italian travel

Florence: Room with the Best View

It comes as a shock: Your private apartment in the heart of Florence in a landmarked building with all the comforts of a five-star hotel. The new Platinhome apartments have it all --- location, style, services, and postcard-perfect views of one of the world's most beautiful cities. You might expect that in this historic city a new upscale rental apartment would be a lavish example of Florentine baroque. Instead, these new apartments in Florence in the historic Palazzo Levi are modernist sensations, the best of contemporary Italian design. More important, the terrace views are magical, especially at dusk.

Tags: Florence, florence. luxury apartments, ItalDesign, italian travel, italy, italy travel, platinhome, Santa Maria del Fiore

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Savor Truffles, Olives and More During Umbria's Harvest

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Attention Italian food lovers: this is a tour that you're not going to want to miss. This November, Dream of Italy is offering a six-night tour of Umbria during harvest time. The itinerary includes truffle hunting (with truffle dogs), followed by a truffle dinner, a tour of an olive meal to watch olives being pressed into olive oil, pizza and pasta making classes, as well as tours of Perugia and Assisi to fill up your time in between meals.

To add to the harvest vibe, accommodations are at a 17th century farm house, La Fattoria del Gelso, near Assisi, pictured above. This is now a proper hotel villa, but it's also still a working farm -- they grow the region's famous Cannara onions.

The tour cost, excluded airfare is $2,450 per person, based on double occupancy; the trip runs from November 6th-12th.

Tags: cooking classes, hotel deals, italian travel, italy, luxury travel, olive oil, truffles

Massimo Ferragamo's Members-Only Tuscan Estate

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Luxury Travel & Hotels

In the Val d'Orcia region of Italy, Massimo Ferragamo is restoring a 4,500 acre property called Castiglion del Bosco, known also as how my mind spent its summer vacation. The 800-year-old estate boasts two 14th century chapels, Gothic ruins, fields of deep red poppies, a macchia forest and vineyards where some of the best Brunello first grows. It's where parts of The English Patient were filmed. And soon enough, you can stay there, too.

Part of Ferragamo's restoration is to create an unparalleled travel experience, as he oversees the creation of 20 villas on the property and 26 additional hotel-like suites. A Tom Weiskopf-designed golf course, restaurants, infinity pool, cooking school, 12,000 square foot spa and library are either underway or in the plans, as well.

16 of the 26 suites are complete, but you can't simply book a night or two at the estate. Instead, you'll pay a fee to be part of a membership club that bestows visiting privileges. The 120 memberships have been estimated at close to $4 million each and are by invitation only. See the gallery for the breathtaking views, an original Lorenzetti fresco inside the Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo and images to induce every kind of wishful thinking.

Gallery: Castiglion del Bosco