Villa Rezzola is a historic stately home set in a large, lush terraced garden. Documented as early as the 18th century, it stands on medieval remains of military origin and was gradually expanded and modernised over the following two centuries. In 1900, it was purchased by Helen Lavinia and William Percy Cochrane, who were responsible for most of the alterations. In 1935, the property passed to Countess Mara Braida Carnevale and then to her daughter Maria Adele, known as Pupa, who lived here with her husband Piero Gualberto Miniati. Together, they decided to bequeath Villa Rezzola to the FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano – Italian National Trust) “so that it would be protected, enhanced, and made accessible to many visitors.”

From the house’s terraces, visitors can enjoy an exceptional view of the Poet’s Gulf, which stretches from Lerici to Portovenere and which, since the 19th century, has captivated the hearts of a large number of writers and artists, from Shelley and Byron to Lawrence. Equally exceptional is the English-style garden: a long wisteria pergola runs through it, separating groves and cultivated areas – a rose garden, a vegetable garden, and an orchard – from a vast lawn traversed by a promenade, bordered by hedges with flowerpots, and adorned with ponds and fountains. Thanks to well-organized botanical work, a sophisticated water system, and dedicated buildings, the plants for the garden and the cut flowers are produced and grown directly on site. A wide variety of tree species provide shade throughout the park, including rare and valuable species such as camphor and magnolia trees, as well as cypresses, olive trees, and a holm oak forest that stretches across terraces descending almost to the sea.