Stay in a Palace

Posted by Marci on Dec 2, 2010 in | 0 comments

As a little girl I would pretend I was a princess living in a palace high on a hill. In my mind, I would wake in a canopy bed and look out my window to the green, rolling landscape that surrounded my kingdom. I would sit in my garden with hot chocolate and a book and wait for my prince to come. When I made my list of dreams, the little girl inside still wanted the experience of sleeping in a place of royalty.

Palazzo Catalani, in Soriano nel Cimino, was where my dream came true. The palace is located on a hilltop and it takes some leg power to climb up the short but steep cobbled road to the entrance. Outside, the palace looks like a large home, but inside its full charm comes to life. Original frescoes decorate the walls. Canopy beds make the visitor embrace the romance of the seventeenth century. The stone floors and stairwells have been worn to a shine from many feet against their surface. The only sign of modern day is the flat panel televisions, stoves and refrigerators, and glorious Jacuzzi tubs.

Each morning I slipped into a bath overflowing with jasmine- scented bubbles. I took my breakfast in the garden as I read a book and watched the birds nest in the stone, bell tower. At night I’d lean out the window of the lounge, my body relaxed from the local wine, and stare at the illuminated castle on the opposite hill. I had planned to stay seven nights at Palazzo Catalani, but at the end of the trip I wasn’t ready to leave my life of royalty. I extended my stay for two more days.

With only eighteen rooms, Palazzo Catalani was an intimate experience that created friendships. At night, I joined the other guests for dinner as we shared stories from our daily excursions to medieval villages such as Bagnoregio, Bagnaia, Orvieto and Seinna. Many hours were spent drinking wine and sharing treats.

Outside my palace was the small town of Soriano where time seemed to have stopped. Most residents grew up in this village and everyone knew each other by name. The men stood in the main square telling stories, while the women and children sat on a veranda-like piazza overlooking green rolling hills decorated with yellow flowers and olive groves.

In traditional Italian style, I bought groceries from the individual shops: produce, butcher, cheese, wine, and my favorite the baker. I cooked simple glorious meals of handmade pasts with pesto and fresh vegetables. I snacked on ricotta covered in pumpkin jam or honey and hazelnuts. I dipped biscotti in cappuccino.

I felt like a true princess as I indulged in decadence and enjoyed every flavor, sight, and experience I could find. The lifestyle suited me well and I began to wonder if I was born into the wrong era. I think maybe I was meant to live the life of a princess.