Yellow convertible Beetle, music by Bob Marley, around us alternate shades of green, yellow and brown of the plowed and cultivated fields while above us the sky is the color of sugar paper.
Before visiting the property, a stop in the center of Gonzaga, a small rural town in the Po Valley halfway between Mantua and Reggio Emilia which gave its name to one of the most illustrious Italian families of the Renaissance. There is always something to discover and the cuisine and wine of the area never disappoints.
Today I am curious to visit, I really love old country houses and I like to see how they have been restored.
My expectations were not disappointed and after walking down the driveway an imposing two-storey clay brick house with petrol green shutters stood out.
A paved pedestrian entrance flanked by multicolored hydrangeas leads us to the finely renovated double-leaf wooden door in pleasant contrast with the glass and iron solution of the door which allows natural light to enter the reception.
Yes, because on the ground floor a B&B has been cleverly created with welcoming and large rooms from which you can admire the breath-taking view of the plain, equipped with fireplaces and en suite bathrooms and a large kitchen space to indulge in.
On the first floor, with access from an internal staircase, we find the master apartment. Three large bedrooms, a large kitchen, the heart of the house in the tradition of rural families and two warm and welcoming living rooms heated by ancient terracotta stoves from the early twentieth century. We take a last flight of stairs and here we are in the attic, another huge space to design and think about.
This farm is a perfect combination of ancient and modern, in which the renovated blends with the recovered in a welcoming harmony that makes you immediately feel at home.
Around the main farmhouse, forming a square with the well in the centre, there are 3 other buildings, what I call the farmhouse, a two-storey building which could become the annex with 2 or more residential units, the old dovecote and a further building currently used as tool storage and shelter.
The possibilities of use are many, I could see a restaurant business perhaps using the outdoor spaces for weddings and ceremonies in pure roof style, or expanding the B&B with other themed rooms or two-room apartments in the house, or the creation of spaces for educational workshops perhaps with the addition of typical farm animals.
For those who love the countryside, this property already has everything you could want, the stars in the window, the ladybugs on the tree and the bottle of white wine in the fridge, all it takes is a little imagination to transform it into your place of life and passion.