11. Is the house user-friendly?  Child-friendly?

The house is arranged so that some family members can be in the kitchen or living room, while others can have complete quiet for writing or working in the upstairs sitting room, or reading and resting in the bedrooms.  There are numerous spots to sunbathe or relax in the shade.  Dining can be in the country kitchen or al fresco on the patio. End your day with a glass of wine in hand, watching shooting stars crisscross the heavens.

Usually children are excited to be staying in “a real castle” – think knights, princesses and crossbows. Within the castle walls there are several places to play, including a pretty lawn partially shaded by grapevines.

As for the castle’s being child-friendly, the answer is “Yes,” but with the reservation that children should always be supervised, for their own well-being and as a courtesy to the neighbors. Needless to say, stone walls, walkways and steps are not padded! Our young son has spent many months at the castle with nothing worse than a scraped knee.

Regarding Umbria and Italy in general, this is a great place for children!  Italians love children and children are welcome almost everywhere. Our son made his first trip to Italy at age two months and the town mayor asked to hold him on his lap while we ate in a local restaurant. And restaurants have always catered to his requests.  Trips to Italy have been an important and formative part of his life.