The Azienda Agricola Il Gaidello is a vast agricultural
estate situated in the fertile Po River valley (the Pianura Padana) just
outside the town of Castelfranco Emilia.
The farm uses organic cultivation methods that respect
both land and environment to obtain products of superior quality.
Il Gaidello is also an Agriturist Farm, which is called
Villa Gaidello. The complex of 250-year-old farm houses is located in an
oasis of tranquility.
During the last thirty years, Paola Bini and her sisters
have brought the long neglected land and buildings back to their
original beauty and productivity.
Maintaining the good taste of the past, the Bini Sisters
guarantee a kind welcome as the doors of the family home, or Casa
Padronale, open to add a new dimension of hospitality in the kitchen and
for overnight lodging.
Apartments:
Villa Gaidello has prepared several guest apartments for
you to enjoy.
The view from the windows of all the apartments offer a
peaceful and lovely view of the surrounding rural areas.
Some of our apartments have fireplaces and satellite TV.
We have a phone available in our restaurant for public use, but not in
the apartments or rooms.
Part of the Casa Padronale has been divided into three
complete apartments, each named after one of the Bini sisters.
The Adriana Lc:
The Adriana Lc (Stalletta) apartment is located where
the original stable once was. It uses the manger area for the main
bedroom and has open beam ceilings throughout.
Paola Giovanna:
In the Paola Giovanna (Sud) apartment, beautiful
antiques and rich colors combine in serene elegance.
Chiara Maria:
Open space, high ceilings and the ambience in the
Chiara Maria (Nord) apartment create a warm atmoshpere of time past.
The apartments, furnished with 1800s antiques, show the local artists'
crafts and handwork, from the hand decorated walls to the wrought iron
sconces.
The Gaianello Guesthouse:
In addition, several of the farmhouses on the Gaidello
estate have been restored and converted into apartments for guests.
The Gaianello guesthouse is divided into three spacious apartments,
with the original wood beam and terracotta ceilings and with modern
kitchenettes that are ideal for personalized cooking lessons.
Gaianello is also ideal as a "depandance"
for companies who choose to offer hospitality to their employees in
the midst of green and peaceful surroundings.
Farm:
The Azienda Agricola Il Gaidello is situated in the Po
River valley (the Pianura Padana), one of Europe's most fertile regions.
Il Gaidello has been a working organic farm since the 1970's.
The fields around the family estate produce rich red
tomatoes used in the Gaidello's pasta sauces, onions for pickling in
balsamic vinegar that is a leading product of this region, walnuts used
to make the walnut liquor nocino (their 'elixir for long life'), and
rows of moscato grapes for the guests to pick and eat.
Near the small lake by the Casa Padronale, there is a
small orchard of wild fruit trees. The best of these fruits and other
local fruit are conserved in glass jars to be offered to the guests
during the winter.
When not producing onions or tomatoes, the fields are
planted with either wheat or alfalfa, following natural crop rotation
methods.
Restaurant:
The restaurant at Villa Gaidello is a converted stable,
where guests can enjoy delicious food prepared by the rezdore (skilled
country women).
Paola Bini closely supervises the cooking, and
personally cuts the prosciutto and adds finishing touches to every dish.
Most of the meals are served family style at massive wooden tables.
Paola's menus are dictated by her ability to use the
freshest available local provisions combined with produce grown and
prepared on her farm.
Meals are accompanied with light and bubbling local
wines, and topped off with her nocino walnut liquor.
Villa Gaidello can also be exclusively reserved for
small private groups or senior executive meetings. The four dining rooms
can serve up to eighty persons.
The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday afternoon,
with the exception of the month of August. Sunday evenings and Mondays
the restaurant is closed. Reservations are required for the restaurant.
Activities:
Several initiatives have flourished with the intent of
increasing our guests' experience of the artisan lifestyle, all within
the healthful and pleasant environment we offer at il Gaidello.
We are convinced that these initiatives are enjoyable
and help our guests forget the stress of modern life and reconcile them
with the pleasures of a simpler life.
We offer:
Visits to the Azienda Agricola when possible, with
practical lessons in how we produce our products (e.g., preservation
of fruit and vegetables, making of the walnut liquor nocino, and
making of balsamic vinegar). Of course, this is seasonal and done
during the appropriate time of year.
Our guests, if they desire and when possible, can
watch and assist in the preparation of our genuine and typical meals.
Visits to other establishments that produce typical
regional foods, such as caseifici (where Parmesan cheese is made) and
acetaie (where balsamic vinegar is made).
Location:
Il Giadello is found in an area with a continental
climate, with four distinct seasons: beautiful wild flowers in the
Spring, golden waves of grain at the end of Summer, mature grapes and
rich colors in Autumn, and snow sometimes in Winter.
Villa Gaidello is situated outside of the town of
Castelfranco Emilia on the Via Emilia (State Highway 9), between Modena
and Bologna. You can reach Villa Gaidello:
- by train, to Castelfranco Emilia;
- by car, taking the Via Emilia (State Highway 9);
- by car, taking Autostrada 1.
- If coming from the north, exit at Modena Nord
- if coming from the south, exit at Bologna Nord-Borgo Panigale
- by air, landing at Marconi Airport in Bologna. Take
the Via Emilia (State Highway 9) towards Modena.
