Ask Enrico: your questions answered
Q: I want to go on a romantic holiday to Italy to pop the question – any ideas?
A: I can suggest three equally perfect options:
- Out in the candlelit garden of the Hotel de Russie in Rome. Utterly romantic.
- While taking a ride on a gondola in Venice. Unsurpassable. Stay at the Hotel A La Commedia, Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, or Hotel Luna Baglioni.
- In Taormina, Sicily, on the Piazza IX Aprile while enjoying the amazing sea view from the terrace. Stay at the Hotel Therasia on the Island of Vulcano, which is a ferry ride away from the mainland of Sicily.
Q: We’d like to go somewhere suitable for our children (aged seven and nine) that also has enough culture and gastronomy for us adults. Please help!
A: Two ideas would work well for you:
- In southern Sardinia, at Le Méridien Chia Laguna. This hotel has lots of children’s facilities and activities, as well as four restaurants offering great food.
- In Tuscany at the Hotel Adler Thermae Resort & Spa. There is a children’s club where youngsters can have fun and meet other kids while the adults relax in the sumptuous hotel spa. The restaurant serves up excellent Tuscan cuisine with an extensive wine list (the hotel has its own wine cellar).
Q: We’re hoping to combine Renaissance culture with getting away from it all at an exclusive hotel; we’re happy to visit more than one destination. What do you suggest?
A: The best option is to stay in Florence at Hotel Villa La Vedetta, an exclusive hotel slightly out of the city centre but close enough to experience the Renaissance art and culture. The stunning location boasts fabulous panoramic views of Florence; combine this with a stay at the Villa San Michele, just outside Florence in the Tuscan hills.
Q: We would like to see all of Italy’s great cities in one holiday. What’s the best way to do this?
A: The best way to see Italy’s great cities would be combining
Rome,
Venice and
Florence as a multi-centre holiday,
with all transfers between resorts, as well as accommodation and flights, arranged through
Citalia. The suggested accommodation in each city is:
Rome, Hotel Savoy;
Venice, Hotel A La Commedia; and
Florence, Hotel Brunelleschi.
Q: We’re on a limited budget but would like to see the best of the Italian lakes. What do you advise?
A: We can book low-cost flights from London to the
Italian Lakes for both
Lake Como and
Lake Maggiore. Recommended accommodation:
Lake Como, Hotel Lenno; Lake Maggiore,
Hotel La Palma.
Q: We want to get away from it all for a week. Beautiful scenery is a must. Any thoughts on where to go?
A: Tuscany offers magnificent countryside and vineyard scenery, with stunning views
of the varied and hilly landscape. Suggested
accommodation in Tuscany:
Hotel Relais Vignale;
Villa La Ginestra;
Hotel Garden; and
Hotel Villa San Paolo.
I would also recommend Puglia for spectacular
scenery, whether it’s the countryside, the orange orchards or the amazing sea views.
Ideal accommodation:
Masseria Torre Coccaro,
Masseria Torre Maizza, and
Hotel del Levante.
