A Sustainable B&B in the Ravenna Countryside
For me, sustainability isn’t a label to stick on a website: it’s simply the way I’ve chosen to live and to welcome my guests. Pixel BB is the home in the Ravenna countryside where I live and work as a mosaic artist, and from the very beginning I designed it to tread as lightly as possible on the environment — from the breakfast I bring to the table to the way the house itself is built. If you’re looking for a sustainable bed & breakfast near Ravenna, here’s what staying with me actually means, in concrete terms.
Breakfast: my garden, local farmers and nothing pre-packaged
The day begins at the table, and my breakfast already says a great deal about this place. In summer, much of what I serve comes straight from my own garden: raspberries, figs, pears, tomatoes, salad leaves and plenty of seasonal vegetables. It may sound unusual, but my international guests love finding cucumbers and peppers on the table first thing in the morning!
Everything else I buy from farmers in the area: local, seasonal produce, including the eggs, which come from the hens of a small farm just down the road. I make almost all the jams myself, and I bake the cakes too. The only things that aren’t homemade are the milk, yoghurt, fruit juices and bread. One thing is certain, though: you’ll very rarely find pre-packaged snacks here.
A house that uses little energy: geothermal, solar and energy class A
The building, too, is designed to use very little. The whole property runs on a geothermal system: there’s no gas in the house, everything runs on electricity, and a heat pump keeps it cool in summer and warm in winter. Part of the electricity we use also comes from our own solar panels.
The house has an energy class A rating — the highest level of energy efficiency in Italy. It is exceptionally well insulated, with thick external thermal cladding that shields it from both heat and cold and keeps the indoor temperature pleasantly steady. For guests that means two things at once: lower consumption and real comfort in every season.
Water, waste and mindful everyday choices
Small daily choices, added together, make the difference. My vegetable garden is a synergistic one and I water it with the rainwater we collect, with nothing wasted. The organic part of our waste becomes compost, while for everything else we carefully follow door-to-door separated waste collection: producing less general waste is better for the environment — and for the bills too — which is what pushes me to start from more conscious shopping in the first place.
So in the house you’ll find refillable cleaning products and bamboo toilet paper, and in general I try to cut down on anything single-use or over-packaged.
Materials and furnishings: reuse, eco paints and mosaic
The way I’ve furnished Pixel BB tells the same story. The walls are painted with natural eco paints, and we made several of the decorative pieces ourselves from recycled materials — alongside, of course, my mosaics, which you’ll find almost everywhere in the rooms and the common areas. Even the garden sofas come from reuse: we built them by recycling old wooden pallets.
Travelling slow: by bike, on foot, by bus
One of the joys of Pixel BB is that you can leave the car parked. We sit directly on a cycle path that leads both to the sea and into the city, as well as towards several areas of natural interest. I provide bicycles free of charge and, for those who arrive with their own, I offer a garage to keep it safe overnight.
And then there’s the bus: the stop is just 50 metres away and, in about 12–13 minutes, takes you to the train station, the city centre or the sea. Here, slow travel really is within easy reach.
Experiencing the area like a local
I love helping my guests discover this area the way I live it myself. I’m always happy to suggest what to do, what to see and where to eat, pointing you to the places I actually go — not the tourist traps. You’ll also find maps and leaflets from the city of Ravenna, with cultural and nature information that’s useful for cyclists too.
From here you can reach beautiful places in next to no time: the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe is about a 10-minute drive away, the Cervia Salt Pans and the Comacchio Wetlands are perfect for walks and bike rides, and there’s even the Cestha, the local sea-turtle rescue centre. You’ll find more ideas on the Ravenna and surroundings page.
An authentic stay, in tune with its surroundings
Choosing a sustainable stay, for me, means caring for the place we live in and enjoying a welcome made of real things. If this is your way of travelling, I’ll be waiting for you at Pixel BB: by booking directly with me, you’ll always get the quickest reply and the best possible care.
