14 DAYS IN ITALY - Elite Traveler

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14 days in italy
la Dolce vita was invented and perfected
in italy—and it remains the nation’s leading
attraction to this day. Great food, great wine, great
service, beautiful places and millennia of history, all
enjoyed at an ultra-leisurely pace. a visit to italy offers
an incredibly diverse experience in a small area, with
different dialects, cuisines and landscapes, from sunkissed
Mediterranean islands and beaches to snowcovered,
world class ski resorts.
By larry OlMsteD
canal view / venice

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Arrive in rome
the Coliseum, roman Forum and the Palatine Hill, among other marvels,
dot the city: round a corner and find yourself gazing at the Pantheon, one
of the most impressive structures ever built, the Borghese Gallery and
more. check into the venerable Hassler—owned by a fifth-generation
member of a famous swiss hotelier dynasty—with one of the world’s
greatest locations, right at the top of the famed Spanish Steps. shake off
your jet lag with a private wine tasting next door at il Palazzetto. after
recharging your batteries, descend the steps to Piazza di Spagna, from
which rome’s finest shopping radiates. return to the Hassler, where all
95 rooms and suites are well appointed, but the three Presidential Suites
(from about $3,680 per night) are the best, especially the Penthouse, with
a huge private terrace and views all the way to the vatican city (the choice
of leonardo Dicaprio and tom cruise).
Hassler roma: President and Managing Director roberto e. wirth,
39-06-699340; gmoffice@hotelhassler.it;
www.hotelhasslerroma.com
TourinG rome
Have the Hassler’s peerless head concierge luciano Zamberlan book one
of his hand-picked english-speaking guides specializing in the city’s ancient
quarter, and spend a full day exploring the wonders of the Coliseum and
surrounding ancient sites, including the roman Forum, all while skipping
the typically oppressive lines. if you’re an art fan, your guide can lead you to
many of the city’s otherwise unnoticeable churches teeming with original
masters’ works—and absolutely do not miss the Pantheon or the Trevi
Fountain. One of italy’s best lunches awaits at nearby Quinzi & Gabrieli.
But eat light, because a stunning nine-course tasting dinner at La Pergola,
the only three-Michelin-starred eatery in all of rome, highlights your day.
a specially made bottle of olive oil is decanted for every guest (including
regulars like George clooney and John travolta).
la Pergola: restaurant Manager Umberto Giraudo, 39-06-3509-2152;
lapergola.rome@hilton.com; www.romecavalieri.com/lapergola.php
cOliseUM / rOMe
14 days
sPanisH stePs / rOMe
trevi fOUntain / rOMe

54
EUROPE
ITALY
SARDINIA
VILLA LAS TRONAS
HOTEL & SPA
A delightful five-star resort, Villa Las Tronas has become the landmark of Alghero, the
golden door to tourism on Sardinia located on the sun-drenched Mediterranean island’s
northwest, Riviera del Corallo coast. Once the seaside holiday residence of Italian royalty,
Las Tronas exudes the tradition, charm and historic ambience of the aristocratic buen
retiro, while offering modern comforts and facilities. Perched on a promontory right on the
sea, and surrounded by over two hectares of private park, the hotel envelops guests with
the soothing magic of its location, from the crashing of the waves and gentle lapping of the
surf, to clean salty air and refreshing breezes. Enjoy warm, attentive service, delicious cuisine,
a luxurious on-site spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a pet-friendly policy. At
Las Tronas, you’ll feel like a treasured, personal guest in a remarkably refined home.
Location: Lungomare Valencia 1, Alghero, Sardinia, Italy
VIP Contact: Reservation Manager Piero Dore
Phone: 39-079-981818; Fax: 39-079-981044
Email: info@hotelvillalastronas.it
Website: www.hotelvillalastronas.com
INDOOR SWIMMING POOL / SPA VILLA LAS TRONAS
AERIAL HOTEL VIEW
TOP SUITE: EXECUTIVE SUITE
Square footage: 1,023, plus 538 of outdoor space
Nightly rate: €1300 to €2100 (about $1,810 to $2,920)
Number of rooms in suite: Two bedrooms
Number of entrances to suite: Two
Number of baths: Two, each en-suite with bath and separate
shower
Suite style: Generously proportioned and lavishly appointed,
the suite features high ceilings, exquisite contemporary furnishings,
priceless antiques and original works of art.
Key selling points: Enjoy spectacular open views to the sea
from two double bedrooms, a spacious lounge area and a
glorious terrace with Jacuzzi. In addition to supreme comfort
and charm, you’ll find every modern amenity at your fingertips,
including an iPod docking station, PlayStation and wide-screen
Apple computer.
Number of suites in hotel: Seven
SPA & FITNESS
With a covered, seawater swimming pool overlooking the
Mediterranean, sauna, Turkish bath, Kneipp walkway, gym
and beauty area, the Spa Villa Las Tronas is open throughout
the year. This haven of tranquility offers an impressive list of
beauty and holistic treatments for in-house guests.
TOP RESTAURANT
Restaurant Villa Las Tronas: Dining here is a real experience.
Indoors, sumptuous cuisine is served by candlelight and
accompanied by live classical music. For an equally delightful,
less formal ambience, opt for the panoramic terrace close by.
SPECIAL SERVICES
Your pet dogs are always welcome at Villa Las Tronas, and
there are over two hectares of private park for them to explore.
AFFILIATION
Condé Nast Johansens

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on To SiCiLy
after a morning exploring the vatican City with another specialist guide
arranged by the Hassler’s concierge and lunch at il matriciano, nearby,
head to the airport for the short flight to the largest island in the entire
Mediterranean, Sicily. carlo salini, head concierge at the Grand Hotel
Timeo, will arrange an expert driver/guide to take you to Siracusa to
see both the city’s archaeological park (sicily has the world’s greatest
collection of Greek ruins) and the city’s old town, ortygia. next you will
arrive in Taormina in time to stroll corso Umberto i, the pedestrian
boulevard that is its heart, before dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. the
Timeo is an Orient-express property and offers the finest lodgings in
sicily: its Presidential Suite has a 2,153-square-foot terrace overlooking
the Mediterranean, complete with private hot tub (from about $3,064
per night).
Grand Hotel timeo: General Manager luca finardi, 39-0942-627-0200;
lfinardi@villasanmichele.net; www.grandhoteltimeo.com
SiCiLy To FLorenCe
continue with your guide to mt. etna, europe’s largest volcano and sicily’s
premier attraction. the very best way to see it is via an aerial gondola
ride to a specially equipped Mercedes-Benz mini-bus, and finally on a
45-minute walk with an expert guide around the crater. Journey back
to catania for your flight to florence and check into the Four Seasons.
the three-bedroom royal Suite lives up to its name, with over 4,500
square feet of vaulted ceilings and frescoes (about $29,522 per night).
enjoy a refreshing treatment in the spa, followed by a private tour of the
Palazzo Tornabuoni, another grand renaissance palace that’s now a
private four seasons-managed residence club. enjoy dinner at famed
enoteca Pinchiorri for a Michelin-starred take on italian cuisine.
four seasons firenze: General Manager Patrizio cipollini,
39-055-2626-1; patrizio.cipollini@fourseasons.com;
www.fourseasons.com/florence
interiOrs / PalaZZO tOrnaBUOni
14 days
vatican city / rOMe
fOUr seasOns rOyal sUite /
flOrence

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6
FLorenCe To CorTonA
florence’s biggest draw is its staggering art, so the hotel has a pool of
multilingual specialists who can guide you to the very best, including
the famed uffizi Gallery and michelangelo’s David. after lunch at La
Giostra, you’ll head into tuscany via luxury automobile. red Travel does
not merely rent ferraris, but offers bespoke multi-day programs including
a trip director who leads—or follows—in his own vehicle. each day you’ll
find your vehicle washed and ready to go, with a choice of the 458 italia,
california or 430 spider (as well as the lamborghini Gallardo lP 560-4
upon special request). today’s final destination is at the far eastern side
of tuscany, Cortona, the walled medieval hill town made famous as
frances Mayes’ new home in Under the tuscan sun. you’ll stay at il
Falconiere, a legendary relais & châteaux boutique resort.
red travel: sales & Marketing Manager antonella nobile, 39-011-6165-219;
antonella.nobile@red-travel.com; www.red-travel.com
il falconiere: co-Owner silvia Baracchi, 39-0575-612679;
silviabaracchi@ilfalconiere.it; www.ilfalconiere.it
TourinG TuSCAny
fire up the ferrari and take to the unbelievably gorgeous back roads of
tuscany, where one enchanting hill town after another greets you. you will
see two of the region’s most beloved towns en route: montepulciano and
montalcino. Brunello di Montalcino is made here and only here; sample
some at the enoteca La Fortezza. finally you’ll travel to the lesser-known
region of maremma, on tuscany’s coast, and stay at L’Andana, a country
estate, resort and fine dining experience all wrapped into one luxurious
package by none other than star chef alain Ducasse. Dine tonight at one
of his Michelin-starred eateries, and his only restaurant in italy, Trattoria
Toscana, using wines and olive oils produced on the premises. the rusticchic
33-room property has a surprisingly large esPa and is located within
the larger Tenuta La Badiola estate.
l’andana: General Manager stefano Plotegher, 39-0564-944800;
s.plotegher@andana.it; www.andana.it
On tHe rOaD witH ferrari / tUscany
14 days
exteriOrs / il falcOniere
il falcOniere

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more TuSCAn Sun
welcome to the true heart of tuscany. volterra has recently become
famous for its role in the twilight film series, but it holds one of the area’s
best kept tourist secrets: the City of Alabaster, with a breathtaking
setting above cliffs on a high rocky butte. then it is on to San Gimignano,
often called the “Manhattan of italy” for its famous medieval “skyline” of
14 towers (there were once 72). tiny monteriggioni also has 14 towers,
but all of them are part of the walled fortifications that encircle the town.
your final destination is Siena, larger than tuscany’s other towns, whose
epicenter and main square, Piazza del Campo, is the site of the famed
annual horserace, the Palio. siena was once one of europe’s wealthiest
cities, evident from the opulence of its huge duomo and the palazzos and
villas that still line its charming streets. tonight you will stay and dine
at Borgo San Felice, a historic relais & châteaux property set amid its
own chianti vineyards just outside the city.
Borgo san felice: General Manager achille Di carlo, 39-0577-3964;
achille.dicarlo@borgosanfelice.it; www.borgosanfelice.com
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BikinG THrouGH CHiAnTi CounTry
no mere hotel, Borgo San Felice is an entire centuries-old historic
hamlet that has been turned into a small luxury resort. the Borgo has
a high-end spa, cooking classes in its main kitchen, and just 43 rooms,
located in five medieval houses, all totally unique (from about $400 to
$1,000 nightly). your private bicycle guide from Butterfield & robinson,
easily the world’s premier luxury bike tour operator, will meet you at the
Borgo with well-equipped, high-end bikes. the custom day tour ($1,000
per person) can be fashioned to your interests, be they food, art or history,
but will always include a viP tasting at an otherwise private top winery in
the heart of chianti. refuel with the five-course tasting menu and wine
pairing dinner at family-owned Cane e Gatto in siena.
Butterfield & robinson: italy expert Georgia yuill, (800) 387-1147;
georgia@butterfield.com; www.butterfield.com
BikinG aDventUre / tUscany
14 days
tHe DUOMO / siena
san GiMiGnanO

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SienA To PorToFino
Drive through Pisa (to see the tower if you want) and the often overlooked
town of Lucca. Grab lunch at osteria miranda for the town’s
special tortelli lucchese, a rich egg pasta stuffed with plenty of meat.
then turn the ferrari loose for the best road-driving of the trip: the
winding coastal route from tuscany to liguria ends at perhaps the single
most beautiful town on earth, pastel-colored Portofino. Most of the
traffic is day visitors, and there isn’t much lodging in the tiny town, but
a stay at the Hotel Splendido, overlooking the famous harbor and the
Mediterranean, is a must. you will probably never find a better dinner view
than the one from the splendido’s La Terrazza restaurant, but the food
is equally impressive. all three exclusive Suites boast private terraces
with harbor views (from about $3,650 nightly).
Hotel splendido: General Manager ermes de Megni, 39-0185-267-801;
edemegni@splendido.net; www.hotelsplendido.com
CinQue Terre
the five incredibly picturesque Cinque Terre villages—monterosso,
vernazza, Corniglia, manarola and riomaggiore—are spread over
a 10-mile stretch of rugged cliffs and coast. Originally fishing villages,
they are built into the base of the cliffs and meant to be reached by
sea. your chartered boat from Portofino can stop in all five towns in
one remarkable day, or you can walk the shorter distance between
one or two for the full experience, winding through artfully terraced
vineyards. the cinque terre are hopelessly romantic—and while short
on luxury accommodations, they’re long on charm, so a trip from the
splendido in Portofino combines the best of all worlds. tonight eat at
one of the prime front row tables at splendido’s Chuflay Bar, set in the
best possible location on the harbor piazzetta.
chuflay Bar: restaurant Manager santo aiosa, 39-0185-267-802;
saiosa@splendido.net; www.hotelsplendido.com
HOtel sPlenDiDO / POrtOfinO
14 days
riOMaGGiOre / cinqUe terre
leaninG tOwer /
Pisa

11
on To miLAn
it’s a long but rewarding drive over the apennine Mountains to milan (or
you can drop the ferrari in Genoa and catch a charter flight). lacking
the art of florence or the antiquities of rome, Milan has two major
attractions: the famous La Scala opera house and, of course, designer
clothing, as Paris’ rival for fashion center of the world. check into the
nearly 2,000-square-foot imperial Suite (about $8,600 nightly) at the
exquisite Park Hyatt milan. the hotel boasts a unique location outside
the Galleria vittorio emanuele ii, a temple of retail in the city’s center. a
short distance away are via monte napoleone and via della Spiga, two
of the world’s greatest shopping streets. to distill all this retail therapy
into a single day, have the hotel arrange an excursion with Milanese
private shopping guide crystal Marquess. the hotel will schedule a private
viewing of Da vinci’s the last supper tomorrow morning.
Park Hyatt Milan: General Manager claudio ceccherelli,
39-02-8821-1234; claudio.ceccherelli@hyatt.com;
www.milan.park.hyatt.com
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miLAn To LAke Como
travel by helicopter to one of the world’s great resorts, villa d’este, on
the shores of Lake Como. Occupying 25 acres of impeccably landscaped
formal gardens, sculptures and cliff forts, the hotel’s signature
oversized swimming pool is a giant raft suspended on the surface of
the lake. the hotel also has one of the best concierges anywhere—they
will arrange your helicopter from Milan and your private yacht tours of
the lake, with a visit to the dream-like town of Bellagio and lunch at
Locanda dell’isola Comacina, on a private island in the middle of the
lake. after a day on the water, enjoy dinner with a view at the hotel’s formal
La veranda, featuring the freshest seafood of the region (it’s famous
for its risotto). Book the Cardinal Suite, the hotel’s top accommodation,
named for the estate’s original owner ($5,000 per night).
villa d’este: General Manager Danilo Zucchetti, 39-031-3481;
danilo.zucchetti@villadeste.it; www.villadeste.com
14 days
Galleria vittOriO eManUele ii / Milan
iMPerial sUite / Park Hyatt Milan
BellaGiO /
lake cOMO

13
LAke Como To veniCe
chief concierge fabrizio Mainoni and his staff will gladly arrange a
morning tour of the lake before you depart from the resort’s helipad to
italy’s crown jewel, venice. the city is chock full of great hotels, but the
top choice is the classic Gritti Palace, five centuries old and dramatically
overlooking the Grand canal. it has hosted winston churchill and ernest
Hemingway (the grandest suite is named for him; $6,800 nightly). the
heart of venice, the San marco neighborhood from the central piazza
to the rialto Bridge, is best explored on foot and is a maze of narrow
alleys and countless foot bridges over the omnipresent water. Head to
nearby Harry’s Bar, perhaps the most famous watering hole on earth
and equally renowned as a restaurant. this is the place that invented
the bellini and beef carpaccio, and despite its touristy status, it remains
arguably venice’s best meal, with always impeccable service.
Gritti Palace: General Manager Paolo lorenzoni,
39-041-794611; paolo.lorenzoni@starwoodhotels.com;
www.hotelgrittipalacevenice.com
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ArrivederCi iTALiA
there’s a reason venetian gondola rides are a tourist mainstay: they’re
an absolute must at least once in your life, and are best done in the
tranquility of morning. afterwards, your final day can be spent according
to your preference: art, shopping or strolling. venice is a tremendous
art city, and not to be missed are the Galleria dell’ Accademia and
the Collezione Peggy Guggenheim, both among the world’s foremost
collections of italian works. a private hired boat is the way to explore
the famous collectible glass islands of murano and Burano as well
as charming Torcello and the less visited islands of the venetian
lagoon. Gamblers can try the swank casino on another island, the Lido,
and since venice is world famous for its costumed carnevale, no one
should leave without a traditional mask (visit Laboratorio Artigiano
maschere for the real deal).
cOlleZiOne PeGGy GUGGenHeiM / venice
PHOtOGraPHy: anDrea sarti/cast1466
(cOlleZiOne PeGGy GUGGenHeiM)
14 days
HeMinGway sUite / Gritti Palace
canal / venice