“Life is a combination of magic and pasta,” Federico Fellini once said. No doubt, the legendary director would have enjoyed Taverna & Trattoria Palio. The atmosphere is typically Italian, with dark wooden tables lined up in long rows, just like in a Tuscan tavern. Sit here under the centuries-old chestnut tree on a cosy summer evening with a glass of grappa in hand and you’ll understand how “dolce vita” works in northern Germany. The magic takes place in the kitchen, of course, where chef de cuisine Holger Lutz conjures up his richly varied interpretations of cucina casalinga.
Perhaps Fellini would have ordered the homemade “Ravioli Palio” with veal filling. But he surely would have enjoyed the sea bass and fennel served with olive-tomato salsa or the corn-fed chicken in a lavender-pine nut sauce.
The multi-award-winning Taverna & Trattoria Palio has deservedly been called the best Italian restaurant in northern Europe. Beautifully located in the striking Baroque palace of the Althoff Hotel Fürstenhof Celle, the restaurant is not only a culinary attraction for hotel guests, but also for connoisseurs from far and wide.
Dining here in the evening, you’ll be sure to meet Bryan Johnston, the hotel’s managing director, who likes to mingle with the guests. His many years of experience as a host are an advantage when people ask him for tips on excursions in the surrounding area: “Celle is known as a city of short distances. It’s only a short walk from the hotel to the city centre, where you can marvel at the world’s largest ensemble of half-timbered houses,” Johnston says. “Or you could rent a bike and explore the countryside. That is an absolute highlight, especially when the heath is in bloom in late summer and the landscape glows a pale pink to dark purple.”
From hikes through the Lüneburg Heath to authentic Italian cuisine, there are many reasons to come to the Althoff Hotel Fürstenhof Celle. Not to mention the rooms in their elegant country house style, with warm colours, luxurious materials and light oak furniture. Or the hotel spa, where an indoor swimming pool, sauna, fitness area, and beauty and wellness treatments offer relaxation guaranteed. “Our guests especially appreciate the family atmosphere,” Bryan Johnston is pleased to say. And a level hospitality that ensures many magical moments.
BRYAN JOHNSTON can look back on a remarkable career at Hotel Fürstenhof Celle. Starting as an intern eleven years ago, he is now the Managing Director. “One thing that sets me apart is that I have moved up through all the stations and was able to become acquainted with the hotel from the ground up.” He absolutely loves his job – on the one hand, because of the stylish baroque atmosphere that inspires him every day; and on the other hand, because things never get boring.
One of the most beautiful and extraordinary hotels in northern Germany awaits you in the medieval town of Celle at the gateway to Lüneburg Heath. The Althoff Hotel Fürstenhof Celle is situated in a baroque mansion built in the 17th century, surrounded by an extensive estate. The hotel combines tradition, ambience and hospitality with the service of a five-star hotel as well as top-quality cuisine.
