Travel should transport us from our everyday life to unforgettable places where we can become immersed in, and intoxicated by, the environment. Little is as uplifting and energising as waking up to an exceptional view, whether of countryside, mountain, river or ocean.
Few countries offer as many exquisite vistas as Italy. The renaissance city of Florence captured from one of the bridges spanning the River Arno; the bucolic patchwork of undulating countryside and vineyards, punctuated by historic hamlets, that is the Val d’Orcia, southern Tuscany; San Marco and the marvel of Venice seen through the tall windows of a suite in a 15th-century palazzo on the Giudecca.
We love the view through secret gardens from one of our top two Milan hotels; the panorama of ancient Rome from a favourite hotel rooftop bar terrace; Portofino’s unique picture postcard inlet and harbour seen through the master suite window of our hilltop villa.
Can there be such a thing as a favourite? If so, where would it be?
Having travelled the length and breadth of Italy over many years we find it very difficult to say what we like best. However, on our return from Campania, specifically the Costiera Amalfitana and Capri this past week we can confidently say this region has to be our favourite. For the climate, the friendliness, the topography, the food and the wines. And if there is anywhere blessed with an extraordinary number of jaw-dropping vistas it is here, from Naples to Salerno and the offshore islands.
Gore Vidal claimed the view from the end of the gardens of Ravello’s Villa Cimbrone to be the world’s finest. The prospect from our hotel suite terrace, across gardens down to the coastal villages of Minori and Maiori, comes close.
And then there’s the view from one of the world’s most spectacular walks on Capri, from Punta Tragara to Arco Naturale high up above the famous Faraglioni rocks. Or the vista from the Amalfi Coast road down to the gorgeous, almost hidden, cove of Conca dei Marini where a simple trattoria by the water, accessed only by boat, has become, arguably, our favourite in the region.
Whether from your villa, hotel suite or restaurant table it’s all about the view. If you want to be sure to secure the finest views and unforgettable memories, come and talk to us.