B&B Sciora oliva is built in an important flat, which houses the old Caffè Svizzero too, created and managed from 1867 to 1985 by the Persenico family.

The founder Giovan Pietro, first learned the pastry making in France and Swiss, afterwards he opened the guesthouse « Caffè Svizzero », in honor of his Swiss wife Maria Wasescha.

The tradition went on with the son Giacomo who, as the father, made his apprenticeship in Swiss, and managed with Anita Gasparin the guesthouse, by converting it into a Coffee Bar.

He got married in first wedding with Giuditta Pelfini, who gaves him Giacomo, as known as Mino, and in second wedding with olivia Gelmi, who gaves him Titty and Lilly.

The Caffè Svizzero shortly become a renowed bar-patisserie with lab annex and, thanks to Erus, it became a social, political and cultural gathering point, where was ideated the traditional Crotti’s town festival. 

The Coffee tradition goes on during the years with Oliva and her daughter Lilly until 1985, while the persenico’s pastry making is powered by Mino and his son Edoardo until 1998.

Beyond Erus presence, Sciora Oliva, contributed with its kindness and dedication in order to give to the Caffè Svizzero those attitude, which is well told in Constante Bertelli’s article, a family friend and devoted customer, published on th 11/2004 edition of the Monthly cultural and information newspaper from the alpes « Alpes » :

"During 1950 both Erus and Sciora Oliva, identified themselves with the Caffè Svizzero. Further those Cafè in Dolzino road, towards the Castle place, Chiavenna ended : there people stopped to promenade. Any worker saw Lady Oliva as the boss, lady oliva was a sister or a colleague.
Sciora oliva’s story and life was for decades the history of meetings among people, the kindness, smiles and lots of  work.

The history of a town is not made only from important people or great happenings, but also from little things, such as individual actions which go on day by day, in a Coffee and in the Cffè Svizzero, where lady Oliva spent her life. "

Nowadays Mauro, Lilli's son decided to preserve the tradition and, in order to remember lady Oliva, open this comfortable B&B.