Hospitality
The history of Palazzo di Varignana
A legacy for the future
I have found myself answering the same question again and again: “What has pushed you, after an intense traveling life around the world and jobs in the intangible digital and Fintech sectors, to invest in a complex and concrete project such as a historic resort in Varignana?”
The answer has distant origins and has grown in me over time, after getting to know many people from different cultures. I have activities and offices on four continents and many hotels around the world have become my home.
I think that business travels and tourism are the prime activities that bring people together and help them exchange their experiences, culture, lifestyle, food, and traditions. As a result, a hotel represents one of the most important meeting points. Furthermore, a popular custom, especially in America, has it that if a person has been blessed with a fortunate life, sooner or later he or she will do something to bring back the fruits of a lifetime's work to the place where his or her roots are, so as to leave a legacy for the future.
I wanted to fulfill this tradition on the hills of Varignana, near Bologna, a place that I have increasingly held dear and where I could bring value, work, attractiveness, works of art, and artifacts from my travels. In 2005 I decided to restore Palazzo Bargellini Bentivoglio, a castle in the countryside, precisely to pay homage to a beautiful land filled with wonderful hills. The history of these places dates back to thousands of years ago when, in ancient Rome, olive trees and vines were grown on the hills surrounding Via Emilia.
Here, too, lies the meaning of the revival of Palazzo di Varignana, a project hinged around the recovery and regeneration of historic buildings, abandoned rural lands, and farmhouses along with neglected crops such as olive trees and vines. Thanks to extensive redevelopment of the farmlands, these crops have returned to draw the outlines of the hills surrounding the resort where our excellent farm-to-table products are grown today and which we are proud to export all over the world. Our daily commitment at Palazzo di Varignana 1705 is to welcome our guests by giving them the opportunity to fully experience the history of this area. Surrounded by the beauty of the large park and ornamental gardens, guests can enjoy the comfort offered by the Resort's services including spa experiences, fitness programs, and haute cuisine – in a few words, the "Heritage of Italian lifestyle".
Carlo Gherardi – founder of Palazzo di Varignana
