The Old Place Near Mantua
In August of 2026, Reading Retreats in Rural Italy moved from La Macchina Fissa (Borgo Virgilio, Mantua) to Podere il Cerro (Lugagnano Val d'Arda, Piacenza).
Photographs of the work we have done over the past eleven years at La Macchina Fissa may be found below, and "as it is now" photographs and information about the new location may be found here.
A guest room with artworks by Marina Kapilova
A Quiet Place (Usually)
La Macchina Fissa was open all year round. It was a private home and seat of the cultural association Reading Retreats in Rural Italy: a place where guests from around the world would come to slow down, read, enjoy nature, and reconnect with a quieter rhythm of life.
The surrounding landscape was perfectly flat and open, ideal for walking, cycling, and spending time outdoors.
The Napping Porch with prints of antique Vilmorin seed catalogues
Guest Rooms
The house offered eight guest rooms, hosting up to sixteen people. Each room was unique, furnished with antiques, contemporary artworks, and a selection of books on a specific theme.
There were four shared bathrooms; when there were only a few guests, they were private, and when the house was full, they were shared!
The smallest bedroom at La Macchina Fissa, summer 2017
The gravel driveway leading to the front doors of La Macchina Fissa
A Different Stay
La Macchina Fissa was not a hotel or a bed & breakfast. It was a private home.
Guests were invited to take part in the everyday life of the house: helping in the kitchen, setting the table, gardening, or simply joining others in conversation.
The atmosphere was informal and welcoming, closer to visiting friends than being a client.
The upstairs kitchen at La Macchina Fissa, art: Francesco Roviello
Spaces & Facilities
The house offered a variety of spaces designed for rest, creativity, and exploration:
- A library with over 8,000 books
- A small cinema with an extensive DVD collection
- Three pianos available to guests
- A large garden with unusual plants
- Bicycles to explore the countryside
- Free Wi-Fi and private parking
Exterior view of the 19th Century pumphouse
A sunny summer kitchen, August 2017. Paintings by David Hollington
The Location
La Macchina Fissa was located in the plains of Northern Italy, near the Mincio River, within the confines of the Parco del Mincio.
The house was approximately 25 minutes from Mantua, 40 minutes from Modena, and 45 minutes from Verona. On clear days, the Alps could be seen in the distance.
The Napping Porch with potted plants and seed pods of Nicandra
The Botanical Garden
Surrounding the house was a patio, croquet lawn, and wild vegetable and flower garden, which was home to hundreds of rare and unusual botanical species collected over twenty-five years.
The drive down to the house was shaded by gigantic poplar trees, Populus nigra, which made the house look much smaller than it actually was (880 square meters)!
Sunflowers and pumpkins in Clark's pumpkin jungle
Explore Our Former House
Take a visual tour through La Macchina Fissa: guest rooms,
libraries, salons, kitchens and communal spaces as seen while we
were living there (2015-2026).
All of the paintings, books and much
of the furniture have moved with us to Piacenza.
In the pumpkin jungle of La Macchina Fissa
A "More is More" Garden
The garden was home to a wide variety of ornamental and edible plants, many grown from seeds and cuttings collected over time. Rather than following a rigid design, it had developed organically around the organized events and needs of our association. It was kinda messy, but really interesting if you love plants!
Wooden blocks provide a walkway through the dense vegetation
Sharing & Sowing Seeds
Many of our most treasured species have been harvested as seeds during travels or gifted by visiting botanical enthusiasts. This way of propagation creates a deeply personal connection between the garden and our global community of friends.
Seedlings grown in the Hortus Horrei of Corte Eremo, 2014
White plywood goats mark the back border of the croquet court
Care & Vision
The garden was the result of years of dedication by Clark, whose knowledge, patience, and instinct have shaped it into something truly unique.
It was his laboratory, a space guided by experimentation and observation, rather than design and control.
Old gates and windows were used as supports for climbing plants
Caring For Soil & Plants
No chemical pesticides or herbicides were used. Clark is not a careful planner or garden designer; he over-sows and over-grows and sums it up by joking "It's quite a jungle, isn't it? It's based on Darwin's theory - survival of the shittest!"
Cucurbits are Clark's favorite plants to grow in the vegetable garden
Pumpkins and gourds grew up and over the pumpkin tunnel
Chaos Versus Calm
To compensate for the botanical exuberance on the south side of La Macchina Fissa, Clark used to maintain a fifteen-by-thirty-five meter lawn used for picnics, events, badminton matches, and summer croquet. Guests would stretch out on blankets to read under the shade of trees or stargaze at night.
A pallet pavilion for mini melons and ornamental cucumbers
Sanctuary for Wildlife
By allowing wilder edges to grow untouched and by introducing perennial vegetation and pollen-producing annuals, the garden had become a refuge for native bees, butterflies, ladybugs, fireflies, owls, pheasants, nightingales and many other bird species.
A covered sleeping porch with a rustic bed by Insetti Xilografi
See Nature's Wonders
Enjoy a slideshow of close-up details of plants and artistic botanical photographs taken by some of our friends mentioned on the acknowledgements page.
Many of our guests return over the years, drawn by the atmosphere of the house and the people they meet here. Some get engaged here, others get married! We haven't had a funeral or memorial service here yet, but we're open for new ideas! Come find us at the new place!
Plan Your Stay at "Il Cerro"