The Castle of Bornato and Villa Orlando represent a very rare example of a Renaissance villa built within a medieval castle. With their panoramic position, they dominate the gentle hills of Franciacorta, which is renowned worldwide for the excellence of its wine production. This historical residence has been owned by the Orlando family since 1930, who still share the magic of these walls with guests today.
Originally a Roman fortress erected to guard the consular road that connected Bergamo to Brescia, it is still present today as the central nucleus of the castle. It was later expanded with a circle of 300 metres of battlemented walls, with towers, buttresses, ditches and a drawbridge which is still visible today. The Villa was built inside the walls in the 1564 by the Gandini family, heirs of the Bornati dynasty, with frescoed and furnished rooms, a staircase and rooms with coffered ceilings, all beautifully preserved. The park that surrounds the Villa within the walls displays an Italianate garden to the south and a landscaped garden to the north containing numerous centuries-old plants. Beneath the main tower of the castle are the ancient cellars where the wine of Castello di Bornato has been produced for 700 years. At the end of the guided tour, guests can also enjoy a tasting of the locally-produced wine.
