Walking around Panicale with Rastrello's general manager Chiara Verdacchi feels like walking around with a celebrity; we can barely pass through the tiny shell-shaped medieval village's well-preserved cobblestone streets, churches and piazzas, without Chiara being greeted by locals and visitors alike (including local Americans who are investing in vineyards and historic olive groves). It becomes clear very quickly that the small B&B she runs in a restored 14th-century palazzo in Umbria is all about keeping things local, from the food to the people. “No hotel worker lives or grew up more than 30 minutes away,” Chiara tells me.
The story starts with Christiane Wassmann, an American whose parents moved to Panicale over 30 years ago. They bought a farmhouse that came with a 1,000-tree-strong olive farm, with most trees on the land dating back 400 years, and started hand-pressing extra virgin olive oil. Fast forward to today and Rastrello – which is the Italian name for the small rake used to pick olives by hand – is an award-winning heritage olive oil brand, and the newly-founded luxury B&B of the same name is just a five-minute drive from the olive grove.
Restoring a 500-year-old palazzo isn't easy, especially this one as it was abandoned and then used as the town's storage space for years. It's hard to imagine it as a storage space when you see the space now, with its original stone walls, beams, ironwork and fireplaces beautifully restored. Italian interior designers Pelizzari Studio were called in to help with the transformation, working with local craftspeople to restore the historic building while introducing custom furniture and a colour palette inspired by the landscapes of the Umbrian countryside. They've found the ideal balance between preserving its soul and bringing in some necessary contemporary elements.
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All seven rooms in the palazzo (there will soon be seven more in the palazzo next door) have serene views of nearby Lake Trasimeno and the rolling, cypress tree-studded Umbrian hills which lead to it. The views are best here at sunrise, and it's a moment of the day not to be missed. For those wanting to stay a little longer, there are one-room and two-room apartments which open out directly to the Piazza Regina Margherita in the heart of the village.
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On the ground floor, Rastrello’s farm-to-table restaurant, Cucina & Giardino, makes the most of the area's bounty, with produce harvested daily from the hotel's gardens and used throughout its offering – from the custom Rastrello martini using olive oil-infused vodka to the Umbrian charcuterie and handmade ravioli. The panoramic garden terrace glows at sunset and is the place to be come aperitivo hour.
The food adventures do not end here though; guests can book in for olive oil tasting on site with an olive oil sommelier (paired with cheese and charcuterie, naturally), take the drive to nearby vineyards, including those producing the Tuscan favourite Montepulciano, or experience the time-honoured tradition of truffle hunting in the Umbrian woods. We had a particularly memorable experience with passionate truffle hunters and restaurateur brothers Andrea and Michele of Seven Cafe. For such a tiny village, there are plenty of noteworthy restaurants, like the Michelin-starred Lillo Tatini and Ristorante Masolino, a family restaurant with traditional Umbrian fare and a 13th-century wine cave.
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Rastrello is the ideal spot for so many types of holiday, from an autumnal food-focused weekend to a summer break taking in the spectacular countryside and cooling off in the crystal waters of Lake Trasimeno.
Doubles at Rastrello start from £213 per night; 10 Via Antonio Grossi, 06064 Panicale, Italy
