The history of Rambaldi Apartments
Tracing the history of the Borgo Bardolino complex
To tell you the story of Rambaldi Apartments, we have to start with the charming Borgo Bardolino in which they’re located.
This historical complex, with buildings dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, winds along a picturesque medieval street. The former production courtyard of Guerrieri Rizzardi is home to numerous buildings, including farmhouses, Venetian-style “barchessa” farm buildings and grand residences, and has been completely restored and modernised over the past 10 years. The restorations were carried out with great love and care to enhance the buildings’ ancient heritage and integrate refined modern features.
To create a feeling of warmth and comfort for our guests, every single building, including several holiday apartments, is now affectionately referred to as a “Casa” – home.
The transformation began in 2015 with the inauguration of Casa 1 and Casa 2, which maintained the simple, rustic style of an ancient worker’s home. The following years saw the renovation of Casa 3, once the home of a craftsman, and Casa 4, “La Limonaia”, where lemon trees were once grown.
These were followed by Casa 5, “Il Giardinetto” – according to local history, one of the first hotels – and Casa 7, which was restored in contemporary style to reflect its “industrial” past, during which it served as the bottling facility of Guerrieri Rizzardi Winery. Casa 6, the ancient Palazzo Fermi, is the most significant restoration from a historical viewpoint. The fine details of the past, such as the vibrant fresco and the frieze from 1525 featuring cherubs and the Fermi family’s coat of arms (a crescent moon), have been impeccably restored to their original splendour.
Today, with the restoration work now complete, Rambaldi Apartments – along with the original pool, lush park, ancient botanical garden and grapevine maze – is a peaceful oasis [LINK Oasi naturale] where the sound of bird song and rustling leaves creates the ideal atmosphere for unwinding and reconnecting with nature.
A glimpse of the past
Here’s what we looked like at the beginning of the 20th century. There was still a long way to go, but change was already in the air: our tradition of hospitality was taking root.
A trip down memory lane
In this enchanting corner of Via San Martino, the fishing boats tell stories of tradition and time-honoured trades.
Did you know?
The Rambaldi family played a major role in the history of the western shore of Lake Garda.
Its members included lake captains appointed by Venice to govern the region, as well as intellectuals and poets.
