In our opinion, however, neither the rooms or the facilities are why you come to this hotel. No: you chiefly come for the atmosphere; for the palpable sense of place. The Palazzo Seneca is the homeliest of hotels; the sort of residence where you are greeted and treated like returning friends from the moment of arrival. Such hospitality represents undiscovered rural Italy at its finest.

Central Norcia, among whose narrow lanes the Seneca is located, is small with a few quaint cafés and restaurants, churches worth a visit, and a nice main piazza on which to sit out on in the sun.

That location is ideal for families or active couples seeking to take advantage of the many activities that Norcia and its dramatic surrounds offer. Activities such as hiking across the Piano Grande’s wild-flower displays or trekking into peaks accompanied by mules, mountain biking, cookery classes, guided truffle hunting with dogs, wine or olive oil-tasting, and even visits to chocolate or cheese factories.