With all the buzz centered around Rome nowadays, a countryside retreat just over an hour from the Eternal City may be just the perfect place to rest and unwind from a day of grand touring. The scenery matches the picture perfect enchantment of Tuscany while offering easy proximity to Rome. By car, Rome is just over an hour away. A 10 minute drive leads to a train station with free parking and frequent rail service into Rome's Tiburtina station where the convenient Metro is located.

Aptly named, the Olive Garden is comprised of the owner's villa and two rental homes found amidst the groves of a family run, extra virgin olive oil producing estate. The kind and friendly owners of the Olive Garden along with their trusty, black Lab tend over 16 acres of olive trees and a variety of flora including palms, fruit and nut trees. All three homes, each having its own private outdoor space, share a large, well equipped swimming pool.

Cottage Saba is a freestanding home nestled beside an olive grove and offers the most privacy on the estate. Separated by a hilly olive grove, only its rooftop is visible from the pool area 120 yards away. A spectacular panorama of verdant countryside ringed by the backdrop of the Sabine Mountains is enjoyed from Cottage Saba's furnished garden, first floor balcony and its covered patio with a barbecue.

This three bedroom country cottage is comfortably furnished and has a bathroom for each bedroom, screens on all windows and doors, two fireplaces, two kitchens and air conditioning throughout with the exception of the ground floor bedroom. Upon arrival, guests often request the owners to program the thermostat to coincide with the times they expect to depart for and return from day trips in order to contain their utility costs.

The Olive Garden is also an ideal property for guests seeking the friendly, English-speaking guidance and hospitality offered by its owner. To maximize your stay, improve your familiarity with the area and tantalize your tastebuds, the owner, an official olive oil sommelier offers with each rental:

• A 90 minute tour of the family’s oil producing estate from the grove to the bottle focussing on how recognize fine olive oil. Three estate oils are sampled. Purchases may be conveniently shipped home.

• A personally guided morning stroll through nearby Poggio Mirteto designed to introduce you to the town’s best baker, farm stand, butcher, deli and topped off with a cappuccino at the town’s best coffee shop.

• Perhaps, the most priceless advantage of all is having this knowledgeable owner act as your personal resource throughout the length of your stay. Discover the best ways in and out of Rome during times wish to go; where insiders dine reasonably and well; what not to miss both in the city and the magnificent countryside around you and much more.

A narrow, mile long road leads from the town of Poggio Mirteto to the estate's unpaved driveway. It takes less than five minutes by car to reach this delightful little, non-touristy town. This pre-Roman citadel of Sabine origin has several stores for all your immediate shopping needs. Rieti, the artsy provincial capital of the region is within a 40 minute drive.

Closer in, the area is full of ancient monasteries and hermitages, beautiful rolling hills dappled with 11 lakes and a series of majestic mountains.

Ideal for touring Rome by day and returning to the pristine countryside in the evening, this property is also positioned for day trips into Umbria with Terni, Orvieto or Todi within an hour's drive; Spoleto: 80 minutes; Perugia, L'Aquila in Abruzzo or Anzio on Lazio’s coast: 100; Assisi or Montepulciano in Tuscany: 120.

Technical Description
Ground floor: Entrance from furnished garden into air conditioned living/dining room with fireplace, TV and CD player. Kitchen area with stove top, oven, microwave, fridge, double sink and dishwasher. One bedroom with a queen size bed and doors to garden. Six steps to bathroom with tub, hand shower, heated towel rack, hair dryer and washing machine.

First floor: Air conditioned eat-in kitchen with stove top, oven, fridge, fireplace and door to furnished balcony. One air conditioned bedroom with a queen size bed, French doors opening to the balcony and en suite bathroom with shower and hair dryer. One air conditioned bedroom with two single, joinable beds with en suite bathroom with shower, heated towel rack and hair dryer. Hallway with door opening to furnished covered patio.