What People are saying

Charming family owned Guesthouse taking you to early 20th century.

JoNa42on 24/07/2015 21:02

Spend 5 nights in this B&B during Summer Holidays together with our teenager children. Friendly welcome with a drink. We resided in the suite, which was large and comfortable (ensuite bathroom).
Children slept in expandable sofa, which was a bit of a problem seen their age and thickness of the mattresses. Room were clean and tidy, despite some little bugs which seemed to look for cooler spots during hot summer days. Further completely harmless.
Breakfast was very OK with choice in sweet or salted. Great capuccino's served by Francesca!!
Zandobbio itself has nothing to offer, but there's plenty to do in the neighbourhood.
Swimming pool in the backyard is great on hot summer days.
Recommended.

Wonderful

birdieistravellingon 13/05/2015 19:53

We just returned from a fabulous weekend break at the La Patirana- family owned guesthouse. Francesca and her family were wonderful hosts, very friendly and helpful and couldn’t do enough for us during our stay.
The house is tucked away in a small town called Zandobbio, which is located just outside of Bergamo (about 15km, so about a 15/20 minute drive from the Airport). From the outside, the high walls conceal a wonderful large historic house and a large private garden. The interior is full of its original period features. Our bedroom was very comfortable and clean. The bedroom ceiling had an amazing original artwork. There were free tea/coffee facilities and Wi-Fi in the room. Our room also contained a large furnace that had been cleverly converted into an en-suite bathroom.

The large garden offers space for relaxing in the sun while the kids can enjoy the outdoor swimming pool. There are also football nets, a ping pong table, a small trampoline and plenty of bicycles to explore the nearby lakes. There is a small children’s playground located just outside the main gate too.

During our stay we used the bikes to visit the Lake Endine at Monasterolo del Castello (it takes about an hour and a half to cycle each way and is not too difficult). We also visited Monte Isola (drive to Iseo and catch the ferry) and Verona (about an hour by car). There are several other well- known locations that can be easily accessed by car if you have time including Milan, Venice, Lake Como, and of course Bergamo itself. We recommend taking the ‘funiculare’ (small tram) up to the old part of Bergamo (Città Alta) for the wonderful views. If you are an animal lover you will enjoy watching the family of pet goats that reside in the garden (there are some baby ones at the moment) and playing with the (very friendly) resident dogs (we wanted to take Tango the Jack Russell home with us). We definitely recommend La Patinara as a great place to stay if you are looking for a quiet retreat or to use as a base to explore Northern Italy.
Hoping to return soon,
Mark&Santa

A hidden retreat

Renate Hon 03/01/2013 00:12

when we were first going to La Patirana we didn't expect to find this perfect retreat behind these walls in the narrow street. But once you have parked your car (small ones recommended;-) and you enter the patio, you are in a different world. Find yourself in the late ottocento or early 20th century with all the amenities of the 21st ... That's where you are. The hosts are just wonderful (the whole family), they cater for a perfect breakfast and if you want to play a round of boccia you have to find a way to compete with Tango, the little Jack Russel. As long as we were there, he always won;-)
So lovely and so relaxing! A perfect spot to visit Bergamo, Brescia, the Lago d'Iseo and surroundings - all within less than one hour's drive. And if you're on holidays with your kids: the garden is so large you won't hear them anymore, but it has walls so you dont have to fear they will run out onto the streets. Want to know more? Go there!

A family visit

MrPaulsenon 09/09/2012 09:01

Sadly we only got to stay here for one day, as we were flying home the day after. When we arrived, we were welcomed like family, by a very nice and helpful woman. She gave us a refreshment while talking about our trip and stay in Italy. The rooms we got were beautiful, with very comfy beds. The garden was very authentic and had a nice little pool. The family running the B&B was really sweet to us, and they phoned a restaurant in Zandobbio to book a table for us. Overall, the stay was short but sweet.

Just like paradise

nip73on 09/07/2012 23:15

"This is just like paradise" my 7-year old daughter said walking through the huge garden at La Patirana. And for our family it was a week in paradise. We enjoyed the amazing hospitality from the hosts Francesca and Franco and their family. The great mansion has been in their family for several hundred years and while it serves as a summer residence for Francesca and Franco, it is still the home of other family members. Every day we woke up to a perfect italian breakfast with all the espresso or cappuccinos you can drink. Afterwards we relaxed in the garden using the small pool, the svings or just looking at the life at the mansion pass by. Even in the evening the hosts arranged food for us a couple of times from the local pizzeria or butcher. You can also expect to get invited for a glass of wine by the family in the evening where they are happy to share there knowledge of the surroundings. I has been a unique experience to stay at La Patirana - and I hope for great success for Francesca and Franco. But I hope that this secret gem will stay the same to the day we return, which we will for sure!