Il Sole di Ranco

We are in the Varesotto, not far from the border between Lombardy and Piedmont, facing  Lake Maggiore, close to the Lakes of Varese and Lugano, and not   far from Switzerland. The Hotel Il Sole di Ranco, in fact, is located near Angera, with its mighty stronghold and its fortress which belonged to the Viscontis and to the Borromeos. Since 1700, this area, thanks to being beautifully situated, has been a holiday resort for nobility and middle class from Milan, and it has kept the same environmental and scenic characteristics. It is easy to bump into nineteenth-century villas from the days of Liberation, which once belonged  to the “castellanze”, independent hamlets. The Sacro Monte of Varese, situated in the Massif of Campo dei Fiori (1226 m), is great for hiking; it is a place of worship but also a Regional Park, rich in paths.

At the end of the 19^th century, Ranco, in particular, had just a few houses and a small church. The vacationers used to hang out here to hunt and fish, and after having travelled on a carriage, they would find hospitality at the Locanda del Sole, surrounded by a garden in front of the Lake Maggiore and always enlightened by the sun (from which it takes its name). The Brovellis used to take care of the hospitality with seven rooms available for guests; they also owned a restaurant, called Il Sole, which was quite famous in the area and popular among people passing there and families who used to take refreshments below the pergola. In 1950, Carlo succeeded to his mother in managing the enterprise, and he was immediately able to innovate. After all, he had attended  the Hospitality Training Institute of Stresa, and he had gained a relevant experience in the field in some of the best hotels and restaurants in Switzerland, France, and Germany. The restaurant, founded in 1850 by the Brovelli family, has now been acquired by Davide, who wisely mixes innovation and culinary tradition, keeping in mind the importance of rediscovering  local raw ingredients. Guests can make themselves comfortable at the tables on the terrace, so that they have the chance to enjoy the wonderful sight of a sunset on the lake. Amongst the plants of the extremely well-finished garden – which lies on a slope headed to the stretch of water, the Hotel Il Sole di Ranco also offers a lovely swimming pool, a sauna with the view of the lake, a Turkish bath, and a relaxing-zone.

Today, there are fourteen rooms at the Hotel Il Sole di Ranco  , almost all of them provide the guests with a lovely sight of the Lake Maggiore  in Lombardy, and they are distributed among two detached buildings – one located in the structure of the original Locanda, on two stories, and the other one in the reception building.