Ventasso · 1060m · National Park · Italy

A mountain retreat.
Built to last.

600m² of co-living and making space at 1,060 metres above sea level in the National Park of the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano. A near-derelict 1950s hostel rebuilt from the ground up — from energy class G to B. Restructura Award 2024.

600m²
Co-living
& making space
1060m
Above sea
level
G→B
Energy class
improvement
11kW
Photovoltaic
array
Girotondo Horizons building exterior — award-winning sustainable retrofit
Building exterior
Terrace and mountain view at Girotondo Horizons
Terrace & view
FabLab in active use
FabLab in use
Communal kitchen and dining area
Communal space
National Park landscape immediately surrounding Girotondo
National Park landscape
Girotondo Horizons · Cervarezza Terme, Ventasso · Reggio Emilia · Italy Restructura Award 2024 — best sustainable retrofit in Italy

The building

A 1950s mountain hotel.
Full sustainable
refurbishment.

The building was constructed as a mountain hostel in the 1950s — sturdy, unpretentious, practical. By the time we found it in 2020 it was near-derelict: single glazing, gas heating, damp walls, energy class G. The certificate showing its energy performance was one of the worst possible ratings for a building in a UNESCO National Park.

Antonio designed the retrofit. Julia managed it as a construction project. The refurbishment was completed in under a year. Cork insulation throughout the external envelope. Triple glazing in every opening. 11kW of photovoltaic panels on the south-facing roof, generating enough electricity to run the building and the FabLab on solar power for the majority of the year. We are working towards zero carbon.

The Restructura Award 2024 — Italy's national prize for the best sustainable retrofit project — was given for the quality and ambition of the transformation. From worst to best: that is the category name on the award certificate.

Built1950s. Mountain hostel.
Total area600m² across 4 floors plus outdoor terraces. Semi-basement (FabLab + 1-bed apartment), upper ground floor (hall, lounge, bar, kitchen, 2 WCs, laundry — with direct access to the SW-facing terrace), first floor (our apartment + 3 guest rooms + NE-facing roof terrace), second floor (6 guest rooms).
Altitude1,060m above sea level · National Park of the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano
Energy classG → B following retrofit. Significant improvement in heating demand, thermal comfort and carbon emissions.
InsulationCork insulation throughout external envelope. Natural, breathable material, sourced from Portugal.
GlazingTriple glazing in all openings. Significant reduction in heat loss at altitude.
Energy11kW photovoltaic array on south-facing roof. Solar generation covers the majority of annual consumption. FabLab runs on solar power.
HeatingWood-fired stove and gas central heating. Working towards a zero-carbon alternative at the first opportunity.
WaterLocal mountain spring water supply. Rainwater harvesting planned.
TransportZero-emission mobility options. Electric vehicle charging point. Bicycle storage.
ArchitectAntonio Pisanò · Marcel Mauer Architecture · CAIRE Consorzio
★
Restructura Award 2024 — "From Worst to Best"
Italy's national prize for sustainable retrofit, awarded at Restructura Turin 2024. Given for the quality and ambition of the G to B energy transformation of the Girotondo building.

The spaces

What is
inside

Communal kitchen and dining
Shared living
Kitchen & dining
A fully equipped professional kitchen and a large communal dining room. Meals are prepared on site using local and seasonal produce. Breakfast is included in all residential programmes. Dinner is a shared moment — always at a long table, always together.
Seats 20 · Professional kitchen · All meals on site
FabLab studio
Making & fabrication
FabLab studio
The professional FabLab — 3D printers, CNC router, circular plastic processing equipment, textile and soft materials tools, hand and power tool workshop. Running on solar power. Available to all retreat guests, residents and university cohorts throughout their stay.
Solar powered · All skill levels welcome
Guest bedroom
Accommodation
Guest rooms
Comfortable, clean private rooms with mountain views. Warm, quiet spaces to sleep in after a full day at altitude. The view through the window in the morning is breathtaking.
Private rooms · Mountain views · En-suite or shared bathroom
Terrace with mountain panorama
Outdoor
Terraces & garden
Two outdoor terraces with 360° mountain views — the place where breakfast happens, where sessions spill over into the afternoon and where people linger after dinner. The permaculture garden supplies the kitchen with herbs and vegetables in season.
360° views · Permaculture garden · Outdoor session space
Judo and boxing studio
Movement & sport
Judo & boxing studio
100m² tatami hall with judo mat, boxing bags, swiss ladder and a professional sound system. Available for morning warm-ups, team fitness sessions, yoga classes and evening social use. Cuddles with the guinea pigs, chicks and tortoise who live in the window sills are optional.
100m² · Tatami · Boxing · Yoga · Any level
Co-working and meeting space
Work & focus
Co-working & meeting space
Quiet working space with fast Wi-Fi, natural light and mountain views. Used for facilitated sessions, solo work, video calls and group presentations. The altitude and the view do more for focused thinking than any noise-cancelling headphones.
Fast Wi-Fi · Natural light · Video call ready · Mountain views

The FabLab in detail

A professional making
studio running on
solar power

The FabLab is the most distinctive element of Girotondo Horizons — the thing that makes it genuinely different from every other mountain retreat in Italy. It is not a craft corner. It is a fully equipped digital fabrication studio powered by the photovoltaic array on the roof.

3D Printing — 2 FDM printers
Prototyping, product design, architectural models, art objects. Print with recycled filament from the on-site plastic processing equipment.
CNC Routing
For wood, composite materials and soft plastics. Furniture, installation components, signage and large-format fabrication.
Circular Plastic Processing
Shredding, melting and reforming post-consumer plastics into sheets, tiles and extrusions. Used in the Maglietica workshop and ongoing circular design projects.
Textile & Soft Materials
Sewing machines, cutting tools, upcycling equipment. Soap making and natural dye facilities using foraged mountain ingredients.
Hand & Power Tools
Full workshop tool set. Bench space for up to 12 people simultaneously. All skill levels welcome — facilitated sessions available for groups with no prior making experience.
FabLab at Girotondo Horizons — circular fabrication and making in use

Sustainability

The building
is the argument

We do not ask guests to believe in regenerative living as an abstract principle. We show them a building that was energy class G and is now energy class B, powered by the same sun that heats the terrace where they have breakfast. Every sustainability claim we make is embedded in the fabric of the building itself.

G→B
Energy class improvement
One of the largest single-building energy class improvements recorded in the Reggio Emilia province.
11kW
Photovoltaic generation
South-facing array covers the majority of annual electricity consumption including the FabLab.
FabLab
Circular economy
maker space
Solar-powered plastic recycling FabLab on site — CNC, 3D printing and circular fabrication tools.
Cork
Insulation material
Natural, breathable, carbon-sequestering insulation throughout the external envelope.
★
Restructura Award 2024
Italy's national prize for the best sustainable retrofit project — "From Worst to Best".
NEB
New European Bauhaus
Member of the European Commission network connecting projects at the intersection of sustainability, aesthetics and inclusion.

Find us

Where we are —
and what is
on your doorstep

Girotondo Horizons sits in Cervarezza Terme, Ventasso, at 1060m in the National Park. The map below shows the building and all the key nearby locations — everything from the thermal spa 30 metres away to the Golfarone waterfall canyon 40 minutes by car.

Girotondo Horizons
You are here · 1060m
Cervarezza Thermal Spa
30 metres · Walk
Cerwood Adventure Park
50 metres · Walk
Astronomical Observatory
30 metres · Walk
Pietra di Bismantova
15 min · Climbing, via ferrata, hiking
Giardini dell'Acqua
15 min · Fish farm, pool, restaurant
Gessi Triassici
20 min · UNESCO fossil site
Golfarone Waterfall
40 min · Canyon & natural pools
Open in Google Maps →

Getting here

How to find us

By train
Take the high-speed train to Reggio Emilia AV — 1h from Milan, 40 min from Bologna, 1h 40 min from Florence.

From Reggio Emilia, the SETA bus line to Cervarezza runs to Ventasso. Journey approximately 1h 15 min. Check current timetables at seta.mo.it.

We are happy to arrange a private transfer from Reggio Emilia station — ask us when you book.
By car
From Milan: A1 motorway towards Bologna, exit Reggio Emilia, then SS63 via Castelnovo né Monti towards Cervarezza. Approximately 2h 30 min.

From Bologna: A1 to Reggio Emilia, then SS63. Approximately 1h 30 min.

From Florence: A1 north to Reggio Emilia, or via the scenic Passo del Cerreto mountain road in summer. Approximately 2h.
What to bring
We are at 1060 metres altitude in a National Park. Even in summer the evenings are cool — bring layers.

Walking shoes or boots are recommended for any outdoor activity. Good grip matters on the mountain paths.

There are four grocery stores and fruit and vegetable shops in and around Cervarezza, all within 15 minutes' walk or 5 minutes by car. Catering can be arranged on request — tell us about dietary requirements in advance.
From Milan
2h 30
By car via A1 and SS63
From Bologna
1h 30
By car via A1 and SS63
From Florence
2h 00
By car via A1 north
From Reggio Emilia
1h 15
By bus or 50 min by car

Nearest airports: Bologna Guglielmo Marconi (BLQ) — 1h 30 min by car · Milan Malpensa (MXP) — 2h 30 min · Milan Linate (LIN) — 2h 15 min · Parma (PMF) — 1h by car.
We can recommend taxi and transfer services from any of these airports — just ask when you enquire. Full address: Cervarezza Terme, Ventasso, Reggio Emilia 42032, Italy · GPS: 44.39881843708439, 10.323910635314839

What guests say about being here

The place in
their words

"An amazing gem in the heart of the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano, surrounded by iconic cliffs, snow-covered mountain tops and waterfalls. Nothing is left less than great."

Giovanni Cirillo · ★★★★★ Google Review

Stay at Girotondo Horizons

"A true work of modern architecture and green building. Spectacular views, surrounded by nature. Excellent Wi-Fi allows you to work, concentrate or relax. The owners are a rare gem — they truly make you feel at home."

Maria Giulia Farina · ★★★★★ Google Review

Stay at Girotondo Horizons

"Nestled in the greenery of the Reggio Emilia Apennines with a 360-degree panoramic view, just steps from the Cervarezza Thermal Baths. We enjoyed the hospitality and service."

Maurizio Farina · ★★★★★ Google Review

Stay at Girotondo Horizons

Come and see
it for yourself.

The best way to understand what Girotondo Horizons is — and whether it is the right place for your retreat, residency or project — is to visit. We are always happy to show people around and talk about what might be possible. Get in touch and we will arrange it.

Get in touch See retreat programmes

Girotondo Horizons · Cervarezza Terme, Ventasso · Reggio Emilia · [email protected] · +39 320 727 355