An hour from Milan is this enchanting place, Il Casale Denari, which must be included in the list of places to go near the city, for a magical out-of-town trip.
We are in Oltrepò Pavese, an area that touches 3 regions, touching on a fourth: Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria. It is a varied territory, where numerous villages of enchanting charm rise and proposals for food and wine experiences abound. A trip to the Oltrepò Pavese is certainly an excellent choice.
And the choice cannot but fall on Il Casale Denari. It is a true oasis of peace and well-being where you can disconnect for a while and regenerate.
The history of Il Casale Denari
The Casale originated as an Augustinian Monastery dating back to the 17th century. It has seen numerous owners succeed each other inside it. And numerous skin changes the location has had, but the charm and magical essence intrinsic to it has always remained intact.
Later, thanks to the foresight of Andrea Denari and his wife Ida de Ferrari, the Casale experienced a period of great prosperity. The first agritourism in history comes to form, when agritourisms did not yet exist, thanks to the birth of the wine label “Il Casale” offered inside to visiting guests, in a dedicated space, just like a modern accommodation facility of now.
In the 1950s Andrea Denari founded the Istituto Italiano Spumante Classico along with other names, Gancia, Carpenè, Contratto, Ferrari and Antinori. Denari also managed to save the wine production of the highly renowned La Versa winery, becoming its president for more than 20 years and relaunching it worldwide.
Il Casale today
Today, Il Casale Denari lives again thanks to Alberto Bertuzzi Borgognoni, grandson on Antonio’s maternal side, and his wife Azzurra Scerni. Their goal is clear: to work to restore the estate and revive it after years of neglect
It reopened its doors in 2018 and has also been a resort to stay in since 2022. A very classy property with 9 very elegant rooms, as well as having a spa and a magnificent infinity pool. But above all, Il Casale is a Flower Farm, among the first opened in Italy.
Cut flowers are grown here. “You can’t think of growing everything, the sowings must respect the peculiarities of the territory. For now irises, tulips and daffodils come well here, but I continue to experiment,” Azzurra Scerni, the creative mind behind the production and the one who runs courses and events related to the floral world, tells Milano Today. Find out about the workshops here.
Eating at the hostaria
The Casale is also a kitchen. Thanks to Duke Denari’s intuition to create the first agritourism in the 1960s, a unicum for that era, Il Casale picks up the tradition started by Denari with the Hostaria, which today is a refined establishment with excellent regional cuisine. The management is entrusted to the Bertacchini family, restaurateurs in Oltrepò for generations (former owners of the CàNova restaurant) and especially to the young chef Francesco Bertacchini, whose menu welcomes the flavors of the 4 regions that Oltrepò Pavese covers.
A gourmet cuisine, fresh with a great attention to the authenticity of raw materials and seasonality.
In short, a magical place, an essential stop among the things to do this summer. Oh and don’t forget to book the aperitif on the panoramic terrace. You will not regret it.
Where: Localita’ Casale Denari, 27047 Santa Maria della versa PV. For all useful info check the website.