When Marco and Valeria first stepped into the abandoned village schoolhouse in Lusiana, they didn’t see cracked plaster or empty halls. They saw potential. The 1920s building, tucked into the rolling foothills of the Venetian Prealps, had a quiet dignity. A relic of another era, it felt like a place where time might stand still, and where a guesthouse unlike any other might be born.
Today, La Scuola Guesthouse is just that: a lovingly restored five-room retreat full of vintage charm, with the schoolhouse theme at the heart of the experience.
Vintage Finds
Stepping into La Scuola is like stepping into a time machine. The original wooden floors creak softly underfoot, firewood crackles in the stove, a cat dozes in an armchair. The atmosphere isn’t staged; it’s genuine, and meticulously curated. Room by room, object by object, the passion of its owners is palpable.
Marco and Valeria preserved the soul of the old schoolhouse, and then went further. They collected antique school desks, chalkboards, wall maps and exercise books, some from the very classrooms that are now guest rooms, others from markets across Italy. Over time, guests began adding to the collection, too, leaving behind heirlooms and vintage keepsakes, which makes La Scuola as much a living museum as a B&B.
The Rooms
Each of the five rooms is themed after a classic school subject: Geography, History, Arithmetic and Science, plus the romantic attic room, “The Teacher’s Room,” with a freestanding tub beneath the exposed rafters.
Breakfast is a slow ritual, overseen by the hosts. Served on checkered tablecloths with enamel teapots and bowls once used by schoolchildren, it is a nod to a simpler era. Freshly baked cakes and homemade treats bring back the flavors of childhood. You can eat in the former classroom, where a large blackboard still hangs on the wall, or outdoors under old linden trees, beside the faded inscription “scuola comunale” and the old village bell.
By the way, we loved the pink garden chairs and tables.
Lusiana
La Scuola’s story isn’t just one of restoration; it’s one of revival. The project sparked a quiet renaissance in Lusiana. Inspired by Marco and Valeria, other young entrepreneurs have opened osterias and cafés in the village. In summer, Marco runs a mobile gelato business, bringing handmade, all-natural ice cream to the surrounding hamlets in a converted Ape, the classic three-wheeled Italian minitruck.
It’s a small but meaningful homage to the quality and simplicity of times past.
The Region
Lusiana is not on the usual tourist trail, and that is exactly the point. Surrounded by cherry orchards and alpine meadows in the Pedemontana Veneta, this unspoiled corner of northern Italy offers tranquility and authenticity in equal measure.
Nearby towns like Bassano del Grappa, home of the Diesel jeans brand and its founder, Renzo Rosso, offer rich history without the crowds. The active can hike straight from the guesthouse, climb the cliffs of Covolo, paraglide from Monte Corno or join the locals at the beloved PomoPero market festival in October. Art lovers will find the Parco del Sojo, an open-air sculpture trail with more than 60 works.
Road and mountain bikers will find ideal terrain, with rolling climbs and scenic descents. And if you want to venture farther, the Veneto’s cultural heavyweights are close: Verona and Venice are about 90 minutes away, Padua and Treviso even closer.
Combine With
A great pairing is Cedä-M, a little farther north in the province of Belluno, followed by a few days in Venice at Cima Rosa.
Prices
Doubles from 90 euros per night, including breakfast.
Booking & Contact
La Scuola Guesthouse
Via Campana 20
36046 Lusiana Conco (VI)
Veneto, Italy
Phone +39 0424 066244
