Agriturismo Le Fontane

Agriturismo Le Fontane has an absolutely stunning setting on the shores of Lake Iseo, near Brescia in Lombardy, northern Italy. It is very much a boutique hotel with just four rooms to choose from, and you can enjoy gorgeous views from the terrace outside your door, from the gardens or from the infinity swimming pool just in front.

It is very much a place for lounging and relaxing but there are plenty of activities to enjoy too; the beach is just three minutes walk away and you can also enjoy guided tours of the farm, fruit and vegetable picking, nature walks and hikes along the Antica Strada Valeriana, and of course boat tours around the lake and to the stunning Monte Isola Island.

You can also enjoy the excellence of the in-house chef who uses the best locally sourced ingredients to great effect, from breakfast to lavish evening meals and washed down with some of Brescia’s and Lombardy’s finest Franciacorta wine.

The Accommodation:

The agriturismo accomodation, just four B&B rooms in total, is lake side and just away from the main farmhouse where the restaurant is located. The rooms are set around the swimming pool with the gardens just to the side, and they all have fabulous, almost uninterrupted, views over the lake and the island.

The block is modern, and internally has more in common with a modern city hotel than a stereotypical rustic agriturismo. Facilities are also what you would expect from a modern hotel, WiFi, flat screen satellite TV and some nice spacious private bathrooms. All the rooms are bright, clean and super comfortable, and all are supplied with nonallergenic soft furnishing and bedding materials. They also come with a small terrace seating area outside, from where, not to press the point too much, the views are a real treat.

The small farm produces various fruits, vegetables and herbs and is surrounded by hazelnut and olive trees. You’re welcome to stroll around the farm and you can also arranged guided tours with the always friendly farm owners and/or the chef.

The food here, as mentioned previously is another major attraction. It is traditional but creative and beautifully presented. The ingredients are locally sourced and seasonal as much as possible, with much of them coming fresh from their farm, including their homemade extra virgin olive oil. They have a good selection of wines to sample too, and this being Lombardy, make sure to try some of Brescia’s finest Franciacorta wine.

The Location:

The agriturismo is in the little village of Sale Marasino on the shores of the beautiful Lake Iseo which, though a well known weekend break spot for urbanites from nearby Brescia, Bergamo, Verona and Milan, sees surprisingly few foreign tourists.

There is a beach just a few minutes walk down the hill from the agriturismo, and ferries run all day from nearby Sulzano to Monte Isola Island. You can also arrange relaxing boat tours around the island, and to some of the other smaller islands, and be sure also to enjoy some hiking along Antica Strada Valeriana which runs among the hills behind the agriturismo and has even better views of the lake.

Getting to Agriturismo Le Fontane is pretty straightfoward by car, lying just 30km from Brescia, 50km from Bergamo, 90km from Milan, 100 km from Verona, and 120 km from Mantua. The roads are good and the scenery on both sides is generally lovely, especially as you approach the shores of the lake.