Viandante del Cielo

Viandante del Cielo, the "wayfarer of the sky", crowns a 60-acre hilltop above Lake Trasimeno, on the border of Umbria and Tuscany. Founded by Capuchin friars in the 1560s, the former monastery has been fully restored and now sits among its own vineyards and olive groves, with the lake spread out below.

The restoration has kept the soul of the building, from original fireplaces to the old chapel, while adding every modern comfort. The main villa rises over three floors with a lift, and ten en-suite bedrooms sleep 20. A galleried library, a grand piano and a 16-seat private cinema give the house a cultured, residential feel, while a games room with billiards and shuffleboard keeps things lively.

Outside, the walled gardens hold a 20-metre pool, a tennis court, bocce, croquet and lawn badminton, and a fire pit looks out over the water at dusk. A conservatory with a wood-burning fireplace takes over when the evenings cool. For wellbeing there is a fitness room, sauna, hammam and a massage room.

The service is what makes a stay here so effortless. A resident management couple oversees a team that includes a head chef and sous-chefs, a sommelier, wait staff and housekeepers twice a day. Meals are built around the estate's own wine and olive oil, a well-stocked cellar is on hand, and helicopters can land within the walled gardens.

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