The magnificence of Villa Necchi alla Portalupa is known to most. But how many know that personalities from the world of music and cinema have chosen it to pronounce their fateful "yes" or to shoot cult films of Italian cinema? It was May of last year when the singer-songwriter Max Pezzali chose her to secretly marry Debora Pelamatti, his partner since 2013. And again, in 1980, the directors Castellano and Pipolo, in this suggestive place, filmed some scenes of the comedy “Il tamed shrew ”, with Adriano Celentano and Ornella Muti. The majestic villa, now a luxury resort, a few kilometers from Pavia and Milan, is located in the Molino d'Isella hamlet of the municipality of Gambolò, within the splendid Ticino Park. A river reserve, reported by theUnesco as one of the most fascinating natural sites in the world.
Villa Necchi alla Portalupa, the history
Historic stately building, Villa necchi alla Portalupa is surrounded by a large and elegant garden. A real estate, of ten hectares, full of flowers and trees, overlooking the La castellana canal. Belonged to the Municipality of Borgo San Siro until 1723, it was taken over in the 30s by Vittorio Necchi. In addition to the villa, whose original structure dates back to 1800, the estate included a large agricultural area with farmhouses, woods and clearings. There were also houses for the service staff, a church and a school for the children of the Molino d'Isella hamlet. The Necchi, one of the most important families of Italian industrialists, loved to grow flowers and plants. Even today, a rich vegetation, accompanied by centuries-old oaks, characterizes the enchanting park.
Since the 40s, the villa has hosted numerous famous Italian and European faces (including the Savoy royals), invited by the owners to participate in hunting trips. The Portalupa was, in fact, an important hunting reserve, where wild ducks and pheasants were bred. Since 1959 it has housed a small church, commissioned by Vittorio Necchi and consecrated on November 8 of the same year by the bishop of Vigevano, Aloisius Barbero. Today the chapel is used to celebrate weddings held in the villa.
Villa Necchi alla Portalupa: the restoration
What we currently admire in all its glory is the result of four intense years of redesign and restoration. Essential years to restore the villa and the estate to the splendor of the past. Started in 2006 by a team of Lombard architects, including Valter Pisati, the works initially involved the area surrounding the villa, invaded by thorns and weeds. The palace, uninhabited since the 60s, was dilapidated inside and out and inaccessible due to broken shutters and broken beams. In short, the undertaking was truly arduous. The architects gave priority to the central body of the stately home, a real jewel of the whole estate.
Having emptied the furniture that formerly furnished it inside, the only work recovered was the magnificent wall panel, in oil on canvas, which the architect and painter Giancarlo Palanti created on commission from his friend Vittorio Necchi. The painting, three meters by four, depicts Mrs. Lina Ferrari Necchi with her dogs by the lake in the agricultural area of Portalupa and in the background her husband in hunting gear. Today the work of art enriches, on the whole wall, what is the bar area of the central body of the villa.
Villa Necchi alla Portalupa, a refined venue for events
The villa, the garden and the adjacent village are cared for down to the smallest detail and offer an innumerable range of services. The numerous rooms, furnished and decorated with obsessive care, equipped with modern technologies and all comforts, make the ancient residence unique in its kind.
The interior is very bright, thanks to large windows and skylights. A qualified staff is at the complete disposal of guests, who here can rediscover the luxury of time to dedicate to themselves. All thanks also to a careful selection of precious materials: from the best bed linen collections, to soft sponges and precious essences.
The villa can be reserved exclusively for any occasion. Maximum confidentiality is guaranteed to guests. Inside it has twenty charming rooms: eight standard, eight superior, three spacious junior suites and a refined senior suite. Five, however, are those of the Borgo, totally surrounded by nature. In Provencal style, they are located next to Villa Gaia, an annexe ideal for a comfortable stay.
Villa Necchi also offers tailor-made spaces for successful meetings, conferences and indoor and outdoor team building activities for companies, which can use multimedia equipment. Furthermore, the wellness center was born from the renovation of an old greenhouse for the cultivation of orchids. Ideal place to regenerate, immersed in the silence of nature. This environment is also flooded with natural light with large windows from which to contemplate the gardens.
Borgo Necchi and the Club House
The Borgo is the area that the Necchi family dedicated to their passion for plants and flowers. Today it is a splendid setting, a perfect combination of elegance and nature, ideal for celebrating unforgettable moments. It is also enriched with a romantic colonnade for civil rites, a small church, and fascinating fountains. Strolling in the Borgo, you are immersed in a Provençal atmosphere, made of pastel colors and scents. Here ponies, fallow deer and a donkey coexist.
Furthermore, along the lake you can admire the magnificent mute swans that inhabit it. The luxuriant centuries-old park offers wide open spaces and a covered patio of seventy-five square meters. This fabulous setting is enriched by the panoramic terraces, perfect for refined events and cocktails overlooking the park. Here stands the Club House, whose interiors, expertly cared for, help to create a perfect balance between elegance and nature. The spices used in the restaurant's kitchen are grown in the old greenhouses.
The restaurant
The splendid residence also houses a gourmet restaurant. This, which can well be defined as one of the flagships of the structure, prefers local products, strictly DOP. Also open to guests who are not staying at the historic residence, the restaurant has three elegant rooms: the Bamboo room (with Murano glass chandeliers and the ability to accommodate over 100 guests); there Fireplace room (for thirty people, so called because it is enriched with a 1600 fireplace, in Carrara marble), the Blue Room (with an antique style, with large windows and raised above the others, it can also accommodate 30 people).
The chef is Antonio Danise. Originally Neapolitan, he is 36 years old and boasts numerous experiences in starred restaurants in Campania, including the two-starred "Quattro passi". To create his dishes, Antonio starts from the search for raw materials: fresh and genuine ingredients, respecting the Mediterranean tradition. Guests are offered the opportunity to eat à la carte or choose one of the two tasting itineraries created by the chef: “Lomellina and contaminations” e "Memories and territory". The cuisine and the composition of the menus are designed to offer a wide range of culinary choices tailored to the wishes of the guests.
Fairytale stay
Villa Necchi alla Portalupa is therefore the ideal place for a fairytale stay or to celebrate important events. A place where elegance and attention to detail predominate. An exclusive location that blends with nature, where the guest can enjoy impeccable and discreet assistance of the highest level. In short, a dream place with an ancient and inimitable charm.
(Photo Villa Necchi at Portalupa Official Page Facebook)
