BLUE HOUSE -CASA BLU - near CIVITA DI BAGNOREGIO- Etruscan Italy

FREE WI-FI ALL OVER THE PROPERTY - EVERYTHING INCLUDED, ALSO FINAL CLEANING AND COMPLIMENTARY WELCOME BASKET (Coffee, Tea, Jam, Cookies)
Blue House - Open plan, two floor House, very recently and lovingly restored, tastefully decorated (country style) with any home confort. On the groundfloor, fully equipped kitchen/living room with sofabed (2 people) and courtesy bathroom.
On the first floor, large bedroom (2 people) with double bed (or two single beds upon request) with the chance of an extra bed (1 people), bathroom with shower.
Large fireplace
AIR CONDITIONING
SWIMMING POOL (to be shared with few other guests) nestled in a beautiful park with trees, flowers, bushes and fruit trees. Our guests have access to the Swimming Pool with a short walk (100 mts.) along a path through the park.
The Pool area is stocked with deckchairs, umbrella, tables. A self-service bar, shower and toilet are available.
Fully eqipped LAUNDRY ROOM (to be shared with other guests) FREE OF CHARGE
BARBEQUE - fully equipped with large table and chairs to have meals in the open air (even in case of rain, being partially covered)
Small table and two chairs in front of the house.
House linen included
House cleaning included (before arrival and after departure)
BLUE HOUSE, is located at Castel Cellesi (Bagnoregio-Viterbo) at the meeting point of Latium, Umbria and Tuscany.At 16th century village were the road ends in the great main square (Piazza).
Stunningly located-surrounded by emerald green fields, silver green olive groves, piercing blu skies, deep red sunsets.
Dominating the Tiber valley at the foot of the Umbrian mountains.
Nestled in the northern Tuscia region-The Etruscan Italy.
CASTEL CELLESI is made for relaxing. Yet it is surrounded by places of historic, artistic and scenic interest. Within is reach of Civita di Bagnoregio(9 Km.) with its famous 'calanchi' (volcanic cliffs), Orvieto (28 Km.) with its famous gothic Cathedral, Viterbo (27 Km.) with an important medieval suburb and the famous thermal springs, Lake Bolsena (15 Km.) for swimming and sailing, Siena, Assisi two of the most important cities of Tuscany and Umbria. The nearby highway whisks you quickly to Florence and Rome.
The area around Castel Cellesi is also a food and wine lover's paradise.
HOME RESTAURANT in the village, near the Swimming Pool
COOKING CLASSES available
HIKING and BIKING (self or escorted) - Many paths and trails in the area of Castel Cellesi. See below some suggestions:
ELEPHAS ANTIQUUS (PALAEOLOXODON ANTIQUUS)
A few years ago the remains of a big Elephas Antiquus were found by accident in a field just a couple of km. from the center of Castel Cellesei far away. Excavations were started immediately being involved the University of Florence, the University of Rome and the Archaeological Group of Castel Cellesi.
The Elephas Antiquus (Palaeolooxodon antiquus) is the biggest elephant ever existed in Europe.
The specimen of Castel Cellesi, probably coming from Africa and dating back to Middle Pleistocene, was a male one, very old in age and extremely huge. For the size of its bones, they presume it might have been 4 meters high (up to gathers) and 10-12 tons of weight.
In a very near future the 20 square meters of excavations showing bones and remains of the Elephas Antiquus will be covered up and a Museum open to visitors will be built.
Walking, hiking, trekking along one of the many paths around Castel Cellesi, beside beatiful olive groves, vinyards, fields, woods you might get to see the remains of our Elephas Antiquus , too !

THE FRANCIGENA ROUTE

Medieval man felt himself as a pilgrim on earth and he really became one traveling towards the sites of the Christian faith through roads- like the Francigena- with Rome or possibly Jerusalem as a final destination.
The “ Via Francigena “ (the Iter Francorum or the Frankish Route) is a branch of the Pilgrimage trail that goes between Canterbury and Rome, coming into full use starting around the 11th century.
Bishop Sigeric of Canterbury first made the journey to Rome in 990 AD to receive honors from the Pope. He wrote a travel diary with accurate details, descriptions, pictures and maps of the route, which became the pilgrimage route of today, more or less. The pilgrimage to Rome can be made by foot, bicycle or horse.
The Francigena Route contains lots of interesting cities, towns, villages rich of archaelogical, artistic and monumental sites. The Tuscany and Latium sections are especially valuable for the many amazing places on the route such as Luni, Lucca, San Gimignano, Siena, Acquapendente, Montefiascone, Viterbo.
In the vicinity of Castel Cellesi two interesting, enchanting sections of the Via Francigena are available to hike: Section N° 39- Among olive groves and brushes the path detaches from Bolsena - at the Basilica of Santa Cristina - and, after going up and down, admiring wonderful sights of the lake, takes to Montefiascone. From the hilltop of Montefiascone, where the Rocca dei Papi is located, a 360 degree view is to enjoy.
Section N°40: The path detaches from Montefiascone – near the Sports Field – Hikers walk for hundreds of meters along the original paving of the Roman Via Cassia stepping on the the ancient stones (Basolatum) which are still in good conditions, then continue across a hillpark overlooking Montefiascone, North – Viterbo, South.
Before getting to Viterbo the path crosses a flat land rich of hot springs called “Bagnaccio Spa” where pilgrims used to stop and relax. The hot springs are open to the public still today.
Other attractions in the area:
THE HOLY SEPULCHRE IN CASTEL CELLESI
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, housing the tomb of Jesus Christ, was the desired destination of many medieval pilgrims. But to travel so far was beyond the physical abilities or financial means of most people. Political complications, too, discouraged such journeys when the Muslims took over Jerusalem in1157. To respond to this unfulfilled desire, numerous copies of the Holy Sepulchre were built in the Christian world. All of Europe was pervaded by the presence and proliferation of chapels and edifices, sometimes containing relics taken from Jerusalem, modelled
after the Aedicule of Jesus Christ, to offer the illusion of the pilgrimage to those unable to do it.
In the Latium area “Copies or Memorials” of the Holy Sepulchre have been identified in the Church of Santo Stefano Rotondo (5th century) in Rome, in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre (785) in Acquapendente, Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Castel Cellesi (1703) -Bagnoregio”, in the Church of Santa Maria del Sepolcro in Vicovaro and possibly in the Rotunda by San Flaviano (1032)- -Montefiascone.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Castel Cellesi is now a cemetery chapel on top of a little hill overlooking the village. It was founded by will of Count Girolamo Cellesi in 1674 in smaller size than the present. He asked the Gardians of the Holy Land some relics from the Holy Land and when Count Girolamo had the assurance they would be sent, he decided to enlarge the Chapel to include a reconstruction of the Aediculae of the Holy Sepulchre. The Church granted indulgencies through a Papal brief of Clemente XI, an act that made Castel Cellesi and the Teverina area a very attractive place for devotion and pilgrimages.

THE “LIVE NATIVITY SCENE” AT CIVITA DI BAGNOREGIO
Something unforgettable !

The Nativity scene is one of the most popular and favourite Christmas traditions in Italy. But some villages and communities go a step over: they spend weeks and months to create fantastic live Nativity scenes featuring real people and real animals too.
One of the most famous “Live Nativities” is featured every year, between Christmas time and January 6th (Epiphany), at Civita di Bagnoregio near Viterbo (Latium). The village is the perfect set for such an event: it's a very small town suspended on the top of a rocky cliff eroded by winds and rain. It's connected with land through a footbridge which seems to be suspended in the air too. An ancient gate introduces people into the heart of the village where a narrow allyway takes to a XIII century Church facing the main square. Medieval streets, very old stone buildings, porches, terraces and arches properly decorated for the occasion, live people wearing ancient costumes, animals make you feel like you were at the first Christmas in Betlemme.
The first “Live Nativity” was featured at Greccio, (a small town in Umbria – 80 Km. from Castel Cellesi far away) in the year 1233 and organized by St. Francis of Assisi after a trip to the Holy Land where he visited the real birthplace of Jesus. Francis thought that believers could better comprehend the celebration of Christmas if exposed to the very setting where the miraculous event occurred.

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL of Orvieto (August and Christmas Time/New Year)

FIREWORKS at Castel Cellesi (August 16th) with Music and open air Dinner on the Main Square

An English speaking host is always present to help and advise our guests about city-tour, point of interest, museums, trains, cooking classes.