Palazzo San Benedetto

07/03/2025

A couple of weeks ago we went to Tecnomat in Prenestina, Rome for the first time. I remember B&Q in Brighton, UK being huge but this is off the scale. There is everything you need and more for doing up your house and garden here and at such discounted prices. Our friend Giorgio drove us in his van and you should have seen the happy looks on his and Andrew's faces when we were inside Tecnomat. Boys toys...

The reason we went is because we couldn't find any reasonably priced plywood anywhere, seems to cost a fortune in Abruzzo. Here we got massive sheets (can't remember the size 244 x 122 x 18... something like that for 33 euros). Yes we had tolls to pay and diesel but we bought other things there as well at two thirds of what we would normally pay and anyway it's only just over an hour's drive from where we live and we did also go to our favourite Mercatino Usato in the Monteverde area where we picked up a few bargains.

In the afternoon on our way back to Abruzzo we drove to see Bruno who lives in Rome who had very kindly and so generously gifted us an antique headboard from his grandmother. Thank you again so much to you ❤❤ We will post pictures of it in the future as it's rather beautiful but as we were being filmed all day for Help We Bought A Village, let's see what gets used in the final edit. I am posting my Tecnomat photos as Noel our lovely cameraman from True North TV was not allowed to film inside.

06/03/2025

I've been busy restoring a fantastic mirror we bought for just 70 Euros. There were a few bits missing and it had completely lost its shine and sparkle. Still got a few bits to go until completely finished but we're pleased with the progress so far.

04/03/2025

We will never get tired of this view! ❤️

22/02/2025

In our latest video (link is in bio) we meet with our architect Marco and our builder/construction project manager Davide for our Palazzo Renovation Inspection - Site Visit and we also do a tour of our bedrooms or, rather what will be our bedrooms. Here in Abruzzo, a small percentage of the region's population speak English so we are incredibly lucky that both Marco and Davide can speak English. Although did something get lost in translation? We didn't expect the wall we encountered in the Terrace Apartment kitchen!

Join us for this update which is a half way mark of this part of Phase 1, Step 1 of the palazzo project.

Please do subscribe to our channel and help us grow it. Thank you! It means a lot to us and if we can get monetized every penny gained will be put into Palazzo San Benedetto. It's FREE to subscribe!
And it would also help if you would please give our video a like. Grazie mille.

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Sottotitili in italiano nelle impostazione!

Nel nostro ultimo video (link nei commenti qui sotto) incontriamo il nostro architetto Marco e il nostro costruttore/responsabile del progetto di costruzione Davide per questa ispezione di ristrutturazione di un palazzo italiano - visita in loco e facciamo anche un giro delle nostre camere da letto o, meglio, di quelle che saranno le nostre camere da letto. Qui in Abruzzo, una piccola percentuale della popolazione della regione parla inglese, quindi siamo incredibilmente fortunati che sia Marco che Davide sappiano parlare inglese. Ma qualcosa si è perso nella traduzione? Non ci aspettavamo il muro che abbiamo incontrato nella cucina del Terrace Apartment!

Unisciti a noi per questo aggiornamento che è a metà di questa parte della Fase 1, Step 1 del progetto del palazzo.

Per favore, iscriviti al nostro canale e aiutaci a farlo crescere. Grazie! Significa molto per noi e se possiamo essere monetizzati, ogni centesimo guadagnato verrà investito in Palazzo San Benedetto. L'iscrizione è GRATUITA!
E sarebbe anche utile se mettessi un "mi piace" al nostro video. Grazie mille.

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16/02/2025

Just look how tidy our builders are!!!!

For those of you have been following us on our YouTube channel you will have seen our courtyard filled with rubble from the demolition until recently.
Now it's all magically disappeared but not only that it's all been thoroughly swept! Amazing!

13/02/2025

Justine from True North TV pointing out that Andrew is sporting a high-end fashion look 'a la Balenciaga paint splatter' trend! Only difference is a few grand!! 😆 I think Andrew's rocking the look!!!


 

08/02/2025

How do you get a wardrobe upstairs without a staircase? Will we succeed? Will it be a right mission?

Why didn't we get a wardrobe upstairs before the staircase was demolished, you might ask! Well, the style of antique wardrobe befitting for the master bedroom of the Terrace Apartment would never had got up the old staircase because of the dimensions.

Most antique wardrobes don't come apart and we certainly can't have a modern flatpack wardrobe up there! This was our only opportunity to try and get a wardrobe up the stairs before the new helical staircase is built and once built, nothing large will ever get up that!

Watch the struggles in our latest video (link in comments below) and find out if we succeed! Or should I say, if Andrew and the builders succeed!!

Please do subscribe to our channel and help us grow it. Thank you! It means a lot to us and if we can get monetized every penny gained will be put into Palazzo San Benedetto. It's FREE to subscribe!
And it would also help if you would please give our video a like. Grazie mille.

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Sottotitili in italiano nelle impostazione!

Come si fa a portare un guardaroba al piano di sopra senza una scala? Ci riusciremo? Sarà una missione difficile?

Perché non abbiamo portato un guardaroba al piano di sopra prima che la scala venisse demolita, potreste chiedervi! Beh, lo stile dell'armadio antico adatto alla camera da letto principale del Terrace Apartment non sarebbe mai riuscito a salire sulla vecchia scala a causa delle dimensioni. La maggior parte degli armadi antichi non si smontano e di certo non possiamo avere un moderno armadio in stile IKEA in kit lassù! Questa era la nostra unica opportunità di provare a portare un guardaroba su per le scale prima che venisse costruita la nuova scala elicoidale e una volta costruita, niente di grande ci riuscirà mai!

Guarda le lotte e scopri se ci riusciremo! O dovrei dire, se Andrew e i costruttori ci riusciranno!!

Per favore iscriviti al nostro canale e aiutaci a farlo crescere. Grazie! Significa molto per noi e se riusciamo a monetizzare ogni centesimo guadagnato sarà devoluto a Palazzo San Benedetto. L'iscrizione è GRATUITA!
E sarebbe anche d'aiuto se mettessi un like al nostro video. Grazie mille.

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07/02/2025

Nothing is ever simple with our Palazzo Project. Our most recent 'Mission Impossible' or Mission Improbable was to attempt to get a large, heavy antique wardrobe from the ground floor up to the first floor yet there are no stairs, just a gaping gap where the staircase used to be! Did we achieve this mission?

https://youtu.be/5YAlNQ1QR6M?si=StTr0sCflYZIIcC6

Italian Palazzo Renovation Mission Impossible - Wardrobe Manouevre Renovation Project, Abruzzo Italy! Is it Mission Impossible or Mission Improbable?How do y...

01/02/2025

What a view! We mean behind us not us 🤣. But we do love this photo of the both of us that Justine from True North TV took of us whilst filming for Help! We Bought A Village. It's not often we get a picture of the both of us together.

 

31/01/2025

In our opinion this is one of the prettiest parts of the beautiful ancient hilltop village of San Benedetto in Perillis 🥰 Check it out! Oh and whilst you're about it, please subscribe if you haven't already. Grazie mille.

# Comune di San Benedetto in Perillis fans

30/01/2025

Two views: one out the window to Popoli, Sulmona and Pacentro, the other into the room with a view 😊

25/01/2025

Two Italian Palazzo Renovation Projects? Are we completely insane restoring ancient buildings in Abruzzo Italy? Yes, we have two projects and both cultural heritage. Our huge Palazzo San Benedetto project in San Benedetto in Perillis and now we are letting you into our secret: our apartment in an ancient palazzo in Sulmona in Abruzzo, Italy called The Poets' Retreat

There is a reason we have this second project and we try and explain as best as we can at the end of the latest video on our channel. In hindsight, would we have done this if we had known that the government were going to pull all the funding that was available when we started the project? Probably not but we have to keep moving forward. We had all the correct documentation in place, we had submitted the project to all the right authorities prior to the funding being stopped and as such we met with all the right criteria to get the promised 'cash back'. We were denied this. No reason, no explanation but then this is Italy and so you just have to get on with it as we are learning. It really is a shame though when Italy has people like us willing to take on Cultural Heritage projects, saving their history and then the help we get is minimal!

Please do subscribe to our channel and help us grow it. Thank you! It means a lot to us and if we can get monetized every penny gained will be put into Palazzo San Benedetto. It's FREE to subscribe!
And it would also help if you would please give our video a like. Grazie mille.

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23/01/2025

This one still needs a window! Actually, there are another 13 or so still needed, too many to count and not enough money 😆. We will get there... eventually. This window looks out over our courtyard across to what will be our mini chapel, which once was a chapel many centuries ago but had been used as a toilet when we bought the palazzo in 2008 😆.

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19/01/2025

The Truth Behind The Scenes

It’s come to our attention that many people believe that we get paid for being filmed for the incredibly popular UK’s Channel 4 series ‘Help! We Bought A Village’ and so we just want to set the record straight and dispel that myth.

No, we do not get paid a penny!
True North Productions have the most wonderful camera people they send us to follow our renovations and, you know what… even though we have to take the time off from earning from our other work we do, it’s a real joy spending days with them filming. In fact we’ve even made some good friendships!

We are proud to have been included in Series 2 which broadcast in 2023 and we are extremely excited that we have been chosen again into be included in Series 4. Thank you True North Productions. Unfortunately, due to the ‘piano, piano-ness’ of our Palazzo project there just wasn’t enough content to be included in Series 3.

The opportunity of featuring in this UK series is fantastic for promotion with millions of viewers following our story. As well as being watched on TVs in the UK, the series have been sold to broadcasters in Australia, USA, Spain and Malaysia and have been included on in-flight libraries on long haul flights, and with new international distributors the number of territories are expected to increase.

Those that follow our story on social media might think, ‘well, what are they promoting if they can’t afford to complete their home as well as a rental apartment…’ But it’s only the start of the project so we will eventually have more than one apartment for holiday rentals at the Palazzo. We remain positive! Those that haven’t yet subscribed to our YT channel please do so, we’d really appreciate it, we could even get monetized with all money being put towards the project.

In the meantime, we are getting ready to promote The Poets' Retreat in Sulmona; a high-end 3 bedroom apartment offering the perfect blend of comfort and timeless charm nestled in the historic centre of Sulmona located in a 16th century Cultural Heritage palazzo.

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05/01/2025

Lovely day at our friend Susanna's in Rocca Calascio yesterday, our son even made our lunch together with her and it was delicious!
If there was an Italian version of 'Help! We Bought A Village' UK TV Series on Channel 4 which we are in with Palazzo San Benedetto it should be all about her and her family who brought Rocca Calascio back to life with their Rifugio della Rocca a few decades ago. And she is still renovating a number of the ruins there. Truly Inspiring!
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24/12/2024

The builders are on holiday so the renovation is taking a little break. Join us for our brief Christmas message and some of the most stunning views surrounding our village of San Benedetto in Perillis in Abruzzo Italy in our latest video on our channel. Link in the comments below.

Here are some photos of the day but the video footage is really stunning!

Merry Christmas to you all and hope all your wishes come true in 2025!

fans

15/12/2024

What a great start to our Italian Palazzo Renovation Project in Abruzzo, Italy. We are very happy with what the builders have achieved over the last month. Watch our latest video (link in comments) to the end and check out the demolition progress to date.

We also have a brief look at one of the many things San Benedetto in Perillis is known for: wooden locks. Have you seen these before? Probably not as this type is specific to our village and as far as is known, there is only one other country that has this ancient style of lock.

Please do subscribe to our channel and help us grow it. Thank you! We'd also love to know your thoughts so please do leave us a comment. And it would also help if you would please give our video a like. Grazie mille.

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Sottotitili in italiano nelle impostazione!

Che ottimo inizio per il nostro progetto di ristrutturazione di un palazzo italiano in Abruzzo, Italia. Siamo molto contenti di ciò che i costruttori hanno realizzato nell'ultimo mese. Guarda fino alla fine e dai un'occhiata ai progressi della demolizione fino ad oggi.

Diamo anche un'occhiata a una delle tante cose per cui San Benedetto in Perillis è nota: le serrature in legno. Le hai già viste? Probabilmente no, perché questo tipo è specifico del nostro villaggio e, per quanto ne sappiamo, c'è solo un altro paese che ha questo antico stile di serratura.

Iscriviti al nostro canale e aiutaci a farlo crescere. Grazie! Ci piacerebbe anche conoscere i tuoi pensieri, quindi lasciaci un commento. E sarebbe anche utile se mettessi un "mi piace" al nostro video. Grazie mille.

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14/12/2024

Cover of our latest video. The link to watch it is in the comments below! Find out where we've got up to as the builders go on their Christmas break.
If you haven't yet subscribed to our channel, please do. It's FREE! 😀