Even from the very traditional stone exterior, this house looks more ‘country villa’ than rambling farmstead, but still the light and spacious interiors come as some surprise. The old world meets the new in a long living room, with its ribbed terracotta ceiling over crisp white walls and large modern sofas, a big stone fireplace at one end and the clean lines of a modern dining suite at the other.

There are all mod cons under the raftered kitchen roof, the study is equipped with WiFi and iPod dock, and bedrooms are uncluttered and understated. Outside, a long marble table makes the broad terrace a perfect spot for candlelit dining on balmy evenings, and twin staircases at either end lead down to the infinity pool, where a large pool house, with its own kitchenette, serves a wisteria-draped terrace furnished for al fresco lunches.

The four-acre grounds encompass silvered olive groves and slope gently down to a tennis court (shared with sister-villa Casa Andrea). Cook service could be an added indulgence here, and there is an excellent restaurant a very short drive away. The very tranquil setting is just 8km from shops and restaurants in beautiful Todi, its skyline visible from the villa grounds.