Palazzo Seneca

The mountain town of Norcia is one of Umbria’s cultural treasures; the birthplace of St. Benedict, it’s a beautifully preserved relic, with Roman vestiges alongside Gothic and Renaissance elements. Palazzo Seneca dates back to the 16th century, and it’s been a hotel for over a century now. It might have been able to get by on sheer history alone, but the latest generation of its owning family have improved it to a level that’s commensurate with high-end luxury hotels in much larger cities — all without sacrificing any of its deeply historical character.

The rooms are all different, combining contemporary and antique furnishings with original architecture in classic Italian style. They vary widely in size and layout, as in any historical hotel worth its salt, from the relatively cozy Romantic rooms to the 50-square meter Suite, which contains the Seneca family’s antique writing desk among its furnishings.

A small but lovely spa occupies the house’s underground vault, and features a chromotherapy tub as well as a Turkish bath and sauna. The crown jewel, however, has got to be Vespasia, the restaurant, where restaurateurs Vincenzo and Federico Bianconi and chefs Fabio Capiello and Fumiko Sakai have been rewarded for their artistry with a Michelin star.