Four Seasons Milano – Bellissimo!

Milano, once revered as one of the leading cities of the renaissance is still an epicenter of fashion and design and industry and a gateway to Lake Como…in my at least nine visits to Milan, I’ve always found it a charming city. On my office walls, I have photographs of the gargoyle statues from a steep climb to the rooftop of the magnificent Duomo. Using the seemingly simple streetcar system made it very easy for me to navigate the city, this was pre-gps and despite my love of maps, I am a hopelessly map challenged explorer. My recent visit to Lecce found us wandering in circles in the moonlight, a friend who is in his office on weekends has been called several times to talk me out of a lost path, luckily I had my phone and we Google mapped our way back to our hotel, otherwise I might still be strolling Lecce!

The nearby Brera district is crammed with art galleries, small cafes and for a Catholic raised girl, seeing Da Vinci’s The Last Supper was always a treat. With the Expo last year, a Da Vinci Garden has been opened to the public, set amid the grounds of a lovely Villa; his grape stock is flourishing in the glorious garden.

The Four Seasons Hotel is a gem and if you are careful with your map, you can easily stroll to the grand Duomo and stroll the nearby cobblestone streets packed with the VV sleek and fashionable Italian shops.

An urban sanctuary, the luxurious Four Seasons Milano is housed in a dramatic 15th Century convent wrapped around a stunning cloistered courtyard garden. My enormous light filled suite with a massive walk in closet and a marble vault of bathroom overlooked the courtyard garden.

Sunset Spritz is mandatory in the garden, arranged like a large living room, with many intimate spaces to sit and observe the chic and attractive clientele, people watching at it’s best! My dear hotelier friend joined me for a traditional aperitivo and a massive array of traditional delectable bites. Despite the impending rainstorm, a smiling waiter passed by with a platter of popsicles, impeccable Four Seasons service noted!

Imagine my whirlwind three-week odyssey in the intense July Sicilian and Puglia heat; I concluded my trip with a few days in Milan and ultimately the Four Seasons spa, a refuge of serenity! The spa decorated in soothing tones, is a tasteful combination of sleek Italian design with vaulted stone ceilings. Water reflections in the softly lit indoor lap pool shimmer on the vaulted stone ceilings – generous loungers line the extended pool – it’s as quiet as a cathedral and beyond soothing – truly spa heaven!

With the hotel, we can arrange many diverse activities during your stay including:

Driving around Lake Como’s magnificent villas, ancient villages and enchanting landscapes is gratifying enough, but exploring the area from behind the wheel of a 1961 Giulietta Spider? That’s a dream come true, whether you’re a car collector or just someone who appreciates the superlative beauty of these classic Italian cars.

The Giulietta Spider, introduced by Alfa Romeo in the mid-1950s and produced for only a decade, is coveted among car lovers for its rarity, movie-star style and serious sports-car power. Now, Four Seasons Hotel Milano is putting you in the driver’s seat of this Italian icon for your very own road trip to Lake Como. Your adventure begins at the Hotel, where you’ll get the keys to this vintage roadster and be ready to hit the open road by 10:00 am. Put down the convertible top, and you and your companions can enjoy the day discovering the beautiful town of Como and its surroundings with an unobstructed view. Stop for a reserved lunch at one of the inviting restaurants near the lake, and browse the local shops before continuing your drive along the lake’s mountain-rimmed shores. Navigating this charming landscape in a car that made—and remains part of—the history of the Italian automobile industry will be an authentic experience you won’t soon forget.

OR

Breathtaking Helicopter Ride Over the Rhaetian Alps

Embark on a day tour between Switzerland and Italy, which includes the spectacular views of Lake Como, the most prestigious mountain village in the world, St. Moritz, the massive knitting mills of the Rhaetian Alps and the famous Bernina Range with its majestic peaks: Piz Bernina, Piz Roseg and Piz Palù.

This tour includes a dining stop in the famous Rifugio Marinelli Bombardieri, built in 1880, and also known as the Scerscen Refuge from the valley in which it is located. From this location at the height of 2,813 meters, a stunningly beautiful amphitheatre marks the starting point of “The Magnificent 4,000 Climbs”: Piz Bernina (4,049 meters), Piz Roseg (3,936 meters) and Peak Marinelli (3,906 meters).

Milano, Si! Four Seasons Milano, Si Si, Bellissimo!

 

 

 

 

 

Puglia, Perché no?

Puglia, Why Not ?

A sunny southern Italian location known for whitewashed hill towns, a glorious Mediterranean coastline complimented by sparking crystal clear blue seas, rolling fields of gnarled century old olive trees and miles and miles of farmland. Home to sun baked beaches and villages of stone homes capped with conical trulli roofs.

La Fiermontina Urban Resort

Italy’s graceful heel which encompasses the area of Puglia, has been noted in travel magazines for the last few years as an unspoiled and slightly unpolished countryside where Italians have been vacationing for years. I’ve landed in Brindisi on my way to Basilicata and never realized that just a short distance off the highway was the very lovely and charming baroque walled city of Lecce. A 16th Century town often referred to as Firenze of the south, we highly recommend staying at the chic and tony La Fiermontina Urban Resort.

Masseria Li Veli

Exploring the surrounding areas can easily be accomplished using Lecce as a base to enjoy day trips to the charming towns of Gallipoli and Otranto. Masseria Li Veli Vineyards and tasting room is a short distance away. In 1999 the Falvo family, with over 40 years of experience in the Tuscan wine region, purchased and renovated the property to give birth to an ambitious project in the Apulia, a region with a long vine-growing tradition. Recently selected among the 100 Italian finest wine producers by Wine Spectator. An afternoon tasting and a stroll through the vineyards is the perfect end to a day of touring.

Masseria Brancati

Move up the coast a bit to Ostuni and enjoy the rustic chic simplicity of small beach resorts close to Monopoli and the charming domed homes of the Trulli village. Spend an enchanting afternoon sitting amidst centuries old olive trees, trees planted in the original strict Roman grid of 60 Roman feet apart; this 7th generation Masseria Brancati is owned by Corrado Rodio and his family who make only extra virgin olive oil from his groves of monument trees in the Northern Salento area.

Two of 6 brothers who proudly support generations of a fishing family

Fishing is a primary livelihood, thus fresh fish is offered at every trattoria, stop and chat with the local fisherman who are extremely proud of their family heritage and eagerly share photos of their biggest catch!

Domenico Modugno, the Italian pop singer who crooned Volare Volare

Poliganano Cliff Diving

This morning head to the harbor to clamber aboard your private yacht to sail the sapphire blue seas, a perfect way to begin the morning.  Moor at a white cliff cove in the small beach town of Poliganano on the Adriatic Sea, near the famous statue of Domenico Modugno, the Italian pop singer who crooned Volare Volare. Cliff divers perch atop the limestone cliffs above the crystal clear seas. Diving not of interest? Then wrap yourself in a water float tube and gently drift across the cove and paddle back to your waiting yacht.

The best time to visit Puglia is late May or early June or September when the crush of summer visitors has swelled through and the temperatures are still quite pleasant.