The Best Hotels in Florence Are a Slice of Tuscan Elegance
Vogue's Favorite Hotels in Florence
Accommodations in Florence are as glamorous and storied as the ancient city itself. Take your pick between centuries-old palazzos and elegant villas reimagined into modern luxury stays, each one imbued with a deep appreciation for Florentine traditions. Position yourself in the heart of the centro storico, or opt for a stay on the hillsides of Tuscany just outside of town for a quieter getaway. Ahead, 10 of the city's standouts for your next trip to Firenze.
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Associated Press
a minute ago
- Associated Press
More American couples are turning to Italy's 'dolce vita' in a quest for memorable weddings
FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — James Atkinson and Samantha Fortino toured a Tuscan vineyard and learned to make pasta and a Bolognese sauce alongside their family and friends in Florence. Atkinson discovered a penchant for chianti, while Fortino fell for Italy's hugo spritz — a cocktail that posed no risk of staining her wedding dress on July 24. Italy has hosted a number of star-studded weddings in the past decade, most recently Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez 's extravaganza in Venice. Away from the spotlight, tens of thousands of ordinary Americans have set their sights on the country for their special day in recent years. 'Weddings in America can be a little too grand and a little bit too big and it ends up not really being about the couple,' said Fortino, 28, a neonatal nurse from Skaneateles, New York. 'We both just really wanted something intimate and meaningful.' Over 15,000 foreign couples wed in Italy last year, up 64% from 2019, the year before the pandemic, according to market research from the Center of Tourist Studies of Florence. Growth was led by U.S couples, who account for almost one-third of that total. Italy was the top international destination for American couples after Mexico, according to Maryland-based wedding planning website The Knot. For many Americans, Italy embodies the simple, beautiful romance of a bygone era. Weather is balmy and its varied landscapes, from the sea to the mountains, stunning. The food is familiar and crowd-pleasing. But perhaps the biggest driver of the recent uptick is ample opportunity for a range of outings, which together with the wedding event are alluring for those on a quest for unique, memorable moments — part of a consumer trend termed 'the experience economy.' 'In the United States, everything is just more expensive for one night and we wanted to make an experience, so we did two nights here,' said Atkinson, 31, who owns a concrete company. 'It just seemed like way more worth it to us to do that and make a trip out of it with our family, our loved ones.' 'Nobody cancels' One guest who had never visited Italy was ecstatic about the invite, and took advantage to tack on side trips, first to Venice and then with the wedding crew to Cinque Terre. Another, Gary Prochna, nearly didn't attend because of work piling up at his paving company. He eventually came around and was floored by the venue — a 15th-century villa with a sweeping view over Florence and its famous Duomo. 'I got married in the United States and our venue was very nice. I thought — until this moment — we had the best wedding,' said Prochna, 68, adding that he now hopes his daughters will get hitched abroad. Marcy Blum, a prominent luxury event planner based in Manhattan, said almost 90% of the weddings she plans are in Italy. 'The reason Italy is so popular is because that's where your guests want to go,' she said. 'You send an invitation that you're getting married in Capri or Positano and everybody comes. Everybody. They want to come. Nobody cancels.' Jack Ezon, CEO of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel and destination event service also based in Manhattan, said 60% of his company's events were outside the U.S. before the pandemic. Today it's almost 90%, nearly all split evenly between Italy and France. The threat of tariffs under President Donald Trump has given destination weddings a boost. Ezon has moved six events from the U.S. to Europe this year, because people were afraid tariffs on alcohol would cause their bar bill to explode. Cost comparison The shift to destinations has benefited planners with networks across Italy and local vendors. According to Wedding Italy, the husband-and-wife team who put on the Atkinson wedding, American clients spend three times as much as Italians, due to more elaborate wedding decor and other events in their multi-day lineup. Average spend on hometown weddings in the U.S. was $32,000 last year, according to The Knot. By comparison, foreigners' weddings in Italy cost an average 61,500 euros ($70,600) and typically have dozens fewer guests, the Center of Tourist Studies of Florence's data showed. In the garden where the Atkinsons held their service, cypress trees swayed in the wind as the bride emerged from the chapel, beaming in her lace mermaid-silhouette gown. She walked down the aisle as speakers played the theme song to Star Wars. It was her sneaky trick to make the groom cry, and it worked like a charm. Before the exchange of rings, before the lovebirds threw their arms around one another, their officiant said: 'Traditionally I would ask: Is there any reason why this couple shouldn't be married? But for goodness' sake – we all flew to Italy and can't get our points back! So instead I'll ask: Who here approves of this union?' Cheers all around.
Forbes
a minute ago
- Forbes
This Luxury Ischia Resort Just Reopened After A Stunning Renovation
Fans of Ischia, the enchanted Italian isle some 20 miles from Naples with a less-traveled allure all its own, have another reason to head to its storied shores in the months ahead: the reimagined San Montano Resort & Spa. Having originally debuted in 2008, the singular five-star property–perched atop Mount Vico in the town of Lacco Ameno on Ischia's northwestern coast–has just unveiled a renovation, four years in the making, that's sure to dazzle both new and longtime visitors to the volcanic island long revered by discerning travelers for its rich history, wild beauty, and unassuming charm. San Montano Resort & Spa, one of Ischia's most celebrated resorts, debuted a dazzling renovation this summer. Serena Eller A stunning homage to Italy's arguably unrivaled aesthetic legacy, the redesign–by Rino Gambardella and Claudio Pulicati, the dynamic duo who also designed San Montano's celebrated sister hotel, Borgo Santandrea, which opened to breathless acclaim in 2021–incorporates elements from postwar masters like Gio Ponti and Ico Parisi, while embracing hyperlocal craftsmanship and the surrounding Mediterranean landscape. 'Our expansion and renovation was a direct response to Ischia's emergence on the global luxury travel map,' says General Manager Arcangelo De Siano , whose family, a notable player in Italian hospitality for three generations, acquired the property in 2008. 'We observed a distinct shift: discerning travelers, increasingly seeking a more authentic, slow-paced, and wellness-centric experience, began to discover Ischia and San Montano. We saw a clear opportunity to take San Montano to the next level within the luxury segment, and to align our offerings with the evolving desires of sophisticated clientele." Guests of the resort can stroll its 7.5 acres of parkland and Mediterranean gardens, which reflect Ischia's exuberant nature. Serena Eller The resort's 65 newly revamped rooms encompass four different room types and eight luxurious suites. The décor melds the kaleidoscopic blue color palette of the Mediterranean with modern marble and terracotta accents, and bespoke furnishings artfully crafted from repurposed elements like reclaimed antique majolica tiles. All suites feature a private pool or jacuzzi–like the sumptuous Amalfi Sunrise Suite, whose spacious infinity pool overlooks the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius beyond. The Lighthouse Suite, a unique two-bedroom villa housed in the remnants of a former military lighthouse at the top of the property, ranks among the renovation's most exquisite additions. Offering 360-degree views the Tyrrhenian Sea from the resort's highest point, the brand-new suite accommodates up to six guests in two rooms that incorporate ground-level elements from the original architectural footprint, including a unique circular bathroom with original portholes that frame the seemingly boundless seascape. The "Winter Garden," the Lighthouse Suite's standalone, glass-enclosed living room, features a fully equipped kitchen and living area accented with artisanal touches. SERENA ELLER The sky-high hideaway also features a standalone, glass-enclosed living space spanning nearly 1,000 square feet, aptly called the 'Winter Garden,' which seamlessly brings the outside in with a retractable roof, fully equipped kitchen, and vistas galore, accented with artisan-crafted ceramics and a panoply of natural materials. 'We want our guests to feel like they are staying in our home, rather than in a hotel,' says Francesco De Siano, San Montano's co-owner and sales director. 'Spending time around the kitchen and the dining table represents the real Italian way of enjoying life: being together with family and friends, sharing good food and good wine. That's why the kitchen, together with the beautiful living room, represents the true soul of the Lighthouse.' The suite's 11,000 square feet of outdoor space include a private garden with a plunge pool shaded by fragrant lemon and olive trees–a prime perch for soaking up the island's spectacular sunsets. Presiding over the resort from its highest point, the Lighthouse Suite offers a luxurious world of its own. San Montano Resort & Spa San Montanto's wellness offerings are rooted in the island's natural healing elements: Ischia's more than 100 natural, mineral-rich thermal springs, reputed to have healing properties, have drawn visitors since ancient times. Besides five thermal pools–each a different temperature for a revitalizing circuit treatment–six additional outdoor pools, including a large seawater pool, provide plenty to options for a revitalizing dip. The hotel's natural grotto sauna, carved into the rock and warmed by thermal waters, amplifies the immersive wellness experience. Meanwhile, San Montano's Ocean Blue Spa, which spotlights local ingredients and centuries-old Ischian wellness traditions, offers a wide array of treatments, from traditional mineral-rich mud therapies to physiotherapy and kinesiotherapy. Facilities include five treatment rooms, a sauna, hammam, Kneipp pool, and experience showers, as well as an outdoor treatment area ideal for reveling in the exuberant nature that earned Ischia its 'Green Island' moniker. The property has also debuted new wellness programming, including guided hiking tours to Monte Epomeo–the island's highest peak at nearly 2,600 feet above sea level–yoga sessions in the hotel's gardens, and cooking classes using hyper-local ingredients. Guests can also stroll the property's 7.5 acres of lush parkland and Mediterranean gardens. In a nod to sustainability, drought-resistant greenery and native vegetation were reintroduced in the redesign, enhancing the hotel's natural grandeur while supporting a more balanced microclimate. La Veranda, the property's fine-dining restaurant, serves up delectable Italian cuisine and breathtaking views. San Montano Resort & Spa San Montano's culinary offerings, overseen by Executive Chef Francesco Scotto di Minico, spotlight age-old traditions and ingredients plucked from the hotel's gardens, along with just-caught local seafood and artisanal ingredients sourced from top regional purveyors. La Veranda, the property's fine dining restaurant, serves up inspired dishes like lobster panzanella and ravioli with traditional Ischian rabbit sauce. At lunchtime, pizza-lovers will want to beeline to Franco's for standout Neapolitan pizzas like its signature 'Lemontano,' topped with mortadella, buffalo mozzarella, pistachios, and lemon zest, and served on a sun-splashed panoramic terrace complete with jaw-dropping views. Light poolside fare like panini take center stage at Acropoli Bar, while the Sunset Bar is the island's go-to for aperitivo at dusk, where head bartender Ambrogio carefully crafts zingy cocktails with local bitters and herbs from the garden, as live piano and harp music fills the air. Wine lovers can also explore the hotel's extensive cellar stocked with Campania's finest vintages, with private tastings available for those keen to explore the region's winemaking heritage. Craft cocktails made with herbs from the kitchen garden take center stage at the Sunset Bar. Serena Eller Speaking of wine, San Montano's concierge team can arrange visits to centuries-old vineyards to taste indigenous Biancolella and Forastera wines, along with an array of other experiences on the island, from scooter tours to private excursions aboard the hotel's four luxury boats to fishing with local fishermen. History buffs will want to visit Castello Aragonese, an imposing medieval castle dating back to 474 B.C., that presides over an islet to Ischia's east and connected by a causeway; its steep, narrow stairwells and surrounding rocky outcrops present an ideal opportunity to walk off some indulgent pasta dinners. Green thumbs won't want to miss Giardini La Mortella, one of Europe's most captivating private botanical gardens. Created in 1958 by Lady Susana Walton—wife of British composer, Sir William Walton—with the help of English garden designer Russell Page, the breathtaking sanctuary reflects her five-decade devotion to its painstaking cultivation. Connected to the island by a causeway, Ischia's Castello Aragonese is one of the island's most visited attractions. Corbis via Getty Images However guests choose to spend their time in Ischia, they'll be spoiled for choice. "The uniqueness of the island comes from its diversity and the richness it offers within a remarkably compact footprint,' says Arcangelo De Siano. 'Despite being about four times the size of Capri, Ischia remains incredibly accessible, allowing visitors to go from one side of the island to the other within minutes, yet it is astonishingly dense with authentic experiences, history, and culture."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Plane passenger tries to outsmart airline's luggage rule by doing the unthinkable with her suitcase: ‘She's so real for that'
They told her to check the bag — she checked them instead. A fierce flyer is going viral for muscling her suitcase into a carry-on sizer at a European airport — leaving airline staff stunned when the bag actually fit. The shove came courtesy of TikTok user Arina (@summermken_official), who posted a video of herself forcefully wedging her luggage into a metal bag checker at the Vueling counter during a recent flight from Paris to London. 'Never give up, at least not on the sake of €200,' she wrote in the caption — and the internet agreed. The clip has racked up more than 10 million views since it was posted July 22. 'They asked me to place my bag in the checker to confirm it met size requirements,' Arina told Newsweek. 'It seemed that they were just suspicious of the size of my bag since it didn't seem like carry-on luggage.' The Spanish low-cost carrier, like many budget airlines, has earned a reputation for eagle-eyed enforcement of size rules — and for slapping on sky-high baggage fees. Vueling charges up to 88 euros (about $96) at the airport if your bag doesn't fit its requirements. 'I was 100% sure that it would fit […] plus I measured it before buying and it fit the standards of the company,' she told the outlet. What followed was a now-iconic suitcase showdown: Arina is seen in the clip straining to push her bag into the checker — and then yanking it out with just as much effort. The Vueling employee? Gobsmacked. 'She seemed quite surprised that the suitcase actually fit,' Arina said. 'She said, with genuine shock, that I must be very strong… she clearly didn't expect it to fit at all.' TikTokers applauded her persistence — and side-eyed the airline. 'Her face, that's 'I told you' face,' wrote one viewer in the comments section. 'She's so real for that,' another chimed in. 'Bro that's small carry-on too, I hate airlines,' added an additional user. As previously reported by The Post, one Ryanair passenger broke down in tears this week at Sofia Airport in Bulgaria after being denied boarding when her bag wouldn't fit the airline's size limits. Despite shoving it into the sizer, she refused to pay extra, pleaded with border police, and ultimately collapsed to her knees sobbing as staff looked on. Overall, when it comes to budget flights, it's bend or break — and these women did both. Solve the daily Crossword
