Casolare Alberelli is located in Nibbiaia on the top of a hill along the Costa degli Etruschi in the province of Livorno. Just climb the hills facing the sea and you are immediately submerged by the green of the Mediterranean scrub and immersed in the breeze and scents of the coast. The sea can be seen in the distance and merges with the sky so much that it makes boats seem suspended in the air in that stretch of the Tyrrhenian Sea that includes the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago such as Elba, Capraia, Gorgona and even Corsica.
Breathe you’re at Casolare Alberelli!
We arrived at Casolare Alberelli on a special day: in the late afternoon, a cello and guitar concert by Irish musician, author and singer
Naomi Berrill is scheduled, part of the
art exhibition “Respiro arte nell’aria del bosco” created by
Sara and Nicola and the small
Feronia Cultural Association on the occasion of the
European Parks Day.
And there is no more fitting name for an exhibition that has been taking place here in
the woods of the Riserva Naturale Monti Livornesi since 2021 and which involves local and international artists with the sole purpose of making everyone live a collective, sensorial and immersive experience. We immediately realized, walking under the foliage of the thick greenery and following the map of the site-specific installations, that during “Respiro” the Casolare Alberelli woods are transformed into a living space with works that intertwine with the sounds and scents of nature. Sara and Nicola’s only recommendation is to let yourself be surprised: by the silence, by the rustling of the wind through the branches, by the shadows and the lights, by the appearance of the sea at the end of the forest and by everything that appears in the undergrowth, whether it is a spontaneous grass or an artist’s creation.
We were captivated by this listening and were welcomed by the two
Guardians of the forest who showed us the way to
“Tinnitus”, the sculpture created by
Isabel Rodrigues Ramos, which invites not only an exercise in deep feeling, but a true connection with the landscape. Encountering small presences along the way such as
the “Witnesses” by Giovanni Maffucci created in local clay shaped on site and the tree of stones by
Chiara Ceccarelli that she called
“The Strombola Cat”, even more magical in the light of the sunset.
Poetry is associated with the awareness in the presence of the work “Unrecognized identities” in which a technological presence out of context pushes us to ask ourselves if it is really necessary if not indispensable that artificial intelligence optimizes every aspect of life and to ask ourselves what happens when we apply artificial logic to spaces that do not require it, such as the wonderful enchanted forest of Casolare Alberelli.
Where soon, in addition to the actual cottage that was once a monastery immersed in the Mediterranean scrub that dominated the valley up to the sea, the rustic houses in local stone for guests and the wooden construction that serves as the base for the indoor exhibitions and yoga retreats organized by Sara, there will also be the possibility of enjoying a Nordic-inspired sauna in the middle of nature.
During the exploration tour of the place, before setting off to discover the surprises in the woods, Sara accompanied us and in the meantime told us the story of Casolare Alberelli, showing us
the vegetable garden, the olive trees and the crops that extend across the entire hill up to the Chioma river and that follow the natural cycle of the seasons, including two new entry: lavender plants and goji berries.
The cottage, the land and the forest belong to Sara’s family who, together with Nicola, began the adventure of living and raising their children Isola and Leone in the Alberelli Farm. Before taking over the management of the company in 2010, they lived for eight years in Guatemala, cooperating with some indigenous communities through development projects. Their travels have brought them to meet people all over the world, but now it is the people who come here to breathe peace and silence and, as we did, share with them a good glass of wine in front of a plate of traditional Tuscan cuisine.
Of the apartments, the one assigned to us is in our opinion the most beautiful because it enjoys an extraordinary view of the valley that reaches the sea that can be enjoyed at any time of the day sitting relaxing under the pergola in front. It is called
Paretaio and as Sara and Nicola point out it is a window on the surrounding world. Inside the essential but refined furnishings, with antiques and recycled pieces, characterize the living room with sofa bed, fireplace and kitchenette and the double bedroom. Scattered everywhere are small art objects, paintings, vases and handcrafted objects.
The thick walls create a pleasant coolness inside that in the evening becomes pleasant warmth when they release the heat given by the sun during the day. So Sara and Nicola have never thought of installing air conditioning, just as – they explain – by choice they have not equipped the houses with televisions and have not built a swimming pool, to let guests experience the rhythm of nature and preserve the beauty and quiet of the place, not far from the sea.
At the disposal of those who stay there are organically grown garden products and what can hardly be found elsewhere: in this enchanted place, suspended between the sea and the sky, the benefits that can be enjoyed are numerous and essential and have to do with a complete relaxation of body and mind.
Casolare Alberelli, between the scent of the countryside and the fresh and healthy salty air coming from the sea, is the ideal place to enjoy reading a good book but it would also be the perfect place to write it!
With Sara and Nicola I spoke at length about my desire for peace to be able to find the right inspiration to give shape to a story, to realize the dream of writing a book and to put together those ideas scribbled over time in a notebook.
Here, where travellers looking for calm and essentiality are welcomed, you can enjoy absolute quiet but also the welcome and friendliness of the owners of the house. In addition, at Casolare Alberelli, even walks in the woods out of season allow you to enjoy it in all its wild beauty and could feed those stories that have been going around in my head for a while. Objective? Return!
Località Alberelli, 63 – Nibbiaia
Comune di Rosignano Marittimo (LI)
Info: +39 338 828 1256
