Villa Ego, formerly known as Villa Marchesano and later Villa Donegani, is an architectural masterpiece designed in 1937 by renowned Milanese architect Gio Ponti. Located in Madonna della Ruota, one of the most picturesque areas of Bordighera on the Ligurian coast, the villa offers breathtaking sea views and direct access to a private beach. It is said that gazing out over the sea during his first visit, invited by industrialist Enrico Marchesano, Ponti envisioned a villa designed to make its inhabitants forget all worries, with white as the dominant color, contrasting with the green of the park and the blue of the sea.
Upon completion, it immediately caught the eye of another prominent industrialist, Guido Donegani, who decided to purchase it right away. He contacted Ponti to make some modifications to the design, which were completed in 1940. Today, the 1050-square-meter, three-level project is known as Villa Ego and features ten bedrooms, ten bathrooms, four independent apartments, a spa, and a museum designed in the 80s by Kenzo Tange to host a Ferrari collection. The villa reflects Ponti's elegance and innovative vision, with large openings, geometric and linear elements, and circular windows that flood the spaces with natural light. Surrounded by over two hectares of parkland—crossed by a railway line—and home to sculptures by artists like Giorgio De Chirico, the property is completed by a seawater pool and a helipad. It is for sale for 50 million euros.