De Santis Family Opens Casabianca Hotel and Art Hub on Lake Como
The De Santis family has unveiled Casabianca, a villa constructed in 1930 by Piero Ponci for a textile mogul, located along the shores of Lake Como. This property will introduce three apartment-style suites later this year, while the lower levels are currently accessible for €15. Showcasing approximately 50 artworks from the family's post-war Italian art collection, it includes creations by Alighiero Boetti, Mario Merz, and Marina Abramović. Highlights consist of Paolini's Habitat (2025) and Kiefer's Paete (2000). The interiors boast designs by renowned architects Gio Ponti and Frank Lloyd Wright. The family has also renovated the Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Passalacqua. Casabianca collaborates with Cova for its dining and bar services, with Paolo De Santis striving to create a welcoming ambiance for guests.
Key facts
- Casabianca is a villa designed by Piero Ponci in 1930 for a textile manufacturer.
- The property is located on Lake Como's quayside.
- Three apartment-style suites on the top floor will launch later this year.
- The lower three floors are open to paying visitors for €15.
- The collection includes around 50 works of post-war Italian art.
- Arte Povera artists represented include Alighiero Boetti, Mario Merz, Giulio Paolini, Pier Paolo Calzolari, Jannis Kounellis, and Gilberto Zorio.
- Notable works include Habitat (2025) by Giulio Paolini, Trees & Roots (2011) by Su-Mei Tse, Holding Emptiness (2012) by Marina Abramović, Paete (2000) by Anselm Kiefer, and a 2018 neon by Alfredo Jaar.
- The De Santis family previously revived Grand Hotel Tremezzo and opened Passalacqua in 2022.
- The restaurant partners with Cova, a Milanese patisserie founded in 1817 and majority-owned by LVMH since 2013.
- The family was encouraged to collect art by Ico Parisi and his wife Luisa.
Entities
Artists
- Paolo De Santis
- Antonella De Santis
- Valentina De Santis
- Alberto Garutti
- Flavio Favelli
- Alighiero Boetti
- Mario Merz
- Giulio Paolini
- Pier Paolo Calzolari
- Jannis Kounellis
- Gilberto Zorio
- Massimo Bartolini
- Su-Mei Tse
- Ico Parisi
- Luisa Parisi
- Gio Ponti
- Paolo Buffa
- Frank Lloyd Wright
- Marina Abramović
- Anselm Kiefer
- Alfredo Jaar
- Piero Ponci
Institutions
- Casabianca
- Grand Hotel Tremezzo
- Passalacqua
- Villa Mondolfo
- Cova
- LVMH
- Venice Biennale
Locations
- Lake Como
- Como
- Italy
- Parma
- Milan