Travelling with L’Officina dei Giardini, in the heart of Lombardia

Varese Lake

Varese Lake is a place of peace and serenity, perfect for those seeking a break from the daily hustle and bustle. You can stroll along the shores of the lake, take a bike ride on the surrounding bike path or simply relax while enjoying the view of the Alps in the distance. Not to be missed is a visit to Borgo di Mustonate, a charming establishment offering charming accommodation surrounded by nature. Here Francesco Aletti Montano, descendant of a family of bankers, has succeeded in realising an innovative neo-rural project inspired by the places of his youth.
You will find traces of L’Officina dei Giardini in every corner: we have created a roof for the stable, several gazebos, an aviary and window frames. The owner, a lover of horses and period carriages, was for years Italian champion of traditional hacks, an equestrian speciality also practised by Philip of Edinburgh, who signed the preface to the volume ‘Carriages. Tradition and elegance of the long reins’, by Carlo Gnecchi Ruscone, edited by Aletti Montano.

Como Lake

Continuing the journey, Como Lake welcomes you with its picture-postcard scenery: mountains plunging into deep waters and villages reflected in the lake. After a visit to the historic villas, a boat ride and a good risotto with perch, our advice is to stay in Moltrasio, where Hotel Passalacqua offers spectacular views and impeccable service: it is not for nothing that it is the winner of the first edition of The World’s 50 Best Hotels.
Here L’Officina dei Giardini has created the gymnasium in the green: leaning against the stone wall of one of the terraces, it has an iron and glass roof, a super-slim full-section steel profile and heat-insulating safety glass. The roof is protected by a special bamboo canopy, which provides shade for the interior machinery and protects guests from the sun. But by the time you arrive, we may have achieved something else surprising…

City of Bergamo

The city of Bergamo, with its charming Upper Town and lively Lower Town, is a destination that combines history and modernity. Stroll along the ancient Venetian walls, visit the magnificent Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and lose yourself in the narrow medieval streets. For an unforgettable dining experience, visit Ristorante Da Vittorio in Cantalupa, where you can enjoy refined dishes that celebrate Lombard tradition with a modern twist.
L’Officina dei Giardini created the pavilion in front of the restaurant’s main terrace: an imposing structure but light to the eye, with iron uprights decorated with studs, a top knob, a flower plate for anchoring to the ground and iron panels. Structural and decorative brackets with a circle motif and single-curved ribs complete the work, along with decorative forged iron top elements. The fabric covering brings freshness and airiness to the room (here all the details). Don’t forget to try the famous “casoncelli alla bergamasca”.