At Palazzo Donati, you’ll experience the gracious architecture of a seventeenth-century palazzo with modern amenities.
By Walter Sanders
My friend Luisa Donati emailed the other day with delightful stories about a group of Texans whom she’d hosted at Palazzo Donati. I envy those Lone Star ladies.
Last autumn, I stayed at the seventeenth-century Palazzo Donati and felt instantly at home. Not because of any noble lineage but because the town of Mercatello sul Metauro, where the Palazzo anchors part of the main piazza, welcomes visitors while maintaining its own rich authenticity. The town serves a thriving agricultural area in the off-the-beaten-tourist-track region of Le Marche east of Tuscany. From Lina, the pasta queen who took down British TV chef Jamie Oliver, to the (not-so) amateur chefs who comprise the cooking club Academia del Padlot, good food and good times thrive in Mercatello sul Metauro.
Luisa works with small groups to create customized itineraries. No two groups have the exact same experience. Here’s a sampling of what she can create for you. Contact Lusia and tell her SimpleItaly sent you!
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- The rustic kitchen with open hearth.
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- The town of Mercatello sul Metauro.
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- Tabletop view of a cooking class.
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- Chiesa on the piazza.
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- Cheesemaking class.
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- Lina, the queen of fresh egg pasta.
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- The grand salone.
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- The town band.
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- The giardino behind Palazzo Donati.
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- The cooks of the Academia del Padlot.
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- Grand architectural details are refurbished.
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- The welcoming table in the dining room.
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- Palazzo Donati faces the main piazza in Mercatello sul Metauro.
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- Exposed wood beams in one of the bedrooms.
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- Inside the walled garden of the Palazzo.
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