In the quaint embrace of Moltrasio, Lake Como, stands the elegant Villa Passalacqua. Valentina De Santis, who never imagined that her first enchanting visit in October 2018 would morph into ownership, narrates a tale dipped in serendipity. That cloudy day, amidst a quiet auction with the villa at stake, fate smiled as the De Santis family emerged victorious, capturing a gem that many had silently hoped would fall into their passionate hands.

Fast forward, with the passage of three splendid years and an investment of €20mn breathing new life into its historic halls, the villa is set to fling its doors open to the world. Esteemed for their touch at the iconic Grand Hotel Tremezzo, the De Santis family enjoys a fond space in the hearts of locals and travellers alike. Now, Passalacqua stands as a testament to their ability to weave luxury, history, and hospitality into an intimate dance.

While the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is a grand sonnet of luxury, Passalacqua, with its limited 24 rooms, hums a more intimate yet equally enchanting melody. Every room is a chapter of a story told amidst five acres of private land, where the architecture, gardens, and the lake beyond unite in a symphony of sensory delight.

This villa, a majestic relic of 1767, is a lush oasis where extensive private gardens whisper secrets of the past, and terraces adorned with olive groves and heritage roses sing ballads of timeless beauty. Its yellow façade, a visual sonnet, stands as a guardian of history and natural splendour.

The transformation from a private estate into a sanctuary of luxury is a tale of vision and artistry. Each space, meticulously curated with artifacts and heirlooms, breathes life into the De Santis family’s vision of an authentic ‘comasco’ home. Their odyssey to adorn the villa saw them meandering through fairs, auctions, and enchanting Italian landscapes, each piece a paragraph in this unfolding narrative.

Enlisting the craftsmanship of Bamo, spaces within the villa unfurled with grace. The Bellini Suite, a testament to refined elegance, and the artistry echoing through every corner, narrate silent epics of aesthetic ingenuity. A cascade of Murano glass chandeliers, hand-painted leather ottomans, and walls graced by centuries-old prints unveil a world where every glance is a stroll through an art gallery.

Yet, in the embrace of Como, the outdoor symphony, lush and lyrical, beckons the soul. Six garden terraces, woven together by winding pebbled paths, unveil vignettes of luxury and nature in a harmonious dance. Every gaze captures the poetry of the lake and surrounding topography, offering a sonnet of Italian allure that’s profoundly indelible.

For souls seeking to be cradled in this lyrical embrace, the doors of Passalacqua open with warmth, inviting you into a world where Italian elegance, historical allure, and natural poetry unite in a rhapsodic dance. For reservations, indulge in the unfolding narrative at passalacqua.it/en, where every stay is a stanza in this timeless Italian epic.

To experience this slice of Italian paradise, rates begin at €1,000 per night B&B. Dive into the dream at passalacqua.it/en.