La Darbia

Only an hour north of Milan and not far from Novara and the Swiss border, the narrow, barely 13 km long Lake Orta shimmers in the lee of Monte Rosa, framed by the contrasting landscape of Piedmont. The "Lago d'Orta" is considered one of the most romantic lakes in Italy, but few people know it and flock to its better-known "neighbours" Lake Maggiore and Lake Como.

On its eastern shore – just above the pretty town of Orta San Giulio – sits La Darbia in an idyllic hillside setting. Architect brothers Gian Carlo and Matteo have ventured into unknown territory and transformed an abandoned rural settlement into a sophisticated holiday retreat that enchants all the senses: With a breath-taking panorama of the lake, La Darbia towers above everything and willingly shares this box seat with its guests. The property has just celebrated its tenth anniversary and anyone who has ever sat on the bench in the vineyard, lost in the view of the dreamy lake with a fine glass of rosé in their hand, has found a piece of happiness.

The emblem of La Darbia is the simple stone tower, its grey granite touching blue sky. Three storeys high, the tower contains the reception at the bottom and an apartment with a Rapunzel feeling and cinematic view at the top.

The architecture of Darbia reflects the heritage of vernacular structures, adapting it carefully and in silent dialogue with the lake. The essence of this stretch of land, its cultural history and rural typologies became the leitmotif of the project, both architecturally and in terms of content. The chromatic concept of the interiors picks up on the nuanced colour palette of nature, while the pale beige façades echo rural archetypes, broken only here and there by the calm grey of compact blocks of split granite. Introverted towards the forest and overgrown with ivy, all the apartments open onto the garden with vineyard and saltwater pool. From here, the view wanders all the way to the lake and Monte Rosa.

The complex reflects the simple formal language of rural buildings and integrates local materials, Mediterranean vegetation and unadorned handicrafts. You walk over stone floors made of split gneiss, over traditional cobblestones and monolithic steps made of hand-hewn rock. Instinctively, you feel the need to touch all the surfaces: rough stone and solid wood, smooth lime plaster and and Corten steel. La Darbia is – also – a haptic experience.

For the 10th anniversary, all 20 holiday apartments were restyled and now shine in new splendour. The interior design plays with quiet, local aesthetics and masters the balancing act between reduction and sophistication. Rural elements and simple elegance with a pinch of “retro” combine in a harmonious synthesis and integrate contemporary comfort.

In the La Cucina restaurant, chef Matteo Monfrinotti delights the senses. His creations reflect the tradition of Piedmont with dedication, many of the ingredients coming from the estate’s own vegetable garden. Amidst tomatoes and aromatic herbs, you can enjoy an aperitif at sunset. The Nebbiolo vineyard enjoys the panorama in company with the guests and wine lovers will fall in love with La Darbia’s evocative cantina.