Trevinano, which can be seen from the house
sitting atop a tufa rock at the north end of the
valley, is a hamlet whose size does not do justice
to its long history. It has two wonderful
restaurants, the homey Trattoria Gianfranco
and the ambitious La Parolina. It also has a little
grocery store (alimentari) open part time and a
small convenience store. There is a spectacular
view of Podere Palazzo as you look back down
the valley.

San Casciano dei Bagni put this area on the map
in recent years and is a charming town known
for its baths which produce the largest volume
of thermal water of any in Italy. In the newer
part of town there are various shops and a bank
with ATM machine, as well as the delightful
restaurant, La Fontanella. In the older part of
town, further down the road, there are narrow
medieval streets to explore along with shops
for food and produce, a wine shop, a small
convenience store (tabacchi), bakeries and more.
On the lovely piazza with a beautiful view of
the valley below, you will find Daniela, one
of the best known restaurants in the area and
a stop for celebrities that own houses nearby.

By contrast, Proceno is a sleepy, undiscovered
village that you can see to the south from the
house, and is a good spot for an ice cream or a
pizza in the evening and a quiet stroll. It has a
lively piazza with an adjacent playground for
children and nice views across the valley. It also
has shops for food and produce near the castle.

A pleasant ten minute drive south brings you
to Acquapendente. Although it has only 5,000
inhabitants, Acquapendente is a regional center
and offers you the experience of a typical Italian
town. Dating back to the Etruscans, it gained
fame as one of the last stops along the Via
Francigena, the pilgrimage route from Canterbury
to Rome. Today Acquapendente still welcomes
travellers and has everything you will need
during your stay at Podere Palazzo. If you follow
the main road, you will find supermarkets, gas
stations, and a very good tourist office. If you
park along the old city walls, you can walk into
the old city center with its busy main square.
Here you can find bars, banks, small grocery
stores, bakeries, butcher shops, fresh pasta to
take home, and delicious ice cream. On Friday
there is a market at which a wide variety of local
produce, fresh cheese and other goods are
available. In addition, there are historical sites
to see and several good restaurants.

About a half hour away across the hills of Umbria
is the thriving city of Orvieto, the nearest larger
urban center. It boasts a proud history dating
back to the Etruscans as well as one of the finest
Gothic cathedrals in Italy renowned for its
brilliant façade of marble and colorful mosaics.
Built on an enormous rocky plateau created by
a volcanic eruption 250,000 years ago, Orvieto
overlooks a panorama of sun-drenched fields
and orchards. It is a charming city with wonderful
shops, restaurants, and a famous twice weekly
food market. In addition, it has a fine Etruscan
museum and archeological sites, including
underground caves which are fun to explore.