Mediterranean

Neo-Classical Estate Featured in Tod's New Ad Campaign for Sale at $33 Million

Filed under: Estates

Italian Palazzo in Tod's New Ad Campaign

[via JustLuxe]

Villa Volpi, a neo-classical palazzo overlooking the Mediterranean that's featured in Italian luxury label Tod's new ad campaign, has been listed for sale at $33 million.

The amazing property, luxe lifestyle setting of attractive people and classic Ferraris in the alluring ads, sits on 26 acres including a private beach. The estate is the creation of Countess Nathalie Volpi di Misurata, an aristocrat with a reputation for impeccable taste and refined elegance who enlisted celebrated Milanese architect Tomaso Buzzi to build the palazzo in 1960.

Villa Volpi's seven lavish bedrooms and entertaining spaces have played host to many notable guests over the years, from celebrities to royalty, society and international dignitaries. Additional buildings on the estate include a three-bedroom guest house, a two-bedroom cottage and stables.

"This home fosters an incredibly peaceful and glamorous way of life," notes Clarice Pecori Giraldi of Christie's International Real Estate, "bringing together a unique location in Italy - where waterfront properties of this scale are extremely rare - with the incredible sophistication of classical architecture."

Gallery: Villa Volpi

Tags: ad campaigns, architecture, estates, Ferrari, Italy, mansion, Mediterranean, palazzo, Rome, Tods, Villa Volpi

World's Seventh Largest Yacht Raided in Prostitution Bust, Trump Associate Arrested

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth, Crimes and Misdemeanors

The incredible 446-ft. Savarona (above), the seventh largest yacht in the world, was the site of a dramatic helicopter raid by police off the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey the other day. New York-based property developer Tevfik Arif, a sometime business partner of Donald Trump, is being questioned by Turkish police as a suspected organizer of an international ring of high-priced prostitutes that operated on the yacht, Bloomberg reports. Built by Blohm + Voss in 1931 for an American heiress, the superyacht is owned by the Republic of Turkey and was available for charter at $50,000 per day. The lavishly refurbished yacht features accommodations for 34 guests with 260 tons of polished marble, a swimming pool, turkish bath, 282-foot gold-trimmed grand staircase, movie theater, library and helipad. Celebrities who have stayed aboard her include Prince Charles, the Sultan of Brunei, Nicole Kidman, Sharon Stone, Hugh Grant and Tom Cruise.

In addition to Arif, businessmen from Russia and high-level government officials were taken into custody aboard the Savarona by Turkish military police following a seven-month investigation into an international prostitution ring, Bloomberg reports. The men paid $3,000 to $10,000 per night to have sex at sea with Russian and Ukrainian fashion models, some of whom were underage. 10 Russian and Ukrainian women suspected of prostitution were also detained in the operation. When police arrived at the yacht around midday they found everyone in bed. Arif's lawyer Engin Agyuzlu stated that his client is the victim of a "smear campaign" and will "vigorously defend himself in any court of law." Arif is chairman of Bayrock Group LLC, a property group that partnered with the Trump Organization to build the SoHo Hotel Condominium and a Trump Tower in Florida.

Gallery: The Superyacht 'Savarona'

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Tags: Blohm + Voss, crime, Donald Trump, Mediterranean, models, New York, prostitution, real estate, Russia, Savarona, sex, superyacht, Tevfik Arif, Turkey, wealth, yacht

Mediterranean Cruise Aboard Cunard's Queen Mary 2

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 is a nominee for best cruise ship.

Taking its name from Mary of Teck, grandmother of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Cunard's Queen Mary 2 is a regal ship indeed. Of all its voyages, the Mediterranean Medley is perhaps the most fitting of royalty---no surprise, then, that it's a Luxist nominee in the best summer cruises category. In January, the Queen Mary 2 won the Luxist Awards Readers' Choice Award for Best Caribbean Cruise Line.

The twelve-day trip departs from Mayflower Pier in Southampton, England and begins with three days at sea en route to the soaring spires of Barcelona. After a full day in Spain, the ship chugs to Monte Carlo for a day of James Bond-esque diversion before heading down the Italian coast from Rome to Naples. On the tail end, stops include Gibraltar and Lisbon before returning to the U.K.

Gallery: Mediterranean Luxury Cruise aboard the Queen Mary 2

Tags: awards-main, Cruise, Cunard, luxist-awards, Mediterranean, Queen Mary 2

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Cruise the Greek Isles and Turkey on the Sea Cloud

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Sea Cloud's luxury cruise to Turkey and Greece

Some 2,500 years ago, the warm waters between Greece and what is now Turkey were filled with the warring fleets of Persia's King Xerxes and his Greek foes. These days, the ships sailing through the Aegean are of a much more peaceful variety-none more majestic than the vessels of Sea Cloud, a nominee for a Luxist award in the best summer cruises category.

One of Sea Cloud's most popular itineraries takes guests from Athens through the Greek Isles to Turkey and back again. The eight-day trip includes stops at Delos, an entire island designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site; Rhodes, where the Palace of the Grand Master still stands; and Bodrum, the Turkish town that was once home to the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the original seven wonders of the world.

Gallery: Sea Cloud Cruises

Cruising the Greek Isles and Turkey with Sea Cloud

For those wishing to venture farther East, Sea Cloud's Athens-Cyprus trip includes stops at Knossos, island home of the fabled Minotaur; Latakia and Aleppo, one of the world's oldest continually-inhabited cities; and Tartarus, home to the Krak de Chevaliers, a Christian castle from the time of the first crusade. The trip terminates in the Cypriot city of Lanarca.

Both itineraries (which start at $3,995 per person and go all the way up to $7,995 person, not counting an early booking discount of $500) feature one of two ships: the Sea Cloud and the Sea Cloud II. The latter bristles with teak and brass, holds 94 people and is sure to instill envy in any observer-perhaps even King Xerxes himself.

Vote for the Summer Cruise that you think is the best of breed. The winner will be announced on September 1st.

Tags: Athens, Best summer cruise, Cruise, Cyprus, Delos, Greece, Luxist-Awards, mediterranean, Mediterranean cruise, Sea Cloud, Turkey

Classic Yachts Battle It Out at Panerai Regatta in Antibes

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Events, Sports

The first Mediterranean leg of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge 2010 sponsored by the luxe Italian watch brand is now complete with an impressive showing amongst the elegant craft. The yachts Mariska, an auric cutter from 1908; Rowdy, a Marconi cutter from 1916; and Chaplin, a 16-metre Italian Navy vessel built in 1974, won in the "Big Boats", "Vintage" and "Classic" categories respectively during the race days at the famous French resort of Antibes on the Cote d'Azur. The winners each received a Radiomir Regatta 1/8th Second Titanio - 47 mm watch, specially created by Officine Panerai for this new season of regattas and produced in a limited edition of just 500 pieces. In total 51 boats split into seven categories participated in the event which was organized by the Yacht Club d'Antibes and the Club Nautique d'Antibes. Also present in Antibes, though not participating in the regattas, was Eilean, the classic 1936 yacht built by Scottish boatyard Fife, recently restored by Officine Panerai, which we wrote about in April.

Gallery: Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge 2010 Antibes

Tags: Antibes, classic yacht, Cote dAzur, France, Mediterranean, Officine Panerai, Panerai, regatta, sailing, sailing yacht, watches, yacht, yacht racing

Silversea's New Gourmet Cruises

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Silversea Cruises has four luxury ships prowling the Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Baltic Seas on tours of seven to 12 days to 60 different ports. To offer cruise-goers a little more to do on shore, Silversea has assembled international culinary excursions that include learning how to make pesto at Zeffirino's in Portofino whip up tapas in Barcelona and croissants in Cannes, and learning the delicate secrets of olive oil and winemaking in Portoferraio and Elba Island. And those are only a few of the bewildering array of shore excursions at the 300 ports that Silversea serves. If you can't choose one, perhaps opt for Silvesea's 119-day Spirit of Discovery world cruise instead and do them all...

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Tags: adriatic sea, baltic sea, black sea, cruise, euripe, europe, mediterranean, silversea, silversea cruises

Gianni Agnelli's Classic Yacht for Sale at $1.8 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Men's Style

Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli, who died in 2003 at the age of 81, was one of the most stylish men who ever walked the Earth. An avid playboy and racecar driver (Fiat of course owns Ferrari), Agnelli was also a keen yachtsman, and enjoyed many years of sailing his Knut Reimer-designed 82-ft. yawl Agneta with its distinctive port-wine colored sails and superb varnished hull, built in 1948. Now the stylish yacht with its restored Burmese teak deck has been listed for sale in France via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for about $1.8 million.

A regular on the on the Mediterranean Classic Yacht regatta racing circuit, the Agneta's spacious owner's stateroom features a marble fireplace and en-suite bath suitable for an elegant gentleman, while interiors are fitted with polished paneling and exotic inlays. We don't know for certain but can speculate that Agnelli, whose estate was worth $4.4 billion, entertained famed female companions like Anita Ekberg, Rita Hayworth and (rumored) Jackie Onassis aboard the beautiful boat.

Gallery: Gianni Agnelli's Agneta

Tags: classic yacht, Ferrari, Fiat, Gianni Agnelli, Italy, JamesList, Mediterranean, playboy, sailing, sailing yacht, wooden boat, yacht

Johnny Depp's Yacht Available for Summer Charter

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing

You can cruise the Mediterranean like Johnny Depp in the actor's private yacht Vajoliroja this summer for $130,000 a week. The classic and stylish 156-ft. craft, which Depp purchased in 2007 and had completely refitted, is modeled on the vintage lines of a 1930s tycoon's steam yacht. Vanity Fair once described the Vajoliroja as Depp's "floating salon, garret, and getaway", and he sometimes stays aboard while on location. With accommodations for 10 guests and a crew of 8, it features a formal dining room, outdoor seating areas, a master suite, four guest cabins, built in walnut cabinets housing the actor's considerable floating library, and Honduran mahogany paneling. The décor, which Depp himself had a strong hand in along with designer L.M. Pagano, is an emphatically vintage cross between an Art Deco-era Parisian bordello and the Orient Express. Of course it also features state-of-the-art entertainment and communications systems.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: Johnny Depp's Yacht

Tags: celebrity, Johnny Depp, Mediterranean, Vajoliroja, yacht

Relax at the Radisson Blu Resort in Tunisia

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Pack your bags for Tunisia! A new Radisson Blu Resort & Thalasso has opened in Monastir. It's the second Radisson Blu in Tunisia and boasts 280 rooms on beachfront property -- facing the Gulf of Hammamet in the Mediterranean Sea. The resort has 264 guestrooms, 14 junior suites and two senior suites, all equipped with high-speed access (no fee!) and a private balcony or terrace overlooking the pool and sea.

Of course, it's nice to have a comfortable room, but when you really want to unwind, you're looking for the spa. The Radisson Blu in Monastir has a 150,000-square foot facility in the Royal Elyssa Spa Cinq Mondes & Thalasso, with a 48,000-square foot Thal'ion Thalasso center that specializes in restorative treatments using seawater. The spa facilities are set to open early next year and will also have a fitness club and salon. The saunas, hammams and treatment rooms are great, but you'll want to get to the top floor, where you'll find 20 spa suites, many of which will boast private Jacuzzis.

Gallery: Radisson Blu Resort & Thalasso, Monastir, Tunisia

Tags: africa, africa travel, AfricaTravel, hotels, islamic art, IslamicArt, mediterranean, mosque, mosques, north africa, NorthAfrica, resort, resorts, salon, salons, spa, treatment, treatments, tunisia

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Akvinta, Luxury Croatian Vodka Makes US Debut

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Akvinta, the world's first Mediterranean luxury vodka mentioned by my colleague Deidre Woollard when it was introduced to Europe last year, has just launched in the U.S. and is now available in New York, New Jersey and California.

The Croatian spirit was first introduced in New York as the official vodka of the recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The brand is also available exclusively on Virgin Atlantic Airlines as well as in the airline's Upper Class Clubhouse at JFK airport, and at Nobu in New York and California.

Akvinta Vodka is a super-premium, USDA-certified organic spirit, carefully crafted using only premium ingredients including 100% organic wheat alcohol from Italy, pure Dalmatian spring water, and no additives of any kind.

Akvinta's revolutionary quintuple filtration system uses five natural filters - charcoal, marble, silver, gold and platinum - to purify the product, resulting in a smooth spirit with a light citrus nose with a touch of sweetness, a light peppery mouth feel, and a finish with no afterburn.

Tags: Akvinta, Croatia, mediterranean, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Mercedes-benzFashionWeek, Nobu, vodka

New $175 Million Verdura Resort Opening in Sicily

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The new $175 million Verdura Golf & Spa Resort on the southern coast of Sicily from the Rocco Forte Collection opening August 1 will be the only luxury resort in the Mediterranean offering a five-star experience across golf, hotel, dining and spa facilities. The Collection's 13th property features 203 ocean view rooms and suites, each with a private terrace overlooking 1.2 miles of private coastline, two championship golf courses, six tennis courts, a 43,000-sq.-ft. spa, fitness and yoga center, four restaurants, 55 private villas, a conference center, ballroom, open-air amphitheater and helipad.

To celebrate its much-anticipated opening of the 570-acre beachfront resort, Verdura is offering guests visiting between August 1 and December 31 complimentary benefits including green fees for unlimited golf play on its three world-class courses, dinner every evening at any of its four superb restaurants and thalassotherapy spa treatments as well as a 50% discount on a second family room. Starting rates for a three-night stay range from $1,399 for a December visit to $2,967 for a visit in August.

Tags: beach, Europe, golf, hotels, Italy, Mediterranean, resort, Rocco Forte Collection, RoccoForteCollection, Sicily, spa, Verdura Golf Spa Resort, VerduraGolfSpaResort

The Cote d'Azure's New Gem: La Réserve Ramatuelle

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

French boutique luxury hotel group La Réserve has just opened its third property, an elegant, intimate getaway in St. Tropez with never-ending views of the Mediterranean. The 23-room luxury hotel and 10,000-sq.-ft. spa, called La Réserve Ramatuelle, also offers 12 beautifully-appointed villas on the property that are available per night, week, or longer. The hotels seven rooms and 16 suites each have a private terrace or garden and feature natural materials in a soft palette of ocher, white, and sandy beige.

Chef Eric Canino oversees La Réserve Ramatuelle's eatery, Le Restaurant, which features a sophisticated menu with a fresh Mediterranean influence and an overall focus on health and well-being. The spa features an indoor pool with a jet lane, an outdoor pool and pool house, a steam bath, and a fitness center. Superior rooms start at €400 and suites from €1,500; villas range from €4,000 to €5,000 for one night or €15,000 to €30,000 (or about $40,000) for seven nights.

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Tags: cote dazure, CoteDazure, France, hotel, La Reserve, La Reserve Ramatuelle, LaReserve, LaReserveRamatuelle, Mediterranean, St. Tropez, St.Tropez

LVMH Chief and Russia's Richest Man Want to Make Montenegro the Next Monaco

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

A group of billionaire investors including Oleg Deripaska (Russia's richest man) and LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault are backing a scheme to turn Tivat, a derelict port and ex-Yugoslav naval base in the former communist country of Montenegro, into the next playground for the megarich. The site's former naval dockyard fronting the Adriatic Sea will be converted into a lavish marina for superyachts, officially dubbed Porto Montenegro and biiled as "the Monaco of the Balkans," at a cost of around $350 million, the Times of London reports.

"The yachts are getting bigger and bigger," says Canadian mining magnate Peter Munk, who conceived of the project. "And people are complaining that they can't find proper berths for their boats. That's no problem in Tivat. It used to cater to warships." In addition to the great natural beauty of Montenegro, the development will feature moorings for up to 800 yachts as well as repair yards, hotels, restaurants, shops and possibly a casino. In addition, the Four Seasons is building its first Mediterranean resort there on the site of a former warehouse, slated to open in 2010.

Meanwhile, another oligarch, Luxist mascot Roman Abramovich, is said to be in talks to purchase an eight-mile strip of beach to build his own Montenegrin luxury resort, while Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones and Venus and Serena Williams have recently been spotted house-hunting in the area, the paper reports. This is something of a throwback to the 1950s and 1960s, when stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and Kirk Douglas holidayed on Montenegro's beautiful red-tiled resort island of Sveti Stefan (above). See the gallery for more.

Gallery: Magnificent Montenegro

Tags: bernard arnault, BernardArnault, catherine zeta-jones, CatherineZeta-jones, Four Seasons, FourSeasons, LVMH, mediterranean, Michael Douglas, MichaelDouglas, Monaco, Montenegro, oleg deripaska, OlegDeripaska, Peter Munk, PeterMunk, Porto Montenegro, PortoMontenegro, roman abramovich, RomanAbramovich, Sophia Loren, SophiaLoren, Sveti Stefan, SvetiStefan, Tivat, Yacht

Pantelleria Dream

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Never heard of Pantelleria? I hadn't either but it turns out that it is a small island in the Mediterranean off the coast of Sicily. What makes this island particularly noteworthy is that it is of volcanic origin and is still home to hot mineral springs and steam eruptions. The Pantelleria Dream is a new luxury resort on this island that has managed to stay below the radar for a long time. The hotel is made up of suites called dammusi, structures made from black volcanic rocks which have spare, gently curving white interiors like those found in Greek island hideaways. The hotel also has an infinity pool overlooking the sea. Prices start at 90 euros per person.

[via Vogue]

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Tags: luxury, mediterranean, pantelleria, pantelleria dream, resort, sicily, travel

Alibi Yacht For Charter

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing

This one didn't make it onto our top ten list of yachts for charter because it only recently made it to the charter market but it is definitely worthy of a look. Alibi is a 168-foot yacht which was built by CBI Navi in 2005. The yacht has room for 12 guests and has plenty of space for outdoor activities. There is a panoramic open deck area with half moon large sunbathing mattresses and an extendable table for 12 guests and a bar. The sundeck boasts large cushions, a Jacuzzi, a U-shaped settee and another table for 12. There is a dumb waiter between decks for delivering all your snacks and supplies. Alibi also features a gymnasium and a garage that holds a tender, three jets skis and more.

Inside there are five cabins: a full-width master with an office and a Jacuzzi tub, two VIP cabins with Jacuzzi baths and two double and one twin guest cabin all with ensuites. The staterooms have flat screen monitors with cable and on-demand movies from a central movie server and there is a library of over 200 music CDs. This yacht also has its own wireless network system. She charters for $250,000 to $260,000 per week and will be gallivanting around the Mediterranean this summer. More shots of this beautiful yacht after the jump.

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Tags: alibi, cbi navi, charter, mediterranean, yacht

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