Agriturismo Alla Madonna del Piatto

Step into a room at the agriturismo Alla Madonna del Piatto, and you feel as if you have taken several steps back in time, to a period of tranquility and muted elegance. The aura inside this old stone inn is peaceful, calm, soothing. The rooms are cool on even the hottest summer days, as the smooth, spotlessly clean terracotta floors and thick stone walls -- which are beautiful and suggestive of earlier eras -- maintain an even, comfortable temperature, no matter the weather outdoors. After thr...

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Step into a room at the agriturismo Alla Madonna del Piatto, and you feel as if you have taken several steps back in time, to a period of tranquility and muted elegance. The aura inside this old stone inn is peaceful, calm, soothing. The rooms are cool on even the hottest summer days, as the smooth, spotlessly clean terracotta floors and thick stone walls -- which are beautiful and suggestive of earlier eras -- maintain an even, comfortable temperature, no matter the weather outdoors. After three visits to this beautiful spot, tucked into the hills above Assisi, I can truthfully say that every time I arrive, I’m immediately struck by how tranquil I feel just walking in the heavy front door. Letizia Mattiacci and her husband Ruurd de Jong are warm, sympathetic, natural hosts. It\’s clear how much they love and appreciate the natural and artist beauty of their corner of Umbria, and how much they want to share that with their guests. And, as world travelers themselves, they understand what guests want in a bed and breakfast. The setting is, of course, gorgeous. Terracotta-paved terraces in the front and side of the inn allow guests to look across a deep valley to the historic city of Assisi and, in particular, the great Basilica di San Francesco and the imposing Rocca Maggiore fortress, which mark opposite ends of Assisi. Surrounded by fields, and grazing sheep, the setting for Alla Madonna del Piatto provides a very welcome break from the urban noise and traffic below, all of which are drawn to the mystical treasures of Assisi. Letizia and Ruurd have carefully tucked modern conveniences -- excellent plumbing and water pressure, good reading lights, radiant heating beneath the floors for cool mornings -- into the original stone building. Bedrooms are decorated with antique cabinets, interesting windows designed to let in maximum sunlight (there’s a cool, round window like a ship’s porthole in a second-storey bathroom!) and antique beds with modern mattresses. The main salon has a beautiful fireplace, plenty of books and comfy chairs for guests’ relaxation. Best of all, there is a large country-style kitchen with new air-conditioning where Letizia teaches really enjoyable cooking classes. I’ve taken 3 of her classes and every one has been an absolute joy. Letizia is a natural, generous teacher, who loves to help her guests understand some of the secrets of Italian cooking. Everyone in her classes gets a great deal of hands-on experience, whether rolling out pasta, cooking her unique, reduced-fat panna cotta, or assembling a practical lasagna that anyone can make at home (even I’ve been able to transplant her recipes to Canada!) And of course, there is the feast afterwards, when cooking-class students can enjoy the fruits of their training. Washed down, of course, with good Umbrian wine. For travelers who crave a picturesque, authentic taste of life in the rolling green hills of Umbria, and who want to experience a country bed and breakfast with all the comforts, Alla Madonna del Piatto is not be missed.

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