Ghirardini - Full Menu

I happened upon this little hotel and restaurant completely by chance in the middle of June this year since then I have gone out of my way to stop there wheneve... read more I happened upon this little hotel and restaurant completely by chance in the middle of June this year since then I have gone out of my way to stop there whenever I am out climbing in that part of the Apennine mountains. The story is that I had planned a multi day trek over the trail that follows the crest of the Apenines between the provinces of Massa Carrara and Parma (great hike for those that like solitude! and silly me, I thought that a refugio would be a place one could overnight in June… First night, no problem, CAI Rifugio Mariotti on the edge of Lago Santo, fine, all that a mountain rifugio should be. Second night I had planned on staying at the Rifugio Lagoni. When I arrived quite tired and with a knee that was playing tricks the refugio was open, but not for overnighting! I was told that there were hotels 8 km away in two different directions. Not the hospitality one is hoping for at the end of a days hike. Luckily for me, I was picked up while trudging along on the dirt road by a carful of botanists who very kindly dropped me at the Hotel (and restaurant Ghirardini in Bosco (di Corniglio . At this point, I had given up on continuing my trekking, as I had been taken back to near my departure point two days earlier. After checking in and taking a much needed bath, I wandered down for a drink and dinner. The meal was real home cooking, a type of ravioli stuffed with wild greens and a grilled pork steak, washed down with a respectable house red. After dinner, I sat with one of the owner 's sons who suddenly offered to drive me back to Rifugio Lagoni the next morning to continue my trek. That was an offer I couldn 't refuse, and seemed quite above and beyond the usual service for a hotel! As far at the hotel itself goes, it is a beautiful stone structure that seems to be the meeting point for the locals, including a bar which sells newspapers and magazines. It is also an information point for the Tosco Emiliano National Park. I am not certain how far one can get with English, but my Italian is dreadful and I had no problems being understood! The little room I stayed in was very clean and furnished with real furniture (no chipboard or laminate and a comfy wool mattress bed. Plenty of hot water in the shower also very clean. Total silence at night. And the price was very reasonable. In short, finding lodging for mountain walks in this area outside of the months of July and August can be quite vexing, as any tourist infrastructure is nearly non existent, but with the unscheduled experience I have had with the kind family at the Hotel Ghirardini, I can warmly recommend staying here as a base from which to explore a magical area of uncrowded trails and tiny glacial lakes perched high up in the mountains. Lovely experience.

A small rustic restaurant, new management, very kind and helpful service. mixed meat appetizers with excellent potatoes and mushrooms, cheeks with polenta and b... read more A small rustic restaurant, new management, very kind and helpful service. mixed meat appetizers with excellent potatoes and mushrooms, cheeks with polenta and braised to the tender and delicious lambrusco, to finish good tiramisù. list of good wines. account in the norm.