Charming itineraries and holidays in the most fascinating destinations in Italy

Piedmont is mainly known as the land of aged red wines - Barolo and Barbaresco - and fine food, yet little mention is made of its diverse and beautiful landscape. This part of Italy, named Langhe region, is largely untouched by tourism and is - in many ways - the true Italy, honest and fiercely proud of its culinary heritage.

In the autumn, food festivals take place nearly every weekend, celebrating the regional produce of local farmers and wine-makers. But in the other seasons it has no crowds and we can open for you the doors of the finest wineries in the region, including many which don’t usually accept visitors, and can arrange private tastings for you.

The most famous delicacy of Langhe region is the Alba white truffle, required by gourmands who travel from all over the world every autumn to enjoy the exciting truffle hunting in the woods and to feast on truffles in one of the many superb restaurants scattered throughout the hills. We know the best and most charismatic hunters, who allow our clients to take part in this most secret of rituals to really understand the passion for the ‘white gold’.

But Langhe region is not just about food and wine. Majestic medieval fortresses rise imperiously from the landscape: wonderfully atmospheric on a misty day, many of the castles are home to fascinating collections and most are still in private hands, making an aperitif with the owner a real pleasure.

Piedmont & Langhe Region

Glamorous and enchanting, Portofino is old-school, sophisticated Italy at its best. This multi-colored little fishing harbor is riding high from ’50 and became soon a favorite with the likes of Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren and Ernest Hemingway, who all fell under its spell. Today Portofino still holds its charm and remains pretty much unchanged, although the fishermen’s cottages are more likely to house Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana.

Farther south, down the rugged Ligurian coast, the Cinque Terre villages are easily reached from Portofino for a day’s exploring. These five ancient villages are nearly all closed to traffic and it’s this inaccessibility that makes them just a little more local and down-to-earth than their ritzier sister Portofino.

Each village has its own character; from Vernazza to Rio Maggiore and the rough and rugged shoreline offers breathtaking views. Exploring the Cinque Terre by boat is really the only way to experience them: spend a morning wandering the ancient paths through vineyards and olive groves before enjoying a truly superb trattorias that hug the harbor walls.

Portofino & Cinque Terre

The glorious lakes of Northern Italy are surrounded by ancient villas steeped in history, sleepy lakeside towns, picturesque stunning “Italian gardens” and breathtaking backdrops of majestic mountains. From lively Lake Garda to splendid Lake Maggiore, scenic Lake Como and the jewel-like Lake Orta, this region offers a range of experiences and scenarios that has been fashionable since ever.

We love showing our clients a hidden side of the lakes: garden-lovers can be shown around by the owners of some of the loveliest gardens; traveling by Riva boat avoids the traffic and allows access to areas which cannot be reached by car; alternatively, on a clear day, there is no finer way to explore the region than by sea plane.

We can arrange wine-tastings and cooking classes in our favorite delicatessen of the region and Franciacorta region is home to Italy’s most distinguished sparkling wine, called the “Italian Champagne”. And don’t forgive that the lakes have a long history of artisanal excellence: Como is famous for its silk production and we can arrange a visit to one of the privately owned factories.

Lake Como & Lakes District

Parmigiano” cheese, Parma ham, Modena balsamic vinegar, tortellini… are by themselves a good reason to take an unforgettable journey to the birthplace of such culinary treasures. But Emilia-Romagna is also a marvelous region that offer multiple amazing landscapes, from the mountains to the sea, with several breathtaking views and Unesco World Heritage Sites.

Discover Bologna, not only the grand dame of culture and art, home of the oldest University in Europe, but one of the most renowned Italian city for its cuisine: for this reason it often named as "Bologna the fat".

Visit and love the art cities of the region, from Ferrara, a marvelous example of Renaissance splendor, to Ravenna, rich in extraordinary ancient mosaics.

Car lovers and sports car enthusiasts can visit the Ferrari Museum and have amazing driving experience on Italian race-tracks in Maranello.

Emilia-Romagna

Our guides in Venice help you get under the skin of the city and most importantly away from the crowds. She knows all the private workshops that are strictly closed to the public including those of the most famous producers of masks, gondolas and brocades.

For an unforgettable visit, let BESPOQE arrange a private visit to St Mark’s Basilica as dusk falls and the golden mosaics are softly illuminated. Or have dinner with your friends in a palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal after visiting some of the hidden gardens and privately owned palaces in the lagoon known only to the Venetians and to us.

But Venice is also surrounded by other great places: stretching from the western shore of Lake Garda, embracing the art cities of Verona and Vicenza and the foothills of the Dolomites, with a sprinkling of Palladian villas and Prosecco vines in between, the region remains remarkably, and blissfully, free of visitors.

Culturally rich, Verona is alive with superb restaurants and unique designers. We love it at any time of the year but especially in the summer when the opera is in full swing in the Arena, the Roman amphitheater.

Imagine to spent a day driving through the countryside of the Veneto region, having lunch with a villa's owner and walking through the world-famous Italian gardens of another Villa: what an unforgettable experience!

Venice & Veneto

The Northern Italy is crowned by the Alps, a succession of spectacular mountains and breathtaking landscapes with some of the highest peaks in Europe, as Monte Rosa, Monte Bianco and Cervino (Matterhorn).

On the west side, you can ski on the Olympic mountains of Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx or in the Aosta Valley, renowned for its most important ski resorts – like the impressive Monterosa, with marvelous ski slopes loved by free-riders - as well as for the elegant and lively towns of Cervinia and Courmayeur, where you can relax in awesome Spas or enjoy a pleasant walking through their fashions shops.

Gourmet will appreciate local specialties as the delightful lard of Arnad and the Fontina cheese, the main ingredient for the “Valdotain fondue”.

Carry on east, on Dolomites region, you find a wide skiing area with hundreds kilometers of slopes and the renowned cities of Madonna di Campiglio and Cortina d'Ampezzo, also well-known for the worldly and vibrant cultural and fashion life.

At BESPOQE we plan every day of your holiday on snow, giving you the chance to improve your skiing abilities or organizing for you exciting slalom challenges with a World Ski Champion.

And for the after ski time you can choose among the several opportunities of the Alpine region, from a romantic dinner in a private mountain retreat, with special tasting of typical “canederli” and fine wines, to a sensational driving on snow experience on board of a 4X4 wheels car.

Alps & Dolomites

Chianti-shire and Val d’Orcia presents the classic image of Italy, with cities and hilltop villages unrivaled in Europe for their beauty and spectacular countryside of rolling hills covered in vines, olives and cypresses: the perfect place for a ride in a top sports car!

Florence has been the first-go-to place in Italy for decades, but alongside the most famous locations, BESPOQE propose alternative destinations off the beaten track. The region is famous for its festivals, of which the best-known is the Palio of Siena, the awe-inspiring bareback horse race that takes place twice a year. Our clients can watch it from the comfort of a balcony in a beautiful noble palace in the square which overlooks the start and finish line.

Tuscan wines are world-famous and we are friends with some of the finest winemakers in the region. Whether it be Brunello, Chianti or the Super Tuscans, we can arrange private tastings and lunches with the owners, in vineyards which are usually closed to the public.

Florence & Tuscany

Nestled in the middle of the Italian peninsula, halfway between Rome and Florence, lies Umbria, a region steeped in history, art and culture, and awash in hilltop towns and ancient castles. Its cuisine and wines rival those of its neighbours, Tuscany and Lazio and its unrivaled natural beauty has earned it the title of “The Green Heart of Italy”.

Here you’ll find a traditional, rural lifestyle cohabitating with a buzzing international university and world-renowned festivals. Millennia-aged ruins await contemplative history-seekers, while postcard-perfect medieval villages cascade down the hillsides and beckon to be explored. Placid country roads wend through rolling hills and pass fields of smiling sunflowers, while snow-capped mountains loom to the east.

Nature lovers will enjoy Umbria’s unspoiled mountains and sparkling rivers. Country lanes that pass olive groves and flower-carpeted fields make nice walking paths, hiking and bike riding all over the region. Lake Trasimeno is one of Italy’s largest lakes, perfect for water skiing and boating. It also boasts three islands that can be reached by ferry.

The food and wine heritage of this region is superb as well: mainly famous for the black truffle (find it during a hiking tour with our local hunter!) and for the art of "norcineria" - delicious salami and prosciutti are still made in the local farms by food artisans - the local dishes are well paired with white and red wines of the region, as the outstanding Sagrantino.

Umbria

For millennia, Rome was the Ethernal City, the Capital of the World... Today, Rome is a lively, vibrant and cosmopolitan city: everywhere, like in an open-air museum, you can find the memory of its greatness with a spectacular fusion of ancient and modern, a unique heritage like no other city in the world.

Experience the most local and authentic atmosphere, walking around in the historic Campo de' Fiori neighbourhood, famous for its daily market full of colors and scents, or Testaccio, the city’s original foodie district where the authentic "Roman cuisine" was born! Beside the classic pasta "Cacio e pepe" or the "Coda alla Vaccinara" meat course, taste the legendary "porchetta" sandwich or the traditional street food crunchy pizza.

Immerse yourself in the narrow alleys of Trastevere and the Jewish district or along the streets of Gianicolo Hill, finding some local artisans and amazing workshops, that will leave you speechless: jewels designers and shoes makers, small shops with costumes and hats for the cinema, antiques and old prints... You will want to stop longer in the city!

Interesting sites are in the Rome's surrounding as well: from Tivoli with the marvelous ancient Villa Adriana and the Renaissance Villa d'Este, to the Archeological Site of Ostia Antica, that really is worth a visit.

Rome

Puglia basks in Italy's Southern sun and is a land of extremes: deep sapphire waters offset intensely white towns; exaggerated miles of olive trees cover the horizon, sprinkled with compacted little towns. But Puglia is often associated with its architectural peculiarity: the "Trulli". These whitewashed rural homes are surmounted by conical teepee-like roofs made from stacked stones without mortar. The main concentration of trulli is found in the Valle d'Itria area: the town of Alberobello alone boasts more than 1,000 of these curious dwellings.

Drive an Italian vintage car to the south of the region, reach Lecce, a city rich in history, art and traditions, where Baroque style is expressed here like in no other city. Thanks to its incredible artistic and cultural heritage, capable of capturing the eyes and the hearth of everyone, Lecce is considered the "Florence of the South". Or spend a day in the small villages, making the "orecchiette", the local hand-made pasta, with the grandmas, sitting along the streets and chatting.

Not so far, visit Matera - famous for its old town called “Sassi”, considered World Heritage Site by UNESCO - a city that you cannot compare to other places in the world: you will never find a similar one! Matera is a unique setting, an entire town that lies in a small canyon (“Gravina ” in the local language ) carved by the rain and wind. Discover its hidden spots and the amazing rock landscapes that best testifies the ancient relationship between man and nature.

Puglia & Matera

The beauty of the landscape and the charm of the climate have entranced visitors since time immemorial. Whether you want to escape to the islands of Ischia and Capri, or to the beautifully wild Amalfi Coast, we can help you get the most from one of the most delectable areas of Italy.

The Amalfi Coast is a fabulous juxtaposition of rugged coastline and enchanting towns. If you choose to stay up high at Ravello, you will be rewarded with the most breathtaking views, while the vertically stacked town of Positano offers a more vibrant way of life.

Capri is renowned as the jewel of the Bay of Naples. The key to enjoying this dramatically beautiful island is to avoid the sometimes overwhelming crowds and live life like a true Caprese: dining at its hidden restaurants, some reachable only by boat, and staying at one of the more secluded and idyllic hotels.

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful places in the world which unfortunately makes it one of the most visited. With BESPOQE, you can avoid the masses and discover a hidden, very local and private side to this delightful part of Italy.

Avoid the crowds take our beautiful Riva boat to a picnic on a private beach or to some of the lesser-known villages and islands where tourists are still a novelty and restaurants can only be reached by boat.

Or helicopter around the volcano of Vesuvius and over the ruined cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum before swooping down to Capri for a late lunch.

Amalfi Coast

Sicily has been fought over by everyone from the Greek to the Norman to the Spaniards and this is reflected in its fascinating art, architecture and food which are a melting pot of Arab, African and European influences.

One of the most magical cities in the world, Palermo, is finally re-emerging as one of Europe’s great capitals. The ‘old town’ is noisy, chaotic and life-enhancing, bursting with crumbling palazzos, churches and piazzas that are a joy to explore. Palermo perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Sicily: unpretentious, gritty and a natural beauty.

Elsewhere, the volcanic Aeolian Islands located just off the northern coast boast tiny isolated beaches accessible only by boat and active volcanoes that light up the night sky with showers of diamond-like embers comparable to the jewels that drip off the glamorous Milanese fashion crowd and Sicilian aristocrats who flock there in summer. Each island has a fiercely unique character, from the laidback charm of Salina to the fashionable jet set playground of Panarea.

Taormina is the most beautiful hill town in Sicily, perched high above the sea. If you doubt the Greek genius for siting a building in the landscape, go and enjoy the view from the Greek Theatre towards Etna. Despite the number of tourists, Taormina still possesses great charm.

When we help our clients explore Sicily, our aim is to ensure access to the most private and exclusive side of this complex and fascinating island. We try to achieve a mix between the island’s extraordinarily eclectic culture, natural beauty, sea, food and wine and its wonderfully elegant and grand private houses, gardens, palaces and treasures.

Sicily