Discover Cortona and its charm in the third leg of the EV Icon Italy journey

When Beauty and Hospitality combine

Restoring a prestigious residence and preserving its artistic value over time is not a given. We spoke to a winning duo who have achieved this feat in an exceptional project – Giuseppe Bonanno, entrepreneur and owner of Villa Metelliano, and architect Enrico Lavagnino.

“These places immediately captivated us with their tranquillity, simplicity and incredible concentration of history, wisdom and culture.”

This is how the owner of Villa Metelliano began to tell us about his journey, when thirty years ago he found himself in Cortona almost by chance… or maybe not. Giuseppe and his wife Vera were in search of a country house to buy. Bonanno dreamed that their home would be in Valpolicella. Vera persuaded him to give up that idea and they chose Cortona in Tuscany, a place which had captured their hearts.

It was in Cortona where they met Fernanda, described by Bonanno as “a wonderful person with great culture”, a restorer and owner of the villa across the street. A few years later, Bonanno and his wife purchased Villa Metelliano.

The second encounter for the Bonanno family was with architect Enrico Lavagnino.

Enrico, originally from Liguria, has been living in Cortona for over thirty years, a decision for which he has no regrets:

“If I had stayed in Genoa, I would never have had the work experience, but even more importantly, the cultural and human experience that I have had here.”

He explained that the restoration of Villa Metelliano was inspired by a “simple” philosophy, although not in line with today’s architectural mainstream,

“Here we are fortunate to inherit objects of great quality and the best architect is the one who manages to remove as little as possible.”

So, the third stage of EV Icon Italy begins at Villa Metelliano, which has a rich history to tell, and every room, every piece of furniture bears witness to it. In the early 19th century, French troops passed through here. The villa was built with ancient stones, embellished with paintings from the Napoleonic era.

In this villa of great charm, the aim was to reconcile technical excellence with aesthetic beauty. Examples of this successful “marriage” are found on all three floors of the villa.

On the ground floor there is a cleverly equipped and professional kitchen that serves the modern furnished dining room. It is accompanied by a spacious lounge with a fireplace and a particularly striking, light taupe, coffered ceiling. The walls skilfully divide the 300 square metres of this property residence. Each room is a painting to be discovered and guests feel the privilege of it.

We leave the villa and head to the town centre. With every step we discover something new – Piazza della Repubblica, the town hall with its famous clock tower, the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo, a splendid residential building once home to Cardinal Passerini in the 16th century and the Teatro Signorelli. Cortona also has a square dedicated to Garibaldi, and from here you can enjoy a unique view of the Val di Chiana, glimpsing Lake Trasimeno, Montepulciano, and on clearer days, Mount Amiata.

Cortona is now known for its glamorous events, photography, exhibitions and antiques. A feeling of simply being immersed in beauty prevails here, a “Tuscan feeling” that every glance can capture, even just by walking and breathing in the alleys.

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