POST ON YOUR DREAMBOARD
Aaaand… we’re off! Easter kicked the high season off in Italy, and we can confirm that the tourism floodgates are officially open. Our team in the Cinque Terre tells us that the villages were busy and bustling all weekend long, and that the vibe is positively pre-pandemic. It’s got us in the mood for that same kind of energy, and so we’re pinning a race car to our dreamboard this week, one we plan to test drive via Racing in Italy just outside Milan. They offer a 6-day Race Course Vacation in partnership with Traveling in Italy aimed at young drivers looking to start a racing career or anyone who wants to live the life of a race-car driver for a week, with a team of professional race drivers and mechanics as instructors. Don’t want the full immersion but are itching to test drive a Maserati or Lamborghini? Pencil an afternoon into your itinerary with them, because they do that too
SLEEP HERE
Portofino is one of the most popular places for A-listers to park their yachts while in Italy. Now you can park yourself in front of those yachts for a few days by staying at the recently renovated Splendido Mare Hotel. This intimate hotel has 14 rooms and suites, a free shuttle service to a beach near the hotel, in-room spa services, and everything else you can expect from a luxury hotel. Our tip? Reserve the Ava Gardner Suite (the one in the picture below) — she actually stayed in it, and it’s a stunner.
MANGIAMO
Salumeria Rosicoli is hands down the cutest place to grab a quick bite in Rome. Open until midnight (but closed on Sundays), it’s the Italian equivalent of a deli. Roscioli sells exclusive cheeses, cured meats, and other products like vinegar, truffle oil, olive oils, wines, crackers, and cured fish. Lunch and dinner are also served (and be sure to make a reservation — the Romans love this spot). The regular food menu can be hit and miss, but the antipasti are abundant and great value for the money — one order is enough for two people to share. The bread basket is the best in town, provided by their bakery which is within eyesight of the salumeria. Highly recommended: the octopus salad and the platters of mixed cheeses and cold cuts. Bring a healthy appetite!
WISH WE WERE HERE
We wish we were in a little town called Sori, between the Cinque Terre and Genova. And if you’ve tried the melt-in-your-mouth fresh cheese focaccia we always pick up here, you would wish you were in Sori too. People come on tours with us because part of our team lives in Italy year-round, rolling up our sleeves to do the focaccia-flavored dirty work, like finding these special little spots and the best eats in them. So when you travel with us, you know you’re going to get the real deal. No tourist traps, just the latest local gems and insider finds. Want to join us? Just send us an email with ‘sign me up’ and we’ll send you more information about the last spots on our 2022 tours.
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With love + focaccia
Bianca
