Sasso Mobile

This sober 19th century villa, a converted former farm house, owes its current appearence to the transformation plans drawn up by Andrea Balzani in 1860 and to careful recent rennovations. The central loggia is repeated on each of the three floors. In 1797 an oratory was annexed to the house, which is opened once every three years to celebrate The Feast of the Holy Trinity. The park surrounding the villa is home to several centuries-old trees, notably the lovely European Yew tree (Taxus baccata) and a unique grove of oaks from all over the world. The Balzani family still dedicates great care to the garden, which has been further embellished over the last few decades to include one of the most extensive rosebush collections anywhere in Italy. The first floor of Villa Balzani has been set up as a bed & breakfast, open from April to September, with all of the rooms opening out to the loggia. In May, the garden is also open and visitors can admire hundreds of species, hybrids and varieties of roses. One part of the park hosts an interesting collection of oak trees of world-wide origins.