WHERE ITALY
BREATHES

 

Set deep within what Italians call the country’s cuore verde, or “Green Heart,” Tenuta di Murlo unfolds across 18,000 acres of rolling hills, forests, farmland, and quiet roads that seem to lead only where you intend them to. It is a landscape that feels both expansive and intimate, where the rhythm of life is shaped less by itinerary and more by instinct.

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Arrival is subtle. The light shifts. The air carries the scent of olive trees and earth warmed by the sun. The pace begins to soften almost without notice. And that is precisely the point.

Unlike its more visited neighbor Tuscany, Umbria moves differently. Especially in the shoulder seasons, when, as travel advisor Lucie Kittel notes, the absence of crowds makes once-impossible reservations and unhurried exploration feel effortless. There is space here. Not just physically, but in the way time is experienced. At Tenuta di Murlo, that space becomes entirely your own.

The estate is less a single destination and more a collection of moments spread across the land. Villas are positioned with intention, each offering privacy, views, and a sense of quiet separation, while still remaining connected to the life of the estate itself.

Days begin slowly. Coffee taken outdoors. Light moving across the hills. The distant sound of something agricultural, steady and familiar. There is no urgency to leave, though the day offers more than enough reason to explore.

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For those drawn to food, Murlo reveals itself generously.

Truffle hunting takes you into the surrounding forests year-round, guided by those who understand the land intimately. Cooking classes bring regional dishes to life, not as performance but as tradition passed quietly from one set of hands to another. Even the apiary becomes part of the experience, where guests can harvest honey directly from the source.

And for those who prefer to simply indulge, the estate accommodates that beautifully.  Il Caldaro, Murlo’s restaurant, serves Italian cuisine rooted in the land itself, much of it sourced from the estate’s gardens and farm. Meals feel less like dining out and more like an extension of place. Alternatively, a private chef can prepare a tailored menu within the villa, allowing the experience to remain entirely your own.

Wellness here follows the same philosophy. At Villa Molinella, a restored 13th-century water mill, history and design converge in unexpected ways. The original basin has been transformed into a subterranean jacuzzi, accessed discreetly through a trap door in the living room, creating a space that feels both intimate and quietly dramatic. Outside, a sauna and hot tub overlook the river, while spa treatments can be arranged with little more than a word.

For families, the estate offers something increasingly rare: Freedom.

Days can be spent moving across the land on foot or horseback, discovering the rhythms of the farm, swimming in private villa pools, or simply allowing children to explore without structure. Even in spring, when the air carries a slight chill, pools can be heated, extending the season without interrupting it.

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Beyond the estate, Umbria reveals its cultural depth. Each nearby village offers a distinct expression of place. Norcia is known for its charcuterie traditions, where generations have refined the craft of norcineria. Deruta’s ceramics reflect centuries of artistry, each piece shaped and painted by hand. Assisi rises with quiet reverence, its Basilica of St. Francis drawing visitors not through spectacle, but through presence. And in Spello, the Infiorata transforms the streets into living works of art, where intricate designs are formed entirely from fresh flower petals.

And then, at the end of the day, you return. The light softens across the hills. The air cools just enough to invite a sweater. Dinner stretches into evening without intention. Conversation lingers. The landscape quiets.

Here land, tradition, and time align naturally, and the stay becomes less about what you see and more about how you feel while you are there.

To explore availability and begin your stay at Tenuta di Murlo, visit murlo.com and step into a more unhurried side of Italy. 

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