Image courtesy of Reschio
In the heart of Italy, where Umbria meets Tuscany, stands the magnificent Castello di Reschio, a thousand-year-old castle that now welcomes guests as a hotel. At its helm is the Bolza family, including Countess Donna Nencia Bolza, an accomplished artist whose creative vision and deep connection to the land have helped shape Reschio's captivating charm.
From crafting natural paint colors to curating artisanal workshops, the Countess brings an artist's eye and a naturalist's appreciation to each part of the estate. Read along as she shares the remarkable story of Reschio's transformation, including her own ancestral ties to the property and her creative vision of "slow living" that makes this destination so extraordinary.
What is the history of Reschio, and how did you become part of it?
Image courtesy of Reschio
The tower of the Castello di Reschio was built in 900AD, and the castle was built soon after. It has stood guard on the border of Umbria and Tuscany for centuries. When my parents-in-law acquired the estate, it had fallen into disrepair, with the 50 farmhouses dotted across 3,850 acres being abandoned — farming was no longer a profitable business, particularly with the ancient tenant system. Count Antonio Bolza had purchased a family holiday home within Reschio some 10 years before, not realizing that the home was formerly owned by the church. His holiday home was in effect an island surrounded by the Reschio estate. Upon realizing this, he was keen to acquire the estate.
In 1994, he realized this dream. The first couple of houses were transformed by his wife, Countess Angelika Bolza, and they commissioned me to paint frescoes in one. I had trained in Florence and Belgium, worked in New York and had recently returned to Florence. Although I knew the family, I had never met their son, Count Benedikt, who was studying architecture in London. He returned for a summer break to help his parents by project-managing the house where I was painting, and that was that — soon after we were a couple!
We married in 1999 and returned to live in Reschio in 2000, where we took up residence in the Castello di Reschio — it was the only property that had a roof, and even that was not water tight in places. We lived there for 11 years, and our five children were born there.
What is Reschio’s mission?
Reschio is our home. It is where we live all year, and over the past 30 years, Benedikt and I have worked hard to ensure that the natural order of things remain — nurturing the wildlife in their habitat, practicing biodynamic farming and ensuring we employ a gentle footprint in everything that we do. It is a real joy to share what we have with guests, who enjoy exploring the estate and who relate to our way of slow living.
All the family have welcomed the Reschio Hotel, to see it a-buzz with people enjoying being here, sitting around the outdoor fire, and everyone with a story to tell. Benedikt and I like to be around and meet as many guests as we can. We even started one of the Household Habits, as “Take Tea with the Countessa,” which was great fun for me too, as I never knew with whom I would be sitting in the Palm Court sipping tea.
What's your family's historic connection to Reschio’s land, and how did you discover it?
Image courtesy of Reschio
It was indeed a curious coincidence. The Bichi Ruspoli family owned Reschio from 1692 until 1932. In 1730 Anna Corsini, an ancestor of mine, married Conte Bichi Ruspoli, and they lived in the Castello di Reschio. I only discovered this whilst we were renovating the castle — Benedikt and I were researching all those who had lived in the castle and discovered that it was Pope Clement XII who had bestowed a papal title of Conte di Reschio to celebrate his niece’s marriage and Anna was his niece. I had never realized the connection between Anna Corsini and the Conte di Reschio. This explained why I had felt immediately at home in the castle when I arrived in 2000.
What about the history of this property resonates with you personally and inspires you as an artist?
I love the idea that my family had been here, in this very place, and that I too had my children here. My inspiration comes from the wilderness. To live where the seasons dictate, where little has changed since Saint Francis roamed these hills, is very grounding. Nature generously gives so much in abundance and to be able to forage for ingredients that can be used for all manner of things — in the kitchen, as dyes for fabric, and as soothing oils in the Bathhouse, the wild flowers that are placed in the rooms — they are all an artistic expression.
How does your artistry show up in the property?
Images courtesy of Reschio
I still make my own paint colors from natural ingredients and advise Benedikt on the hues to paint interiors. We worked together on the interiors of the Reschio Hotel, which I so enjoyed, dedicating each room to someone who did or might have stayed in Reschio in bygone years. We scoured the antique markets and small shops for four years, finding items of furniture, paintings and personal things for each room in the hotel.
What are some of your special memories of raising your family at Reschio?
We had so much fun when the children were growing up in the Castle, as we were there for 11 years. Each summer, all the cousins would gather too, and we would put on a theatre show — everyone had a role. That tradition still exists, although the children now return from university to participate and their friends are semi-professional! Now, within two weeks, the play is written, the cast of some 40 young people stay with us, they rehearse madly — learning new words to popular songs, dance routines — and then there are three nights of performances in an open-air theatre in the courtyard of our house. Last year we raised €71,000 to sponsor a promising soprano at the Foundazione Mascarade Opera, Firenze.
How is Reschio connected to the surrounding local community?
Reschio has evolved, and we now employ 300 people; we have certainly reinvigorated the area and even helped establish a nursery school for all the babies. Benedikt’s team for the renovation of the houses, artisans for making his furniture collection are all drawn from family firms who have operated in this area for generations. We grow much of what we need, and our agronomist works with local farmers to grow additional ingredients. A friend nearby has started to grow flowers for us, and in our Bottega di Reschio, I work very hard to ensure that everything is made in Italy and reflects the amazing artisanal quality that we take for granted in this country.
What do you hope travelers will experience at Reschio?
Images courtesy of Reschio
I hope that Reschio’s wilderness enables all our guests to slow down and enjoy each moment. To wallow in the serenity of being here and the landscape is so beautiful, to be able to ride out through wild meadows and not encounter any vehicles, is such a privilege. I have curated a list of master craftsmen who come to Reschio once a week, I call them Household Habits, when for an hour each morning they practise their craft and guests can participate, either to learn something new or just to see how things were done — embroidery, paper marbling, basket weaving, calligraphy and pottery. This has been so popular that we have now devised three-day workshops, where a tutor will come and guests can participate in a half-day, hands-on course with a master to really understand iconography, or how to make an arrow, then learn how to use a bow, as well as more in-depth calligraphy sessions.
What type of guests are a good fit for Reschio?
We are fortunate in that Reschio is a good fit for everyone! There is a place for everyone at Reschio — but especially for those romantics, enjoying time away alone, stargazing, dining in our secret places, high up in the rampart walls, or having picnics in the olive groves. We have many proposals here.
Families prefer to be in the seven rental houses; each has a private pool and a spacious garden so that they have complete freedom. Reschio is perfect for intergenerational reunions of families or friends. We also have some wonderful traditions at Reschio that guests love to return to each year, such as the family theatre each July, the summer tennis tournament, Christmas in the castle is very special and, of course, our New Year’s Jazz Festival is now a sell out!
Do you have a favorite place to go on the property?
Image courtesy of Reschio
The compost heap! They call me the Queen of the Compost, as we produce so much that can be turned into nourishing food for the earth — not just coffee grounds, tea leaves, kitchen waste, but the slippers used in the hotel, the faded flowers, every organic thing that can no longer be used, is layered, like a gigantic lasagne, and cooked in the sun. The result is dug into the gardens and fields — it is a huge undertaking and a very worthwhile one.
My other joy is riding — our Spanish horses give so much pleasure, and to ride out through the flower meadows and only encounter wild animals is really such a feeling of freedom — a million miles away from the digital world.
What are the plans and the vision for the future of Reschio?
The creation of the Reschio Hotel was really the jewel in our crown, and yes, we always have plans and are constantly thinking of ways that we can deepen our connection with the land, with maybe more community projects, but for the moment, we are enjoying the hotel’s success with the accolades it has received — the Three Michelin Keys in particular — and the demand of the Reschio Houses.
Read more about our partnership with Reschio.