Casa Tersalle is within easy reach of local amenities in the villages of Lippiano (5 mins by car or a pleasant 15 minute walk through the fields), and Monterchi (7 mins by car). In Lippiano there is a bar which, as well as pastries, has ice-cream (in summer) and on some evenings you can join the locals for ‘ciaccia sul panaro’, a type of flat bread with a choice of fillings.
In Monterchi there are banks, supermarket, greengrocer’s, butcher’s and chemist’s as well as bars and good restaurants where you can go at lunchtime or in the evening and try out some of the delicious local dishes (see also Eating & Drinking page). In Monterchi there is also a lovely park alongside a stream with shade, picnic area, trees and children’s playground area.
The historic walled towns of Citta’ di Castello (Umbria), Anghiari and Sansepolcro (Tuscany) are close by, all within a 20-minute drive. Each of these towns offers something different and an enjoyable half-day or more can be spent wandering through the streets, getting a feel of the local atmosphere, soaking up the history and maybe taking a break for a snack or a meal in one of the many bars, restaurants and pizzerias.
There are also numerous other delightful mediaeval hilltop towns waiting to be explored in the vicinity, each with its own individual history and character.
Local markets
There are weekly markets in many of the local towns where you can get a flavour of local life whilst browsing the stalls, which sell everything from clothes and shoes to local produce, kitchenware and agricultural machinery. And there is always a bar nearby for a cappuccino break! Once a month in Arezzo there is an antiques and bric-à-brac market well worth a visit.
Further afield but still nearby…
The farmhouse is ideally situated for the many places of artistic, historical and cultural interest to visit in central Italy. Being located close to the border of Umbria and Tuscany, Casa Tersalle offers the best of both worlds for exploring the region. The well-known towns of Assisi, Orvieto, Perugia, Gubbio and Spoleto in Umbria, and Florence, Siena, Cortona and Arezzo in Tuscany are all within easy reach. Ravenna, with its stunning mosaics, is only a 1.30 hr drive and you can also go to Rome easily by taking the train from Arezzo.
There is also a wealth of attractive smaller towns and villages in the area and we provide a comprehensive information book with suggestions of places to visit and the most attractive roads to take, as well as hints on restaurants to eat at while you are out and about.
Why not have a wine-tasting experience in Montefalco, Montepulciano or Montalcino? We can also help if you would like to have an Italian cooking day. You could visit the Frasassi Caves – a great outing for families. Also within easy reach is Lake Trasimeno, with its beaches and shallow water – ideal for small children – where you can enjoy a fish meal and maybe take the short boat trip out to the island. For something different, there is Norcia, famous for its salami and wild boar sausages or, beautiful in early summer, is the Pian Grande di Castelluccio covered with a carpet of wild flowers. All this and plenty more within a two hour drive of Casa Tersalle!
Swimming…
Apart from Casa Tersalle’s private plunge pool, there are four public open-air swimming pools in the vicinity (open June-September) and two indoor ones (open October to end May/June). At Lake Trasimeno the beaches provide safe swimming for small children. The Adriatic coast can be reached in under 2 hours.