My favourite Airbnb: a 15th-century apartment in Verona with frescoes and coffered ceilings

The 15th-century building has been completely restored, with all the original features kept intact. The doors, the frescoes, the wooden beams, the antique tiles and the staircase all date back several centuries, making a stay at Palazzo Reggiani a real dive into the city’s past, while enjoying the comfort of the present through the design-led décor, which is crafted entirely in Italy.

There are four independent apartments in the palazzo, which share only the lobby-style entrance and an outdoor courtyard tucked away in the middle of the building, perfect for enjoying a coffee before heading out. All the apartments are named after prominent cultural figures: Galileo Galilei, Lorenzo de Medici, Leonardo da Vinci and Maria Callas. The latter is the most luxurious apartment of them all. A grand 220-sqm flat that can host up to six guests in its three double bedrooms, with a large living space for gathering and two chic bathrooms. Just like the rest of the building, the apartment’s historical features have been kept intact and carefully restored.

Most of the floors are original, while some didn’t stand the test of time and have been replaced with parquet flooring. The most striking room is certainly the living area and kitchen, which boasts a gorgeously painted coffered ceiling, frescoes on the walls, fabulously kept original doors, and a little balcony overlooking the quiet street. The ultra-modern, bright décor fashionably clashes with the ancient history of the building. Most of the furniture has been made to measure by local artisans at Fieta Arredamenti, like the striking purple kitchen, while the chandeliers are made of Murano glass. In the bedrooms, modern flooring sits alongside the antique coffered ceiling and the frescoes. The bathrooms continue the dialogue between old and new, pairing frescoes with fittings by Italian company Devon&Devon.