The path to our next architectural gem is across two borders: the first Italy-Switzerland at Chiasso and the second Switzerland-Italy near Lugano. Thus, in an hour on the road, we drove through part of Switzerland and returned to Italy. Although these boundaries are almost invisible here, sometimes you can get stuck in a traffic jam in Chiasso. The villa is located on the shores of Lake Lugano. To be honest, this is the first time I've been there. A few words about the city of Lugano. Italian architecture and Swiss cleanliness. The city looks like the quintessence of these two concepts, plus Lake Lugano itself and its surroundings raised a question in my head: did I make a mistake in choosing a place to live. But then I thought: perhaps not, there is not enough life here, and my vicinity to Milan is an undeniable advantage. In general, having decided that I would definitely come to Lugano for a weekend visit, I went with a calm soul to inspect another object from the FAI collection - Villa Fogazzaro Roi. The villa stands on the very edge of the water in a village called Orio, on a street named after the Italian writer Antonio Fogazzaro, a member of the Fogazzaro-Roi marquis family. For the family, the villa was a place of retreat and relaxation, and for the writer it became a source of inspiration for writing Piccolo mondo antico, a work that made Antonio one of the most famous Italian writers. In the book every now and then you find descriptions and quotes from this place. One of the clearest examples is the description of the gazebo, which is located on the terrace overlooking the lake. The guide quoted us an excerpt from the book, in which this gazebo is described to the smallest detail as it still appears to our eyes: the same forged elements of the fence, the same plants, the same table in the middle, the same panorama. The only thing that has not survived to this day are the chairs: they are newer, but blend perfectly with the historical context. Equilibrium, created from the historic interiors of the villa, green spaces in the garden and the incredible tranquility of the lake, creates an atmosphere of timelessness. The original building, dating back to the 16th century, was then repeatedly completed and modified, but nevertheless retained its architectural unity. The last owner is the Marquis Giuseppe Roi - great-great-great-grandson of Fogazzaro. He inherited this villa in the 1960s. In the 1950s and 1960s, he modernized and restored the complex by adding a new dining room, an office and a bedroom. He also restored the rest of the house to its former beauty and splendor, paying special attention to Antonio Fogazzaro's apartments. The original carved bed on which the writer slept is still in his room, a collection of wall decorations, a bureau with preserved original manuscripts, as well as the best view of the lake, immerse us in the atmosphere of that time. As in the first episode about Villa Balbianello, whose owner was an avid traveler and collector, the Marquis Giuseppe Roi, known in Italy as Boso, was also an avid collector. Thanks to his passion, the house is filled with various artifacts brought by him from all over the world. The Marquis died in 2009 and bequeathed the house to the FAI Foundation. Among the vast list of conditions for the maintenance of the villa are also instructions for maintaining the decoration of the dining table in the form that it was during his life. As then, this work is still done by his majordomo, who regularly visits the villa and arranges the dishes on the table according to clear rules of etiquette.