In Italy Online – Locanda del Lupo

Locanda del Lupo

Historic Residence

Character: Rooms in the home of a real prince, in a small, quiet historical town.
Advantages: Unusual stopping-off point between Florence and Milan, offering many different types of attractions.
Location: In Soragna, a little town with an interesting Jewish museum and synagogue, as well as a castle. Verdi's birthplace and theatre are very close, along with the food capitals of Parma and Modena (also home to the Maserati and Ferrari Museums). Click here to see a map.
Size: 46 rooms, including singles, doubles, triples and suites.
Features: Authentic antiques, radio, color TV, direct-dial telephone and air conditioning. The suite has a canopied bed, intimate lounge-studio, 19th-century furnishings and large terrace. Very well-known restaurant. Wireless Internet access in the lobby. Price includes breakfast.
Minimum stay: Two nights.
Disadvantages: No elevator.
Car needed: Yes.

There are so many wonderful things to say about this incredibly historic hotel. In the first place, it belongs to a real live prince, Diofebo of Soragna. Actually, this affable romagnolo (as the residents of Emilia Romagna are called) also inherited several other ancient titles, including Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Grandee of Spain, Count Palatine, Marquis, Noble of Veneto, and Noble of Bologna. His aristocratic lineage, however, does not prevent him from enjoying a good ride on his motorcycle. And so it is that the Prince embodies what this residence is all about: a seemingly effortless combination of illustrious history, amiable gentility and modern functionality. Add that it is also extremely well-situated for culinary, cultural and artistic day trips, and you will have all the reasons to plan a stay at this beautiful inn next time you're in central Italy.

Locanda del Lupo's 46 guestrooms are as lovely as they are individual. Each possesses the essential modern comforts: spacious bathroom, radio, color TV, direct-dial telephone and air conditioning. The furnishings include rare antiques, 18th-century fireplaces, wood-beamed ceilings and big, comfortable beds with linen covers. Superior rooms are more spacious, and this is one place where the suite is really worth the splurge: with its canopied bed, intimate lounge-studio, 19th-century furnishings and large, green, sun-kissed terrace, it makes the perfect setting for several relaxing days and peaceful nights.

As unique as the guest amenities are, the inn is best known for its gourmet restaurant. On the ground floor are a series of beautiful dining rooms where copperware gleams on the whitewashed walls, and tables are set with sparkling white linen, Christofle silverware and the finest-quality china. Terra cotta floors, wood-beamed ceilings, antique clocks and 17th-century oil paintings complete the background for an unforgettable display of aromas and flavors. Naturally, the international favorites and local specialties are accompanied by first-rate wines from the cellar. During warmer weather, the spacious inner courtyard can house an elegant buffet for up to 300 people.

Locanda del Lupo is five minutes from the Rome-Milan autostrada, in the center of a quintessential Emilia-Romagna town called Soragna. Despite its postage stamp size, it is home to a fascinating Jewish museum and synagogue as well as to an impressive castle. It's also in the heart of Verdi country. Only three miles away are the great composer's birthplace and the church where he played the spinet every Sunday. You can visit both, as well as the tiny opera house built in his honor, the estate he built at Sant'Agata, and a museum of his memorabilia. Also nearby are Grazzano Visconti (a perfectly reconstructed medieval village), the 1000-year-old hilltown of Castell'Arquato, and the best of all, Parma (twenty minutes' drive). You'll want to spend an entire day here, combining English-language guided tours of a prosciutto, parmigiano or salami factory with a visit to the magnificent opera house, cathedral and baptistry, as well as a stop at one of Italy's most fascinating ancient pharmacies and, oh yes, an incomparable lunch at any restaurant you happen to spot. Lovers of fine art will also not want to miss two first-rate collections: the Galleria Nazionale and, a few miles away in Traversètolo, the Fondazione Magnani. Only slightly farther down the road are Reggio Emilia; Modena, where automobile lovers can visit Maserati and Ferrari museums; Bologna; and Ferrara.

For this property:
Click here to see a sample menu from the restaurant.

Click here for information about private transfers to the property.

Please note that you need a car to stay here.

There is a wireless hot spot in the lobby. It is not possible to guarantee Internet access at any property, because the property does not generate the service, it merely provides access from a server. If the server experiences any kind of problem at all, the property regrets it cannot be responsible for any inconvenience caused by subsequent lack of service.

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