Italian Tour

Italy: 6 ways to spend the night

By Reid Bramblett

Farmstays, villa rentals, mountain refuges. Six ways to immerse yourself in the real Italy.
Il Santuario della Verna, in Tuscany, welcomes guests of all faiths.

Il Santuario della Verna, in Tuscany, welcomes guests of all faiths.

THE B&B
Ever wanted an Italian mother (for a night)?

The bed-and-breakfast -- Italians use the English phrase -- is a growing trend in Italy that didn't really exist 20 years ago. As with B&Bs anywhere else, the experience is made by chatty proprietors, the best of whom take guests under their wing and share tips over breakfast. The B&Bs are distinguished by the details -- whether you get to spread a flaking cornetto (croissant) with fig jam or meet the owner's kids, the point is total immersion in Italian living.

Our pick: In the heart of postcard-perfect Ferrara, one block from the main piazza, Adele Orlandini has been running Locanda Borgonuovo since 1994. The four graceful rooms, each with its own bath, are filled with a pleasing jumble of antiques. Orlandini takes breakfast seriously, baking homemade tortes and cakes and serving them alongside cheeses, preserves and fresh fruit in a living room hung with more than 50 works of art.

Orlandini is in love with her hometown and eager to help guests experience it, whether that means securing reduced-price tickets to museums or suggesting off-the-radar highlights, such as an unmarked palazzo with newly restored Renaissance frescoes. With such service (and low rates), the Borgonuovo books up far in advance, which is why Orlandini recently acquired three efficiency apartments in the building next door: two mansard suites with rooftop views and a larger flat -- all with full kitchens.

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