3 nights in Umbria with D/A

Anyone who has tasted the olive oil from Rastrello, a boutique hotel perched in the picturesque, medieval village of Panicale, will know that it’s the best-of-the-best. The family-owned business harvests its groves every October using hand-held rakes called rastrello, and produces extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) that visitors to its Umbrian hotel will return for again and again. We at Design Anthology UK have firsthand experience of the beauty of this place and its philosophy, and of course, its olive oil. Which is why we’ve put together a trip that sits very close to our hearts – a tour through Umbria, where our editor-in-chief Elizabeth Choppin has spent many happy seasons in the hills above Lake Trasimeno.

Our itinerary for this three-night trip is designed in partnership with Design Hotels for both stimulation and sanctuary. Starting in Panicale for two nights, we’ll explore Rastrello’s EVOO process and the significant historic offering of this hilltop town. On day two, it’s truffle hunting led by local experts and an architectural walking tour of Panicale’s sights including the central piazza dating back to the 10th century, a lace museum within a deconsecrated church and an 18th century proscenium theatre. We’ll also visit a vineyard, one of the local region’s best, and have wonderful meals made with the flavourful ingredients grown on farms across the region.

For the final day and night of this adventure, we’ll drive across Umbria to Eremito – a stone hermitage that sits amid a remote, protected forest and invites guests to switch off completely, starting with a silent candlelit dinner in the stone refectory. Hotelier Marcello Murzilli’s vision of well-designed rooms with nothing but the essentials, fresh food from the kitchen garden and natural splendour every which way comes to life at Eremito, which means ‘hermit’ in Italian but is also translated to ‘little hotel of the soul’. As we drive up the mountain in 4x4s, it’s clear the effort it takes to get there is part of the experience.