House Nature Scalotta

The accommodation

1. The house, completely renovated in 2022, but whose original construction dates back to 1721, as can be seen from the date shown in the small niche with a painting of the Madonna and Child, above the entrance door on the south facade, can be reached by car through the Via ai Monti, which begins next to the church of Santi Quirico e Giulitta, of Lombard origin (about 1,200 AD) built in local stone and with an original bell tower in pure Romanesque style, of extraordinary simplicity and beauty and recognized as a national monument
2. Exterior of the house: in harmony with the environment and nature
The architect who oversaw the renovation carried out in 2022 did everything possible to insert the house in a harmonious and natural way into the natural environment that surrounds it
The stones that cover the external walls are of local origin and recall the colors and shades of the surrounding rocks. Even the rustic plaster recalls the suggestion of the original building which dates back to more than three centuries ago.
The parking lot that accommodates up to three cars has been created inside an ancient local stone quarry that has been used over the centuries to build the historic center of Dervio.
From the wooden balcony the view opens towards the south and the lake while from the large terrace on the north-east side you can admire the mountain peaks that make up the northern head of Lake Como. Even the internal courtyard on the north side, in direct contact with the rocks and the forest above, offers an oasis of coolness and peace, especially in summer.
3. Interior of the house: style and tradition
Also for the interior, through a harmonious and complementary use of wood, used in the coverings of the walls, for the mezzanine and also for the furniture, and stone, used in the floors and in the finishes, we have tried to maintain the lifestyle and the spirit of the original house without giving up the most modern technological solutions that guarantee comfort and safety
4. An energetically sustainable house with a very low environmental impact
Sustainability was one of the driving objectives pursued in the restructuring
On the southern slope of the roof, both photovoltaic panels (with connected energy storage system) and solar thermal panels have been installed for the generation of hot water
The external walls are all perfectly thermally insulated
Heating and cooling are guaranteed by a hybrid system with heat pump and condensing boiler. An electronic control unit determines when it is more convenient to operate one or the other on the basis of demand and the external climatic conditions detected and transmitted by the various sensors.
A recharging system, connected to the photovoltaic system, offers the possibility of recharging for electric cars
All energy consumption is constantly measured and monitored
The house was found to be in class A+ (expected consumption of 36 W/m2) and in class B for the BACS (Building Automation and Control Sytem) systems installe

Setting

Unique surroundings - experience nature and history
The building is located at the beginning of a property of over 5,000 square meters, most of which is covered by chestnut, ruby, beech and birch woods.
On the rock walls surrounding the house the modeling work carried out over the millennia by the glacier that gave rise to the current Lake Como is clearly visible
In the Quaternary period and precisely towards the end of the Preistocene (15,000 - 11,500 years ago) the whole basin was covered by a large glacier which, having passed the branches of Como and Lecco, reached as far as Brianza where it gave rise to the current hills moraines. The lake was formed in the cavity carved out by the glacier as a result of the melting of the ice
The curves resulting from erosion and glacial modeling are clearly visible from inside the house and constitute real masterpieces of natural sculpture
In the upper part of the property, which can be reached on foot in about 10-15 minutes through a comfortable mule track, there is an ancient chapel dedicated to the souls in purgatory.
From here, a true natural belvedere, you can enjoy an extraordinary view of Dervio and the entire central part of Lake Como up to Bellagio and the Comacina island.
Although the house is located in this natural oasis, the historic center of Dervio is only a few hundred meters away. Here there are shops and supermarkets and the railway station (Milan-Sondrio line).
Even the lake and the beach located within the beautiful gulf of Santa Cecilia are easily reachable on foot or by bicycle in a matter of minutes

Activities and attractions

For the hiking trails: Monti di Dervio and Muggiasca, Sentiero del Viandante, Sentieri Valvarrone you start on foot from the house
Nearby tourist attractions: Torre Orezia in Dervio (1 km), medieval village of Corenno Plinio (3km), ravine of Bellano (4 km), center of the lake with Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio within 8-10 km
Well-known skiing and hiking areas nearby: St. Moritz<- CH 80 km, Madesimo 57 km, Chiesa Valmalenco 65 km