Ospedaletto 57, a 16th-century estate in Brisighella, Emilia-Romagna

An Arts Manager's Loft on a 500-Year-Old Romagnan Estate

Originally the farm barn, the unique loft is an all-in-one open space is filled with light, with interiors that soar up to the original concrete truss beams, an open space with a mezzanine, filled with natural light.
Redesigned with warm wood floors and multiple windows, the living area is expansive yet cozy, with a large tile stove and intimate seating areas. The eat-in kitchen is at the back under the mezzanine bedroom that sleeps two with room for two more on the sofa bed.

The home of a creative artists manager and art collector, the interiors are a chic contrast of industrial modern and rural-leaning charms, with an interesting selection of reclaimed design objects and quirky vintage furniture casually blending with handcrafted and contemporary art pieces.

Designed for a nature infused experience for two to four people, the lush parklike gardens are enchanting and woodsy with lots of places to explore, and shared with the owners and guests. Relax with a book, take a refreshing swim in the shared pool, lay in the sun, pick some seasonal produce from the organic garden, or walk in the woods without ever leaving the estate.

The property also doubles as a multi-functional space ideal for photoshoots, meetings, weddings, and private events.

What we love

Cristina manages artists for a living, and it shows in every corner of the loft she created from a tool shed on a 500-year-old estate. Not designed, but accumulated: Faenza pottery, 1970s radios, pieces of contemporary art, objects from decades of travel, the whole thing feeling less like a rental and more like someone's actual home. If you feel like venturing out, Ristorante La Grotta is practically next door in Brisighella, carved into the gypsum chalk caves beneath the medieval donkey road, where chefs who trained under Gualtiero Marchesi cook quietly serious food in one of the most atmospheric rooms in the region. The organic vegetable garden, the rose collection, the 12-hectare estate, the infinity pool: there's always a reason not to leave.

Layout

This vacation home for rent in Brisighella, Emilia-Romagna sleeps up to four guests. An open-plan ground floor includes kitchen, dining, and living areas. A mezzanine bedroom above sleeps two. A sofa bed on the ground floor accommodates two more. One bathroom (disabled accessible) with additional vanity sink. The loft is 100 square metres in total. A WiFi projector is available for screenings or presentations.

Experiences

The organic vegetable garden is available to guests in season. The estate's 12 hectares of woods and river are on foot from the loft. Brisighella's medieval village, a five-minute drive, is one of the most handsome small towns in Emilia-Romagna, with the Via degli Asini (its famous donkey road) running under covered arches along the ridge.

Good to know

The pool and gardens are shared with Cristina and any other guests staying on the estate. A car is useful but not essential for reaching the village.

Amenities & services

Infinity pool (14x7m) with jacuzzi, organic vegetable garden, outdoor barbecue, full kitchen, wood-fired stube, air conditioning, WiFi, projector, disabled-accessible bathroom, parking, outdoor power and water outlets for events

Around

The estate is approximately five minutes from Brisighella's center. Bologna is just over an hour away. Ravenna's Byzantine mosaics are around 30 minutes by car. The Adriatic coast is reachable in about 30 minutes.

Brisighella is one of the most rewarding small towns in Emilia-Romagna, a medieval village of three hills, each topped with a landmark: a clock tower, a fortress, a sanctuary. In the town, Ristorante La Grotta is set inside ancient gypsum chalk caves carved beneath the Via degli Asini; chefs Angelo Randi and Mirko Conti trained under Gualtiero Marchesi and in London before reviving a space that once held a Michelin star.

Fifteen minutes away, Faenza has been synonymous with majolica ceramics since the medieval period—the International Ceramics Museum (MIC) holds pieces spanning centuries, and the town's name is the etymological root of the word "faience." Bologna, an hour northwest, is Italy's gastronomic capital and home to the world's oldest university. Ravenna's UNESCO-listed Byzantine mosaics are 30 minutes east.