Castello di Reschio
Umbria
Castello di Reschio is an age-old 3,700 acre pastoral Estate in the Umbrian hills on Italy’s Umbria-Tuscany border. Encircling an ancient 10th-century castle, the Estate was bought in 1994 by Count Antonio Bolza, intent on bringing this forgotten corner of Italy back to life.
In the 25 years since, Count Bolza’s son, London-trained architect, Count Benedikt, and his wife, Donna Nencia, have set about beautifully restoring over half of the ruined farmhouse buildings on the Estate, transforming them one-by-one into one-of-a-kind private homes. Spearheaded from his base at the Tabaccaia di Reschio, a former 1940s tobacco plant at the Estate entrance, Count Benedikt meticulously works hand-in-hand with house owners to transform their vision for each crumbling ruin into a modern-day masterpiece of architectural and interior design while celebrating traditional Italian building techniques and sympathetically blending old with new.
As part of the Estate’s on-going evolution, summer 2019 saw the opening of Ristorante Alle Scuderie, a 70-cover farm-to-table restaurant featuring bespoke B.B for Reschio design pieces including custom made lamps, armchairs and bar stools designed by Count Benedikt and made by artisans at Reschio. Next door, the newly opened Equestrian Centre and Theatre now houses the Estate’s 40 Andalusian pure-bred horses and will play host to dressage performances and equine theatre.
Now Count Benedikt’s attention has turned to the restoration of the Estate’s jewel in the crown, the 10th-century castle where Benedikt, Nencia and their five children lived for a decade. With a lifelong dream of restoring it into a hotel, the Castello will once again become the beating heart of the Estate when it opens as a hotel in June 2020, housing 36 rooms and suites, a restaurant, spa, bar, library, pool and many intriguing different spaces for private events, concerts and impromptu get-togethers.