Il Mandorleto

For anyone looking for a quiet spot away from everything, Il Mandorelto has lovely scenery and a peaceful atmosphere. We were greeted at the car park by Alessandro, who offered to carry our luggage and brought refreshments. Once we were in our room, he asked if we’d be having dinner there and whether we had any food allergies. Dinner was incredible. We had sumptuous parmigiana with excellent goat cheeses and grilled vegetables, pasta with ricotta and almonds, then chicken breasts cooked in excellent wine with almonds. Homemade almond ice cream finished it off. Almonds are Il Mandorleto’s main business, and theirs are bio, without pesticides or the other chemicals used in heavily industrialised produce. The agriturismo has two kinds of accommodation: small wooden cabins for two, with a little kitchen and fridge, and regular guest rooms with a bedroom and en-suite bathroom. The cabins have air conditioning, while the rooms don’t. I found our first night a bit rough because I was hot, even though the place is high up and the air is fresh. I’m used to sleeping in cooler temperatures with our a/c. I’d discussed air conditioning when booking, and management said it gets fresh at night, which it does. The next morning I mentioned that the room was still hot to Alessandro, and he said he’d look into it. That evening, there was an air cooler in our room, and it helped a lot. My one complaint, which I didn’t raise because I knew it couldn’t be fixed right then, is that our mattress is worn out and needs replacing. Our friends stayed in a cabin and were very happy with their mattress and the facilities. The scenery, food, location, and hospitality were all near-perfect. The owners really care about guests’ satisfaction. They have accessible rooms and public restrooms, and the place is quite wheelchair friendly. The ground on the way to the swimming pool is a bit rugged rather than flat, though you can still get there. One thing to know is that it isn’t set up like a hotel with a lounge or reception staffed around the clock. There’s no lounge or reception on site. That didn’t affect our stay, but some people may need those facilities. Before leaving, we booked an hour of horse riding, which I strongly recommend. It costs €15 per person for an hour, and the scenery is breathtaking. It was a memorable experience. I’d definitely return to Il Mandorleto and recommend it.