Eclectic, wild country hotel in Ligurian mountains
Palazzo del Maggiore / Pigna / Italy
I can’t even remember how I first heard about this place. But I remember reading somewhere about a Dutch couple, Inigo and Cok that came across an old palazzo when vacationing here in 2003 and they just went a head and bought it. The palazzo used to be a monetary back in the day and is located in the Italian region of Liguria, close to the French border. They went about transforming the palazzo into the kind of hotel they would have wanted to stay at themselves when going on a vacation to Italy.
Palazzo del Maggiore is located in the maritime mountains, far off the beaten track. When you leave the Autostrada down by the coast you have to drive far on winding roads, climbing higher and higher, leaving the sunny Italian Riviera behind. And when you arrive you are greeted with a glass of chilled Prosecco and an invitation to relax. And trust me, it is easy to do here.
The hotel is made up of an old massive stone building and has that look that can only come from years of patina. The kind of look that is impossible to create. It just happens. The Palazzo is surrounded by a garden with some tall trees offering some well needed shade and ancient olive trees. Next to the pool there are some patches of land where they grow their own fruits and vegetables. This was my favorite place to sit, next to the pool, feeling the scent from the plants and staring at the view that reaches all the way to the distant Mediterranean.
The best way to be greeted when arriving at your hotel, with a chilled glass of Italian Prosecco. And a view to match.
M enjoying the morning sun and endless views on our balcony.
Since this used to be a Jesuit monastery, there is still an old chapel on the grounds, building on the heritage of the site.
The dinners at Palazzo del Maggiore are served “al fresco”, outdoors under the stars, where the only lights were some candles and a couple of old naked, light bulbs.
Almost too Italian to have a man playing some Italian evergreens at dinner, but I am not complaining. It made total sense at this place.
Yes, it is me sitting at the edge of the pool after a morning dip in the pool, soaking up the first rays of sun before heading back up to the main building for breakfast.
I love myself an outdoor shower.
Not for from the hotel you’ll find the picturesque villages of Pigna, Castel Vittorio and Dolceaqua, all worth a visit. I am not sure if things get more Italian than this.
I am enjoying the views from the old stone bridge of nearby Dolceaqua.
RG inside info
This place is perfect if you…
…want to experience Italy of the beaten track. This is really in the middle of nowhere (although the riviera is only about 25 km away). But the feeling is that you are much further away from the masses touristing down by the coast. This is a place to disconnect and relax. To do nothing, which the Italians have made into an art form.
My favorite thing about this place…
…are two things: the dinners outside under the trees while the sun is slowly setting. The best way to enjoy any dinner. And the second thing is the pool. Embedded in greenery, surrounded my olive trees with amazing views of the surrounding mountains and the distant sea.
What not to miss when staying here…
…is to do what the Italians have made into an art form. Do nothing.
If you like this place you might also like…
Villa Verdin, Millstatt, Austria
La Bandita Country House, Pienza, Italy
La Scuola, Lusiana, Italy
