We’ve curated a sumptuous list of luxury travel experiences in Italy for 2021 that show travellers a new side to a timeless destination...
1) Michelin-star dining inside Florence’s oldest building
Set inside the Byzantine-era Pagliazza tower, Ristorante Santa Elisabetta was recently awarded a second Michelin star. Executive chef Rocco De Santis is a master of delectable modern twists on classic Italian staples. Diners can opt for a five-seven-or nine-course meal. ristorantesantaelisabetta.it
2) Italian road trips curated by luxury hotels
Several luxury hotel brands – including Four Seasons, Kempinski and Aman – now arrange self-drive tours that send guests out onto the open road in a classic car, stopping to stay at their Italian properties along the way.
3) A retreat to one of Italy’s most beautiful lakes
The 15-suite Aria Wellbeing Retreat and Spa near Lugano is now available for exclusive hire. Overlooking Lake Lugano, it’s set within a 35,000 sqm park, so as well as providing supreme privacy, it has a winning combination of mountain, forest and lake views, and an expansive wellbeing programme centred around the 1500 sqm spa and surrounding natural beauty. aria-retreat.it/en
4) Reconnecting with nature in the Langhe region
The newly opened 39-room Casa di Langa is a luxury eco-retreat nestled amid the rolling hills and endless vineyards of Italy’s stunning Langhe region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site to the north of the country. Set amid 42 hectares of land, guests can upskill at the property’s wine academy or cooking school, or reap the benefits of all-natural treatment at the spa. casadilanga.com
5) A heli-hiking tour of the Dolomites
With wild open meadows, dense woodlands and dramatic mountainous terrain, the UNESCO-accredited Dolomites mountains are home to thousands of hiking trails, along with the distinctive Ladin culture, cuisine and language (a fusion of Italian and Austrian). An exhilarating addition to a regular hiking itinerary could be a daily private helicopter ride to a drop-off point. ciasasalares.it/en/
