A secluded, intimate, 19th-century upper-middle-class residence. The exquisite and still-intact furniture, paintings and objets d’art evoke the atmosphere of the renowned novel by Antonio Fogazzaro, who so loved this villa facing out over an untouched corner of Lake Lugano.

LEGGI LA VERSIONE ITALIANA

Donated to FAI by Giuseppe Roi in 2009

There are places that appear frozen in time, impermeable to the passing of the centuries and the transformations of the area where they are located. One such place is Oria, a little village on the Comascan shore of Lake Lugano, where the pace appears to have remained unchanged since the 19th century, when Antonio Fogazzaro spent most of his life here. The novelist stayed for long periods in the villa that today bears his name, which provided both the inspiration and the setting for Little World of the Past, his most famous novel, which was published in 1896. The same intimate, homely ambience that provides the backdrop to the vicissitudes of Franco and Luisa Maironi has come down to us today thanks to Marquis Giuseppe Roi, the author’s great-grandson, who in the mid-20th century tastefully overhauled each room before leaving the house to FAI so that on his death it would not lose its character. And this is why the literary atmosphere can still be felt throughout the villa, from the study with the writer's personal mementos, to the library, the lounge, the dining room and the frescoed gallery, all the way to the private harbour, where in the book the tragic death of little Ombretta takes place. Everything is made all the more attractive by the stunning roof garden that affords panoramic views of a part of the lake that has remained mostly a wilderness, infused with the intense aroma of the olea fragrans that “spoke of the power of gentle things”. Practically unchanged since Fogazzaro's day, the villa is a delightful trip into a little bourgeois world of the late 19th century, set in an isolated outpost of Lombardy so beloved of one of the leading lights of Italian literature.

Visitor information

Opening hours

Villa Fogazzaro Roi is open from Wednesday to Sunday (10:00 am to 6:00 pm)
Mondays and Tuesdays closed.

The guided tour is compulsory and advanced online - booking is requested. Guided house tours are scheduled and last approximately 60 minutes. Please check the calendar for availability.

For more information: faifogazzaro@fondoambiente.it

How to get there

On the lake

Depart from Lugano with the public service (Società navigazione del Lago di Lugano).

Depart from Lugano and Porlezza using a private service.

By bus (ASF autolinee)

Bus line C10 Como – Menaggio
Bus line C12 Menaggio - Oria – Lugano

By car

From Como: follow the signs for Menaggio, Porlezza and Valsolda; continue then for 4 km along the Strada Statale SS340 road heading towards “Valsolda lungo lago”. After passing through Albogasio, you will come to Villa Fogazzaro Roi near the junction for Castello.

From Lugano: follow the signs for Dogana di Gandria and Oria. Villa Fogazzaro Roi is located near the junction for Castello.

Parking

A public parking facility is located at the intersection to Castello (5 minutes walk) or in the borough of Albogasio (10 minutes walk)

Tickets

Guided tour is compulsory and advanced online - booking is requested.
Guided house tours are scheduled and last approximately 60 minutes

FAI Members: € 4,00
Non-members ticket: € 18,00
Family ticket (2 adults+2 children aged between 6-and 18): € 50,00
Visitors aged between 6 and 18: € 10,00
Children under 5: free
Students between 19-25: € 13,00
Lombardia Card members: free
Valsolda residents: free
National Trust Members, Amis du Louvre Members: € 4,00
Visitors with disabilities: free
Carer: € 8

For more information write to faifogazzaro@fondoambiente.it

Groups

For private house guided tours and groups write to: faifogazzaro@fondoambiente.it

Accessibility

Disabled visitors can access free-of-charge those FAI properties that are open to the public by showing their ANMIC (Associazione Nazionale Mutilati e Invalidi Civili) card.

The villa is challenging to access for those who have difficulty walking. Contact the property for more information.

Shopping

Your purchases in our Bookshop provide tangible support for FAI.

Good to know

Small dogs are allowed in the villa but must be held in your arms or in dog carrier for the duration of the visit (about 1 hour).

Venue hire and events

Choose the Villa for your events

The villa of the Little World of the Past on the shores of Lake Lugano

A refined backdrop for private ceremonies and small-scale birthday parties, the villa is a favourite with couples who dream of an intimate, elegant wedding. The interiors and the garden can serve as stunning sets for photo and video shoots.

By choosing a FAI property for your event, you are contributing to the conservation and safeguarding of Italy's heritage.

For information

Chiara Colombo
Tel. (+39) 3357275054
c.colombo@fondoambiente.it