My stay at the hilltop Cappuccini Resort & Spa in the Brescia region of Italy felt like I was living in one of the historical novels I love to read, with a story and history around every corner. Travelers of all ages who are allured by archaeology, intrigued by secret gardens, impressed by family passion projects, fascinated by relics and excited by layers of antiquity will relish a visit to Cappuccini Resort.
Editor’s note: The writer was hosted by the local tourism board.
From Neglect to Nurture
Built in 1569, the Capuchin Convent of Cologne served as a retreat and meeting place for religious thinkers. Nineteenth-century laws suppressed religious establishments and forced friars to sell the property to Brescia’s noble families. After only a short period of use by these families, the residence was abandoned and left to the wild. Animals, trees and plants overwhelmed the grounds and structures for 60 years of neglect, and the roof collapsed during a 1985 snowstorm.
This derelict Franciscan monastery was then purchased by the Tonelli Pelizzari family in 1987, lovingly restored by owner Rosalba Tonelli, and now functions as the luxury Cappuccini Resort & Spa in Cologne, Italy.
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Love Story
Rosalba recalls, “On November 3, 1987, I saw [the convent] for the first time and I felt like a little voice was telling me: ‘you’ve finally arrived.’” She found the abandoned estate in ruins but entirely fascinating and called it “love at first sight.” By November 7, she had already signed the preliminary purchase contract from Count Maggi’s heirs.
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Having retained the property’s historical authenticity and enchantment while adding her own family’s stamp. Rosalba said, “The convent is the custodian of an extraordinary history. It’s a magical place, far from the hustle and bustle, regenerating both body and spirit.”
Hotel Highlights
In the heart of Italy’s Franciacorta wine-growing district, on the western spur of Monte Orfano (“orphan mountain”), Cappuccini Resort & Spa offers:
- 14 guest rooms (including 3 suites), each labeled with a friar’s name above the doorway.
- Some guest rooms include fireplaces with sitting areas, garden views, and each offers a private bathroom.
- Amenities like C.O. Bigelow bath products, hairdryer, bidet, range of showerhead styles and terrycloth guest slippers.
- Comfy office lounge and seating areas to relax in the picturesque courtyard.
- Space to think and rest in quiet order and simplicity.
- Flourishing fruit, vegetable and flower gardens to explore.
- Hilltop pool.
- Wellness facility with yoga studio, sauna, steam cave, bubbling grotto, beauty treatments, massages and hydrotherapy.
- Year-round booking availability.
- Meeting spaces and event hosting.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Many staff members know English, but Google Translate is a helpful communication tool here if you don’t know Italian and need assistance in communicating.
Relax in the Guest Rooms
Guest rooms are former monks’ cells transformed into tastefully yet simply decorated, quiet rooms with resin-glazed stone floors and dark-beamed high ceilings. Warm lighting, muted linens, unique headboards and painted double doors make these living quarters a peaceful haven for those who appreciate simplicity, order and rest.
Ascend a winding spiral staircase to the second floor up wedged stone steps. Periodically tap light switches on the wall to illuminate your way as you move down the windowed hall overlooking the picturesque courtyard, where sociable resident cat Rosè grooms her white coat on a park bench and busy turtle, Leone, ambles over ornamental stones.
Explore the Buildings
A walk through arched corridors lined with wooden church pews brings you to the ancient vaulted-ceiling cathedral. This historical space has been transformed into an elegant dining hall graced with chandeliers and long white tables. The monastery church is now used for large parties and can be rented as a meeting area.
The front lawn outside the church is filled with white patio furniture and faces external church walls still showing faint original engravings of religious motifs.
Enjoy the Artwork
Another large room set with a bar and table service has been decorated by Rosalba using antique gold-framed mirrors labeled at the top with the Stations of the Cross. Rosalba also decorated white wooden cabinets on the back wall with golden stars portraying the star signs of her family members—just one of Rosalba’s many ways of incorporating her family narrative into the property.
The mix of antique religious artifacts with modern design and clean lines makes this a refreshing and intriguing place to explore.
Wander the Grounds
- Meander sprawling hillside grounds to explore blooming rose gardens and fruit orchards.
- Swim in the outdoor pool or sunbathe on the vista-rich deck.
- Relax beneath fairy lights on the patio with a glass of Franciacorta wine.
- Roam the garden’s apple-tree labyrinth, in the shape of a large circle. Combined with the circle of roses around the Roman tower, these two spheres mark the ground with an infinity symbol, signifying Rosalba’s perpetual dedication to it.
- See the “Rosalbian Fractal,” the pattern of Cyprus trees planted to mimic Rosalba’s 2015 heart ECG test results—her way of “customizing the fabric of the land so [her] heart would be there forever.”
SheBuysTravel Tip: Accessibility here might be difficult for walking-impaired or wheelchair-bound guests, as the general terrain is rural, multi-level and can be uneven.
See the Relics
The main office houses a stone fireplace with original religious etchings, vintage upholstered armchairs, mountains of art and history books and an enormous stained-glass window displayed behind the front desk. This ceiling-high collection of linked stained-glass segments depicts religious events in colorful layouts.
Spot a cast iron water pump, weathered metal signs, curly rustic gates and handrails and a friar statue with outstretched arms. These clues to the property’s past peer out beneath grape-laden climbers and plump dangling pomegranates.
Admire the Authenticity
When other local monasteries began renovating and discarding older windows and doors to replace them with modern fixtures, Rosalba salvaged these original pieces, as there were no windows or doors when she acquired her property. She retrieved these original monastery doors and recycled them to complete the resort’s dining room.
Rosalba said, “Having brought [the monastery] back to its 16th-century appearance makes me experience a wonderful adventure every day.”
Taste the Harvest
Chefs at the San Francesco Kitchen restaurant create colorful and artistic meals using fresh herbs from the gardens and glistening fruit from the groves. Vegan and vegetarian meals are available, with surprising flavors, depth and balance that delight and satisfy.
Rosalba’s grandson, Lorenzo Pelizzari, likes to say, “Considering nature as the greatest masterpiece, we use the earth’s products with respect and love. This is the teaching of the Capuchin friars; we have the privilege of continuing their journey, presenting new offerings with an ancient flavor.”
Fuel Up for the Day
Morning breakfast includes fresh fruit salad, yogurt, pastries and cakes, fresh-squeezed orange juice, coffee, toast with jam and a sweet chocolate pudding treat. The kitchen is also open for omelets, eggs-your-way and other culinary requests prepared by the talented staff.
Sample the Wine
Adjacent to the breakfast room are steps leading down to the wine cellar, next to the convent’s original, stone rainwater collection tank—now named “Marco’s Well” after Rosalba’s sommelier son, Marco Pelizzari.
Rosalba said, “It is a unique, wonderful place of ‘religious repose’ for thousands of bottles divided by type, from the most appreciated to the lesser known, in keeping with the pioneering spirit of my son … who, with great care and an astonishing memory, remembers all his wines, both from Franciacorta and from much of the world. He is a passionate sparkling wine enthusiast and has also been a Krug Ambassador for years.”
Upon the property’s purchase, Rosalba found the monastery’s water filter filled with rocks. It took five workers to clear out stones from the filter that had cleansed the monks’ water and made it drinkable. Now, wine bottles are stacked on wire shelves surrounding the huge stone water tank, and Marco often jokes that the water has been transformed into wine, in Biblical miracle style.
Rejuvenate Body, Skin and Soul
Cappuccini Resort’s luxurious Spa Elis is housed in the former convent’s concierge, located at the base of the hill, by the entrance of the upward-sloping driveway. This wellness facility features:
- Sauna
- Yoga studio
- Steam cave
- Large stone grotto sparkling with sun-warmed water
- Massages
- Beauty treatments
- Hydrotherapy
The spa is managed by Rosalba’s daughter, Francesca Pelizzari, and is open daily. Privacy is valued here, and guests can book the spa and grotto for exclusive use and peaceful, solitary relaxation.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Be sure to wear comfortable shoes when you walk down the steep driveway to the spa. Swimming caps are required to enter the grotto whirlpools. You can bring your own or borrow one from the spa.
Host an Event
Weddings can be hosted at Cappuccini Resort, with twilight photos of the bridal party around the hilltop pool particularly magnificent. Patios with fairy lights provide a beautiful ambiance for drinking the Franciacorta wine-making region’s exceptionally flavorful and high-quality wine with family and friends.
Enter the Story
Cappuccini Resort’s beautiful, peaceful atmosphere and classy furnishings blending vintage relics and modern décor give it a special significance that attracts those who appreciate romance, history, storybook allure and admiration for family legacy. I love culture, antiques and the juxtaposition of new and old, and staying at Cappuccini Resort is a special treat for like-minded mystique-seeking travelers.
Rosalba shares, “I had the privilege of dreaming of this place, of finding it, of living it, and of rejoicing in the knowledge that I didn’t come into this world for nothing, but to leave a memory: this poem carved in stone. … Now I’ll leave you to imagine and lead your mind to this place… Start fantasizing, even though it will never be enough, because just one visit—more than any photograph—will make you remember this place forever.”
SheBuysTravel Tip: Be sure to explore or request a tour of the buildings and grounds, so you can fully realize the historical beauty and family story woven throughout this unique estate.
Getting There
Fly NEOS Air from JFK airport in New York to Milan, Italy, and then travel by train or car to Cappuccini Resort at Via Cappuccini, 54, 25033 Cologne BS. Visit neosair.com/it for flights and schedules.
SheBuysTravel Tip: If you follow NEOS Air on social media, you can often score flight discounts and coupons to use toward airfare.
Before You Go
Navigate to italia.it and visitbrescia.it to discover events and experiences offered within the fascinating Brescia province. Bicycle tours, food and wine festivals, thermal springs, art museums, castles, Roman archeological ruins—round out your trip with a little of each.
What’s Nearby
Visit Wineries
The Franciacorta region is brimming with wineries, which are open to the public for tours and tastings during the annual Franciacorta Winery Festival that takes place over two weekends during mid-September.
Visit Monte Rossa winery to see the massive steel tanks used for the first fermentation and the triangle-shaped bottle racks used for the second fermentation, which happens within the bottle.
At Villa Franciacorta, sample all the varietals, especially the region’s famous, delicate sparkling wine (served only in the Franciacorta-specific tulip-shaped glasses that stimulate bubble longevity).
Tour Bornato Castle
Tour the beautiful, medieval Bornato Castle, and see the Renaissance Villa built inside. Visit the ancient wine cellars and try one of the 25,000 bottles of wine produced by the castle vineyards per year. The wine fermented here is only sold at the castle and in the neighboring La Dame Bianca restaurant.
Relax by Lake Iseo
Take a day trip to the hidden gem Lake Iseo. Then ride the ferry to Montisola, the largest inhabited (and car-free) lake island in Europe. Walk, bike or swim before enjoying locally caught seafood by the sparkling lake.
Dine at Sensole Locanda Contemporanea to try the traditional dried, salted and preserved freshwater shad (locally referred to as “sardines” and called sardèna in Italian because their appearance is similar to true sardines).
Explore Downtown Brescia
Wander through the four main squares chronologically representing various periods of architecture. Examine the original bronze “Winged Victory” statue, gorgeous frescoes and mosaics and Roman archaeological ruins.
Admire Vehicles at the Mille Miglia Museum
Set inside a former Benedictine monastery in Brescia, the Mille Miglia Museum celebrates the history of the famous Mille Miglia race. While church bells ring outside, you can explore shiny historic specimens from nine different time periods of road racing.
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