Palazzo Seneca

Keeping many of the original features of the building but combining them with modern technology and design, the property’s restoration has created an incredibly luxurious hotel which retains a rich sense of history. The Bianconi family have been hoteliers for 150 years, and the family atmosphere extends to the friendliness of the staff.

Rooms and suites are stylish and luxurious, with furnishings made with Umbrian wood and stone. Some pieces are designed by local craftsmen, while some are antiques, with some wardrobes dating from as far back as 1500. From the oak floors to the black granite bathrooms, everything about these rooms and suites is of the highest quality.

Norcia is famous as a gastronomic capital for its truffles and the pork from its acorn-fed pigs, and Palazzo Seneca is home to a Michelin-starred restaurant, Vespasia, where chef Emmanuelle Mazzella puts an innovative gastronomic twist on classic Italian cuisine. The restaurant is based in a beautiful old stables building and makes the most of produce from the fertile surrounding Umbrian region, such as truffles and wild boar.

Palazzo Seneca has a wellness centre on the first floor, offering a Turkish bath, sauna, and herbal infusions made with produce from the nearby Sibillini Mountains. The hotel also has access to its own sports centre, with tennis, five-a-side football, basketball and even beach volleyball all on offer.

Norcia is Italy’s black truffle capital, and during the season between November and March you can learn how they’re sourced by accompanying a truffle hunt before making delicious bruschetta with the fruits of your endeavours; cooking classes are also available at Vespasia. Norcia’s association with truffles and pork is such that each are celebrated with their own festivals, in February and November respectively. The town is reputed to be the birthplace of St Benedict, founder of the Benedictine monastic tradition, and the remains of the house in which he is said to have been born in 480 AD can be viewed in the crypt at the San Benedetto church.