The Palazzo Castelli

The Palazzo Castelli is a very important part of Italian and Menaggio history. The Castelli Family was one of the most important families of Menaggio’s history, owning the Castello at the top of the hill and the Palazzo at the bottom. The villas were connected by a secret underground passage that went from the Hamlet of Castello to the Palazzo and down to the Fortezza by the lake and marina. They still exist today but are no longer in use. We have also learned that Mussolini visited and stayed in this very part of the Palazzo during the last two days of his life when he tried to escape capture through Switzerland.

This beautiful, unique apartment/villa, is located in the most central position in Menaggio. Perfect if you decide to come without a car and depend on public transportation or if you will have a car, there are 2 parking spots that are worth more than gold!!

The pedestrian entrance to the Palazzo Castelli opens out directly onto the Via Castelli in the heart of town, so walking out of your front door and into the village is very easy, everything at your fingertips, from shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. We will be more than happy to offer you more info regarding where to go and where to eat too!! We do have our favorites!

The Villa/Apartment is stunning, furnished with unique and great taste. Extraordinary “vintage” objects give the space an original touch that very few properties have.

As you enter the Palazzo from the pedestrian entrance, you will encounter the main staircase leading to the first floor entrance of the apartment. The staircase and ceramic tiles in the entrance are all original to 1731. An elevator has been added for those who need use of one.

Up to the first floor of the Palazzo and into the apartment, you will be welcomed by the large living room. It was the original “Great Room” of the Palazzo and its’ frescoed walls have been renovated and reinstated. With Pop art, an antique Library table (from Lincolns Inn Fields in London) that hosts up to 12 and a sitting area that can easily host a full party of 8. This truly is a great room for enjoying each other’s company as it is very relaxing and unique.

Directly from the living room is the kitchen. It also has frescoed walls, ample counter space, fully equipped with appliances and all you need to prepare your meals. This room also offers vintage features such as the shop cabinet as a part of the kitchen unit and an original carpenter’s work bench!

The kitchen flows to the den, a small but light and airy room, with original frescos and painted wood ceilings. This room opens out onto the private garden that offers garden furniture ample enough to host all 8 guests both at the table and lounge. It also includes a BBQ pit to top off your cooking facilities. From the private garden, you can access the communal area of the condo and the shared swimming pool to cool off on the sizzling summer days!

The Villa Castelli offers 4 bedrooms. Two are located just off the living room and on the main floor so perfect for someone that has mobility issues as no stairs are concerned. The other two are reached by going down the original feature stone spiral staircase… going down these steps is like going back in time!

The description of the bedrooms are as follows:

Butterfly Room: overlooking the cobbled stone Via Castellino da Castello from the balcony, it offers a Super King Size bed, antique glass bedside tables and wardrobe and the Butterfly chest. The room is also decorated with beautiful butterfly paintings. The en-suite bathroom has double sinks and a large freestanding bathtub and wc.

Pink Room: also overlooking the cobbled stone Via Castellino da Castello, accented with Pink soft furnishing and copper lamps. The soft colours give a delicate and very relaxing touch to this bedroom with King size bed. The en-suite bathroom has a walk-in shower, bidet, basin and wc.

Grey room: down the stone spiral staircase you reach the very large Grey room with access to another outside space, perfect to enjoy your last glass of wine or first coffee in the morning! This bedroom is furnished with antique shop cupboards that act as wardrobes, unique vintage objects and is a perfect sanctuary to get away from it all! Right next door is a large bathroom with tub/shower, basin and wc.

Library Room: the twin bedroom with 2 antique twin beds and furnished with a bookcase tapestry and library step ladder! This bedroom shares the bathroom with the Grey Room or can also use the shower room at the top of the stairs.

As mentioned there is a swimming pool that is shared with other 10 apartments, however all are holiday homes so not all used at the same time so never very busy! Two parking spots come with the Villa just in case you have 2 cars! A private parking spot in Menaggio, you will realise, is very important!

We are sure you will love this place as much as we do, totally amazing features and furnishings envelope you and make you feel at ease and comfortable!

Menaggio is the largest town of the central Lake Como area but still has a small village feeling to it. It is very well served with supermarkets and shops, some very nice boutiques, a number of restaurants, bars and cafes. Excellent location if you wish to use public transportation, both by bus and boat. It is also a perfect ‘hub’ for the lake with easy access to Varenna, Belaggio, St Moritz to the north and Lugano to the west. The area hospital and veterinary are both within 5 minutes of the villa.