One of Florence’s most visited sights is being renovated: The Ponte Vecchio is set to shine in new splendor thanks to the upgrade, which will take around two years.

Renowned as one of Florence’s iconic landmarks, the Ponte Vecchio is undergoing a transformative renovation, promising to unveil its timeless charm in a rejuvenated splendor. Throughout its almost 700-year history, the bridge has endured floods, fires, and conflicts; the Ponte Vecchio remains a captivating testament to Florence’s enduring allure.

Now, the city of Florence is dedicating two years to returning the Ponte Vecchio to its former glory. While previous renovations focused on ensuring the bridge’s structural stability, this endeavor aims to breathe new life into the structure. This is the first comprehensive renovation and cleaning effort undertaken on the bridge, signaling a renewed commitment to preserving its cultural significance.

As part of the upgrade, the surfaces will be cleaned of algae, moss, weeds and lichen, among other things. There are also plans to renovate existing replacement joints, reinforce the stone itself and restore the flooring.

Work will initially be carried out on the upper section of the bridge in October and November of this year, with measures for the lower section planned for the summers of 2025 and 2026.

The project will cost around two million Euro. The Antinori family, one of Italy’s best-known winegrowing families, is donating around half of this amount.

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Florence airport is to become a vineyard in the future. Architects are planning an almost 19-acre vineyard on the roof of the new terminal.

The airport is often the first thing travelers see when they arrive in a foreign city or country. It has become a kind of calling card in international tourism – fueled by investments worth billions, especially in the Arab world.

In the future, Florence airport will also have a special feature and give passengers a first taste of what awaits them in Tuscany. True to the motto: “First impressions count!”

An eye-catcher as European premiere

The US design firm Rafael Viñoly Architects has presented plans for a redesigned international terminal at the Italian airport. The highlight: the new building will also include a 19-acre vineyard – a nod to Florence’s reputation as the “capital of Italy’s famous wine country”, Tuscany.

Little is yet known about the exact plans. Just this much: according to the architects, the future terminal will be approx. 12 acre in size – crowned by a huge pitched roof with skylights and almost 40 rows of vines.

That would be a first in Europe. The Halter Ranch winery in California has a private airport for licensed pilots and their wine-loving friends. But this is a unique combination worldwide.

First construction phase to be completed in 2026

A large part of the wine production will probably be carried out in-house. “A leading winemaker from the region will manage the vineyard and produce the wine in special chambers under the roof of the terminal,” said a spokesperson for the architecture firm Rafael Viñoly.

Below the vineyards, the design of the terminal envisions a large piazza which, according to the architects, will help to improve the circulation of passengers.

The plans also include turning the existing runway by 90 degrees to make it more suitable for modern aircraft. In addition, the airport’s transport links are to be improved with a new light rail system.

The architecture firm Rafael Viñoly has announced that it will work with the airport planners to build the structure in two phases. The first phase is due to be completed in 2026, while the second stage is likely to take longer. It is not due to be completed until 2035.

Airport images by Rafael Viñoly Architects

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Iris in all its glory: Villa La Massa impresses with colorful natural highlights at the gates of Florence – be it in the extensive park or stylish cocktail glass.

In Greek mythology, the iris was the messenger of the gods. At Villa La Massa, in the middle of the Tuscan countryside and surrounded by 25 acres of lemon trees and olive groves, it signals the arrival of spring. Strolling through the extensive park, you will discover new perspectives and wonders of nature time and time again. The iris garden not only impresses with its magnificent flowers, but also forms the basis for a culinary journey that harmoniously combines history and nature.

Blue, purple, white and yellow – this is how the iris blossom shines and delights more than just garden fans. Countless varieties of iris, small and large plants, fragrant beauties and colorful eye-catchers thrive on over 4,300 square feet in Villa La Massa’s specially created iris garden. A visit to the luxury hotel on the Arno is particularly worthwhile between April and July, when the iris garden is in full bloom. The green paradise was created by the renowned landscape architect Maria Chiara Pozzana. It is a continuation of the old tradition of the Medici family, who once ruled Florence: The iris has always been the symbolic flower of Tuscany and still adorns the city’s coat of arms today as a red flower on a white field.

An electric shuttle is available to hotel guests on request to take them comfortably to the city center and to one of the highlights of the season: A true garden paradise stretches east of Piazzale Michelangelo and impresses not only with rare iris specimens, but also with spectacular views of the Florence skyline. Founded in 1957 by the Società Italiana dell’Iris (Italian Iris Foundation), the extensive iris garden only opens its doors to visitors in May during the International Iris Show. However, there is also plenty for guests at Villa La Massa to discover in the other spring months, as the boutique hotel organizes visits to spectacular villas and gardens in Tuscany as a member of the “Grandi Giardini Italiani” association, giving guests exclusive access to the private estates.

The gastronomy at Villa La Massa is also a creative homage to the past, characterized by the aromatic treasures of regional cuisine and the use of fresh ingredients from our own garden. The new iris cocktail is the perfect accompaniment for balmy spring evenings. This creation is dedicated to Countess Bierliska, who acquired the historic estate in 1856. A cocktail delight that pays homage to the gardens with a fresh blend of vodka, iris liqueur and orange bitters.

Villa La Massa

Villa La Massa, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, has 51 rooms and luxury suites as well as a private chapel. The hotel is located directly on the banks of the River Arno, five miles (eight kilometers) from Florence city center. Guests can take a free shuttle bus directly to the Ponte Vecchio. The hotel’s restaurant Il Verrocchio was voted the restaurant with the most beautiful view in Italy. It is located directly above the Arno in the middle of the hills of the Chianti region, surrounded by estates and vineyards. Other highlights for connoisseurs include the historic wine cellar for private tastings, the Bar Mediceo and the Bistrot L’Oliveto.

Photos: Villa La Massa

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Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi – almost everyone knows the Florentine attractions. But the Tuscan capital also has other treasures to offer. If you’re willing to leave the beaten path, you can look forward to exploring Florence: exciting art projects, surprising river cruises and a wine-rich region. Helpful here: tips from the pros. The concierges of the hotels belonging to the Lungarno Collection are always up to date and know the best addresses, exhibitions and tours.

Oltrarno: Artsy district in Florence

The district on the other side of the Arno exudes a charm all its own: “di là” – over there, as the Florentines say – there are fewer tourists around. Instead, local students, craftsmen, architects and aristocrats sit in the nice wine bars and trattorias. The neighborhood was created in the 12th century, when the population of Florence skyrocketed and the people in the old town could no longer find enough living space. To this day, studios and workshops can be found here, as well as art galleries, bookstores, enchanting churches and museums that can be visited at leisure and without crowds. Every morning, farmers set up their makeshift tables in the atmospheric Piazza Santo Spirito, selling flowers, fruit and the season’s vegetables. Borgo Santo Spirito and Borgo San Frediano are the arteries of the district. They score with many small stores, traditional workshops and cool eateries. The tiny Piazza della Passera is particularly idyllic, while Piazza Pitti is magnificent. The narrow alleys in between are an enchanting labyrinth in which one gets lost again and again and only too willingly.

Renaioli: City tour from the water

Until the middle of the 20th century, the Renaioli were still traveling on the Arno with their simple work boats to salvage building sand and stones from the riverbed. Today, their characteristic pole-guided barges are used for river cruises. From the water, the elegant palaces on the Lungarni are particularly visible. The bridges also present themselves in an unusual perspective. You glide silently past the Uffizi, under the jewelry stores of Ponte Vecchio, see – perhaps for the first time – the churches of Santi Apostoli and San Jacopo Soprarno. And, you learn that the beautiful Ponte Santa Trinità is the oldest wicker arch bridge in the world and has been rebuilt a full five times in its nearly 800-year history.

Exploring Florence on the traces of Tuscan Wine

The wines of Tuscany are legendary. If you want to not only drink them, but also learn about their production, book a tour to the vineyards south of Florence. The landscape alone would be worth the trip. Villages like Castellina, Gaiole or Greve are postcard-pretty. However, cellar visits accompanied by experts are considered the highlight. Wine production here has a centuries-old tradition, and getting your individual steps explained between gleaming steel tanks and ancient oak barrels is a unique experience. Each tour ends with a wine tasting and the opportunity to purchase a few bottles right where they were made.

Art & Culture

Florence is considered Italy’s cultural heartland, and in fact you’re more likely to see too much art here than not enough. Still, it’s worth looking for lesser-known projects. The American artists Sara Amrhein and Anna Rose, for example, open up the possibility of visiting an artist’s studio in private. Or you can visit Manifattura Tabacchi, a multicultural center with many different activities in a former tobacco factory. Also interesting are the city’s many highly diverse art galleries and the people who run them. Usually a phone call from the hotel concierge is all that is needed to make an appointment. Guests of the Hotel Lungarno already get their money’s worth – there, over 400 works of art by Picasso, Cocteau, Bueno and many Italian artists adorn the walls.

Exploring Florence with Craftmanship

Where else can you find that? A well over 100-year-old bookbindery, where antique writings are restored, but also individual paper objects are made to measure according to old techniques? A silk weaving mill with looms from the 18th century, on which fabrics are created according to very old but also very modern patterns? An art printer who produces small masterpieces in his studio? A bronze foundry, founded in 1925, whose employees handcraft artistic picture and mirror frames, but also fittings and lamp bases, piece by piece? In Florence there are still many traditional craft workshops where furniture, silverware or shoes are made as they were 100 years ago.

Dolce Vita in Florence

Pappa al Pomodoro, Schiacciata, Cantucci… – what is served in the typical Florentine Trattorias and Osterias can also be cooked at home. Provided you know how to do it. Cooking courses in a special ambience are offered, for example, by The Cooking Touch or Desinare. Here you learn to prepare Tuscan classics and other Italian specialties and are rewarded at the end with a delicious menu – fatto in casa, of course! For those who prefer just to be served food, the various restaurants of the Lungarno Collection are the place to go: At Borgo San Jacopo, star chef Claudio Mengoni creates taste sensations, while Antonio Minichiello serves up modern Italian cuisine with an international interpretation at Caffè dell’Oro.

Bella Figura in Florence

At the beginning of the 1950s, the young Marchese Giovanni Battista Giorgini organized the first fashion show in Florence and made “made in Italy” world-famous with very young couturiers such as Emilio Pucci and Roberto Capucci. It then took a good 30 years for Milan to establish itself as a fashion Mecca. But with Pitti Uomo, Florence still offers the most important men’s fashion fair in the world. The fashion school ‘Polimoda’ is known far beyond Italy’s borders. Those interested in the history of fashion should definitely visit the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo with its unique shoe collection – and perhaps the flagship store of the cult brand in the same Palazzo. Also of interest: the Fashion and Costume Museum housed in Palazzo Pitti, with 6,000 exhibits from the 18th century to the present day. And, the Stazione Leopolda, a former train station hall from the early 19th century that regularly hosts fashion-related exhibitions.

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Place no. 16 – Drink Kong, Rome
Place no. 35 – 1930, Milan
Place no. 39 – Locale Firenze, Florence
Place no. 46 – L’Antiquario, Naples

Drink Kong, Rome

Set in a leafy square, a short ride from Rome’s center, Drink Kong is probably not the bar you would expect to find. Taking in ’70s futurism, King Kong and Japanese influences, this amalgam concept is set in a wrap-around space with nightclub-black décor, illuminated by little else than neon. This is a busy bar – locals and international visitors know Drink Kong has some of the most forward-thinking cocktails in the city.

Patrick Pistolesi, owner and bartender, brought this very particular vision alive. His new menu Perimetro is set to step into new ground. Put it all together – the décor, the atmosphere and the drinks – and there’s nowhere in the world of bars quite like Drink Kong. No wonder it’s among Italy’s Best Bars.

Here’s one of the drinks, you can make at home. But, it’s better to have it at Drink Kong and hang with the locals.

Drink Kong is located at Piazza di S. Martino Ai Monti, 8, 00154 Roma

1930, Milan

Milan’s 1930 is a speakeasy taken seriously. To even find the bar you need someone in the know, because not only is the address undisclosed, entry isn’t guaranteed even if you’ve befriended owners Flavio Angiolillo and Marco Russo. But once inside, the twentieth-century American Prohibition vibes come to life with exposed brickwork and dimmed lighting which add to the exclusivity of the bar. The difference between 1930 and other generic speakeasy-style bars is the world-class drinks program. Unlike the original speakeasies which the bar takes inspiration from, 1930 doesn’t just serve rye whiskey and moonshine, but some of the best cocktails in Europe.

Its current menu focuses on Africa, using unorthodox ingredients from the likes of niche grape varieties from Algeria to infusions made with Africa’s famed baobab tree. The menu is supported by a top-level food offering from the same continent, making 1930 not only one of the most exclusive bars in the world, but also one of the most exotic.

1930 is located at an undisclosed address.

Locale Firenze, Florence

Hosted in the historical Palazzo Concini, Locale Firenze is like a time machine taking guests on a journey through centuries across its two floors, each a nod to Florentine culture. The Concini Palace has an extensive and unique history strongly tied to Florentine politics during the time of the Medici family. Impeccably and respectfully restored, the basement dates back to the 1200s and today hosts the cellar and a mixology lab. The upper 1500s floor has a Renaissance atmosphere with a contemporary touch thanks to its mirrors, antique furniture, lavish chandeliers and charming frescoes. A stunning courtyard with a transparent, movable high ceiling is host to the cocktail bar, surrounded by green walls and high tables.

The drinks list is as distinctive as the venue and its atmosphere. With a modern touch, bar manager Matteo Di Ienno’s menu feature signatures such as Elisir Caterina alongside seasonal recipes. Summer sips evoking flowers, such as Iris, with white rum, iris bitter and vermouth, already feel like masterpieces.

Locale Firenze is located at Via delle Seggiole, 12r, 50122 Firenze

L’Antiquario, Naples

Resting among traditional boutiques and shops in the bustling streets of Naples, behind its picturesque wooden door L’Antiquario boasts an international allure. The retro red velvet sofas, the floral wallpaper and the elegant black boiserie blend perfectly with the flair, expertise and innate Neapolitan hospitality of the team. Equally sophisticated and nodding to tradition, bartenders in white uniforms welcome guests who ring the doorbell to enter this intimate bar. The backlit back bar stands at the center stage of the cocktail bar. Here, guests can enjoy a Red Hook from the Classics cocktail menu, or dive deep into the city’s history and heritage with a signature from the Napoli Capital City drink list.

Equally, the natural alternative to spirits and cocktails within this setting is the selection of champagne, also used by the team of Alex Frezza, co-founder and internationally acclaimed bartender, to serve a spectacular rendition of the French 75.

L’Antiquario is located at Via Vannella Gaetani, 2, 80121 Napoli

Alla tua salute!

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This year, Rocco Forte Hotels is celebrating its 25th anniversary by offering immersive experiences inspired by the cities their properties call home. The group is offering a “European Grand Tour” so guests can interact with local artisanal talent while enjoying the best that each city has to offer. We, of course, concentrate with our Tour d’Italy on the Italian Rocco Forte Hotels only.

Check out the fantastic options which offers a great way to stay not only in some of Italy’s best hotels but also venture out from Florence to Rome and further south to Puglia and Sicily. Make it the dream vacation, maybe with a road trip in a typical Italian convertible. Be adventurous…

Guests can book individual hotel experiences or opt to enjoy multi-destinations. You can select up to five Rocco Forte Hotels and enhance the itinerary with one or more of the curated experiences. Included are

• Complimentary airport transfers return
• 15% off a two night stay in a Presidential Suite at any of our European properties
• Special VIP 25th anniversary amenities
• Rocco Forte Suite Experience benefits
• Bespoke curated Experiences
• Choose from a selection of unique, bespoke experiences in each destination
• Select up to five destinations, five unique experiences

Let’s “drive” from top to bottom and explore the “boot”.

Hotel Savoy, Florence

Slow down a gear and be enchanted by the sights and scents of the rolling Tuscan countryside and experience the ultimate vintage road trip. Leave the Uffizi and the city behind, take the strada regionale 222 and drink in breathtaking views of the famous vineyards of Chianti. Take on the undulating roads, detouring to explore hidden hilltop villages. For those who would rather not drive on Italian roads – although, I really would like to encourage you to live this experience, especially in the Tuscan countryside – can opt for a guided tour.

Located on one of the largest squares in Florence, Hotel Savoy seduces with its enviable views of the Duomo and Giotto’s Bell Tower – climb to the top for the best panoramas. The city itself is a Unesco World Heritage site and is, quite simply, a must-see. Leave time to explore Uffizi Gallery, displaying Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus”, and Michelangelo’s “David” as well as the reveling in the city’s ravishing Renaissance architecture.

Hotel de Russie, Rome

This special experience will take you to the cobbled streets of the bohemian Trastevere district.  Here, in the hidden treasures of an elegantly eccentric eighteenth-century townhouse you’ll meet the housekeeper waiting to share the wonders of his collection with you. 

Admire his ancient treasured items that span both the globe and the centuries. Examine Egyptian funerary headgear, dating back to 330 BC, a 17th century Tibetan drum and the traditional shield of the Dayak head-cutters of Borneo.

Staying at Hotel de Russie, close to the Spanish Steps, you’ll discover its own secret – a hidden garden at its heart. Originally designed by architect Giuseppe Valadier, the garden’s fragrant orange trees and tiered terraces have been revamped by former Valentino interiors designer Tommaso Ziffer.

Walk down the Spanish Steps and venture out on the various shopping streets, among them, straight ahead, famous Via Condotti with abundant designer shops.

Hotel de la Ville, Rome

Experience the City of Sin’s dark side.

When staying at Hotel de la Ville in Rome, you can embark on a two-hour guided tour through the dark streets of Rome’s heretics, traitors and ghosts. As you cross Sant’Angelo bridge you’ll learn about Mastro Titta, official executioner for the Papal States. Travel back to the taverns where Caravaggio brawled in the streets and and relive the political plots of the quite possibly murderous Cesare Borgia and his sister, Lucrezia Borgia, a noblewoman with a notorious reputation.

The extravagant interiors of Hotel de la Ville – by designer Tommaso Ziffer and Olga Polizzi – were inspired by the Grand Tour era. Stay at the sumptuous 18th-century palazzo and you’ll have access to the whole of Rome, laid out before you, from the top of the Spanish Steps.

 Masseria Torre Maizza, Puglia

Puglia is always connected to a culinary experience. Nothing different here, at Masseria Torre Maizza.

Masseria Torre Maizza has curated a journey through Puglia on a plate. At the Grandmother’s Table, you will enjoy a Sunday lunch with Apulian dishes like grandma used to make. A traditional Sunday lunch is a feast and a chance to be immersed in local culinary traditions. Hosted by local mothers and grandmothers, the meal is a chance to spend the day together. A communal table will be set among monumental olive trees and seasonal flowers and you will leave as part of the family.

Food is an important part of the rhythm of life at Masseria Torre Maizza, a five-star conversion of a 16th- century farmhouse. At the main restaurant, Il Carosello, local chef Nicola Lenoci infuses the menu with Puglian flavors while precious memories are made at the private dining table in our walled garden. Once your appetite for gastronomy has been fully satisfied, you can enjoy the hotel’s 9-hole golf course, private beach club and the Irene Forte Spa, housed in an old olive mill.

I have lived in Puglia a long time ago, and visited several times since. The hospitality and warmth of Apulian people has stayed in my heart. The food, even though sometimes very simple, is really fantastic, fresh and tasty. It’s a place that you should not leave out of your “bucket list”.

Verdura Resort, Sicily

At Verdura Resort in Sicily, you can golf your heart out.

Tee yourself up for the ultimate golfing afternoon and you’ll be welcomed with a personalized gift bag on arrival, filled with golf equipment including a dozen professional standard golf balls and a Verdura golf shirt.

Set on 230 hectares and with close to two kilometers of private Mediterranean coastline, near Agrigent, you have the choice of two seaside championship golf courses designed by Kyle Phillips at Verdura. Once set up with the right equipment, it’s time to improve your swing. Get to grips with the right technique at a 30-minute lesson with our PGA coach on the driving range. Relax after your training session with a three-course lunch in the clubhouse.

Heading for a hole-in-one, you’ll finish your golfing experience by testing your skills on our championship 18-hole golf course, playing four holes with our pro.

Because of the scarcity of water resources in Sicily, and the quantities required to maintain the resort’s golf courses, a water-recycling system has been installed. A further measure introduced to save water has been the conversion of the lawn around the golf course into decorative rock gardens.

Villa Igiea, Sicily

Villa Igiea has curated an artistic guide to the city of Palermo, through the lens of the aristocratic Florio family.

The influential family built Villa Igiea and transformed the private estate into a luxury hotel at the start of the 20th century. The Florios were both wealthy and well known. You will discover the history of Palermo through the Florio family on a city-wide tour which takes in the Norman, Rococo and Art Nouveau architecture of Sicily’s capital. 

You will be welcomed for a private tour of the stunning 300-year-old Palazzo Gangi – often compared to Versaille’s Hall of Mirrors – by the princess of the palace. Time travel through the centuries as you circumnavigate the Sicilian old quarter, the Norman sector and baroque palaces on an all-encompassing city tour.

On your private tour you’ll get to know architect, Ernesto Basile, who was commissioned by the Florio family to design both Villa Igiea and Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy. Finishing up your epic architectural adventure, you will be greeted with dinner in the hotel’s Louis XVI hall, named in honor of the Florio family.

Choose your five destinations and take the Tour d’Italy or, head to your favorite hotel. You can book directly at Rocco Forte Hotels.

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Art and cuisine – where better to enjoy than in Italy?

Putting together two cornerstones of the Italianness makes powerful tourist attractions: art and cuisine. In Italy it is possible to eating (well) in exhibition spaces – whether in public museums or private galleries. Visitors can prolong their stay and move from the exhibition rooms to the dining rooms, becoming themselves destinations, as it already happened with some architectures. Now, a new museum restaurant has opened in Rome: Molto at the Galleria Borghese.

Molto’s culinary offer at the Galleria Borghese

Molto features a double soul: bistro and café (with classics of the genre, including croissants, cakes and club sandwiches) open to the public and not only visitors. The offer is tasty and simple, yet straightforward.

The menu is made up of tried and tested dishes as well as new proposals for a tasty, fresh and modern menu. Italian raw materials take center stage here: Gerardo di Nola tomatoes, bottarga of the Spanu brothers, and most of the vegetables from the kitchen garden. They range from Sardinian fregola pasta, cacio e pepe ravioli with artichoke, saffron rice pancake, or even lasagna. The take-away box invites to picnics in the Villa Borghese Garden, while the Giotto pastry shop offers Gobino chocolate, as well as other Molto brand products. Also available is Geraci’s Nocellara del Belice extra virgin olive oil, Molto rosso (from Pinot Nero grapes) and Molto bianco (from Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi grapes) wines, as well as pasta by Verrigni.

Molto is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm
Piazzale Scipione Borghese 5, 00197 Roma

More dining in museums

Eating in museums is no longer a taboo topic, as proven by the many new openings. From city to city, from museum to gallery, projects are on the rise.

Staying in Rome, there is also the renewed Caffè Doria at Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, café and bistro flanked by special events and dinners. Caffè Doria is the place where art, food and passions come together in the refined and evocative setting of Palazzo Doria Pamphilj.

A Bistro in perfect harmony between contemporaneity and classicism, where the cuisine travels in perfect balance and synthesis between tradition and innovation, always faithful to Chef Massimiliano Mazzotta’s concept of “Comfort Food”. This elegant café can be enjoyed right from breakfast. A precious and cozy living room in the historic center of Rome, where you can indulge in your passions until after dinner, when even the Mixology finds its perfect connotation thanks to the exclusive Gin Trolley.

Caffè Doria is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8 am to 9 pm
Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, Via della Gatta 1, 00186 Roma

Also new is Roland at Spazio Field, art gallery and multicultural center inside Brancaccio Palace. Roland’s elegant setting is immersed in the works of art and original decorations of the building. The rooms of Roland are adorned with stuccoes and canvases from the 1400s and house the drawings of Francesco Gai, historical artist of the Brancaccio family as well as ancient oriental embroidered silks.

Roland is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 12 am
Via Merulana, 248, 00184 Roma

In Tuscany, the synergies of Massimo Bottura & Co with Gucci, led to the opening of Gucci Osteria at the Gucci Museum in Florence, now also a cocktail bar, led by Karime Lopez. She creates her own culinary universe by interlacing the colors and flavors of Italy and beyond.

Gucci Osteria is open daily from 12.30 pm to 3 pm and 19.30 pm and 10 pm
Piazza Della Signoria 10, 50122 Firenze

Also in Florence, is the Cortese Cafè 900 at the Museo Novecento, the raw pastry shop by Vito Cortese. Chocolate, biscuits, pralines, spoon desserts and ice cream, all strictly without flour, milk, eggs, yeast and sugar. Vito Cortese, the most important raw-food pastry chef in Italy, has opened his gourmet restaurant in the heart of Florence, in the new spaces of the Museo Novecento café overlooking Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

Cortese Cafè 900 is open daily from 8 am to 8 pm
Piazza Santa Maria Novella 10, 50123 Firenze

At the Centro Pecci in Prato there is Angiolo Barni who manages the two souls of Myo, restaurant and bistro. The restaurant is inside the Pecci Museum, a center for contemporary art. The location is beautiful, the tones enhanced by works that are hosted inside the restaurant.

Myo is open Tuesday to Saturday from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm and 8 pm to 10.45 pm;
Sunday from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm
Viale della Repubblica 277, 59100 Prato

After years at the Lucca Center of Contemporary Art, Cristiano Tomei moved his restaurant L’Imbuto in 2018 to Palazzo Pfanner, well known for being the set of the movie ‘Marchese del Grillo’. You could go to L’Imbuto and ask for the same dish, but each time you will find a landscape with new details. Chef Cristiano Tomei’s surprises are renewed every day, and they are unpredictable. The wine cellar in turn seeks out exciting labels, singular vintages and vintners devoted to biodynamics.

Ristorante l’Imbuto is open Wednesday to Sunday from 12.30 pm to 2 pm and 7.30 pm to 9 pm
Piazza del Collegio 7, 55100 Lucca

In Milan, we have the Fondazione Prada’s Bar Luce café, designed by director Wes Anderson, featuring its unmistakable imprint that mixes pop and retro charm. Bar Luce recreates the atmosphere of a typical Milanese cafè. As explained by Anderson, “the approach I used to design this bar is exactly the opposite I usually use for the set designs of my movies. I tried to make it a bar you’d like to go to five times a week.

The café is located at the entrance building of Fondazione Prada. The range of colors, the formica furniture, the seats, the floor, and the wood wall panels are reminiscent of Italian popular culture and aesthetics from the 1950s and 1960s, echoing artistic decisions Anderson made for his short film Castello Cavalcanti (2013).

Bar Luce is open every day except Tuesday from 8.30 am to 8 pm; Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 8 pm
Largo Isarco 2, 20139 Milan

Turin ranges from the contemporary art with the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo – which has entrusted Alessandro Mecca with the restaurant Spazio7 – to historical spaces such as the Reggia di Venaria, where chef Alfredo Russo is firmly at the helm of Dolce Stil Novo.

Spazio7 is a place where cuisine and art come together to create a gastronomic center with an eclectic and contemporary soul. 7 is a magical and spiritual number. 7 is synonymous with evolution. 7 is the lucky number that it was decided to associate with the name “Spazio”, inherited from the restaurant inaugurated at the same time as the birth of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, where the restaurant is located. A restaurant, a cafeteria, a location for events: Spazio7 is this and much more. In 2018, the restaurant received a Michelin star.

Spazio7 is open Tuesday to Saturday from 7 pm to 10.30 pm; Sunday from 12.30 pm to 3 pm and
7 pm to 10.30 pm
Via Modane 20, 10141 Turin

Dolce Stil Novo is a unique trip between culinary pleasure and history’s emotion. Venaria Palace – an architectural, cultural, artistic masterpiece. A highly charming place which seizes and conquers with its beauty, stateliness and grandeur. On the last floor, just above Diana’s Gallery and one step below the sky, there is Dolce Stil Novo’s restaurant. It is the only restaurant inside a royal palace, with a breathtaking view over the Gardens, the Fishpond, the Courtyard of Honor and the Deer Fountain.

Dolce Stil Novo is open Tuesday from 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm; Wednesday to Saturday from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm and 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm; Sunday from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm
Piazza della Repubblica, 4 – Reggia di Venaria, 10078 Venaria Reale

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Monet in Milan

Claude Monet’s impressionism, including his famous Water Lilies, is the protagonist at Palazzo Reale in Milan until January 30, 2022. Promoted by the Municipality of Milan and produced by Palazzo Reale and Arthemisia, the exhibition is curated by Marianne Mathieu and it is created in collaboration with the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, from which the entire body of works comes, and with the Académie Des Beaux-Arts, Institut de France.

The halls of the Royal Palace will welcome the public with 53 works by Monet, including his Water Lilies (1916-1919), The Parliament. Reflections on the Thames (1905) and The roses (1925-1926), his last and magical work: an extraordinary loan not only because it brings together some of the spearheads of Monet’s artistic production, but also for the enormous difficulty of this period in making the works travel from one country to another.

Jeff Koons in Florence

Contemporary art is the protagonist in Florence with Jeff Koons. The large sculptures and installations of the American artist will be open until January 30, 2022. Shine, the exhibition curated by Arturo Galansino and Joachim Pissarro, developed in close dialogue with the artist, the exhibition hosts loans from the most important collections and major international museums, proposing the original interpretation of Koons’ art concept of shine understood as a game of ambiguity between splendor and glow, being and appearing. The highlights are works that tell the story of over 40 years of career, from the famous sculptures in perfectly polished metal that replicate luxury objects, such as the Baccarat Crystal Set (1986) or the iconic inflatable toys such as the famous Rabbit (1986) and Balloon Dog (Red) (1994-2000), up to the interpretation of pop culture characters such as Hulk (Tubas) (2004-2018).

Escher in Genoa

Optical illusions and impossible geometries, here is Escher, who has landed at Palazzo Ducale in Genoa in a major exhibition until February 20, 2022. It is the largest and most complete anthological exhibition dedicated to the Dutch genius Maurits Cornelis Escher. In the city of the Lantern, it is possible to admire over 200 of his works and works, from Hand with a reflecting sphere (1935) to Vincolo d’unione (1956), to Metamorphosis II (1939), Giorno e notte (1938) and the series of the Emblemata, to discover the perspective, geometric and compositional paradoxes that have inspired many artists to follow. And on show you can also literally immerse yourself in his illusions and his universe thanks to immersive rooms and impossible structures, which will be compared with works by great artists such as Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720 – 1778) and Victor Vasarely (1906 – 1997).

Klimt in Rome

The Viennese art of the Secession animates the Museum of Rome. Klimt, the Secession and Italy is the name of the exhibition that brings Gustav Klimt back to Italy 110 years after his participation in the 1911 International Art Exhibition. The Capital will host in this exhibition some of the artist’s masterpieces from the Belvedere Museum of Vienna, from the Klimt Foundation and from public and private collections such as the Neue Galerie Graz. The exhibition traces the life and artistic production of Klimt, underlining his role as co-founder of the Viennese Secession and investigating his relationship with Italy, the destination of his travels and the place of some of his exhibition successes. There are about 200 works on display, including paintings, drawings, vintage posters and sculptures by Klimt and the artists of his circle. In addition to iconic works such as the famous Giuditta I, Signora in bianco, Amiche I (Le Sorelle) and Amalie Zuckerkandl, it is also possible to admire quite exceptional loans such as The Bride of the Klimt Foundation and Portrait of a Lady, stolen from the Ricci Oddi Gallery in Piacenza in 1997 and fortunately recovered in 2019.

Venice at the Doge’s Palace

This is the year of the Serenissima and the foundation of the lagoon city is also celebrated through its art. Venetia. 1600 Births and Rebirths is the exhibition that can be visited until 25 March 2022 in Venice, Palazzo Ducale – Doge’s Apartment. A journey through the events of Venice, between moments of crisis and ruptures, and phases of regeneration and renewal. To illustrate the salient moments of the history and identity of Venice, there will be works by great artists, architects and men of letters who worked in the lagoon over almost a millennium. These are names such as Carpaccio, Tiziano, Veronese, Tiepolo, Canaletto,Guardi and others, along with a selection of miniatures, prints, drawings, fabrics, sculptures, ceramics, architectural models, glass and everyday objects. Focus on some iconic monuments, first and foremost the Basilica of San Marco, the Doge’s Palace, the Rialto Bridge, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, the churches of the Redentore and Santa Maria della Salute, the Gran Teatro la Fenice and the Campanile of San Marco.

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Borgo San Felice is about a 30-minute drive from Florence, and only 10 miles (15 kilometers) from Siena.  A borgo is actually a small village so I was expecting that all I would see was a collection of old houses. How wrong I was!

The hotel sits on a hill about 1,150 feet (350 meters) above sea level.  It perfectly harmonizes with the surrounding countryside.  The authenticity of Borgo San Felice is clearly evident from the first glance, as you climb the road following the gentle and unmistakable lines of the Chianti Classico Senese.  I entered from a long driveway that opened up the closer I got and noticed that the gravel parking area was located away from the guest rooms so that no noise from the cars could be heard.

Borgo San Felice is composed of fascinating buildings – palazzi, stone-built houses, medieval dwellings – all within a few feet of each other, but still very private.  You realize immediately that the village has been there forever, or almost.  It is built around a Medieval Piazza where an elegant 18th century patrician Palazzo stands out magnificently in front of an intimate Chapel in limestone.  I could not wait to explore these ancient walls and see what the hotel has to offer.

After check-in at the reception desk I was shown to my room, which was at the top of the stairs in a small tower, all on its own with beautiful views over the vineyards.  It was located in the big house, which sounds rather ominous but it wasn’t.  I didn’t want to waste time with unpacking so I decided to venture out right away.  In fact, the recent completion of a three-year restoration project has led to a totally new spatial layout and service offering, so I was curious.

It was still early, too early for dinner or even Happy Hour or, as the Italian say, Aperitivo.  Oh well…

Besides lending bicycles, there is a heated pool surrounded by a beautiful garden, with views all the way to Siena; two tennis courts just outside the Borgo, bocce courts, a fitness center as well as a Spa which is housed in the original Oil Mill, offering everything from facials to full body and personalized treatments.  The Wine shop has a fantastic selection of the best Tuscan wines, many of their own production, among others, as well as some local food items.

Borgo San Felice is also a Wine Resort and many international awards have crowned the prestigious wine production of San Felice.  Among the numerous awards assigned down through the years to the wines produced on these estates are Il Grigio, Poggio Rosso, Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino and Il Vigorello – the first Supertuscan.  The most recent award is the prestigious accolade assigned to the Chianti Classico San Felice 2016, which placed 19th in the worldwide Top 100 Wine List 2018, drawn up by Wine Spectator.  The Wine Cellar can be visited upon request, and there are guided wine tasting sessions.

And then, of course, there is The Poggio Rosso restaurant where “Tuscan Fine Living” is celebrated.  Exquisite gourmet offering has been part of the renovation project and now, has a decidedly international twist, while continuing to respect and valorize the Tuscan tradition, thanks to a collaboration with Chef Enrico Bartolini and the new Executive Chef Juan Camilo Quintero.  Only last year, the restaurant was awarded with its first Michelin Star.  For a simpler form of cuisine or a “quick bite”, there is Osteria del Grigio, in the family spirit of the Tuscan tradition.

The extent of the facilities makes the hotel feel very self-contained.  You don’t need to go anywhere unless you would want to visit nearby tourist sights.  At the reception you can find itineraries for off-site excursions.  Guest have access to a heliport and two Tesla charging stations for electrically-powered vehicles.

The town of San Felice is first mentioned in the year 714 when it was the source of controversy between the bishops in Arezzo and Siena.  No-one knows when the village was actually established but it must have been many years prior to that.

There is a small Romanesque church at one end; the ancient Pieve di San Felice was constructed in the 8th century (and reconstructed in 1705 when it was enlarged and a proper nave added).  From the 9th century onwards the town suffered through the plague, which killed over 80,000 in the Chianti district, and hostile battles that raged around it.  Mercenary forces ravaged the area, such as the English and German White Company and then Spanish and Swiss mercenaries who were in the pay of Florence. There was also a second Aragonese invasion known as The Battle of San Felice, which involved the Ricasoli family.  Besides these, there were constant battles between Siena and Florence that continued over four centuries until the fall of the Republic of Siena in 1555.  It is amazing that this little village survived!

In the first half of the 20th century it was owned by the Del Taja family who managed to hold onto it until 1968.  However, the postwar years were tough as life in Italy’s big cities appealed to people more than poverty in the country.  In less than 20 years the village population shrank from 240 people down to 90 and even the chapel looked ready to collapse.  The Del Taja family sold the village to a Milan insurance company, Riunione Adriatica di Sicurta, which concentrated on getting the vineyards into shape.  The early 1970s mark the beginning of a new development model: the estate was bought by the Allianz Group, which set its sights on enological and territorial excellence.  In the late 1980s a new plan to restore the village and create a hotel was put into action and the hotel opened in 1990.

Thanks to the recent renovation project, the number of rooms in the hotel not only has increased from 49 to 60, the 29 rooms and 31 suites have all been totally renovated.  They are distributed between the various buildings, giving guests the sensation of staying in a village dwelling rather than a hotel room.  Each room or suite has been decorated with exquisite taste, many having outstanding views over vineyards and towards Siena.

Two fairly new additions are Villa Casanova, with three fully fitted apartments for a total number of 9 rooms, complete with a large garden and pool, and Villa Colonna which offers guests a more intimate solution consisting of just two bedrooms and a private garden with pool surrounded by olive trees, looking out onto the nearby hills.

Borgo San Felice is close to big cities and yet, it seems a million miles away from everything.

Borgo San Felice
Tel. +39 0577 3964
Località San Felice – 53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga (Siena)
www.borgosanfelice.com * info@borgosanfelice.it

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