Amore per Amalfi - Love for the Amalfi Coast

It’s been a long time since my last newsletter, but I have been very busy this year booking clients throughout Italy!

In May I took 9 people to Italy for the first time since the fall of 2019. It felt good to travel again! As soon as we got off the plane in Naples we were greeted with lots of sunshine which lasted for the entire time!

Sorrento was our first stop for two days. We explored the city after having a welcome drink at the rooftop bar and pool at one of my favorite 5 star hotels in Sorrento, La Favorita!  Everyone had the chance to relax by the pool and collect their energy for the next few days.

The next day we took the ferry to Capri, and it did not disappoint! Capri is so beautiful. Everyone was enjoying the town, the shopping and the exceptional weather! The views were outstanding.

We traveled to Positano the next morning on our way to Ravello. I haven’t been to Positano in about 6 years—it was exploding with tourists. But we were able to navigate the crowds and spend some of our euros here!

Our next stop was the small town of Ravello. We all welcomed the nice quiet pace of this coastal, hilltop Amalfi town. We checked into our hotel and relaxed by the terrace and pool with drinks in hand. Then we rallied for an exploration of the town and the beautiful gardens at Villa Rufolo.

On Tuesday we had a special cooking class with Mamma Agata. Chiara, our host and chef, was fantastic—we could not stop talking about our wonderful experience for days. We ate so much that we did not need dinner, but managed a drink and snack at Luigi’s Bar. It was a very Italian way to end the day!

During our time in Ravello we drove down the Amalfi coast and visited Vietri sul Mare, a town known for ceramic stores and factories. We all left some euros behind here!

Next we drove to the town of Amalfi which was flooded with tourists. A cruise ship in the bay explained the amount of people. We enjoyed our short stop here, passing the time shopping and eating gelato! Amalfi is noted for it hand made paper and many of us picked up a few beautiful pieces!

My daughter and I found many artisanal gelaterias in this area. Our cones were topped with at least two flavors!

Gelato in Italy is not to be missed! It is so creamy and delicious !

After three days in Ravello we were sad to leave, but we knew Naples would provide interesting adventures. En route, we stopped in Pompeii for a private two hour, guided tour. It was incredibly interesting to walk around this archaeological site, which was once a sophisticated city. Our guide Dolores was extremely knowledgeable and spoke English beautifully. We all learned so much. 

We arrived mid afternoon at our last hotel in Naples.  After our welcome drink and snacks, Italian style, my daughter and I navigated the group through Naples in search of a historic coffee house, Il Vero Bar del Professore.  Here we loaded up on caffeine and then proceeded to the Galleria for the best sfogliatella. Both coffee and dessert did not disappoint!

Pizza that night at Da Attilio was superb. This pizzeria is famous for the star shaped stuffed crust. ….

The Royal Palace of Caserta is about 45 minutes outside of Naples and is a magnificent diversion. There are over 1200 rooms to this palace and two residential wings where the servants lived. The grounds have beautiful gardens and fountains. It was very interesting to see how the king and queen of Naples lived during the 17 and 1800’s.  The statues, mosaics and frescos will leave you in awe.

Saturday was our last day in Naples.  We began our day with a food and walking tour.  Our favorite stop was at Sorbillo for fried pizza in the Spacca Napoli area.  The dough was so light and airy and of course they offered us all an aperol spritz!  We then explored the most amazing churches—did you know that Naples has over 1,000 churches?  We ended the tour with a view of Cristo Vellato, (Christ Under the Veil).  This is a must-see if you are in Naples!  We were not allowed to take pictures, so I encourage you to plan a trip and see it in person yourself!

We all had a wonderful time, stayed in grand hotels, and ate delicious food, and shared a lot of laughs along the way.

Behind the Scenes of Gourmet Getaways

During this unique and trying time, Gourmet Getaways has been keeping a close eye on all things Italian to help prepare for future travel.

One unique advantage Gourmet Getaways has in planning any upcoming trip is it's decades-worth relationship with its' trusted suppliers.

What is a supplier:  Suppliers are an essential ‘middleman’ in the travel industry who are only available to preferred Travel Agents.  They serve as Gourmet Getaways’ trusted liaison.

I will will continue to book your hotels and more through my preferred suppliers and here is why:

·       My suppliers’ team members continue to personally inspect all the hotels they represent even throughout this pandemic as some of their team members live in Italy.

·       They review and inspect all their hotels. If any of their hotels have taken a step backwards, they will no longer represent them.

·       Some hotels may have been dropped because they are in a state of flux and may be struggling. 

·       I continue to be closely connected through my experienced suppliers to ensure a positive hotel experience. 

·       Many of my suppliers have added villas and homes to their offerings.

·       These suppliers are trustworthy and financially sound in these ever -changing times.

·       I continue to work with the best guides throughout Italy and have been in touch with them during these quiet times.  They are all eager to welcome you back to beautiful Italy!

One of my other desired suppliers now has a satellite office in London, so if you have a desire to visit the UK I will be more than happy to work with you. To date I am connected with seven reliable suppliers. One of my suppliers specialized in villas in Italy, both large and small, who personally inspects and knows the owners of them. Let us help you select the villa of your dreams!

News You Can Use!

This past fall, I brought a group of eager travelers to one of the most special areas of Italy: the Venetian Riviera. One of the many highlights of that trip was our stay at the (outstanding!) Villa Francheschi, a five-star Relais and Chateaux hotel.  Both during and since our stay, I have since been able to develop a working relationship with the Relais and Chateaux regional sales manager here in the USA.   (This is my third experience staying at a Relais and Chateaux hotel, my first being Borgo San Felice in Tuscany – my second being Palazzo Manfredi in Rome -all are fantastic places).

With the owner, Alessandro, of the Villa Francheschi in Mira, Italy. A beautiful Relais and Chateaux!

This latest stay piqued my curiosity on the Relais and Chateaux brand in general and, during this “down” time, I have participated in many  Relais sponsored webinars in order to better acquaint myself with their global portfolio, as well as their mission.

Relais and Chateaux is French for  Inns and Castles and is best described as a highly sought after status that hotels and restaurants can obtain provided they meet a certain threshold of luxury, professionalism and service. Currently, a global collection of 500 gourmet restaurants, luxury hotels and resorts have distinguished themselves enough in order to call themselves a “Relais and Chateau” establishment.   I usually tell my clients that staying or dining at a facility with this lofty designation ensures two things: (i) you will feel and experience the “true” local culture while also (ii) experiencing a level of ambiance, service and luxury that is truly unmatched.  A Relais establishment is able to strike this delicate balance by hiring the best chefs, fostering relationships with the local food sources, and staffing their restaurants and hotels with top notch professionals from the service industry. Some of these hotels will offer their guests cooking lessons!

Getting ready for our cooking class. You too can take a cooking class at most of the Relais and Chateaux hotels! They also have other activities that can be enjoyed. Many of these hotels are geared for family vacationing. Ask and your request will be granted.

One fascinating thing I learned? These hotels are not just abroad, but right under our nose here in the USA!  So, if hopping on a plane is still a bridge too far for many of you (and I completely understand), a true Relais experience can be had by simply getting in your car.

The webinars have featured incredible hotels in the states, as well as in the Caribbean and Costa Rica.  Most of hotels are family oriented so if you wish to take the family, that can easily be arranged.  In many instances, one not need to go off site for your meals since the best chefs offer farm to table menus steps from your hotel room.  In addition, I have also developed meaningful relationships with the managers of these hotels, which will only enhance your stay.

Let me work with you in creating that perfect itinerary!

 Here are just a few of the hotels that are offered on the east coast:

Castle Hill in Rhode Island

Ocean House in Rhode Island

Blackberry Farm in Tennessee - very family orientated

Manoir Hovey - Near Quebec Canada

Auberge St. Antoine - Quebec Canada

Old Edwards Inn in North Carolina

Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island

The Pitcher Inn in Vermont

Winvian Farm in Connecticut

A Delightful Stay in the Venice countryside at Villa Franceschi

This Relais and Chateaux hotel and 5 star property, Villa Franceschi, is a gem of a hotel 30 minutes outside of Venice on the Brenta Canal.  It provides a very peaceful stay in the countryside.  Its location is ideal for exploring the towns of Treviso and Padua and the beautiful sixteenth century Palladian Villas.  Once you settle yourself at this lovely resort you will feel as if you are home.

All the rooms are equipped with state- of -the- art amenities:  air conditioning, tv, wi-fi, beautiful furnishing and more.

The surroundings present a very relaxing atmosphere and both buildings are surrounded by gardens and if you find yourself here in the warm weather you can relax by the large pool.

The restaurant, Margherita, has delicious offerings each night and believe me you will not be disappointed.  If you so desire you may want to take a cooking class with the chefs!

The lobby has a stylish bar where you can sit and read, have a drink or enjoy an afternoon tea with biscotti.

Trust me and you will not be disappointed in your stay here!

Entrance to this beautiful hotel

Going to Venice? Think outside the box!

If you want to stay in Venice consider a hotel away from the hordes of people near St. Mark’s Square.

I brought my group of ladies to a small boutique hotel steps from the Rialto market and bridge.  This hotel, L’Orologio, which means clock in Italian, was full of charm and amenities.  The staff was very attentive and the breakfast each morning was very extensive in its offerings.  The cappuccino was perfect.  So much so that one morning I had two! The hotel faces a major canal and outside the front entrance one can easily cross the canal by gondola for 2 euros per person and explore the Cannagregio district of Venice!

So, to recap your hotel stay:

• ·       Stay at a hotel in the San Polo district of Venice. An excellent choice of hotels would be: L’Orogolio and Palazzo Giovanelli and Grand Canal

• ·       There is also another great hotel between the Rialto bridge and well behind St. Mark’s Square and it is called Ai Reali – a wonderful hotel as I have inspected it when on a previous visit to Venice.

• ·       If you want to stay in another district of Venice, an excellent choice would be the Ca’Segredo in the Cannagregio district.  This district has the one and only casino in Venice.

Rialto Market

Rialto Market

While in Venice I strongly suggest you visit the islands of Murano for the glass blowing and Burano for the lace making.

Glass blowing and lace making are both specialized techniques and to see these artists in action is astonishing.  It is well worth the visit.  Burano especially because if it very colorful homes.

• ·       Please note that you can get off the ferry just before Burano and step into another world when you visit the tiny island of Mazzorbo, which has a well-known vineyard and a Michelin starred restaurant called Venissa. 

• ·       Please note: When shopping on the island of Burano please be aware of knock-off products.  Shop in stores where you will be able to purchase the true product.  Example:  La Perla sells authentic lace products!

·       Other towns within easy reach of Venice are:  Padua and Treviso.

Colorful houses in Burano

Ristorante Venissa in Mazzorbo

Glass blowing in Murano