Relais La Zerla

In 1928, Giuseppe Andreoli purchased a complex of 19th-century buildings from retired Colonel Ernesto Galli, which is now known as La Zerla. Located in the serene area of Ca’ Bottura on the hills of Bardolino, the property was originally divided into three sections: one for social gatherings and the others used for storing tools, grain, and housing animals. As the years went by and his children grew up, Giuseppe converted the buildings into three residences for the next generations. His son Attilio, the grandfather of the current managers Germano and Ivano, inherited the structure now referred to as Rustico and, along with his brothers Romano and Lionello, continued the family farming activities, expanding the estate with a new facility for agricultural work. In the 1990s, the brothers divided the property, and Lionello inherited the buildings that would eventually become La Zerla. In 2000, after retiring, he handed over the management to his sons Germano and Ivano, who began renovating the estate. The following year, once the renovations were complete, they opened La Zerla as a restaurant specializing in local cuisine. Later, they converted the adjoining rustic building into guest rooms for the restaurant's patrons, creating the Casa Principale. Shortly after, they further expanded the property by renovating the old house of their grandfather Attilio, which is now called Rustico. In 2009, they decided to close the restaurant to focus solely on hospitality, providing guests with a welcoming environment and a hearty breakfast each morning. The name Zerla comes from the local dialect and refers to an ancient agricultural tool: a curved wooden stick with two hooks at the ends, used for carrying baskets of grapes during the harvest or buckets of water from the well to the house. This symbolizes hard work and tradition, which today is reflected in the genuine and attentive hospitality that characterizes La Zerla.