Not long ago, when Lisa and Christian moved from Hamburg to the Allgäu, they turned their lives upside down—what’s more is that with Das Rosso they created their very own version of agriturismo based on the Italian model.
Text: Christian Schneider & Dirk Mönkemöller
Photos: Wim Jansen
As we head for the small Bavarian town of Altusried in late summer, the navigation system guides us up a winding road and past happy cows with bells hanging from their necks, a peaceful mood sets in. Everything seems like something out of a storybook. Slowly but surely, we relax, leave the big city behind us, and, after some maneuvering, we finally reach our destination. Das Rosso delivers what the name promises: beneath a wooden façade, red-washed walls adorn the centuries-old farmhouse, which is located on a 1,3-hectare property. We’re welcomed by Christian Müller and immediately shown around: There are three spacious vacation apartments for guests, a lavish foyer dubbed »Atelier der langen Weile« (Atelier of the Long While) with an open fireplace, sofas, and a huge dining table. Outside, there’s a with fruit trees, a terraced guest garden, sun chairs and swings, and a small farm store selling regional beers, eggs from their own hens, and Italian wines. There's even a sauna and a studio that has space for yoga, meditation, or seminars. Now we understand why Lisa and Christian call this place a »farm of possibilities.«
»We wanted to create a place of longing,« explains Christian. »Regional and around the corner. A place to breathe and switch off, to feel, taste, and smell life again. To stray and let your thoughts fly. A place for people who enjoy nature. Without a packed program and a thousand options.«
During an extended vacation in Tuscany, the couple, who met and fell in love in Hamburg, had an idea to bring the Italian version of agriturismo to Germany. »Even then, we liked to drive out of the city, take long walks with Lisa’s foster dog, visit cheese dairies, and skip stones on the Baltic Sea.« Lisa Rühwald comes from the Allgäu and still works as a freelance art director. Christian is the co-founder of Online Marketing Rockstars, an immensely successful and broad-based platform that has made a name for itself in the digital industry thanks to an annual trade show. Despite his new role as host at Das Rosso, Christian still commutes to Hamburg—but now also advises entrepreneurs in the Allgäu region.
