Astapiana Villa Giusso is situated on a splendid position overlooking the Sorrento peninsula, 400 meters above sea level. Voted to hospitality since ancient times, when the monks welcomed travelers, even today as then invites you to enjoy its magical atmosphere: the rooms and suites, located in the main building, in the guesthouse or in the ancient monks' cells, present antique furnishings and wrought-iron beds. The restaurant is inspired by the rich gastronomic tradition of the area, with the old local recipes repurposed using "zero kilometer" raw materials.
Villa Giusso History
Once upon a time the monks offered shelters to travelers in transit along the road from Naples to Sorrento; today Giulia Elefante Rispoli gives hospitality to visitors who have come to the area to enjoy the beautiful sea of the Amalfi Coast and to discover the fascinating hinterland rich in history and culture. Before becoming, in 1822, the residence of the Genoese banker Luigi Giusso, duke of Galdo, who established a pioneering silkworm breeding nearby, Villa Giusso was in fact a Camaldolese monastery, built in the seventeenth century thanks to the munificence of two personalities of the area: Matteo di Capua, prince of Conca and feudatory of Vico Equense, and Cesare Zafferano, who donated the land and money respectively for the construction of the religious hospice.
Having kept intact the seventeenth-century structure - subjected to the constraints of cultural and environmental heritage - assures the building an old charm, characterized by very spacious rooms, of great sobriety, which recall its monastic origins, but at the same time, pieces of antiques, such as large paintings and antique furniture, they furnish both the common rooms and rooms reserved for accommodation. A location to be discovered, which among its guests has boasted Nobel prizes and illustrious luminaries such as John F. Nash, Paul J. Crutzen, Harold Kroto and Riccardo Giacconi, fascinated like all by the majestic historical-naturalistic scenery and the delights of the palate in occasion of their visit to Vico Equense to receive the Capo d'Orlando Award.
The heart and jewel of the house is certainly the large majolica kitchen with original 18th century fireplace and tiles, where breakfast is served in the morning, which is also the evocative setting for themed dinners, which can only be booked by appointment: thanks to the skill an expert chef rediscovers the ancient dishes of the convent and the flavors of the Campania tradition, especially Sorrento and Amalfi. The villa also boasts an ancient colonnade, a scenographic backdrop, much appreciated for receptions and banquets, and a garden overlooking the Gulf of Naples.