Palazzo Mannocchi di Mulaganovic Ferida — Restaurant in Petritoli

We rented Palazzo Mannochi for a 4-Day vacation of a lifetime with 50 friends, and it was amazing. Unlike many who rent the space for weddings, we didn’t have an event planner or do a site visit, but pretty much got exactly what we expected: a big, quirky place for a crowd that was curious and flexible and wanted to be together, while still having space to go their own ways and be alone at times. ||The palazzo itself is amazing: old, and interesting (period furniture, painted ceilings, etc.), and a labyrinth of secret staircases, pocket doors, and back entrances! Although I had studied the floorplan for months, I hardly got my bearings until the second day. Numerous room configurations allowed for couples, groups of teens/friends, and families. Ferida was super-helpful talking through the room assignment considerations beforehand. Some rooms are walk-throughs with no privacy - all as we anticipated. And, given our numbers, we could leave some rooms free (eg, tiny twin rooms in Annex). Baths are the limiting factor, as all are shared, often in a hall or between two rooms. Some are typical European “wet” baths (ie, no shower stall). ||We chose a crowd that would be happy to roll with anything. Which was good, because old and quirky meant not everything worked - hot tubs, washers, gas stoves all required some patience / acceptance. There is no A/C and windows don’t have screens. Which wasn’t a problem several nights (it was cool and breezy, and there are a few fans floating around), but wind died the last night and some suffered bug bites. It’s definitely not a hotel, with cookie-cutter rooms and amenities, although Ferida and owner Jean Marie were responsive to maintenance issues, helped arrange extra cleaning and towels for the pool/beach, and even a found us a masseuse to do house-calls. ||Our biggest surprise was all the stairs/climbing, especially for those in the Annex, Small house, or pool hose. There are 80+ steps from the breakfast room to the top of the pool terrace, where the Annex door is. And it wasn’t just in the palazzo - the entire town is built on a mountain top, so going anywhere involves climbing. At least we walked off much of the wine, pizza, pasta, and gelato we consumed!||Speaking of food, we opted to have breakfast served everyday in the palazzo restaurant. It was substantial and convenient, although a tad redundant after 4 days. We also arranged for two dinners in the Palazzo restaurant (only open to guests of the palazzo, by prior arrangement). Portions were substantial, with at least three courses, and staff were very attentive to many dietary restrictions. Our second dinner was held outside - in front of the arches - which was much better (picturesque, breezy, and better acoustics). ||Ferida also introduced us to Danilo at Tu.Ris.Marche, who helped organize shuttles to/from Rome, yoga class on the breathtaking town garden terrace, fun pizza-making with award-winning Mamma Rosa pizzeria, a spectacular hike to a coastal overlook, an amazing ebiking adventure through nearby towns and countryside, dinner and tour of a traditional Roman winery, a day at the beach with swanky umbrellas and sun beds, and a professional photographer/photo shoot, all of which were top-notch. ||The town itself is a tiny little gem that we wish we had more time to inspect and enjoy, as many of its treasures are behind old doors or down hidden staircases. Some members of our group lucked into a visit to the cemetery and a tour of the bell tower and convent, and we all had the chance to use the astonishingly beautiful municipal theater for an impromptu group talent show. Locals were warm and welcoming, but many local businesses have very limited hours (only 2 hours a day for the shoe store, which is too bad because they had a gorgeous selection). ||Restaurants in town may not open as planned (or at all on certain a days), so it’s best to arrange meals in advance. With Ferida’s help, some of us had a scrumptious meal at Osteria La Cornacchie, albeit we had no idea at the outset that it was a many-course, get-what-you-get situation. The plates just kept coming, as did the wine, all for ~$35! The one continuously open business in town is the Caffe Tre Arche galateria/café/bar, which doubles as town social hub. We convened there constantly to chat, watch soccer, and commune with locals.||Petritoli is a rare find and worth the trip, and the Palazzo was a perfect place to stay. We fell in love and didn’t...

Well where can we start.

We recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary by re-visiting the beautiful town we got married in, Petritoli. If you are looking for a unique, pictureqsue location in Italy to get married this is the place for you. Whilst Ferida and Jean-Marie at Palazzo Mannocchi provide the perfect accommodation, the town and the people are what make it even more special.

The palace itself was gorgeous, just perfect for all of our very different guests. We just can not say or describe how amazing it was for us. The rooms were perfect, the kitchens were big enough and in the right places to host everyone. With a couple of self-contained apartments in the castle, the people with families were able to have a space of their own (although there is so much space it was probably unnecessary.)

The main pool is in the middle of the accommodation – which is actually bigger than it looks in the photos – and was almost like a centre point for everyone to gather during the day. Our guests didn’t all know each other so this was a great opportunity for them to integrate and made a really comfortable, friendly atmosphere on the day of our wedding.

Our Wedding was on the Tuesday, and in true British fashion, it rained! Despite nothing going to plan, it was absolutely perfect. Instead of the outside, we got married under the arches, which was as intimate and beautiful as the whole week had been. The mayor married us, the mayor!!

And then there was the food. Wow. During a dry moment, we disappeared from dinner for some photos. And when we came back, I think we were on to the fifth course. We were full, and had even missed a few courses! Who knows how our guests managed it, but they did . When Ferida asked us what food we would like, we told her to surprise us – to ask the chef to make her favourite dishes. As they say, when in Rome. Probably the best decision we made! Absolutely stunning, the food was out of this world, and people are still talking about it now (a year later!)

We didn’t have a wedding planner, however Ferida went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly. Even down to coming to the local florist to get our flowers, organising the day, delaying the wedding when it started to rain, everything. She is amazing.

Although we booked the Castle, it’s the whole town that we got. The palace is situated right in the heart of the town so the locals are used to visitors but unlike most tourist-y destinations, we were immersed in the culture of a local, Italian town. The Tre Archi is the best place if you want good coffee in the morning (a hangover cure!) or beer/wine during the day. We and our guests spent a whole lot of time there and we absolutely adore the staff. They were just perfect, and even returning today they welcomed us with open arms. Very happy to be back visiting. Girasole, the local pizza place, is the other stand out performer where we often found our guests. The pizzas are incredibly reasonably priced and so tasty. The owners don’t speak any English but pizza is an international language!! (And the menu has an English version, that helps )

To sum up, our wedding week was truly magical, we definitely picked the most wonderful spot on earth to get married and will likely be back again to visit...

Palazzo Mannocchi and the town of Petritoli were a dream come true for our wedding in September 2019. From the amazing views, the welcoming spirit of Petritoli, and the kindness and hospitality of the Palazzo Mannocchi team – our experience was more than we ever could have imagined.||||In total, we had 48 guests staying at Palazzo Mannocchi and it was just the perfect amount of space. There were areas where groups could congregate as well as areas guests could get away by themselves. The rooms were beautiful but certainly had their quirks (as we expected with such an old building!). We did room assignment ahead of time, which was helpful, but still did some adjusting when we were able to see the rooms in-person. It can be a bit of a puzzle with having to walk through rooms to get to other rooms, shared bathrooms and kitchens, etc. Ferida was very helpful in sending us a layout ahead of time, as well as doing a walk-through with us when we arrived.||||The rooms were nice and well taken care of. There were not locks on many of the doors, but never felt that this was a concern throughout the week. The main pool was a great place for our guests to congregate. The pool could be a little chilly, but was a great temperature when the day warmed up.||||The food at Palazzo Mannocchi was absolutely fantastic. From the impromptu dinners throughout the week, to our group cooking class and our wedding meal – the food was fresh and delicious. As a planner, I was a little concerned that we didn’t have a menu outlined ahead of time for the wedding, but everything came together better than I could have imagined. We opted for a sparkling wine toast and finger food in the garden, which was perfect. Following the garden, I think I had to pick my jaw up off the floor when we walked back to the arches following photos and saw the beautiful spread of food for our guests! ||||The people of Petritoli are truly amazing and made us feel so welcomed. Tre Archi was frequented by our guests for morning cappuccinos and croissants, and afternoon snacks and gelato. One guest went to the local barber for a haircut, and one had a pair of pants tailored for the wedding. I loved wandering the local market early in the week. ||||We loved working with Ferida and the entire Palazzo Mannocchi team. Upon arriving in Petritoli, everyone was helpful, responsive, and accommodating. They truly made us feel right at home! Ferida helped many of our guests with questions about nearby activities, restaurant recommendations, and more.||||We will be fondly remembering our week in Petritoli for years to come! By the end of the week, we felt like we were leaving friends. We can’t wait...