Charming Hotel Il Pellicano La Dolce Vita

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Romantic mid-week sojourn on the charming Tuscan seaside, frequented by foreign language guests…no blah blah blah in Porto Ercole. The dreamy coast is sun soaked with beautiful beaches and authentic family restaurants serving meals from recipes handed down over generations. The peninsula that dangles from the southern Tuscan coast is frequented by fashionable Romans and the yachting crowd. Located in a beautiful coastal town in Grosseto, which has a small airport if you fly private, otherwise, it’s a scenic 2-hour drive from Rome.

The idyllic fishing village, Porto Ercole, is in Maremma in southern Tuscany, a region that has remained largely untouched for centuries. Roman and Milanese residents choose Porto Ercole as their holiday destination. Population 3000. The former fishing village offers Amalfi charm, sans crowds.

Late Check Out Requested – Where to stay: the famed Hotel Il Pellicano, the preferred escape of the icons of the golden age of cinema, captured in photos by Slim Aarons. An exclusive selection of suites in either villas or the main building. Sea views from your terrace offer privacy and seclusion, with dramatic hillside views. Many of the 50 rooms at the hotel have balconies or panoramic terraces, and the six suites and studios are in small cottages near the main house.

Lounge on the private seafront terrace beach, accessible by lift, under crisp white parasols with an attentive staff ready to spoil. Sand in your toes not an option? Then savor the views from the cliffside heated saltwater pool. Paddle board, private boat for day touring or schlepp a bag of books. Among your Italian words and phrases, questo è importante: ‘Il dolce far niente” an Italian phrase and life philosophy, it translates as “the sweetness of doing nothing.”

Overlooking the sparkling Sapphire Blue Tyrrhenian Sea, surrounded by iconic cypress trees, the sweet perfume of lemon blossoms, rolling hills of ancient olive trees, the hotel is timeless, yet casually elegant.

Dining: the Michelin-starred Il Pellicano Restaurant, Chef Michelino Gio delivers a satisfying surprise with carefully selected seasonal organic local produce, fresh fish and organic meat. More casual vibe: Il Pelligrill, serving fresh Tuscan favorites. Sip and savor a sunset Pelican Martini.

Hotel car can deliver you to town 10 minutes away to stroll the picturesque streets before dining at La Sirena at the foot of Monte Argentario, where the cuisine is based on fresh local products, fish is the main protagonist. Gelato is the traditional dessert.

Wander and repeat: ‘Il dolce far niente”.

If you are enjoying a Roman Holiday and a Beach Sojourn, you may know that Caravaggio died and is buried in Porto Ercole at the young age of 38, on July 18,1610, most likely of lead poisoning from his paints. Previous posts share our exclusive private visits to the Caravaggio exhibit in Rome.

Highly Recommend!

Summer Epic Events Rome and Paris – Exclusive Encounters

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Rome this summer, 500,00 Pilgrims descending for the 2025 Jubilee. Also, in Rome the long awaited for Caravaggio exhibition showcasing 24 masterpieces including some rarely seen works and recently rediscovered pieces. Located at the National Gallery of Ancient Art Palazzo Barberini, explores Caravaggio’s career and influence on religion, society and art. Caravaggio, known as Baroque’s Bad Boy, is drawing in art lovers, more than 600,000 tickets have been sold to the exhibition which closes July 6.

Paris Fondation Louis Vuitton which is known for its blockbuster events doesn’t disappoint this summer either. David Hockney, one of the most influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, has been invited to take over the entire building for an exhibition that is exceptional in its scale and its originality. 

Our VIP three-hour Private Access led by the Curator of the exhibition solves the crowd problem. And yes, we have clients attending privately.

David Hockney 25, opened in April and closes on August 31, 2025, brings together more than 400 of his works (from 1955 to 2025) including paintings from international, institutional, and private collections, as well as works from the artist’s own studio. Foundation David Hockney has been personally involved in every aspect of the exhibition and has, together with his partner and studio manager Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima, chosen to focus particularly on the past 25 years while also including the iconic early works, offering visitors a rare insight into his creative universe, spanning seven decades. 

Again, we are not partial to crowds, and can offer VIP Exclusive Access.