Our Perfect Italy. Where our Staff Loves To Go
We asked our staff what their perfect trip to Italy is. Where they go, stay, and do depending on the season, hidden regions and hotels they love, plus other tips and tricks. Here's what they said:
Source: Stefano Scatà
"If I was going in the summer, I would definitely skip major cities like Rome, Florence, or Venice (actually, I would skip Venice all year round, sorry) where the hoards of crowds and sweltering heat can be suffocating and cause you to hate your vacation. Get the countryside, to the coast, plop yourself on a beach, grab a cocktail, do like the Italians do when it's hot. Slow down and focus on the small things, like friends and food. But be careful, not all coastal areas are made equal. Find yourself in Positano or Cinque Terre during the peak season and you could be faced with just as much of a crowd situation as in the big cities. I love La Maremma in Tuscany, it is wide open, rugged coastline, and the Monte Argentario peninsula is beautiful. My favorite hotel in the world is there; Il Pellicano, a stunning hidden gem with major Dolce Vita characteristics just up the cost from the port town of Porto Ercole. I could hide out there for weeks!"
Source: Il Pellicano IG
"I'd go south to Sicily to the Aeolian islands off the island's coast. Truly beautiful areas that don't see as much tourism as more popular Sicilian summer hot spots like Taormina. Also, get yourself a rental on one of the islands. You can find amazing houses with amazing views for way less than in other parts of Italy."
"If in the fall, I'm sticking to the north. Milan is a highly underrated city that is beautiful all year round, Verona and Bergamo are great, Emilia Romagna is always a must, especially for food or automotive enthusiasts. Try to get a room at Casa Maria Luigia, Chef Massimo Bottura's villa turned bed and breakfast with on-site Michelin star dining modeled after his famed Osteria Francescana just a couple of miles a way in Modena."
"You could also head north of Milan, up into the mountains. Fall is beautiful in Alto Adige, for example, and the region is absolutely full of amazing food and wine, it's kind of a largely undiscovered paradise, at least for many international tourists. Stay at Miramonti, Forestis, or Hubertus, all stunning hotels that are dripping in alpine luxury and breathtaking views of the mountains."
"Oh, Piemonte, of course. west of Milan. October is white truffle season in the region and they have an amazing white truffle festival in Alba during this time that features the area's gastronomy, great food and even greater wine (we are talking about Piemonte after all)."
"Puglia, Puglia, Puglia. I'm telling you. Spring, summer, or fall, this region is great whenever. I know it's really been getting hyped up in the last couple years, but there is a reason. Stunning luxury hotels have been popping up out of the ruins of old Masserie farmsteads not far from the coast, and speaking of the coast, Puglia has a great one. Miles of beautiful beaches, coves, seaside towns, all up up and down the region. Polignano a Mare is a really cute town with great seafood, and even the larger city of Bari up the coast is an amazing place to walk around and eat in. My choice for a hotel in this area is Masseria Auraterrae. 5 minutes inland from Polignano, this property is really beautiful, with infinity pools, olive groves, and a delicious in-house restaurant that serves up traditional Pugliese food with a modern twist. I would also head south down to the Lecce area of Puglia for more amazing coastline and rustic southern charms."
