This is Villa Valfiore, a residence set within gardens planted with centuries-old trees, right in the quiet heart of the countryside yet just outside the gates of the mediaeval city of Bologna, with all its strategic infrastructures, from the trade fair centre to the airport.
The residence, today renovated throughout but with its original appearance conserved intact, was built with the utmost attention to detail, with materials and finishing touches blending perfectly with each other, from the flooring to the lighting right through to the choice of the colours for the fabrics.
The large underground car park provides direct access to the Villa and its facilities, without interfering in any way with the splendid Mediterranean garden.
A downward-sloping Mediterranean rock garden that plays host to aloe, wild rose and agave.
These are just a few of the numerous species of trees and plants that can be found in the large gardens surrounding Villa Valfiore.
Restored along with the building, the garden is also often home to a number of species of local wildlife: the branches of the trees frequently host squirrels, while hedgehogs can be found among the bushes.
Lucky observers might even have a close encounter with the odd roe deer that ventures down from the hills to the edge of the village.
The walk through the garden stretches right around the Villa on all sides, touching upon the oratory of Saint Rocco and Saint Sebastian, the swimming pool, the restaurant and the guest quarters.
Whatever the season, guests can enjoy the peace and quiet of nature, the scent of fresh, clean air, the beauty of the surrounding greenery, the fragrance of the tree and the unmistakable, balsamic scent of the evergreens.
This truly is the ideal setting for a relaxing walk, for breakfast out in the open or for a convivial encounter admiring the superb natural landscape that encircles the Villa.
Built at the edge of the gardens surrounding the Villa, the Baroque oratory of San Sebastiano and San Rocco, erected by the local community in 1604, is the oldest building on the estate.
In 1629 during the plague outbreak, so vividly described in Alessandro Manzoni’s writings, which swept through the area, the surroundings of the recently built church were spared, and the local people were convinced – as indicated by a stone plaque at the back of the altar – that it was San Rocco, protector of the fields and the herds, that had kept them safe from harm.
After undergoing restoration work on a number of occasions, the oratory was fully renovated and reconstructed together with the Villa. The roof had collapsed during a storm in 1997, and the inside of the church was overgrown with vegetation.
Today the building has been restored to its former splendor: in the left arm of the Latin cross layout there is a small bell tower, containing the original bell.
The single nave, illuminated by a high 18th-century window, is decorated throughout with pink and gilded borders, attributed to the Bologna school of the period, while the trompe l’oeil effect enhances the openings with filler work. Among the restored furnishings of the church there is a superb altar, positioned right under the vault that features a fresco of two little angels in the sky, handing a crown of flowers to the Virgin Mary, to whom the chapel was originally dedicated to.
Here visitors can also see the symbol that went on to become the coat of arms of Villa Valfiore.
