I contacted an agency in Orvieto before my departure and scheduled a viewing for an unfinished house in Alviano. Through the course of various emails, the owner of the business (we’ll call her ML) offered to show me more properties and give me the low down on the neighboring areas. I thought it was a great idea and set a date for the 11th and 12th. Early in the morning on Friday, I drove to the free Orvieto Scalo parking lot where ML met me. As it turns out, ML and I instantly hit it off. We were supposed to see a palazzo in Amelia with a walled garden, but that agent never got back to her. Furthermore, that house was not independent. Another owner owned the whole top –meh. So ML drove me to her hometown to show me a house that had just gone on the market and that she hadn’t had the chance to list yet. As soon as we neared the house I found myself thinking, wouldn’t it be cool if it were that one? And as it turns out, it was.

Front of the palazzo

Casa Liberta (as I will call it for now) is an amazing 19th-century palazzo, made entirely of stone with graceful symmetry and a lovely front door. Adjacent to it is a ruined granary that belongs to the property and can be restored, and in the back, there is a glorious Italian walled garden. Pictures can’t convey the warm wonderful feeling of this beautiful home, but God knows, I snapped a lot!

Large hearth in the cellar’s original kitchen

The house has been within the same family since its foundations were laid and because of this many of the features have remained untouched. Currently, it’s the home of the caretaker–a sweet soul who during my visit gave me two jars of jam she made from the garden. She served us coffee and biscuits in her cozy kitchen too.

I can’t explain why, but as soon as I entered this house, I was charmed. Total love at first sight.

The house is almost 3,000 square feet, but it feels intimate and romantic. Each room seems to hug you with its cozy ambiance. In the cellar where the caretaker has made a small apartment, there is a magnificent fireplace adorned with Roman stone reliefs (Shhh….those aren’t supposed to be there). Each floor has original cotto floors and exposed beams. Victorian marble fireplaces, carved doors, ornate balconies, arches, french doors, stone stairs, and lovely views are just some of its graces. The roof has been completely redone, so it’s not something to stress about. Then there is the location which is utterly magical with rolling hills, expansive views, vineyards, and olive groves.

I was honestly stunned when I walked into the walled garden. Even though nothing was in bloom, I could see that the bones were fantastic. Trained climbing roses, soaring pines, terraces, a pond, a vegetable patch, wisteria, grapes, figs…this was a garden I could be very happy in. Then the agent tells me that the land next door with the additional walled garden and the garage was also for sale. What? This was getting better and better!

Then, I fearfully asked about the price, and OMG it was reasonable. I think I smiled. Yes, the house is a time capsule and needs work; the floors need to be consolidated, electrics and heating updated, and the bathrooms and kitchen need refreshing. Still, that’s all doable. So long as the house is habitable, which it is, we could take our time with the rest.

I felt that this place could be really gorgeous once it was fixed up. It’s like old-world Victorian elegance meets country house which I really like. With our eye for design, this place could be turned into a little palace. Inside it was quite bright too as the front of the house faces south.

Anyway, by the time the tour was over, I was giddy with excitement. Casa Liberta had delivered on so many levels! Lots of boxes ticked.

  • Amazing location: 10 minutes to Orvieto Centro and the train hub where trains depart for all corners of the EU. 1:15 to Rome Airport. 1:30 to Siena. 1:20 to Arezzo. 1:20 to the beach. Under 1hr to Saturnia. 25 minutes to Lake Bolsena. 40 minutes to Viterbo. List goes on!
  • Walking distance to village: The house is within the village limits so a short walk puts us at the nearest restaurant and bar.
  • Amenities: The village has a fanatastic pizzeria, several restaurants, a post office, a supermarket, pharmacy, and more. We don’t need to drive to Orvieto for everything.
  • Detached House: Free on three sides, and the side that’s attached it’s to a building that comes with the property
  • Option to create separate guest accomodations
  • Garage/Parking Space
  • Projects/buildings to restore with option to buy additional garden space and outbuildings
  • New roof with new copper gutters.
  • Original features galore: Beams, cotto floors, fireplaces, carved doors
  • Balcony
  • Views
  • Walled Garden
  • Cellars
  • Double glazed windows in a large portion of the house with all the wooden window frames in good condition
  • In a protected area of outstanding natural beauty
  • Town water/gas/sewer
  • Immediately habitable

Around the Village

As you can rightfully imagine, I sleepwalked through the other property viewings daydreaming about Casa Liberta. The other two that I saw were nice, but no cigar! The original house I wanted to see turned out to be too isolated for my taste and the other one, too new.

When I called my husband we giggled at the fact that the house was on Liberty Street on a highway named 111. Universe whispering? Maybe. I had second thoughts posting this article for fear that someone would literally snipe this house. I have a feeling that the one I didn’t schedule to see but somehow wound up on my path might be the one.

The third time’s the charm as they say.

Swoon!