Motorcyclist-friendly Villa Belfiore in Ostellato

Hotel description:

The Villa Belfiore farm estate lies in the district of Ferrara and Ostellato, near the "anse vallive", a humid area with fresh water, created by man after the land reclamation of the salmastra valley of Mezzano. The vegetation is extremely important from a naturalistic point of view, here you can admire 150 species of birds. There is such vegetation as: small reeds and Cannucce di palude (reeds), and Giglio di palude (lilies), la Selcerella etc.
The natural surroundings and traditions are reflected both indoors and outdoors to enable guests to have a relaxing stay. All the dining rooms and rooms with bathroom are decorated with antique and rustic furniture.

And now it is exactly as was intended, when some time ago, on a misty day at the foot of a poplar tree, which was the first to give its consent, the idea came to us. Now it is just as it should be, sometimes a little melancholy, sometimes full of joy, but always absolutely perfect. It is a life's project and, like all of life's projects, it unravels over time, at times seeming to slow down although never interrupting its advancement forward, supported by enthusiasm and by an infinite array of resources. We operate at Ostellato, in the pre-park area, between land and water, in the territory where the popolars whisper stories to the wind about the hunting trips of the noble Estense Dukes. Belfiore was created as an agricultural establishment and then changed its principle reason for existence into being an agriturismo establishment and so then to rural tourism. A large area of parkland, dense woods and a multi-coloured garden encircle the main residence and the annexed buildings as if in an embrace.

There are 18 rooms with bathroom, tv, telephone, air conditioning and all are personalised with a warm and romantic décor.

Restaurant:
The TRADITION AND SPECIALITIES OF CASA BELFIORE

The jams and preserves in the store-rooms of Villa Belfiore:
as well as being available for purchase, once a week, it is possible to have a snack in Gabriella's romantic little corner and taste the jams created with the recipes of our grandmothers and aunts, with the accompaniment of fragrant
home-made bread-rolls or tempting little biscuits. If you wish to learn the secrets of our cuisine, the cook, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 6 pm, will be happy to give advice and recipes, and then, if you are lucky, you will be able to observe how bread was made in houses in the country with the use of the grama.

Our guests will be offered:
a menu of tastings with vegetables and aromatic herbs coming from our organic vegetable garden, stuffed, home-made pasta, a variety of cakes and biscuits (see sample menu).

Breakfast in the morning is a buffet where, as part of the feast, grandmother's jams and home-made tarts are a certainty as well as, when ripe, an array of home-produced fresh fruits.

In the area around our swimming pool, between one swim and another, you may pick fruit directly from the trees (cherries, plums, peaches, figs, jujubes, medlars).

"In the month of November, dine with pumpkin": all the courses, from the antipasti to the desserts, are prepared with this noble product.
 
Some scholars maintain that the name Ostellato signifies 'a place to take a break'. The territory of Vallone, Quinta, Punta Schè and the area close to the sugar refinery contain archaeological remains from the Roman era. The land around Ostellato has undergone a number of changes of name. The Estense Signoria extended its estate up to this area, also erecting certain prestigious and delightful buildings such as the Medelana, which today is known as the Villa del Buono; Lucrezia Borgia and Pietro Bembo resided there as subsequently did Marfisa d'Este and Torquato Tasso. Following the devolution of the Estense Duchy to the Papal State in 1598, this area slowly and progressively became swampy, undermining the social and economic development of the locality. Seeking to rid these lands of the scourge of malaria, it was decided to flood it with seawater: with the cutting of the embankments, the valleys were completely flooded. In the XVII century, this was the cause of a serious conflict with Comacchio concerning fishing regulations. In 1708 during the Austrian occupation, Ostellato was subjugated and suffered significant losses, both economically and in terms of human lives. After these events, in 1744, it was decided to resolve the differences with Comacchio over fishing with an agreement which assigned fishing rights to the people of Comacchio while the people of Ostellato received an annual payment in compensation. With succeeding governments, the valleys were awarded to Comacchio and Ostellato had to await the Italian Unification for the recovery of its lost territory.