There aren’t many 74 ft catamarans in the world, less than a dozen by my count. My friends Giorgia and Stefano have turned their 74 feeter into a home in the sea, available for charter by groups of up to eight travellers and a crew of four. With artful purpose, they have redesigned the ship, making their Blue Deer unique among an already exclusive club, course set to dreamland.
Corte della Maestà is the refuge of my dear friends Paolo and Cristiana. Together, they have created a special hotel that is also their home. Curating a marvellous art collection, and welcoming guests to their fascinating world of beauty, passion and courage, any stay at Corte is unique, just as this place is inimitable.
Paolo Crepet and his wife Cristiana have created one of the most special hotels in Europe. Corte della Maestà is a monument to Italian beauty, and a living work of art that embodies the values of their owners: courage, passion and freedom. As I sit down in conversation with Paolo, I wish to understand how he became one of the best, and most unusual, hoteliers in the country.
When speaking trails, only one takes the crown in terms of difficulty, rewarding scenery and overall challenge: Sardinia’s Selvaggio Blu.
Every person of consequence must, at one time or another, retire to a medieval tower in the Italian countryside to ponder all matters transcendental. Near Assisi, a private 1500-acre estate harbours 11th-century Pieve San Quirico Castle, built in the 11th century by Frederick II of Swabia and now restored with a few added luxuries for your pleasure.
Sheer limestone walls, treasured by climbers, cherished by the gentlest, pink hues of the Sun, mountains that reach skyward with solemn prayer, with the heartfelt immovability of giants: the Marmolada, Italy’s last glacier, Passo Giau, and the green fields of Alta Badia. The Dolomites are my childhood refuge, the treasure-vault of precious memories and a region that defines my Italian-ness.
Travelling along the Prosecco Road I discovered two treasures of hospitality and service, hidden amid the vineyards and the old villages of the Treviso. As one travels north from Venice, before the Alps and the Dolomites, the landscape becomes ever more picturesque. The rugged terrain has been carefully devoted to growing grapes, a special variety: Prosecco.
Nestled in rugged terrain of inland Sardinia, Hotel Su Gologone is surrounded by nature, and constitutes a true exercise in refinement. This magical place has the power to turn each day into a work of art, actually, the rooms are masterpieces in themselves. This is one of travel’s best-kept secrets.
My parents and I drive west from Palermo to Tonnara di Scopello, a disused yet picturesque tuna fishery that has been here since the 13th century. It is a popular place for sunbathers and swimmers, but today it’s just me and my parents. And twelve cats. I can picture the fishermen chanting and going out in the twilit hours, between the stacks that burst out from the sea. Time has stopped here.
During my recent trip to the Dolomites, I rediscovered a childlike enthusiasm for skiing. And how could I not? I crossed one snowy valley after another, without eve repeating a line. I went down easy runs that let me take in the alpine scenery, and the beauty of nature. I ventured down harder pistes that demanded my full attention.
