A Medieval Apartment in a Castle in Umbria, the Green Heart of Italy

This beautiful, spacious apartment with striking architecture is located within the old 13th-century defensive wall that surrounds Panicale and features a lovely historic garden that was laid out in 1898 when the castle moat was filled in. Here, the Cesarini family has pressed both grapes and olives, and until the 1970s, they kept hens that provided the family with fresh eggs and chicken when Grandma prepared Sunday dinner.

The apartment was named “Bonaparte” because part of the decor comes from Napoleon’s brother, Lucien Bonaparte, thanks to a long-standing friendship with his descendants. This includes the ornate marble frame for the stove in the entryway and a sofa that was once in Lucien’s home in Canino.

Despite its long history, the apartment offers all modern conveniences and was recently renovated. It features a spacious dining room with a kitchenette, three bedrooms (one with a double bed, one with two separate beds, and one with a single bed in the room leading to the garden). A washing machine, satellite TV, and Wi-Fi are, of course, available in the apartment. In the garden—a gathering spot for the family and any guests of La Principessa—there is a dining area and sun loungers both in the sun and in the shade.

Larger families or groups of friends who wish to stay together can rent Bonaparte along with La Principessa; the two apartments can be combined thanks to a connecting door.