Wine, Food and Art in the Land of No Taxes. Ok, maybe that last bit isn’t quite true – but the name Franciacorta, the word now used both for the wine region and the traditional method sparkling wine it is famous for means ‘exempted from paying duties – from the latin ‘franchae curtes’. It’s a […]
Living La Dolce Vita at the Aleph Rome Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton
Luxury, Art and More in Rome: Now that Covid-19 restrictions are lifting across Europe it seemed like the right time to travel again. I wanted to brush up on my Renaissance painters, Caravaggio, Raphael and Michelangelo in particular, so a trip to Rome to stay at the Aleph Rome was the order of the day. […]
MonteRosola Winery – Tuscany
A contemporary Tuscan winery – Scandinavian style Visiting a local vineyard for a wine-tasting comes high up on my long list of compulsory activities for a perfect trip to Italy. No two Italian wineries are the same and there always seems to be something new to learn. This is especially true of MonteRosola in Tuscany, […]
Hotel Le Fontanelle, Tuscany, Italy – Review
An idyll in Tuscany Tucked away in the stunning Tuscan countryside is a boutique hotel resort so lovely you may not want to leave. Hotel Le Fontanelle is a five-star property that offers a chance to retreat from the world just 20km from Siena. Against a backdrop of the rolling hills of Chianti country sits […]
Discovering Lunigiana Italy – Monti Guesthouse, North Tuscany
Monti Guesthouse, the perfect base for exploring Lunigiana, North Tuscany As lockdown lifts Brits are travelling back to better-known parts of Tuscany like Florence, Siena and the Chianti region. Lunigiana, the land of the moon, is a part of Northern Tuscany that remains below the radar, a secret Italians like to keep to themselves. But […]
Review: Dimora Palanca – smart new boutique hotel in Florence
Five-star relaxation in Dimora Palanca’s elegant surroundings will refresh and revive Florence hosts some of the world’s most important and most beautiful works of art – the Botticellis are brilliant, the Michaelangelos magnificent, the Giottos gorgeous. The Uffizi, the Accademia, the Bargello – these are must-visit galleries for must-see art. And the must-stay hotel […]
Lockdown in Pistoia, a hidden treasure in Tuscany.
Ciao from Pistoia. Guest post: from Michela Ricciarelli – a professional tour leader who, in addition to working for some of the leading food tours operators in Tuscany, can be hired to help you plan your own holiday or to lead gourmet, art or fashion tours of the area. An authentic medieval town located in […]
Wines of Le Marche and Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Guest Post by Madeline Jones from Hotel Leone – Le Marche Wines Introduction Last year, when we could travel freely, I was lucky enough to visit Hotel Leone in Le Marche and to meet Madeline and her husband Tim. I LOVED the place and was hoping to return this year. Sadly that looks unlikely – […]
Day Trips from Florence
Exploring Tuscany – Town and Country Day Trips from Florence. Why would you want to take a day trip from Florence? There’s a wealth of things to do in Florence, the capital of Tuscany. It’s known as the ‘cradle of the Renaissance’ for good reason. The historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, surrounded […]
Conti di San Bonifacio hotel – Review
A luxury boutique Tuscan wine resort and hotel – Conti di San Bonifacio. Ever since reading Lampedusa’s The Leopard in my twenties I have wanted to be an Italian aristocrat of noble lineage. However, the Count of San Bonifacio got there first and his family line can be traced back for over 1000 years whereas […]