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Hello to you all......finally taking time to thank you for a wonderful holiday we had while visiting your lovely villa.  To all of you for your hospitality and friendliness.   We have such happy memories of our stay with you.

Have tried to make a few of the recipies we cooked while we were there. Somehow just not the same, we do not have the ambiance that you were able to provide .....the lovely fire in the hearth, the beautiful sunny days, the delicious wines and the happy talks and laughter while cooking and then finally tasting and filling ourselves to great contentment. 

 We wish all of you at Fontana del Papa many years of success and hope to get back soon...thanks for a lovely relaxing holiday.

 

sincerely,     Bill & Marnie Wharnsby, Ontario , Canada 

My Home Away From Home
Traveling is something we have all become accustomed to while living here in Italy. So when Spring Break was approaching, I decided that I wanted to stay in Italy for the whole week. I found a wonderful, newly renovated 16th century country villa in the hills of  Monti della Tolfa, a vast estate north of Rome, which is very much "off the beaten path" and offers unusual landscapes with rich and unspoiled nature.

Fontana del Papa was purchased in 1998 by husband-and-wife team Assuntina  and Claudio. From the moment I stepped off the train, I felt I was with friends. I was welcomed with open arms and friendly smiles to an Italian family and their cherished culture.

I stayed in one of the nine bedrooms they have in the beautifully renovated villa. My room overlooked the spectacular Monti della Tolfa mountain range and the organic vegetable garden. It is full of working olive groves that were saved when the land was purchased. I was greeted by free roaming chickens, a rooster (who serenaded me all during the day with his crowing), geese and the lone turkey that was always as interested in the guests as we were of him. Bartolo, the family sheepdog, was a great host as well. He welcomed me too; he even showed me how to find the hot springs that are hidden on the land. Claudio, an expert sommelier, showed me Tarquinia, a small town that was full of Etruscan history. We also visited Viterbo, a small town about an hour away, rich in its own history. It is also home to a local cheese maker who makes the best homemade mozzarella I ever put in my mouth! Aside from the field trips, the main attraction is the cooking courses. They are led by a local woman, Anna, who has lived in Tolfa her whole life. All of her recipes have been passed down from her mother and grandmother. She is full of energy and is very talented at what she does, which is
preparing meals with a passion and knowledge for food. I learned how to make many staples of Italian cuisine. I made fresh pastas, gnocchi, supplì (a favorite of many of the girls on this trip), and many desserts. I learned some secrets that I can take back and share with my family. My dinners consisted of first rate dining with ever flowing wine. Claudio described all the wines that were paired with the meals; how it compliments the meal and brings out all the flavors of the food. I loved sitting and listening to him speak about the different wines because I could tell just how passionate he was about them and wanted to share his knowledge.

Assuntina and Claudio showed me an inside view of what living in Italy is like. I would never learn this in a classroom or just traveling as a tourist. Being able to have this experience allowed me to go deeper into their culture and truly understand it. Italy's greatest wealth is its people. They are giving, loving and charming and they love their food, their families, and their heritage. Italians enjoy their food and enjoy the social
interaction that is such a part of sharing a good meal. All of this reminds me of the south back in America. In the south there is a tender connection between our stomachs and our hearts. As I sat at that kitchen table, watched as meals were prepared and conversations were flowing, I learned that we aren't all that different. I was reminded of the many times everyone at home gathered in the kitchen when meals were being prepared,
laughter and smiles all around. I had truly found a home away from home and I can't wait to go back!!
06 April 2006 Jenny Boyd

 "Stacey and I were immediately impressed by Fontana del Papa.  The beautifully renovated house overlooks the spectacular Monti della Tolfa mountain range, and is complete with olive groves, organic vegetable garden and free roaming chickens and geese.  Assuntina, Claudio and Bartolo are excellent hosts, and together with Anna (our highly enthusiastic and talented chef) and Stefano (our intrepid hiking guide, gardener and jack-of-all-trades), made sure we had a fantastic week.  Aside from cooking, extensive eating and wine tasting, we were delighted to develop our Italian language skills, and enjoyed our day trips to Tarquinia (with its fascinating Etruscan history) and to Viterbo (the most incredible mozzarella you will ever taste). We had a fantastic time, made some great friends and are already looking forward to a return visit."  Ben & Stacey, Australians living in London, UK 

   

  "Ah - a delightful week spent in the countryside of  Italy, staying with a genuine Italian family and learning the food, culture, and language in a way that is not possible anywhere else.  If it is a highly commercialized, rigid, heavily marketed vacation package you are looking for, this is not for you. Rather, this experience is realistic, friendly, and a wonderful opportunity to really live like an Italian.  

Anna, our wonderful chef, is very creative, flexible, and is an absolute delight to work with.  Even with a language barrier, her positive attitude and passion for cooking are obvious.  

Stefano, a local from Tolfa, having lived there his entire life, led us on breathtaking hikes in areas no guest would ever find.

Assuntina and Claudio, our local hosts, have done a fantastic job renovating an original Italian farmhouse into a cozy countryside hideaway with beautiful views, complete with an olive orchard and all the comforts of home.  Most importantly, they provide a genuine, caring, and warm environment in which guests are able to nurture their love of cooking and Italian culture. Forget the package tours -  this is the REAL ITALY!! - Jim (Tallahassee, Florida)

 Fontana del Papa is a wonderful family run cooking school & B&B. Set amidst an olive grove & organic garden only an hour's drive to Fiumicino airport in Rome.

Within an easy hour drive of Fiumicino airport in Rome, Fontana del Papa is a tastefully restored farmhouse located in the scenic countryside outside of the small town of Tolfa. Assuntina and Claudio are very warm and hospitable hosts.

There are three room rentals as well as a junior suite where my husband & I stayed. The junior suite had a lovely sitting room with a very spacious adjoining bedroom complete with a romantic fireplace and very comfortable four poster bed. The view from the bedroom was beautiful. The bathroom was also very roomy and had a tiled shower built for two. Not only were the accommodations fantastic, the festive dinner and breakfast the following morning were both outstanding.

My husband & I stayed at Fontana del Papa the last night before our flight out of Rome the next day. We both agreed that our stay at the property was much too short. It was the highlight of our two week trip to central Italy. Our next trip to Fontana del Papa will have to include a few cooking lessons and cultural excursions to the area. To stay in the beautiful Tolfa countryside with such a warm & welcoming family gave us a real taste of Italian living - and for my husband & I was the best way to experience Italy. Assuntina has created a wonderful website for the property.

We found Fontana del Papa from a previous review on slowtrav.com. We are very happy to add our positive comments on such a wonderful property. Denise from MT

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Fontana del Papa is a beautifully restored 16th century farm house, nestled in an olive grove. It is run as a cooking school, as well as a B&B.

Never before have the final days of a European trip “wound down” so pleasantly. Usually, we find ourselves holed-up in a compromised setting which was chosen based on convenient access to an airport. Not this time! This time we got a location convenient to Rome’s airport, plus a wonderful and authentic experience.

Owners Assuntina and Claudio have completed a stunning restoration of a 16th century stone farmhouse, set within their olive tree groves in the rolling hills near Tolfa. Their attention to architectural detail is everywhere – fixtures, furnishings, and beautiful historically correct tile floors and ceilings. We were particularly enchanted by olive wood fires in the fireplace of our huge bedroom. “Atmosphere” does not get any better than this.

Although cooking classes are a big part of Fontana Del Papa’s offerings, we did not make arrangements for that during our short stay. We were, however, served a wonderful evening meal complete with wines and aperitifs recommended by Claudio, a trained sommelier. Breakfasts were also a treat, with high quality home made breads and ingredients. We happily purchased some of their freshly pressed olive oil to take home.

We spent 2 completely relaxing days and nights at Fontana Del Papa in preparation for out flight home from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. We both remarked that our stay there was the perfect cap to our lengthy Italian stay. The morning of our flight, we began an effortless 45 minutes drive down the A12 autoroute to the airport – approximately 30 km. It was the easiest access to an airport we have ever experienced. ... Fontana del Papa gets a molto star rating from us. Steve & Linda J. from IL 

   

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Beautiful accommodations in a relaxed family setting, in unspoiled countryside north of Rome.

My husband and I recently had the pleasure of spending a long weekend in Tolfa, north of Rome, at Fontana del Papa, where we attended a two-day cooking class. The teacher was superb, generously sharing secrets passed down through the years, from mother to daughter and learning in this fashion is the essence of authentic Italian cooking. Our hosts, Claudio and Assuntina, pulled us into their home the first evening as we sat around the forno a legna and consumed one delectable pizza after another. Drawing us into their family circle could have easily distracted us from the fact that we were staying in a most agreeable B&B, where the accommodations were rustic, relaxed and yet lavish in design and comfort. As innkeepers ourselves, we felt totally spoiled by this get-away and would recommend it to anyone seeking the tranquility of unspoiled countryside. Cooking classes are optional but are a special part of one’s stay here and it would be a shame not to take advantage of their hands-on lessons in the kitchen. Ginda Simpson

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We spent the last part of our honeymoon in Italy at Fontana Del Papa. We knew it would be a nice place to stay, but it was so much MORE than we expected! Assuntina and Claudio are amazing hosts and we really enjoyed getting to know their family. We were lucky enough to be the only guests at their home while we were there and therefore our cooking classes were really one on one. We both love to cook and learned some great tips from Anna, the cook.

The meals were all delicious and the best part is that we have already made some of the recipes back here in the US. We actually had a huge Italian cooking night with 7 of our friends & family and everyone enjoyed the meal! We were inspired by them to start our own garden to draw the herbs and vegetables from for our meals.

Their home is gorgeous and very clean. They have a beautiful dining room where guests eat, however we found eating in the kitchen with the family and staff much more fun. It was a true emersion with their family and we will definitely go back in the future. Next time we will bring our family and friends to book the other rooms!

They have an amazing organic olive farm which produces tasty olio (olive oil). We bought a huge can to bring back and we suggest you do to! Claudio also gave us an informative wine tasting, unlike any tastings we have done in the US. It was a true wine tasting experience and we have shared some of his knowledge with our family and friends.

Overall, it was the trip of a lifetime…and again, we will definitely go back one day!

Love, Chantal and Shane USA 

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  Heaven in Tolfa! Fontana del Papa is an Italian dream in the beautiful mountains of Tolfa just north of Rome. A truly memorable place to stay in Italy.

Fontana del Papa is a beautiful 16th century stone farmhouse renovated with all the modern conveniences of home. My husband and I stayed in a lovely private suite overlooking the mountains and hills of Rome. The home is situated on a working olive grove amidst a farm with fresh vegetables and animals. We woke up to delicious cappuccino and fresh orange juice. Our hosts Assuntina and Claudio showed us an inside view of what living in Italy is like. I learned how to make fresh pasta and tasted the most delicious wines of the area. Claudio drove me to Tarquinia to visit the Etruscan tombs and museum, and taught me about the Etruscan culture which was around long before the Romans. Our dinners consisted of first rate dining with ever flowing wine and after dinner drinks. The family graciously surprised me for my birthday with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a delicious cream filled cake with candles. We enjoyed every bit of our trip including our personal watchdog, Bartolo their sheepdog, who slept outside our room protecting us.

Staying at Fontana del Papa will give you memories of a lifetime. Eve and Barry from Maryland - 

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FOKUS Italiensk matglede

På gården Fontana del Papa i Monti della Tolfa, nord for Roma, kan du ta dagskurs i hjemme laget, italiensk mat. Kurslederne er lokale kjøkkenhelter, i skjørt og forkle, fra lands byen oppe i åsen. Den gamle steinvillaen fra 1700-tallet ligger idyllisk og tilbaketrukket til mellom bølgende olivenlunder, men i huset er det til alle tider et yrende liv. Stedets eiere, ekteparet Claudio og Assuntina, oversetter gladelig de lokale kokkehemmelighetene til perfekt engelsk. Utover bordet ligger begynnelsen til noe som snart skal bli verdens beste hjemme lagde gnocchi med fersk pesto. På kanten sitter lille Jasmine på seks år, som etter hvert har fått skikkelig dreisen på dem. – Vi kan skreddersy kurs, slik at de passer for barn. Og vi kan også legge opp kurs som passer for vegetarianere, forteller Assuntina som høster mesteparten av råvarene fra den økologiske hagen utenfor. – Hit kommer folk fra hele verden, og vi pleier å ha det veldig hyggelig. Vi lager deilig mat, spiser lange måltider og drikker god vin.  

Hilde Marstrander  -SAS Braathens Magazine September '05 - Norway

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 Magnificent B&B located in the hill town of Tolfa.

My last night in Italy was spent at Fontana del Papa, a B&B located in the hill town of Tolfa. It was magnificent and the owners, Assuntina and Claudio made me feel like part of the family. I had a luxurious suite consisting of a large fire-placed sitting room, with an adjoining beautifully decorated bedroom and bath. I slept most comfortably in the canopied queen sized bed. Before bed, I was satiated by wine and a delicious meal made from all fresh ingredients from their garden. Dessert was tiramisu served with another wine which complemented this scrumptious dessert. Claudio is an expert on wines and told me the history of those served that evening. Wonderful experience!!! I recommend this B&B and would like to return there myself.

Xandra from MA 

This old house is beautiful and full of character from the inside and out. The view of the colorful mountains outside my bedroom window was spectacular to look at, especially in the morning, when I watched the sunrise slowly appear above the mountain top.   Raeann from USA - USA 

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 A beautiful B&B just an hour away from Roma. Fontana del Papa offers a serene atmosphere away from the hustle & bustle of the the city.

Fontana del Papa is a masterfully restored 16th Century country home nestled in the hills of Tolfa, conveniently located about an hour North of Roma and minutes away from the port of Civitavecchia. With the option of day trips to Roma, it's the perfect place to stay for your Roman holiday. Staying there with a warm Italian family was the most memorable time of my trip to the region of Lazio.

The Bed & Breakfast was immaculate, and tastefully decorated, with works of art created by local artist adorning the walls. Claudio and Assuntina (owners) pay attention to every little detail and made us all (family) feel at home. This old house is beautiful and full of character from the inside and out. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, each with its own bathroom.

My family shared three adjoining rooms including a sitting room with a wood burning fireplace. The view of the colorful mountains outside my bedroom window was spectacular to look at, especially in the mornings, when I watched the sunrise slowly appear above the mountain tops.

The food and Italian wines were delicious & plentiful. We ate until our hearts were content. There are plenty of activities for everyone's interest. We were offered a long list of activities range from day trips to Roma, the Etruscan Tombs to art, pottery, Italian cooking classes and more.

As for the cooking classes, Luciana (family friend and cook) comes to the house daily to cook meals and to teach guest how to cook an authentic Italian home meal. Luciana doesn't follow the recipes from a book. Instead she carries a list of ingredients and preparations in her head, but is eager to share her secrets with you. She whips up a rustic, 5 course Italian meal effortlessly. And, even though Luciana doesn't speak English, other than the words from a few songs by the Beatles, with her spicy personality, she was able to put a smile on everyone's face each day. On any given day, you could find me and one of my sisters in the kitchen, cooking with Luciana. The kitchen was a place where people could wander in and out, talking laughing, sampling food, dinking and wine.

I was fortunate to bring home with me a half liter bottle of the most delicious organic olive oil, produced by the family as well as a jar of sweet honey from the son of Luciana. Fontana del Papa is not only a B&B that offers culinary classes, it's a retreat where you are able to relax and learn about Italian culture. Speaking of relaxation, my other sister enjoyed each day by relaxing under the sun, on the outside patio area with Bartolo (family sheep dog), taking in fresh air and surrounded by beautiful olive trees. My nephews enjoyed the company of Luca (when around), Emma, the shy one and Andrea, a wonderful young man. They also went biking, horse back riding nearby and loved all of the attention from the family and kids. No one wanted to leave!

We can't wait to return to Fontana del Papa and our friends. Claudio and Assuntina have done an amazing job at creating the perfect atmosphere, catering to their guests, ensuring the most relaxing, enjoyable time. Our stay at this beautiful B&B is unforgettable! Our only regret is that we stayed in Roma for three days prior to our wonderful venture out to Fontana del Papa, a place that soothes your soul and everyone's home away from home.

 The Weeks Family 

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Lovely stay with an Italian family who have a passion for the services they offer, and a warmth and friendliness that would be difficult to match elsewhere.

Fontana del Papa is situated in a wonderful location and is surrounded by mountains, yet only 20 minutes from the beach and within an hour of the city of Rome.

Assuntina and Claudio take their guests into the family and offer small cookery schools throughout the year. They both speak English well, and have a relaxed approach to the itinerary, allowing guests to use their time in their own preferred manner. A typical day would include a cookery class with Anna (who is a lovely lady as well as being an exceptional cook) and maybe a trip out to one of the local villages to see the sights. The evening is a treat, as Claudio proudly teaches about Italian wines, and dinner is served complete with the results of the cooking of the day!

The rooms at Fontana del Papa are of an exceptionally high standard and far exceeded our expectations. Large and comfortable, with homely touched and artwork by a local artist, you feel at home, and not in a soulless hotel environment.  A pretty sun patio is at the back of the house, allowing for a lazy afternoon reading a book or watching the antics of the family animals... All the fresh produce at Fontana del Papa is grown organically and picked daily from their own garden. The vegetables just burst with flavour and their home made olive oil just adds to their wonderful taste. Fontana del Papa is a lovely way to spend some time in this part of Italy, and we hope to return very soon.  Anita from UK

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  Delightful experiences living real Italian style with a charming family. Lovely 16th century house amid olive groves with stunning views. Great food and wine.

This 5 day break was a Christmas gift - I did not really know what to expect. I was met at the airport by Assuntina . We drove through beautiful countryside away from Rome passing fields with cows, horses and lots of babies. The judas trees were in bloom - when we came in sight of the house I was very impressed. Set in a valley surrounded by olive trees (they make their own oil) I discovered that the website pictures do not do it justice.

Claudio and Assuntina have renovated the building with true comfort and it welcoming to enter. Bedrooms/sitting rooms are full of period features but modern comfort. The focus is on cooking, health, and wine - Etruscan style. Great kitchen with very up to date facilities but a rustic Italian feel. Amongst other things I learnt how to make tiramisu to die for, pizza (cooked in the oven on the outside wall of the house) and spent happy hours with Luciana the cook. She didn't speak English and I have no Italian but we communicated very well through our love of food.

The food is local, seasonal and fitted to the rhythms of the countryside. Claudio taught me so much about wine. There were expeditions to the Etruscan tombs, museums, local markets, etc. but everything is at the wish of the guest - no formality and great tranquility. The family are excellent hosts and I can't wait to go back.

Shouldn't forget to mention the water - drawn from a spring and once reserved for the Pope - hence the name. Great walks, wild flowers and much more. I loved every minute of it. Joan Vass from UK

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