I want to let you in the best-kept secrets of Italy. My ultimate goal as a travel advisor is to help you see the world on your terms. Craving to break free from the usual tourist locations and discover hidden places? Uncovering unique spots that yield unforgettable experiences get me excited for my clients.
Florence and Venice Mayors Limit Crowds Sustainable Tourism
The sustainable tourism movement’s goal led by the mayors of Florence and Venice, Italy is to limit the tourist crowd, making a better experience for all. Part of their proposals calls for stricter regulations for tour guides and ensuring more authentic crafts are represented in shopping versus cheap tourist souvenirs. And Venice will be limiting large cruise ships in the lagoon. All of this is to offer tourists a better and more authentic experience.
Enjoy Off-Season Italy
Explore Rome in the late fall and winter when temperatures are best. The baristas in Sant’Eustachio have time to chat instead of juggling nonstop cappuccino orders. I’ve traveled in February and found the temperature to be quite moderate and the crowds low.
Wouldn’t you love the solace, the luxury of sipping your cappuccino sans the crowd? Enjoy the intense scent with notes of flowers, fruits, toasted bread, and chocolate. After enjoying the coffee and the long-lasting aroma, the beautiful sensations remain for several seconds, sometimes even minutes: round, smooth, substantial, sour, and bitter, a marriage of well-balanced tastes.
Cappuccino!
See Masterpieces without the Mob Scene in Italy
The typical scene is the significant number of selfie-takers in front of Florence’s Uffizi Gallery Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. To avoid that, Inspired Travel Designs can help luxury travelers find the perfect time to visit with fewer crowds and secure a VIP after-hours visit. Exclusive access, hassle-free, and a more enjoyable stay awaits you. Now that is something that spells serenity.
The gallery’s director, Eike Schmidt, envisions a different scenario with his Uffizi Diffusi, or “scattered Uffizi” program. Scattering treasures around Tuscany and taking out the masterpieces for display in various towns echoes back the Medici family vision. One potential location includes the Careggi in Florence. The director plans to have two Botticellis so the public can see them hanging in their original home.
Every artwork will have a historical link to its new location. Like that of the Botticellis, Masaccio’s fifteenth-century masterpieces will go from his birthplace to the historic center of San Giovanni Valdarno. This is a charming spot, just a half-hour train ride from Florence.
Uffizi Gallery at Night, Florence, Italy
Say Ciao to Capri’s Folksy Neighbor Ischia
The Bay of Naples’ island of Ischia’s thermal parks and spas make it Europe’s largest thermal-water destination. At the same time, Ischia spells the more authentic Italian experience. Think Amalfi Coast sans the craziness!
Ischia is home to lively port towns, artists, seaside coves, and sandy beaches. You can visit family-run wineries and a culinary scene with options from Neapolitan-style pizzerias to Michelin-starred restaurants.
The Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa, renovated from its former watchtower glory to a grand oasis, is the prime hotel choice on Ischia.
Go on a peaceful and quiet holiday at the Aragonese Castle. Gaze upon the lovely Ischia from one of the terraces. Ischia has so much more to offer. To get to know Italy’s island starlet, I suggest reading this article about Ischia.
Aragonese Castle, Ischia, Italy
Discover an Ancient Roman Ghost Town in Italy
The ancient city of Herculaneum is a hidden gem. This ancient city lies at the base of Mount Vesuvius and is considered better preserved than Pompeii. It can be a very emotional, more deep experience. The tourist crowd is smaller and much less crowded.
Exploring this place is like walking through a ghost town. Vibrant mosaics, mythological scene frescoes, wooden doors, and everything that survived are among the things travelers discover upon entering the ruins of its once elegant villas. This is comparable to the Hamptons of present times.
Test your courage by seeing boathouses revealing skeletons caught in frantic poses while trying to escape the tragic day.
Herculaneum ancient ruins – A ghost town in Italy
Celebrate Italian Nature
Great news to those who love to hike! The Sentiero dei Parchi project offers hikers a chance to trek newly built and refurbished trails that link the country’s national parks (all 25 of them!).
This project gives a new light to experiencing the Italian culture. En route on the path, you can pass by the ruins of a monastery on Abruzzo’s sacred Majella massif and, in Calabria’s Pollino National Park, the Grotta del Romito, a cave with prehistoric carvings.
A good recommendation would be to trek in Umbria and Le Marche’s Monti Sibillini Park. Discover that part of Italy that is not known to many travelers while taking a break between Florence and Rome.
The Palazzo Seneca in Umbria
After hiking, pamper yourself with a stay at the luxurious 24-room Palazzo Seneca, which has a Michelin-starred restaurant. While staying in this hotel, immerse yourself in Umbrian culinary treats! Hunt for black truffles, please pay a visit to Norcia, and sample their worldwide famous cured meats.
Garden and Historic Center at Palazzo Seneca, Italy – Virtuoso
If you book the hotel through Virtuoso, you will get to enjoy an upgrade subject to availability. Booking through Virtuoso gets me access to the hotel’s sumptuous breakfast buffet, plus I get a $100 resort credit! Staying at this hotel is not just about a luxurious bed or top-notch amenities. It is an experience that makes it worth the price.
Travel in Spring and get a chance to see the Fiorita, a sudden blooming of wildflowers that blankets the valleys.
Unleash your Wanderlust through the Wanderlist
Thinking about international travel reopening soon, craft your custom vacation plans. Virtuoso Wanderlist would help you discover some of the world’s best hotels, cruises, and travel experiences. You can browse many adventures, add ideas, and organize everything into a shareable list to send to family and friends. Try it out and have all kinds of ideas at your fingertips.
Feel free to reach out and experience VIP access to the world’s greatest wonders. Let me arrange a vacation for you perfectly balanced between exhilarating adventures and extraordinary pampering. Be it in Italy or anywhere in the world! Book a call. Talk to you soon!
Produced with Virtuoso with the Italian National Tourist Board and Inspired Travel Designs