Palazzo di Varignana review: enjoy some full-on Italian R&R

I felt my shoulders drop as our taxi entered the grounds of Palazzo di Varignana. The lush greenery and panorama of the Po Valley washed over me like the warm waters of a Jacuzzi I soon hoped to be wallowing in. I’d booked a long weekend at the plush Italian resort and spa after deciding it would take more than a goblet of wine on a Friday night to dial down the stress levels induced by the daily grind. I decided to go for full-on R&R in Italy, where I could access the killer combo of posh pampering, cypress-filled vistas and pasta like I imagine my Italian great grand-nonna used to make.

Palazzo di Varignana is a swish retreat in the hills outside Bologna. The region, Emilia-Romagna, hasn’t attracted the attention of British tourists searching for the Chiantishire experience, but it’s their oversight: Emilia-Romagna possesses many of the charms of Tuscany and Umbria, like historic towns and velvety greenery enough to conjure up images of Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love.

More pertinently, its centrepiece is the city of Bologna, Italy’s food hub, known as “Il Grasso” (“The Fat”) due to its status as the country’s gastro-capital. Just half an hour by car from Bologna, the Palazzo’s cuisine features the best of Bolognese and regional food. For starters, the hotel’s exceptional charcuterie of mortadella, prosciutto and fallow deer bresaola comes straight from Bologna’s celebrated butcher, Macelleria Zivieri.

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Why come here

We’ll return to the food later, but back to the resort… It’s an upscale oasis situated on a 30-hectare estate, a modern mini-village arranged sympathetically around its centrepiece, the glorious Palazzo Bentivoglio. The 18th-century castle dominates the landscape and, like the rest of the resort, commands a sweeping view of the valley all the way to the Alps.

The quiet of the resort was immediately noticeable, and welcome for this city slicker. The accommodation is spread out over seven blocks built in traditional style that blend into the landscape rather than dominate it. It offers 146 sizeable rooms from standard to presidential suite.

Our room was in The Terrace, two buildings built into the side of a hill to maximise use of the terrain. I was impressed at the size of the room and its wow factor thanks to high ceilings and refreshingly minimalist décor that mixed wood and neutral colours. The bed was large and the lighting hi-tech but so easy that even a Baby Boomer like me could figure it out. Floor-to-ceiling windows with a sliding door flooded the room with natural light. A particular delight was sitting on our private terrace in the early evening watching swifts dart manically around the grounds as the sun sank and the valley transformed into a carpet of lights.

The white marble bathroom contained a double sink as well as a gigantic walk-in rainfall shower that could fit a family of four. Best of all, heavy doors and thick walls prevented noise from reaching our luxe oasis, enveloping me in the peace I had come for.

Relaxing facilities

Residents of The Terrace are doubly lucky in that they have the bonus of not one, but two private pools, one at each end, offering an antidote to the busier communal pool complex. We oscillated between them, depending on our craving for quiet. I preferred the relative bustle of the main pool area and the lure of its bar serving delicious mozzarella salads for lunch. In a relatively compact space, the pool area cleverly fit five outdoor pools, including a lap pool, an infinity pool and a large pool. I took up residence in the Jacuzzi pool, relishing the calming effect of its bubbly warm waters, emerging now and then to order a glass of prosecco or a gelato from the bar. Sun loungers and umbrellas were plentiful so there was no need for the claiming of territory with beach towels. It felt like a very convivial communal space.

When the sun scorched us, we headed to the indoor spa, compact but elegant, with a Jacuzzi pool connected to a small outdoor pool. A selection of steam rooms, Kneipp bath, bio-sauna, Finnish sauna and Jacuzzis provide all the water-based wellness you could ask for.

Like many upmarket Italian resorts, the spa offers detox and weight loss regimes, but they wouldn’t do for a self-indulgent pasta lover like me. I did treat myself to a relaxing massage with Irene, whose expert hands kneaded away the tension in my back and shoulders. On another afternoon we enjoyed the excellent Ars Vivendi Private Spa, a two-hour experience that cherry picks the best spa traditions. The first room is a private hammam with mini-pool and steam room, the second an Ofuru, a piping hot Japanese hot tub in dark, cosy surrounds. After an hour in each, we were treated to a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Apart from the moment I mistakenly put a menthol body scrub on my face that temporarily blinded me when it migrated into my eyes, the experience was an uber-relaxing sojourn.

Eating and drinking

Food is one of the Palazzo’s main attractions, with three restaurants delivering distinctive culinary offerings. Il Grifone, located in the Palazzo, is a haven of fine dining. The main restaurant, Aurevo, on a terrace overlooking the pool and valley, offers a mix of classic Italian dishes (try the Bolognese cutlet) and fusion food, using a wealth of local ingredients like Varignana wildflower honey and mortadella.

Make sure to dine at least one night at Le Marzoline, the resort’s traditional trattoria a short walk from the residences. It puts a spin on traditional Italian fare like cold roast beef served with creamed parmesan rather than horseradish that my dining partner swooned about. I was floored by the ravioli pasta filled with buffala ricotta cheese and fava beans, although bemused by my first course. It was fritto misto, a typical Emilia-Romagna dish of tempura fried vegetables, which were gorgeous, until I got to the deep-fried cubes of sweet cream, which was like dessert delivered two courses too soon. But it was a learning experience, enjoyed in the uber-Italian setting of a terrace overlooking olive groves.

What to do

The Palazzo’s 350-hectare estate produces much of its own ingredients including olive oil and wine, which we sampled in a fun tasting session at the estate’s enoteca. The intricacies of olive oil’s subtler flavours went over our heads; we were on safer ground with the estate’s excellent sangiovese and chardonnay, although the most pleasant surprise was the sparkling wine, produced by the methode champagnoise and a fantastic alternative to the ubiquitous prosecco.

After several days’ indulgent gliding between pools, spa and restaurants, I felt ready to return to the urban bustle. The tranquillity and luxury of this elegant resort had exerted its calm on me. Call it the Varignana effect.

Palazzo di Varignana offers rooms from €230 (£194) per night, based on two adults sharing on a B&B basis; palazzodivarignana.com