The history of Il Bottaio, that takes its name from the ancient craft of making wooden barrels - “botte”, in Italian - is at the heart of this project that aims at keeping traditions alive, in particular those liked to craftsmanship. Back then, the production of barrels made of wood and iron stripes wasn’t a luxury per se, but an important necessity for agricultural and domestic purposes; indeed many daily and seasonal activities required reliable, ductile, robust yet lightweight, containers.

After the Second World War, during the economic boom, many farmers left the countryside and flee to the mountains looking for opportunities. The highest part of our lake was hit by this emigration wave and was inevitably and gradually left with less and less work for artisans and craftsmen, whose job, once very important, had become obsolete.

The Bottaio Gallery is one of the very few historical workshop that have been saved and preserved and is now an open space gallery that can be visited. Here, Italian masters of Made in Italy - modern craftsmen with their feet firmly planted in tradition - have their own suggestive and classy exhibition spaces, immersed in a charming and welcoming atmosphere. Il Bottaio Gallery represents a unique gallery in Varenna: a "walk" at the heart of "made in Italy”, where the tradition of craftsmanship is combined with the elegance of modernity.