The story
In the small town of Galeata, just outside Santa Sofia in the heart of Romagna, La Campanara occupies a stone house built in the 1500s. The building has been carefully restored, its old walls now holding a comfortable osteria and a locanda — a place to eat and to stay. The atmosphere is unhurried, described by the owners with a line from Gabriel García Márquez: “with the accurate meticulousness of those who are not in a hurry and have found in their imperceptible work the best measure of their time.”
The restaurant has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, an award that recognises good quality, good value cooking. It’s a fitting nod to the kitchen’s approach: rooted in the local territory and built on carefully sourced ingredients. La Campanara is also a supporter of Slow Food Presidia, a network of small producers dedicated to preserving biodiversity and traditional production methods. This commitment to sustainable, ethical sourcing runs through the menu, though specific dishes are not listed on the site.
The locanda offers several themed rooms, each with its own character. There is “Acqua,” with water-inspired tones and a visible shower; “La stanza dei giochi,” a playful space with a glass wall separating the bedroom from the bathroom; “Il camino,” with its 500-year-old stone walls and a brass bed; and “Le farfalle,” decorated with butterflies inspired by the artist Tonino Guerra. There is also a romantic room called “Due cuori … e una locanda,” featuring ceramic hearts by the Faenza artist Mirta Morigi, and an independent studio apartment with a small kitchenette and views over the garden and pool. A separate cottage in the vegetable garden, “La casetta nell’orto,” offers a self-contained retreat.
Whether you come for the osteria’s cooking or to stay overnight, La Campanara is a place that respects its past while offering genuine, unpretentious hospitality. The combination of a Bib Gourmand-recognised kitchen, a Slow Food ethos, and a lovingly restored 16th-century setting makes it a destination worth seeking out in the Romagna countryside.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
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