At the top of the Via Romana, inside a large park, stands the villa that Margherita of Savoy, Italy’s first queen, had built so that she could spend long periods in Bordighera. It was built between 1914 and 1916 in neo-Baroque style, welcomed artists and writers, and the queen died here in 1926.
After a long restoration the villa housed the art collection of the Fondazione Terruzzi. Today it is closed to the public, but its pale bulk still dominates the landscape of the Via Romana and can be seen clearly all along the walk.
Queen Margherita in Bordighera
Margherita came to Bordighera for the first time in 1879 and fell in love with it. She returned several times in the following years; the first time she had been a guest at Villa Etelinda, the villa designed by Charles Garnier; in 1914 she decided to build a new, larger residence on higher ground within a vast park.
The design was entrusted to the Milanese architect Luigi Broggi, and the garden to the landscape gardener Ludwig Winter, the same as the Giardini Winter. The villa had features that were modern for the time, such as a lift and bathrooms in every apartment, and stained-glass windows with the Savoy coat of arms. The queen welcomed many guests here, including the painter Pompeo Mariani. She died here on 4 January 1926 and is buried in the Pantheon in Rome.
What to see
The villa and the park from outside
Even without going in, the villa is recognisable from afar: a large neo-Baroque building dominating the Via Romana, surrounded by the trees of the park designed by Winter.
The Terruzzi collection
After its restoration the villa became home to part of the collection of the Milanese collector Guido Angelo Terruzzi: gold-ground paintings, works by Alessandro Magnasco and Bernardo Strozzi, furniture, oriental porcelain and the Minghetti service of 1888. At present the villa is not open for visits.
Villa Regina Margherita in pictures
Tips for your visit
- How to see it: the villa is closed to the public; you can see it while walking along the Via Romana, especially from the “M” signs of Via Romana through Monet’s eyes.
- To find out whether it reopens: ask at the IAT tourist office.
- Combine it with: Villa Etelinda, where the queen spent her first winters, and the Museo Bicknell.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Villa Regina Margherita?
Not at the moment: the villa is closed to the public. For any reopening or special openings, ask at the IAT tourist office.
Who built the villa?
The Milanese architect Luigi Broggi, between 1914 and 1916; the park was designed by Ludwig Winter.
Did Queen Margherita die in Bordighera?
Yes, in this villa, on 4 January 1926. She is buried in the Pantheon in Rome.
Where did the queen stay before building the villa?
Her first stay, in 1879, was at Villa Bischoffsheim, today Villa Etelinda, and in the following years she returned to Bordighera several times. In 1914 she bought Villa Etelinda and built her new residence in its park.
