Palazzo Seneca Norcia

Palazzo Seneca was built in the 16th century by the homonymous family from Piedivalle, a town near Preci, whose inhabitants were famous as skilled wood carvers. Among their works is the wooden choir of the Basilica of St. Benedict, which no longer exists in the church, and the choir in the Abbey of St. Eutizio.

Inside is a large stone fireplace dating back to the 16th century, topped by the family crest which depicts a bar in the middle of which rests a compass and, under it, three roses. Compass and bar are a symbol of the guilds the family belonged to.

Palazzo Seneca was the first hotel in Norcia and among the first in Umbria as it opened in the early 1900s. The residence has undergone several changes over time but it still maintains intact, on the ground floor, the features of the vaulted rooms typical of the 16th century.

The structure underwent a major restoration following the earthquake of 1997 that ended with the reopening in June 2008, when the hotel went back to being one of the most beautiful monuments of Norcia. Palazzo Seneca is considered a very safe building from a seismic point of view.

It has passed all the tests carried out by technicians from the Civil Protection Agency and by a highly skilled team of engineers and technical experts following the earthquake that has hit all of central Italy since August 24th 2016.

THE FAMILY
Since 1850 our family has handed down, from father to son, a passion for hospitality and catering with unmatched continuity. Palazzo Seneca is the evolution of 150 years of tradition, of our studies, our experience and research, carried out in Italy and in the world.

At the end of the 1990s we felt ready for a new challenge, to create a place of peace where local products could be the basis for a project involving high cuisine. We then wrote a manual on the philosophy and the emotions that this house should convey to its guests.

We found the right architect after two years, a person with great experience in interior design, with very good taste and a sense of harmony, Andrew Lerwill Bowen. All objects in this Palazzo tell the story of our Region.

At home in an Umbrian Palace. This is not our slogan, but a way of thinking, designing, hosting, and living in this elegant 16th-century house. We have put together history, design, simplicity, authenticity and creativity in order to make you live a new Umbrian tradition.

Even the prestigious British newspaper The Daily Telegraph has recommended us, indicating the Relais & Châteaux of Norcia as one of the top 10 “Rural Hotels” in the ranking of the “50 BEST Italian Hotels”, among the new frontiers of luxury.

The Daily Telegraph pays particular attention to the peculiarities of the building which, with stone and terracotta floors, vaulted ceilings, large fireplaces and crafts from the Umbrian artisans of today and yesterday, helps to tell the story of this land.

Ours is a story of love for our job and for our city that renews itself from generation to generation. Thanks to our staff that supports us and to the trust that many guests have placed in us, we look to the future with optimism and ambition, eager to test ourselves in new challenges. We await you to make your stay a memorable one.

THE SUSTAINABILITY
Palazzo Seneca was born from the idea of Vincenzo and Federico Bianconi, the latest generation of a family of hoteliers since 1850. Their strong attachment to the territory in which they operate and the willingness to preserve the traditions of their region and to make it known all over the world was the stimulus behind the creation of this hotel.

Since the beginning of its operations, Palazzo Seneca wanted to be a different hotel and to target a diverse set of guests interested in sustainability. To do so, the Bianconi family knew that the best way to promote their land was to keep it as original as possible.

The Palazzo underwent a major restoration and has reported no damage after the seismic event which hit Norcia and its surroundings in 2016.

The restoration undergone at Palazzo Seneca aimed at preserving its original decorations and design and, to achieve this objective, more than 95% of the hotel decorations, furniture and ornaments came within the Umbria region.

The idea was to make guests feeling at home in an Umbrian Palace, eliminating the idea of both sterile and fancy environments to deliver the warmth and fascination of a place rich in history.

Palazzo Seneca is a responsible and successful hotel project for safeguarding the environment, making guests’ stay eco-sustainable without sacrificing comfort, luxury and exclusivity. From sustainable electric autonomy to the choice of eliminating the use of plastic for staff and guests.

From the use of seasonal ingredients for the kitchen to the close collaboration with suppliers participating in eco- certification programs. Action towards the local community is also a key aspect for the property and guests are encouraged to know and purchase local products.

Internally, local voluntary actions are suggested and the use of sustainable practices in the daily life are proposed to each employee.

With this vision, Palazzo Seneca promotes the culture of organic food and the territorial approach by orienting development towards the conservation of resources, environmental sustainability, the enhancement of local differences and, therefore, the quality of life.

SUITE
The ideal place for guests who like simple room, where elegance and refinement are clear from every detail. In the hall you will find the antique writing desk of the Seneca family which has been skilfully restored, a comfortable leather sofa and a vanity table for the living area.

In the sleeping area a wooden bed with spiral columns carved with indisputable mastery by the Umbrian artisans will leave you breathless.

Beauty and comfort: a king-size bed with Simmons mattress with springs individually bagged and memory foam will make your rest a real dream. Ancient oak wood floors and black granite bathrooms (meteor), both of great value. Everything points to a place without time and with unique elegance.

JUNIOR SUITE
If you love large spaces and authentic furnishing, the Junior Suite in Palazzo Seneca is the right place for you. Antique wooden canopy beds or inlaid wooden headboards, carved with mastery by Umbrian artisans, authors of important works of restoration of works of art in central Italy and Simmons mattresses with springs individually bagged and memory foam will make your rest a real dream.

Unique antique pieces, closets and writing desks right from the 16th and 18th centuries belonging to the Seneca family, cleverly restored. In some rooms you will find floors in antique oak wood or traditional terracotta.

The bathrooms feature black granite (meteor) or ecru marble, elegant and of high quality. On the walls textural paintings made with jute, the fabric formerly used by bakers for the natural leavening of bread.

Make time for a relaxing shower in Room 210. A window will allow you to soak in the sight of the Sibillini National Park while the terrace, which has earned Palazzo Seneca the award of “Best Room with a View” from the magazine “Bell’Italia”, provides a unique view, both for your eyes and for your soul.

DELUXE ROOM
These rooms are spacious, charming and simply elegant. The entrance next to the wardrobe is reminiscent of the trunks of old, with leather-covered doors. Some are adorned with wrought iron canopies, as of old, and Simmons mattresses with springs individually bagged and memory foam will make your rest a real dream.

Others have desks completely lined in leather by the master tanners from the Marche as well as ‘cardinal’ chairs, the same used in the Vatican for meetings among cardinals, strictly made by Umbrian artisans. Still others have writing desks dating back to the 16th and 18th century, belonging to the Seneca family.

On the walls textural paintings made with jute, the fabric formerly used by bakers for the natural leavening of bread. Class and elegance characterize all the bathrooms of the rooms, made with ecru marble.

THE VESPASIA RESTAURANT
It is located inside Palazzo Seneca, a noble residence of the 16th century, in via Cesare Battisti 10 in Norcia (Umbria, Italy), in the historic center, a few meters from the famous San Benedetto place and the main street of the city.

The Palace was the residence of the Seneca family, an important artisan family who provided large orders to the Vatican. It was later transformed into a Hotel della Posta and frequented by travelers who crossed the Apennines on horseback or by carriage who stopped here to sleep and eat well.

The Bianconi family bought this property at the end of the nineties and started a major renovation that lasted 7 years. The whole property has been restored with great care and tastefully furnished.

The Vespasia Restaurant has its own dedicated entrance. It is on the right side, looking at the main entrance of the Palace. It is accessed by a large dark iron gate behind which there is a stone passage that runs alongside Palazzo Seneca on the left and on the right, first the Auditorium of San Francesco and then the walls of an old monastery.

At the end of the passage there is a large window that enhances the terracotta columns supporting a beautiful wooden ceiling and tiles. The floor is in original stone but the touch that makes the difference is given by the soft warm lights contained in 8 modern chandeliers made of shiny metal cylinders that seem to float in space.

On both sides there are leather sofas and armchairs, always made with an amazing taste by skilled Umbrian artisans. On the left wall there are photos that do not represent, as often happens in these places, celebrities but the great friends of this project, that is the best small producers in the area, together with the ethical Manifesto of the Relais & Châteaux Association and the Vespasia.

To enter it is necessary to ring the bell located on the left. The welcome is smiling, hospitable, attentive and at the very same time simple, in line with the values of this land. Once you have deposited your coat, if necessary, you will be accompanied to the main room of the restaurant immediately after a large wooden door.

Here, from time to time, you may find skilled hands on the piano that, accompanied by other hands on the double bass or guitar, create quality music. But we can guarantee you that in this place even silence is magical.

Since 2014, the Vespasia Restaurant has received a Michelin star which it has been able to maintain to this day. This quality certificate makes the restaurant one of the two most important gastronomic destinations in the Umbria region. The Vespasia Restaurant is also part of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux association and the Buon Ricordo Restaurants.

THE VESPASIA MAIN ROOM
This is the main room of the Vespasia restaurant. It opens with its four large wooden windows towards the pretty little backyard garden. Its circular tables sit under large orange chandeliers that produce a soft warm light.

The seats of these tables can be large leather armchairs or traditional chairs with armrests in wood and leather. On the walls there are modern paintings that summarize the soul and colors of these places.

THE BLACK FIREPLACE ROOM
This is a more intimate room in the Vespasia restaurant. It has no windows facing outwards, the slit that overlooks the kitchen is curious, from which you can see the work of the Chefs. This room is characterized by a large wooden furniture that contains our spirits, wines and glasses, four large white chandeliers and by the large black fireplace.

THE BACKYARD GARDEN
It is almost surprising to discover this peaceful place in the historic center. This is a small green oasis where, in the summer, the scents of the small garden, with the aromatic herbs used in the kitchen, help to enrich the experience with delicate scents. From here you can see the roofs and the towers of the historic center.

Beyond, between the houses, a glimpse of the nearby countryside. If you arrive in time for an aperitif, during the summer months, you can enjoy a beautiful sunset, between the mountains overlooking the water meadows. The large terrace above the garden also offers a breathtaking view. It is accessed by a graceful terracotta staircase.

MEETING
If you want to combine duty with pleasure, organizing a small event, a seminar or a business meeting with us, we inform you that we have some spaces dedicated to these functions, well equipped and able to combine privacy and technology. Do not hesitate to contact us or go to the website: palazzoseneca.com

WEDDINGS
The elegance and uniqueness of a 16th-century palace immersed in the nature of the Sibillini National Park. A high-level culinary proposal that with creativity and taste brings the excellence of local products to the table.

A dynamic and flexible team that with a great spirit of collaboration and attention to detail will accompany you until the day of your wedding. This is the magical atmosphere that reigns in Palazzo Seneca and awaits only you!

Palazzo Seneca represents the essence of Umbria, with a perfect combination of design and tradition. The garden with its part of the Chef’s vegetable garden is a special glimpse for your intimate and welcoming celebration.

The terrace dominates the landscape with the roofs of Norcia, the valley and the mountains of the Park. Palazzo Seneca is to be discovered in every corner.

PRIVATE EVENTS
Palazzo Seneca was born with this spirit of sharing and belonging to a family, a community, a unique destination.

Private events such as graduations, birthdays, cocktail parties, family reunions, theme parties, dinners and exclusive corporate events or a special appointment with friends, reflect this spirit. We are waiting for you to organize your experience of fun or pleasure, social or cultural, outside the normality and everyday experiences.

THE WELLNESS CENTRE
In the basement of the Palazzo Seneca Relais & Châteaux, just a few meters from the main square in Norcia, a mystic silence surrounds the rooms of the Wellness Centre. Cross-vaulted ceilings and ancient stone floors are the perfect frame for your peace.

The intimacy of the Sala Sibilla is reserved for couples, with massage beds and a design hot tub with chromo-therapy in which to relax and experience romantic moments. The relaxation area will enthral you with its large mats and the central column from where the vaults that characterize the spa start out.

This is the place where, after a rejuvenating massage, you can sip herbal teas and infusions prepared with herbs from the Sibillini National Park. In the humid area, on the other hand, you can find a stone hot tub that fits six while, in the adjacent room, a Turkish bath and a sauna are ready to purify your skin.

All these intimate environments, together with the changing area, complete an environment tailored to the well-being of our guests. If your body needs special attention, please say so during your interview with our dedicated staff.

The staff of our wellness centre is available to study, together with you, a tailor-made regenerating program to be carried out during your stay, including, if you consider it appropriate, advice on the proper nutrition to follow during this short period.

TEAM BUILDING
Acohesive group that has the opportunity to develop transversal skills, works better and more serenely. A series of activities are available that can be carried out both indoors and outdoors, enjoying the setting of Norcia and the Sibillini National Park.

Ideal places in contact with nature in an uncontaminated landscape, a great history and a unique culinary tradition. It is possible to organize excursions with certified guides with various levels of difficulty. All the activities can end with a delicious picnic prepared by our Chef.

Among the activities that include a competition between teams, we offer archery, rafting or a truffle quarry that turns into a sort of treasure hunt. Without forgetting routes with e-bikes and mountain bikes to discover secret corners of the territory.

EXPERIENCES
Spend your holiday in Norcia, Umbria, extraordinary experiences together with Palazzo Seneca. Learn how to make cheese, go in search of the delicious black truffle all year around or follow us in delicious tasting!

NORCIA
Norcia was founded by the Sabine near the Sibillini Mountains, and as early as the 2nd century BC it had become a flourishing Roman town. Norcia, surrounded by walls in the 14th century, is rich in historical and artistic treasures.

Besides the natural beauty and the nature trails available in the area, it offers a culinary tradition full of genuine and typical products. Norcia is a culinary paradise, rich and sophisticated. Castelluccio lentils, spelt, black truffle (‘tuber melanosporum’ in Latin, and the real protagonist of local recipes), cheese of all kinds like pecorino and Caciotta…

But, above anything else is the Italian charcuterie production, the noble and ancient art of monaci processing pork meat which dates back to the 1200s and which has made this Umbrian town famous all over the world. In the streets, the scent of sausages, hams, and other typical products of Norcia will surround you.

Beyond the city walls are the “Water Meadows”, areas where the water collected and redistributed through a rational system of channels invented by Benedictine monks between the 15th and 16th centuries periodically floods (in a continuous and controlled manner) large areas of land for long periods of the year, allowing the collection of an abundant hay harvest.

From the geographical and naturalistic point of view Norcia is located in the south-east of Umbria, at the point of junction of two very different but contiguous landscapes: the Valnerina, the area of ​​the narrow river valley carved by the Nera River and its tributaries, and the Sibillini Mountains, the centre of the Sibillini National Park.

This is a mountainous area with peaks that can reach and go over 2000 meters and where there are vast highlands like the beautiful Pian Grande (about 15 square km). There are however also minor plateaus: Pian Piccolo, Pian Perduto, Quarto San Lorenzo, and Pian dei Pantani.

In late spring (second half of June) the plateau becomes the stage for a particular natural phenomenon called “Blooming” after the simultaneous flowering of dozens of different floral species that create a multicoloured carpet covering the entire valley. The Great Plain of Castelluccio is also known for the lentils by the same name and for some rare species of orchids.

Rare but present is the golden eagle while peregrine falcons, woodpeckers and nuthatches are more common. The plain of Castelluccio includes also the Monte Vettore and the Pilato Lake, a small lake basin with variable depth and fed by the melting of the snow, is on top of it. Here lives an endemic species of crustacean: the Chirocefalo Marchesonii.

Norcia was the birthplace of St. Benedict, patron of Europe and patriarch of Western monasticism. His Rule, which sums up the Eastern monastic tradition and adapts it with wisdom and discretion to the Latin world, opens a new way to European civilization after the decline of the Roman tradition.

In the wake of St. Benedict centres for prayer, culture, and hospitality for the poor and the pilgrims arose on the European continent and on the islands. Two centuries after his death over a thousand monasteries were guided by his Rule. Paul VI proclaimed him patron saint of Europe (24th of October 1964).

TRUFFLE HUNTING & CHEESE MAKING
A complete and engaging experiential dive to maintain an indelible memory of your holiday in Norcia. The classic truffle quarry is enriched with art of cheese, so in addition to the suggestive walk in search of “black gold”, our trusted cheesemaker will show you and reveal all the secrets and the process of preparing the cheese (and everything not in his laboratory but outdoors and in the midst of nature!)

A unique and unmissable experience, typical and genuine at the same time! Finally, enjoy the picnic in the forest in total relax and let yourself be pampered by the tasting of typical local products before returning to the hotel.

You will freely walk in one of the smallest villages of the Valnerina which has made the prized black truffle a symbol and you will visit the truffle museum. Delight your palate with typical truffle-based specialties in our selected cozy restaurant in Campello sul Clitunno.

In the afternoon you will immerse yourself in the versatile and enchanting world of Hemp (natural fiber typical of the area) with a guided tour of the museum and a particular experience in the textile laboratory. Pick of the day, a tantalizing aperitif with tasting Hemp-based products before returning to Norcia.

At Palazzo Seneca with the Michelin-starred Chef and / or his brigade the secrets of Italian and local cuisine will be revealed before your eyes, describing the choice of ingredients and teaching the necessary techniques to recreate at home what it was done during the course. An informal tasting will follow with the dishes prepared.

In the afternoon Nicola, our expert quarryman, with his dogs Tempestina and Lulù will guide you in search of the black truffle in the woods of the Monti Sibillini National Park with an excellent picnic or a final aperitif.

ONE DAY LIKE A REAL NORCINO MAN 
Nicola, our expert quarryman, with his dogs Tempestina and Lulù will lead you in search of black truffle in the woods of the Monti Sibillini National Park with an excellent final picnic.

In the early afternoon you will visit the chocolate workshop where you will be shown the production process of Norcia artisan chocolate delicacies and you will have the opportunity to make sweet purchases after a chocolate-based tasting.

Finally, you visit one of the best local meat and vegetable producers, you discover how meat becomes ham, salami, sausages without added gluten, lactose and milk derivatives. The love for nature and animals has led to the creation of an educational farm so that everyone can spend unique moments in a place full of surprises.

GASTRONOMY IN NORCIA 
Take advantage of your stay in Norcia to discover the typical products of the tradition: black belted pigs, blue-egged hens, donkeys. You can watch the artisanal processing of meat in the laboratory of one of the most excellent local producers, to learn about the art of norcineria famous all over the world.

In addition to the small final tasting of the company’s cold cuts and cheeses, it will be possible to enjoy a delicious picnic prepared by the Michelin-starred restaurant, Vespasia.

In the afternoon, you will visit a little historic chocolate factory to explain how its chocolate-based delicacies are born: tablets, creams, biscuits, pralines and tartufini! You will be shown the production cycle and have a sweet tasting.

UMBRIA EXCELLENCES
This tour is perfect for those who want to immerse themselves in the infinite world of Umbrian excellences such as TRUFFLES, OIL AND WINE. You will walk in one of the smallest village of the Valnerina that has made the black truffle a symbol and you will visit the truffle museum.

Enjoy the lunch based on typical specialties and flavors of Umbria in our selected cozy restaurant in Campello sul Clitunno. You will visit an ancient olive oil mill to learn about its history and the technique of pressing and after a rich final tasting the experience continues in Montefalco, in one of the most renowned wine cellars.

Let yourself be enchanted by the fragrances the scent and you will taste some of its most famous labels before returning to Norcia.

WINERIES TOUR
The tour of contrasts par excellence: two wineries with their own history and their own philosophy of work. The first takes inspiration from organic farming and will let you fully enter into its unique lifestyle choice with a nice ride in an historic carriage.

The wine tasting will be guided in an excellent way, professional but at the same time in a family atmosphere. In the afternoon visit and wine tasting at one of the most prestigious and modern wineries in Umbria, where art and taste meet in a combination of absolute beauty.

THE GREAT MADE IN UMBRIA
A tour that assembles together two Made in Umbria great names known throughout the world, ranging from the gastronomic theme to the textile. You will fully enter the world of chocolate with a visit to the museum house and a private lesson with the official maître chocolatier.

Finally, let yourself be enchanted by the passion for beauty, sewn on and tailored: you will visit the most famous Umbrian textile production and the enchanting village that hosts it, with time available for shopping without equal.

THE CASHMERE CONNECTION
We have teamed up with our great friends from Villa Spalletti Trivelli in Rome to take you on a very special journey made of relaxation, wine and cashmere! Indulge yourselves, while staying at Villa Spalletti Trivelli in a private shopping experience at Via Veneto to experience the atmospheres of the “Dolce Vita”.

A Personal Stylist, at your complete disposal, will reveal the secrets of artisanal cashmere made in Umbria. After a wine tasting lunch at our organic farm Pomario, the ultimate Cashmere Experience begins with a tour to discover the charming village of Bevagna and its textile tradition with a local expert.

Visit the Lab for a special tour in a real Italian artisanal factory. At the end of the day Palazzo Seneca, the only Relais & Chateaux Hotel in Umbria with a Michelin star restaurant will be ready to welcome you.

E-BIKE
The Valnerina, the little region where Palazzo Seneca is located, is rich in villages and monuments telling the story of this area, all set in a fantastic landscape. In defining the routes we considered that in addition to being a bike ride it is also a time to savour a territory.

To give a meaning to a half-day experience, and therefore to know a territory as a whole, between landscapes, villages, roads and to capture its history and culture, we opted for the use of pedal assisted e-bicycles.

Enjoy the experience savouring a tasty and practical take-away picnic prepared by our starred restaurant Vespasia in Norcia, to be enjoyed before your return to the hotel.

TREKKING & HIKING
Trekking and hiking excursions with our expert guide who will accompany beginners, enthusiasts or experts to discover the wonders of the Monti Sibillini National Park. The territory of the park offers countless and different possibilities for those who want to experience its natural treasures in all seasons.

There is a choice of numerous path options depending on the time available, the degree of difficulty, the level of preparation of the participants, the season and period.

The common thread will be nothing other than the constant contact with the wild nature of this corner of Umbria, among the corners of the villages scattered along the slopes of the Sibillini and pleasant walks with rural and pastoral flavor.

RAFTING
Immerse yourself in the waters of the Corno river with a rafting excursion through the gorges of the Valnerina. Among fairy-tale scenarios and fun, you will immediately find yourself in close contact with nature and thanks to our expert guides, whole family will enjoy a great moment in total safety.

You can then come back to Norcia and enjoying the rich lunch based on local dishes typical of our tradition at the Granaro del Monte restaurant.

Rooms: 24

Price: from 188 EUR per night

Source: www.palazzoseneca.com