Looking for a delicious dose of la dolce vita this summer?
The Italians do it so well, don’t they? With this in mind, we’ve rounded up three idyllic Italian locations for a summer escape, spotlighting where to stay, eat, what to do, and, naturally, what to wear whilst doing so.
In partnership with MATCHESFASHION.
Rome
STAY
La Posta Vecchia, the former home of tycoon John Paul Getty. Filled it with an impressive collection of art and antiquities, the grand palazzo on the sea is just 24 miles from Rome’s city centre. Still, with an on-site museum and Santa Maria Novella spa, the hotel is a destination in itself.
EAT
La Campana is considered to be the oldest restaurant in the city. A true institution, dating back some 500 years, the understated trattoria serves classic Roman dishes and regularly hosts locals who pop by for the polpette (meatballs) – well if it’s good enough for the locals…
SHOP
Gammarelli is the sixth-generation tailor where Popes have been having their clothes made for over 200 years. Pop in for a pair of their famous silk socks which come in three colours: black for priests, purple for bishops, and red for cardinals.
DO
A visit to the Vatican is not to be missed. Within Vatican City, attend a holy mass at St. Peter’s Basilica and wander through the Sistine Chapel to see Michelangelo’s stunning ceiling fresco.
Florence
STAY
Oltrarno Splendid is an unexpected gem located in the cool Oltrano district of Florence. The 14-bed boutique hotel is spread across an 18th-century palazzo just minutes from the Ponte Vecchio. Rooms are eclectic, featuring original frescoes, restored wallpapers, and objets from antique market trawls.
EAT
Trattoria del Carmine is a low-key, family run spot serving dishes like ravioli with pork ragù and roasted veal. Come here with anyone who wants to sample authentic Florentine cooking in an unpretentious atmosphere. Gucci Osteria, which sits inside the maximalist store-cum-museum Gucci Garden in Palazzo della Signoria, is a truly Instagrammable spot. Staff attentively whizz around in chic button-downs and Gucci trainers (obviously) whilst delivering delights like tortellini with parmigiano reggiano cream ceremoniously served on bespoke Ginori porcelain.
SHOP
Stop by one of the oldest herbal pharmacies in the world, the original Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, which opened here in the 1600s. As soon as you walk in, a medley of herbs and flowers fills the air. Mahogany-and-glass cabinets are brimming with vials of oils and perfumes, hand creams and body lotions. Be sure to stock up on the brand’s almost-too-pretty-to-use trademark soaps.
DO
Florence truly is a city to explore on foot. Take a walking tour and hit up the highlights – don’t miss Piazza della Signoria, the Boboli Gardens, and Piazzale Michelangelo.
Ischia and Naples
STAY
Offering old-school luxury on the bay of Naples, there’s only one place to check into: Grand Hotel Vesuvio. The grand marble lobby and Murano chandeliers set the tone for a thoroughly sophisticated stay.
Perched on a cliff in rustic Ischia, Mezzatorre descends down to a private bay, earning this hotel serious hideaway status. Providing a full sensory overload, the air is thick with the fragrance of thyme, pine, and lavender, whilst warm thermal springs bubble up directly into the hotel’s healing pools, forming the focal point of the spa’s hedonistic treatments. In a word: magical.
EAT
The birth place of pizza, it would be almost sacrilege to not indulge whilst in Naples. Make like a Neapolitan and stop by Pizzeria Ciro Oliva for melt-in-the-mouth pizza fritta. In Ischia, be sure to reserve a table at the exclusive Giardino Eden restaurant: savour a languid, wine-fuelled seafood dinner against the soundtrack of the lapping waves.
SHOP
The Boutique at Mezzatorre is a good place to start, with a curated edit of Marie-Louise Sciò‘s favourite brands as well as the hotel’s signature striped beach towels and parasols to bring a touch of the hotel’s understated glamour home with you.
DO
Start your Naples sightseeing in Piazzo del Plebiscito. The pedestrianised square is right in the heart of Naples and a short distance from many of the main tourist attractions: like Castel Nuovo and the Quartieri Spagnoli. Re-fuel at the iconic Gran Caffè Gambrinus for a coffee and a spot of people watching.
For a change of pace in Ischia, zip off on a speedboat directly from Mezzatorre for a day at sea exploring the oh-so chic Capri, and tiny island of Procida. Cool off with a dip, snorkelling to discover the blue water caves and Roman ruins hidden beneath the water.
Any Questions or Tips to add?