holiday let ! I now have others - but, Terrazza
Bella is our most popular.

So, if you are interested in being in the historical centre of
Spoleto, surrounded by some of the world’s most famous monuments,
churches and sites and, at the same time having easy access by local
transport to places like Asissi, Perugia, Orvieto, Montefalco, Trevi,
Todi and Rome, not to mention the gastronomic treats, famous (and
cheap !) local wines…..and designer shops, then this is the place for
you !

SUMMARY :
Accommodation
Bedrooms: Bedroom 1 with King-size double bed - Bedroom 2 with King-
size double bed.
Bathrooms: Bathroom with bath/shower, wc, bidet.
Kitchen: Brand-new fully fitted kitchen, the full length of one wall,
with cooker, hob, large fridge-freezer, microwave, dishwasher.
Utility Room: Ironing facilities, washing machine plus all cleaning
equipment.
Living Rooms: 1 large sitting/dining room/kitchen along whole of one
side/opens onto large terrace/2 leather sofas + dining table/seats 4.
Sat TV/VCR/DVD with CNN/BBC/Sky/Eng lang films, docs etc - many
videos, CDs, DVDs and books to suit all tastes + children's games.
Other: The 2 bedrooms are furnished with blonde wood wardrobes,
bedside tables, seating and a dressing table. The beds are of an
exquisite Italian design with matching bedside lamps. All the rooms
have decorative hand-painted ceilings and borders.
Cleaning/towels/linen/maid service: All utilties eg heating,
unlimited hot water, towels, linen, utensils, crockery etc are inc in
the rental rate + a generous Welcome Pack. For longer terms lets,
cleaning is 40 euros if you wish it. A free clean is available every
3 weeks.