Villa Elsa is ideally placed in the countryside 30 km north of Rome , near the hill town of Palombara Sabina. The house is surrounded by olive groves and a vineyard ( if you come late September or November you can help with the picking). The recently restructured attic ( 50 sq.m) can sleep 4 people and consists of a fully equipped kitchen , bathroom , bedroom and living room ( with comforable bed-settee). The french windows open onto a large terrace with wonderful views of the nearby mountains Gennaro (1271 m) and Pellecchia (1368 m ). These mountains form part of the regional park of Monte Lucretili , and offer great possibilities for walking and birdwatching. The apartment is completely independent , having its own staircase from the garden. There is a small pool in the garden , ideal for children or adults who want to relax Roman style.

Just 2km away are the "Terme di Cretone" with 3 sulphur swimming pools surrounded by trees. Open from June to September , various beauty treatments and massages are however available all year round.
Palombara Sabina is a 10 minute drive , and offers restaurants , shops and a fascinating medieval centre . At the very top is the beautiful Castello Savelli ( 1100 a.d.) , recently restored and open for visits at weekends.
Tivoli is within easy reach , along a lovely country road which leads to a wonderful view of the waterfalls as you arrive. Here you can visit Hadrian's Villa , Villa d'Este and the less famous vila Gregoriana.
There are many other places in the area worth visitng - Moricone , Montelibretti , Nerola , to name a few -small hill towns where you can get a taste of the real Italy. Try out different reataurants , local markets and festivals.

There is a station 4km from Villa Elsa , ( with connecting bus service) where trains run every 15 minutes into Rome. In half an hour you're at Rome Tiburtina and the "metropolitana" (underground) will take you in minutes to the many sights worth seeing. This means you don't have the stress involved in driving or parking in Rome , and when you've had enough you can come back to a glass of wine on the terrace or by the pool.
The railway line mentioned goes from Fiumicino airport to Orte /Fara Sabina , which makes it very easy to get to us for those who choose not to rent a car.