The villa beloved by Eleonora Duse

In this wonderful villa in Ghiffa, you can still breathe in the fascinating history that saw it play a leading role between 1800 and 1900. Villa Ada won the hearts of Russian Prince and General Pietro Troubetzkoy and his wife, American opera singer Ada Winans, who lived for several years on Lake Maggiore. It was here that their youngest son, Paolo, a future sculptor, was born. Illustrious figures frequented the General's salons, such as the actress Eleonora Duse, who loved this place, and the painter Daniele Ranzoni, who spent his holidays here and painted a portrait of the princess on one of the walls of the house. The prince, an expert in botany, commissioned the Ingegnoli brothers, creators of the Sempione Park in the center of Milan, to design the majestic 21,500 square meter park, which is unrivaled in Europe. The wonderful green area houses a collection of plants, mainly conifers, from all over the world. All this is immersed in the colors of various species of flowers that surround an ancient iron greenhouse. The villa's location is one of the best, being sheltered on both the north and south sides by a rocky promontory, which protects it from excessive heat and cold. This gem, dating back to 1866, has been completely renovated with the best contemporary building and plant engineering technology and is luxuriously furnished. The villa is on three levels: on the ground floor, the large entrance hall leads to the bright living room with lake views, then to the dining room, library, large kitchen, and guest bathroom. Climbing the imposing staircase or using the elevator, you reach the first floor, where there are four double bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. The bedrooms and hallway give access to a large terrace with lake views. On the second floor, there are three double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and two balconies. On the mezzanine floor, there are two more bedrooms and a bathroom; on the same level, there is a large laundry room, sauna, and utility rooms with natural gas and wood-fired boilers. The rooms are equipped with kitchenettes and can be used as mini-apartments, ideal for a luxury B&B business. Finally, a private beach and four boat moorings complete the property.