IF YOU ARE WONDERING WHAT TO DO WHEN ON HOLIDAY ON LAKE MAGGIORE, THE SECOND BIGGEST LAKE IN ITALY, HERE IS A GREAT IDEA! THE WESTERN SHORE OF LAKE MAGGIORE IS ABSOLUTELY GREAT, THERE ARE MANY BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO SEE, LIKE STRESA, THE BORROMEAN ISLANDS, VERBANIA AND THE BOTANICAL GARDENS OF VILLA TARANTO AND THE MOST OF WHAT TO SEE ON LAKE MAGGIORE. BUT ALSO THE LOMBARD SHORE OF LAKE MAGGIORE, ON THE EASTERN SIDE, HAS MANY BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO SEE.
SO, HERE WE ARE ADVENTOURISTS! TODAY I AM IN ARCUMEGGIA, A DISTRICT OF CASALZUIGNO, JUST FEW MILES FROM LAVENO MOMBELLO AND THE EASTERN SHORE OF LAKE MAGGIORE. I’VE COME TO VISIT SOME FRIENDS I HAVEN’ T SEEN FOR A LONG TIME. AND SINCE I’M HERE I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE VILLA DELLA PORTA BOZZOLO, A GREAT COUNTRY MANSION RENOVATED AND TRANSFORMED INTO AN ARISTOCRATIC DWELLING IN THE 18TH CENTURY, WHICH WAS GIVEN TO THE FAI (THE FUND FOR THE ITALIAN ENVIRONMENT) FROM THE HEIRS OF THE BOZZOLO FAMILY IN 1989. THANKS TO THE FAI THE VILLA IS TODAY A MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF “VILLA DI DELIZIA” OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY!
VILLA DELLA PORTA BOZZOLO HAS A VERY LONG STORY, EVOLVED FOR ABOUT THREE CENTURIES: ‘500,’ 600 AND ‘700. THE APPEARANCE OF THE CURRENT VILLA IS THE RESULT OF MANY CHANGES. THE FORMER VILLA WAS CALLED “DOMUS MAGNA”, AND AT THE BEGINNING THERE WERE NO GARDENS.
THE VILLA DELLA PORTA BOZZOLO IS A WEDDING GIFT FOR ISABELLA GIULINI, COUNTESS OF MILAN, WHO MARRIED GIAN ANGELO DELLA PORTA THE III IN 1711.
LOUNGES AND SITTING ROOMS, GALLERIES AND BEDROOMS WITH LIVELY FRESCOES WITH ILLUSIONISTIC PAINTED ARCHITECTURE, MYTHS AND ALLEGORIES, COLORFUL FLOWERS PAINTED EVERYWHERE. VILLA DELLA PORTA BOZZOLO IS A MASTERPIECE OF THE ROCOCÒ PERIOD, WITH ORIGINAL FURNISHINGS THAT RECREATE THE ATMOSPHERE OF A NOBLE EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY RESIDENCE.
THE FACADE OF THE VILLA DELLA PORTA BOZZOLO IS QUITE SIMPLE, IN CONTRAST WITH WHAT YOU CAN SEE INSIDE THE VILLA! THE FIRST ROOM IS THE LARGE BALLROOM, WHOSE WALLS AND CEILING ARE COMPLETELY COVERED IN FRESCOES, WITH LANDSCAPE VIEWS THAT CREATE AN INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE ILLUSIONS. FROM HERE YOU CAN GET INTO THE BILLIARD ROOM, WHERE YOU CAN ADMIRE THE BUSTS OF CAMILLO BOZZOLO AND HIS WIFE CATERINA BELFANTI, A SMALL LIVING ROOM DELIGHTFULLY FURNISHED.
IN THE DINING ROOM THERE’S A COLLECTION OF PHARMACEUTICAL VASES AND, INSIDE AN ANCIENT CUPBOARD, A CERAMIC TABLEWARE BEARING THE COAT OF ARMS OF THE DELLA PORTA BOZZOLO FAMILY: AN OPEN DOOR WITH AN EAGLE ON THE TOP.
THE FRESCOE ON THE CEILING OF THIS ROOM SHOWS THAT THIS WAS A SMALL CHAPEL. WHEN GIAN ANGELO THE III COMMISSIONED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH, WHICH IS LOCATED RIGHT OUTSIDE THE VILLA, THIS SMALL CHAPEL BECAME PRETTY MUCH USELESS, AND SO THEY CONVERTED IT INTO A DINING ROOM.
THE KITCHEN IS ONE OF THE OLDEST ROOMS OF VILLA DELLA PORTA BOZZOLO. THE FIREPLACE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE KITCHEN AND THE DISH WARMER SHARE A WALL, SO THE CHEF LIT THE FIRE ON THE OTHER SIDE TO COOK, AND THE SERVANTS PUT THE DISHES TO KEEP THEM WARM BEFORE THEY SERVED THEM.
THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE VILLA IS CALLED THE NOBLE FLOOR BECAUSE ONCE IT HOSTED THE PRIVATE ROOMS OF THE FAMILY. IT’S REALLY HARD TO DESCRIBE WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE! THIS IS THE MOST DECORATED ROOM OF THE DWELLING. THERE IS NO WALL, NO SPOT LEFT BLANK, FROM THE WOODEN CEILING TO THE FLOOR AND ALL THE WALLS!
THE ITALIAN GARDEN OF THE VILLA DELLA PORTA BOZZOLO IS MAJESTIC! A STUNNING SCENOGRAPHY OF SCULPTED TERRACES CLIMBING THE HILL UP TO THE LARGE GREEN MEADOW AND THE PANORAMIC VIEWPOINT.
THE AMAZING BAROQUE GARDEN OF VILLA DELLA PORTA BOZZOLO IS MADE OF FOUR TERRACES ADORNED WITH BALUSTRADES AND STATUES MADE FROM THE STONE OF LAKE MAGGIORE. THE TERRACES ARE CONNECTED BY AN ELEGANT STAIRCASE THAT REACHES THE SO-CALLED “THEATRE”, A HUGE AND SCENIC GREEN AREA DOTTED WITH CYPRESSES AND EMBELLISHED WITH A FOUNTAIN. FROM HERE IT IS POSSIBLE TO WALK ALONG A PATH THROUGH THE WOOD UNTIL YOU REACH THE NEARBY PANORAMIC VIEWPOINT, WHERE YOU CAN ENJOY THE SPLENDID VIEW OF THE VALCUVIA AND THE SURROUNDING HILLS, AND ADMIRE THE SMALL CHURCH OF SAN BERNARDINO, THAT DATES BACK TO THE 11TH CENTURY.
THIS GARDEN BOOSTS A SIGNIFICANT PATRIMONY OF PLANTS AND FLOWERS. THAT GARDEN HAS MANY RURAL BUILDINGS THAT RECALL A PAST WHEN IT WAS A REFERENCE POINT FOR THE AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY NEAR LAKE MAGGIORE.
IN THE GARDEN OF THE VILLA DELLA PORTA BOZZOLO THERE IS ALSO AN ICE-HOUSE WHERE THE FAMILY STORED FOOD, A WOODEN PRESS FROM THE 16TH CENTURY – THE LARGEST IN LOMBARDY – USED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OIL, AND FINALLY THE OLD SPINNING MILL AND THE WINE CELLAR, WHERE OLD BARRELS ARE STILL PRESERVED.