Il Chisoco San Feliciano - Feedback

The views, the views and the views. Lake Trasimeno is stunning and this bar has uninterrupted views, the bar staff are warm and welcoming and the locals are fri... read more The views, the views and the views. Lake Trasimeno is stunning and this bar has uninterrupted views, the bar staff are warm and welcoming and the locals are friendly. We loved it here and made it our home away from home whilst staying in SAN Feliciano for a week. They were so patient with our efforts to speak broken Italian and helped to teach us more. We highly recommend.

After a rough morning with a young child we cancelled our plans and walked on the lakeside instead. We saw this place and decided to have a coffee, which turned... read more After a rough morning with a young child we cancelled our plans and walked on the lakeside instead. We saw this place and decided to have a coffee, which turned into some drinks . We liked the friendly service and atmosphere and felt very welcome. Great place to sit and have a drink !

Perfect place to start your day! I have my coffee here in holiday for the last seven years... I find it to be a perfect place to start my day. The service is ve... read more Perfect place to start your day! I have my coffee here in holiday for the last seven years... I find it to be a perfect place to start my day. The service is very pleasant and the view just stunning!

Il Chiosco, Lungolago A. Alicata, San Feliciano, 06063, Umbria We had a week’s holiday en famille and had taken a place above the village of San Feliciano looki... read more Il Chiosco, Lungolago A. Alicata, San Feliciano, 06063, Umbria We had a week’s holiday en famille and had taken a place above the village of San Feliciano looking west over the lake – catching some gorgeous sunsets/evening skies. As a group we were six adults and three little kids, and time tends to race when you’re having fun. We’d scheduled half day on Isola Polvese and another half day on Isola Maggiore first time on Polvese, but Maggiore we’d visited a few years back; and then there’s the delight of the local towns Perugia the provincial capital and, few km further east, Assisi home/resting place of the most iconic/revered saint in Christendom. Remember, you’re in San Feliciano Umbria in a village that up until 100 years ago depended largely upon agricultural production and fishing for livelihoods/food security and which, during the past 50 years has learned to exploit the beauty of Lago Trasimeno, the green surrounding hills and the legacy of the earlier peoples. The gentrification and development of the region attracted local and foreign tourists in their thousands from the mid 19th century on; post WW2 mass tourism has prevailed (in 2018: 62M Italy 500k Perugia . Mid year and half the cars on the road seem to carry foreign plates. The history of the lake encompasses the Etruscans, the Romans and the Umbrian people – Ombri/Ombrii – one of the ancient Italic peoples who date back >3,000 years. It was the Romans who eventually dominated, settling and incorporating the region into their greater empire (as they were to do across much of the Europe of the day . Tourism abounds and the lake side villages and small towns have provided the infrastructure, restaurants, facilities and information that enables you/your family to enjoy your time to the full. Lago Trasimeno is half way down/up the Italian peninsular – about mid way between Rome and Firenza – and generally considered the fourth largest lake in the country at 124 km2 surface area and perimeter 50 km. However, we had three little kids in tow, ambient temperature mid summer this year have been in the high 30s degC and there was always more than sufficient geography, history and social development available to keep us busy for a week. And this is where Il Chiosco comes in – located between the centro storico and lake shore in a small green area of shrubs, trees and pathways with a children’s playground next door – ideally located for those less energetic holiday activities – friends/family/talking/coffee/brioche/lunch/time to appreciate where you are. During seven days in the neighbourhood we visited the ‘Kiosk’ four times – typically coffee/brioche for those responsible for the morning car run (2 4 people – and buying sufficient brioche to take back to the house for breakfast al fresco over looking the lake. What more can you ask of a small, friendly and convenient bar in this beautiful corner of the Italian Peninsula – delight to the eye and the palette (and this, remember is just brioche, cornetti, girelle, ciambelle, etc. – primi colazione – but with cappuccino to remember – those culinary basics for the start of your day . The bar has spread out around a central counter/coffee shop with seating at scattered tables under shade or trees. Probably scope for >60 in a bar that has added temporary looking aluminium frame extensions and roll up walls to the main building (i.e. the ‘kiosk’ in an effort to accommodate everyone. Of an evening (and particularly pre and late summer here’s where you seek light/warmth with family/friends/talking over coffee/aperativi/cocktails/wine/long drinks – seated in old armchairs/settees/divans – cramped, crowded with people leaning into each other to speak. Casual it may have seemed – but there was clearly some thought for the social value that comes from providing a meeting place. Here were books on shelves with an honesty box attached €2/book. In the corner a box of toys with which the kids could play. Ours did. We called through in the evening for the pleasure of winding down … gelati and coffee – dolce for everyone after our primi/secondi in the holiday house – to experience the delight of the lake close up at night – seasonal changes, sound/sense of water, distance lights – and too, there’s the colder evening temperatures, rain, wind and the drift of people as August shifts into September. In the morning we could sit in the bar and watch the kids not 20 m away playing on the patch of grass/trees next door – ‘Il Parco Baleno’ – the sign said; reminding everyone that ‘Giocare e un diritto di tutti i bambini’ (i.e. ‘Play is a right of all children’ ; and that the playground comes courtesy of the Comune di Magione 4 km from the village. At an adjacent table there was a Dutch family – you could pick out the language – they had arrived in a Volvo station wagon (what else ; driver had dropped everyone off and left to park the car. Other tables had dogs tied to them with or w/o the owner – who were at the bar ordering coffee/brioche (or talking to friends under the gaze of worried dogs. Lots of single men with dogs (large ones too – the dogs . Prices were good. One morning three of us ordered cappuccino/brioche breakfast at the bar, and eight brioche to take back to the house (2x simplici, marmellate, integrale ciocollati 14 items for €16. Another time the two of us ordered cappuccino/brioche at the bar with eight brioche takeaways (substituting con crème for ciocollati – 12 items for €13. Fresh brioche, tasty coffee and good value. Isola Polvese is just 2.5 km off shore – you could easily see it through the trees during the day – the ferry jetty was 100 m further round the lake shore towards the edge of the village 20 minutes and €6/adult return ticket (little kids go free . Many pleasant memories of a day well spent (away from the car peace, views across the lake, travel by boat open top deck, bright/high skies, distant green/grey hills and Il Chiosco either side of the ferry trip/island visit morning coffee/brioche and then late afternoon gelati. Peter Steele 23 February 2020

Great food, staff, and view. Perfect stop driving around Italy. And don’t leave without gelato and a walk to the end of the pier. read more Great food, staff, and view. Perfect stop driving around Italy. And don’t leave without gelato and a walk to the end of the pier.

Local managed by young staff and sprint. excellent location for an aperitif with magnificent sunset view on the lake. read more Local managed by young staff and sprint. excellent location for an aperitif with magnificent sunset view on the lake.

Passage break after visiting the island of Poland in the at least, large space and tables outside the structure, playground for children next to, good ice cream... read more Passage break after visiting the island of Poland in the at least, large space and tables outside the structure, playground for children next to, good ice cream.