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Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Irish Times
Florence like a local: The ultimate guide to eating and drinking, from a €6 pasta dish to Tuscan haute cuisine
We all know the galleries to visit in Florence , but what about where to eat? The first thing you need to do in Florence – before galleries, churches or even coffee – is go to Mercato Centrale . Yes, it's full of tourists. Go anyway. This is where Florentines shop and where chefs buy their fish and Chianina beef for bistecca Fiorentina. Designed by Giuseppe Mengoni in 1874, the cast-iron hall houses more than 100 stalls – 70 per cent still run by families, some still calling themselves peasants. Da Nerbone is the best-known stall in the market – the queue for lampredotto starts before lunch. Florence's signature sandwich dates to the 15th century, when a cow's fourth stomach became a staple of the working poor. If you're not after the photo op, go to Bambi, as we did, the oldest food stall in the market, still using its original marble counter. A lampredotto, Florence's signature sandwich The lampredotto is slow-braised, chopped hot, dunked in broth, packed into a roll and finished with salsa verde and chilli. Too much? Order the trippa alla Fiorentina – tomato-based, €7 a portion. For porchetta, head to La Norcineria di Nannoni, where fennel-scented roast pork with crackling is folded into warm focaccia – €6 a sandwich. READ MORE If you're self-catering, the central market is the place to shop. Manetti Massimo is the butcher for bistecca, Baroni has more than 100 types of Pecorino, and at Marco Salumi e Formaggi, aged Parmesan starts at €17.90/kg and guanciale at €14.90/kg. Ask for it vacuum-packed and it will travel home happily in your suitcase (I can vouch for this). Vegetable stalls are piled with what's in season – artichokes when I was there – turning up on menus all over town. And do buy cantuccini: Belli Biscottificio Artigianale sells them loose by the kilo, with a €10 bottle of Vin Santo to dunk them in. Marco Salumi e Fromaggi, Mercato Centrale, Florence Florentines shop before lunch, so get there by noon; the shutters come down by 1.30pm. And avoid the upstairs entirely – it's a food court and a totally different experience. For a quieter market, head out from the centre to Sant'Ambrogio, one of the loveliest districts of Florence. Beside the market (also designed by Giuseppe Mengoni), is Semel, famous for its inventive sandwiches. Order one with a 'gottino' of red. It's far from a secret, but better than the tourist-magnet Vinaio on Via dei Neri. Mercato Centrale: Eating and drinking in Florence's central market On the north side of Piazza Ghiberti, L'Ortone is a Tuscan-style bistro with exposed brick, arched ceilings and tiled floors – once part of the 'Ortone', the walled vegetable garden of the Santa Verdiana convent. Produce comes from the market, including the aged beef for the bistecca Fiorentina with fat as yellow as old gold. It's served charred and rare – rich, smoky and deeply satisfying. Rigatoni with sausage and stracciatella (€6) arrived in clear breach of portion control ... the ribollita – the reason we came and also €6 – was scalding, thick with beans and cavolo nero, poured over bread and finished with a swirl of oil. Tiramisu and panna cotta rounded out an absurdly affordable lunch Drop into Gilda Bistrot for coffee and pastries, or Cibrèo Café. Cibrèo runs a whole constellation – a formal restaurant, trattoria, cafe and theatre. Book ahead for dinner at Cibrèo Ristorante, with its ochre walls, wood panelling and scattering of maps and paintings. Featuring regional Tuscan dishes, go a la carte or take on the €90 tasting menu, which, when we were there, included timballo di tagliolini – a dome of pasta filled with molten cheese and prosciutto, artichoke hearts on mash with a yolk, and pigeon stuffed with mostarda di Cremona. Cibrèo Ristorante: Go a la carte or take on the €90 tasting menu For something more eclectic, try Podere 39, a Michelin Bib Gourmand spot tucked into Via Senese near Porta Romana, home to some of Florence's oldest buildings. The room walks the line between rustic and curated: stone walls, patched plaster, farmhouse tiles underfoot, shelves stacked with jars, cookbooks and wine. The menu sticks to Tuscan roots, with much of the produce coming straight from their own farm – podere being Italian for exactly that. Trattoria Sostanza – known to locals as Il Troia – is one of Florence's most enduring, but far from unknown institutions. Ten minutes west of the Duomo, just past Santa Maria Novella station, it's cash only and only takes bookings by phone, old-school style. Hotel Lungarno: 'Probably the most discreet stealth-wealth hotel I've ever stayed in' It was booked out when I was in town, but the concierge at Hotel Lungarno – probably the most discreet stealth-wealth hotel I've ever stayed in – tipped me off about Trattoria La Grotta Parri. Owned by the Ferragamo family, Lungarno is Succession money with better manners: Ferragamo's original fashion sketches hang in the rooms, the corridors are lined with life drawings (naturally, for a designer), and downstairs you'll spot some Cocteaus and an early Picasso. And of course, there's a rooftop terrace with a view to match. Well outside the city centre – and worlds away from Hotel Lungarno – Trattoria La Grotta Parri is a no-frills lunch spot where workers in high-vis vests crowd in for proper Tuscan staples. Open since 1948 and still run by the Parri family, it's a matriarchy in the kitchen, with the men on floor duty. The space is tiled, the walls lined with football memorabilia and black-and-white photographs, the television on in the corner, adding to the soundtrack of clattering pans and neighbourhood chat. Trattoria La Grotta Parri: It's a matriarchy in the kitchen, with the men on floor duty Rigatoni with sausage and stracciatella (€6) arrived in clear breach of portion control: oozy cheese, crumbled meat, and pasta with just enough bite. The ribollita – the reason we came and also €6 – was scalding, thick with beans and cavolo nero, poured over bread and finished with a swirl of oil. Tiramisu and panna cotta rounded out an absurdly affordable lunch. No trip to Florence is complete without a proper dive into Tuscan wine. Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina, directly opposite the 15th-century Pitti Palace, might look like a tourist trap, but it's one of the city's best spots for exploring the region's wines. Three-glass flights pair beautifully with the charcuterie and pasta, and the sommeliers give sharp, informed commentary with every pour. There are only six tables, so book ahead. At Locale Firenze the pine nut burrata, wood pigeon crème brûlée, veal tripe in Parmesan water, reworked ribollita, and pigeon with miso and truffle carved tableside are all clever, focused and driven by flavour Also with a serious wine list – but on a far glossier level – is Cestello Firenze, set in the former fish market on the piazza beside the old church of San Frediano. It's one of the sceniest spots in town. With high ceilings, exposed stone walls, and industrial touches; there's a cocktail bar as you enter, with a long raw fish counter and open kitchen anchoring the main room. Cestello's tasting menu shows range, restraint and flashes of real creativity. It opened with clever snacks then moved on to a red prawn empanada – blistered pastry, sweet prawn – followed by squid ink ravioli filled with goat's cheese, topped with red prawn and a goat's milk-yuzu sauce that landed neatly between the Med and Japan. Sturgeon with lobster-coconut sauce, wasabi mayo and courgette sounded unlikely, but the execution was refined and well judged. Locale Firenze: Cocktails are spectacular, as are the bar snacks Also owned by the same group – but far more theatrical – Locale Firenze sits in the historic Palazzo Concini in Santa Croce, just steps from the Duomo. The cocktail bar – on the World's 50 Best list – opens on to a courtyard where vines claw up stone walls, softening the marble and the high-gloss mixology. Cocktails are spectacular, as are the bar snacks – deep-fried oysters with ponzu. In a neighbourhood full of indie bars and after-hours energy, Locale is the one with polish – all moody lighting, sharp tailoring and Renaissance swagger. Manzo sedano e carote at Locale Firenze, owned by the same group as Cestello but far more theatrical Chef Simone Caponnetto's Tuscan haute cuisine is best approached through the tasting menu, though the a la carte holds its own. His Mugaritz background shows in dishes that nudge boundaries without veering into gimmick. Pine nut burrata, wood pigeon crème brûlée, veal tripe in Parmesan water, reworked ribollita, and pigeon with miso and truffle carved tableside are all clever, focused and driven by flavour. This is Michelin-standard cooking – how it's still unstarred is anyone's guess. We stayed nearby, at Hotel La Gemma – tucked down a quiet side street near Piazza della Repubblica. It's a boutique spot with art deco rooms and quietly attentive service. A subterranean spa with Turkish bath, private courtyards, rooftop terrace and a first-floor gourmet restaurant are part of the draw. Chef Paulo Airaudo (Michelin stars in San Sebastián, Barcelona, and Hong Kong) is the executive chef at Luca's at La Gemma. Guests can choose between a tasting menu or a la carte. Highlights include an artichoke consommé with yuzu ferment, mackerel sashimi with tomato water, and red shrimp with beetroot. The pasta dishes – one with potato and taleggio in vin jaune sauce, the other, pigeon cappelletti – were standouts. There's clear Michelin ambition, though a few dishes using sous vide need fine-tuning – they'd be better cooked the old-fashioned way. For a classic Michelin experience, head to Borgo San Jacopo at Hotel Lungarno. The diningroom frames the Arno through a sweeping arched window – just be sure to request a table downstairs, as the upstairs space has a different feel. Borgo San Jacopo at Hotel Lungarno The tasting menu is inventive without tipping into showiness, and there's also an a la carte option. Dishes such as savoury zabaglione, lemon semifreddo with juniper, and chickpea cannolo showed real imagination. Highlights included stuffed quail with foie gras sauce, caviar-topped prawns, and a fragrant strawberry-pistachio dessert. It's food that balances precision with pleasure. Every detail considered – and nothing overplayed. For a break from the city, Serrae Villa Fiesole is a short, affordable taxi ride into the hills – and worth every cent. The outdoor terrace provides stunning views of Florence, and chef Filippo Saporito (also chef/patron of La Leggenda dei Frati) brings real clarity to the food. The restaurant earned a Michelin star within months of opening. Dishes are thoughtful without overreaching: oyster with foie gras brûlée was unexpectedly brilliant, chitarra spaghetti with turnip top pesto was quietly assertive, and the sweetbreads were rich but never heavy handed. Red mullet in bisque pushed intensity without losing balance. These are places for special occasions – but in Florence, Sunday is the tradition that matters. It's a day for walking – dogs, babies, grandparents – all en route to lunch. Trattorias fill with families, three generations and the family mutt in tow. A cliche maybe – but a glorious one. Ristoro di Cambi, a short walk from Piazza Santo Spirito in the San Frediano district, is the place to go – but do book. Opened in the 1950s as a wine shop serving simple food with Chianti, the room is all arches, exposed brick, and ochre coloured walls with an eclectic mix of paintings. Ristoro di Cambi, in the San Frediano district, is known for its bistecca alla Fiorentina It's known for its bistecca alla Fiorentina, reasonably priced at €55 per kilo, served on a wooden board. We explored the lighter classics: courgette flowers stuffed with ricotta and lemon; lardo sliced thick, laid over focaccia with pickled tomatoes, tagliatelle with mushrooms in a delicious sauce, tiramisu with the right hit of booze and bitterness, and cantuccini with Vin Santo. Ristoro di Cambi Ristoro di Cambi Aperitivo isn't optional in Florence – it's architectural. Rooftops fill early, Negronis arrive strong, and golden hour does the rest. Some terraces are residents only, others take bookings – either way, you'll want to plan ahead. Antica Torre Tornabuoni 1 is ideal if you're staying over – a restored medieval tower five minutes from the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, and Ponte Vecchio. Rooms are individually styled, with hand-painted murals on the walls and parquet floors, but the real draw is the view: two terraces kept blissfully crowd-free for guests only. For those not checking in, La Terrazza at Hotel Continentale is the best-known name in town – a sleek rooftop just above Ponte Vecchio, which is open to non-residents, but a reservation is essential. B-Roof, the rooftop bar at Hotel Baglioni near Santa Maria Novella, is another elegant option: part American bar, part restaurant, and a solid bet for celebrations. If you're after something more low-key, The Social Hub rooftop – open to all – has a small pool, skyline views, and basic drinks and snacks. Everyone knows what galleries to visit in Florence. The challenge is where to eat – and how to do it without getting funnelled into a queue for a sandwich that's been coasting on TikTok since 2018. Florence doesn't hide the good stuff – but it expects you to know where to look. A proper trip means plotting your days around where you'll sit down: bistecca at Ristoro di Cambi, Sostanza, or L'Ortone; something slow and serious at Cibrèo. Pick one ambitious dinner – Borgo San Jacopo or Locale – then balance it with food stalls in the markets and trattorias where the menus haven't changed in decades. Watch what locals queue for. And if you're celebrating – really celebrating – get out of town for lunch. Serrae Villa Fiesole is the call, or a quieter spot with a bottle of red, pasta, and a view worth lingering over. Then come back for aperitivo at a place that offers a view, not a queue. Florence does foie gras brûlée and caviar, but also a €6 plate of excellent pasta. You just have to decide which version of the city you want that day – and book accordingly. Florence Notebook Casual Bambi , Storico Mercato Centrale Firenze, Via dell'Ariento, 50123 Firenze. Semel , Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti, 44, Firenze. Gilda Bistrot , Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti, 40-red, 50122 Firenze. Café Cibrèo , Via Andrea del Verrocchio, 5R, 50122 Firenze; +39 055 234 1100; Trattoria La Grotta Parri , Via Bolognese, 14/r, 50139 Firenze; +39 055 480405; Mid-price trattorias L'Ortone , Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti, 87/red, 50122 Firenze; +39 055 234 0804; Trattoria Sostanza , Via del Porcellana 25r, Firenze; +39 055 212691. Podere 39 , Via Senese 39r, 50125 Firenze; +39 345 2376137. Sceney Cestello Firenze , Piazza del Cestello 8, Firenze; +39 055 2645364; Locale Firenze , Via delle Seggiole, 12r, 50122 Firenze; +39 055 906 7188; Special Occasion Cibrèo Ristorante , Via Andrea del Verrocchio 8 r, Firenze, 50122; +39 055 234 1100; Borgo San Jacopo , 62/R, 50125 Firenze; +39 055 281661; Serrae Villa Fiesole , Via Frà Giovanni da Fiesole Detto l'Angelico, 35 – 50014 Fiesole; +39 055 597252 Wine bar Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina , Piazza Pitti 16, Firenze, 50125; +39 055 212 704; Roof top bars open to non-residents Terrazza at Hotel Continentale , Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli 2/r, Firenze, 50123; +39 055 2726 5900; B-Roof at Grand Hotel Baglioni , Piazza dell'Unità Italiana 6, Firenze, 50123; +39 055 2358 8560; Where to stay in Florence Hotel Lungarno , Borgo San Iacopo, 14, 50125 Firenze; +39 055 27261; Rooms from €525 per night, two adults sharing, excluding breakfast Hotel La Gemma , Via dei Cavalieri 2c, 50123, Firenze; +39 055 010 5200; Rooms from €625 per night, two adults sharing, including breakfast. Antica Torre di Via Tornabuoni 1 , Via dei Tornabuoni 1, Firenze, 50123; +39 055 265 8161; Rooms from €255 per night, two adults sharing, including breakfast. The Social Hub Florence , Viale Spartaco Lavagnini 70–72, Firenze, 50129; +39 055 062 1555; Rooms from €63 per night, student rates €45 per night during the summer season. Corinna Hardgrave was a guest of Toscana Promozione Turistica and City of Florence.
CNA
15 hours ago
- Business
- CNA
A selection of new and restored hotels and luxury villas await in Tuscany, Puglia and beyond
A raft of new and renovated properties is opening in Italy just in time for the lazy, sun-drenched days of summer. From Tuscany to Puglia, here are a handful of newcomers and thoughtful restorations, including a boutique hotel in a 16th-century Baroque mansion in Lecce and a collection of luxe villas in the mountains of Chianti. FORTE DEI MARMI, LUCCA Pensione America Dating to the early 1920s, this one-time Tuscan villa, and then pensione (or boarding house), by the Ligurian Sea has been transformed into an adults-only beach escape. Where there were once dozens of rooms, there are now just 18 rooms and suites. All have terraces or verandas; bamboo furniture that lends a breezy, seaside feel; and products from Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, the venerable Italian fragrance and personal care brand. If you really want to spread out, consider booking the two-story casita, La Villetta, which has a garden and a plunge pool. Created by Collezione Em (whose hotels include the Grand Hotel Minerva in Florence and the Violino d'Oro in Venice), Pensione America is part of the Leading Hotels of the World collection of luxury properties. You can delight in la dolce vita amid the gardens, on a tennis court and in the pool decorated with Sicilian tiles. Go for a stroll or ride on one of the free bikes to the nearby beaches for which the area is known. Begin each morning at the hotel's restaurant and indulge in sweet crepes or eggs in tomato sauce. At lunchtime, you'll find a menu inspired by the surrounding waters, with seafood dishes such as ravioli with shellfish and spaghetti with arselle (little clams). The restaurant is also open for dinner. Prices from €1,600, or about US$1,800 (S$2,322) a night. PORTO ERCOLE, GROSSETO La Roqqa On the harbour of Porto Ercole on Tuscany's Argentario peninsula (about an hour-and-a-half-to-two-hour drive from Rome), La Roqqa underwent a three-year renovation and is now a 50-room-and-suite boutique hotel designed by the Milan-based Palomba Serafini Associati studio. Bold lighting and furniture from the 1960s and '70s add nostalgic touches to the common areas, while many of the minimalist guest rooms are awash in the colours of the surrounding land and sea. Suites, in contrast, sport lighter hues. All rooms have outdoor spaces with views of hills and trees, or the sea. But why just look from afar when you can get up close? Stretch out under an umbrella at Isolotto Beach Club, part of La Roqqa, on a sandy stretch of beach amid the otherwise rocky coast. Take in the Mediterranean air by hiking, cycling or horseback-riding. Treat yourself to a massage or a facial, or spend some time in the sauna. The hotel, part of Miramis Hospitality, has its own yacht that can take you to nearby islands, such as Giglio and Giannutri, and can arrange experiences like wine tasting and cooking lessons. If you'd rather someone else did the cooking, order seafood by the water at Isolotto Beach Club, or head over to the hotel's Scirocco restaurant for family-style Tuscan dishes (and wines, of course) including homemade pastas and dumplings like gnudi with sheep ricotta and nettle, cacio e pepe sauce and fermented lime. Watch day turn to night at the Scirocco Rooftop Bar, where you can sip a cocktail — the hotel has several that it says were inspired by Caravaggio paintings — as you gaze out over the Corsini Botanical Garden and the harbour. Prices from €380 a night. The historical centre of Lecce, in the Apulia region, is rife with Baroque buildings, including this boutique hotel in a limestone mansion that dates to 1557. After a four-year renovation, the property is now an 18-room-and-suite getaway that mixes contemporary design with vaulted ceilings and graceful arches. The rooms are elegant and spare, with 18th-century wooden doors, and each nods to the building's past, with different touches, including stone walls, brick-and-lime floors, and walls adorned with frescoes. For a special occasion, book the more-than-1,000-sq-ft Suite Zimara, with a balcony, two bathrooms and your own hammam, Jacuzzi and fireplace. Palazzo Zimara is in the heart of the city, so you can go out for a meal or dine al fresco at the hotel's La Bocca restaurant. In the mornings, sip caffe leccese, iced coffee sweetened with almond syrup, and sample pastries and local cheeses. Later, try Italian dishes that change with the seasons, like a misticanza salad with peach, walnut and cocoa; and croaker fish, puttanesca style. Unwind with a glass of wine while people-watching from the terrace at Radino Wine Bistro. The hotel, part of the D'Angelo Family Collection, a family-run hospitality group, has plans to also open a rooftop bar next year. Prices from €240 a night. CHIANTI REGION This summer, the luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent is rolling out five estates for families and groups seeking plush villas in Chianti, the Tuscan region beloved for its mountains and wine. The properties include renovated farmhouses and wine estates with romantic views of hills, olive groves and vineyards. Your trip begins at the airport, where a private car will pick you up. Rates include a case of Tuscan wine and a hamper of food — think homemade bread, local olives and cheese — as well as breakfast, housekeeping and experiences, which include welcome and farewell dinners, a wine-tasting on the estate (or in the winery on your property), a cooking class with — who else? — an Italian chef and a photography session, as well as private return airport transfers. Ranging from five to 10 bedrooms, the estates have amenities such as pools, outdoor kitchens, gyms, wine cellars and a concierge who can book restaurants and private chefs, and arrange car rentals and spa appointments. Prices start at US$55,000 a week for up to 10 people at Villa Pianvecchio, a five-bedroom farmhouse on a wine estate. (If you were splitting that among 10 people it would be about US$786 per person a night.) The other Chianti estates are Villa Castiglioni, with six bedrooms from US$65,000 a week; Villa Il Santo, with eight bedrooms from US$70,000; Villa Tavernaccia, with eight bedrooms from $90,000; and Il Cellese, with 10 bedrooms from US$90,000. The new estates are currently available for 20 per cent off those prices. By Stephanie Rosenbloom © The New York Times.
Times
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Times
The celebrity holiday homes that you can stay in
Who hasn't stayed in a holiday rental and sniffed around looking for clues about the owner? It's even more fun if you can critique the tastes of public figures by staying in their villas. It can pay off even if you aren't a fan. Fashion designers and film-makers — with practice in constructing elaborate fantasy worlds — can make bold, imaginative decisions when it comes to their own holiday homes. And often — thanks to hit albums or top-line billing in films — they don't have the cost considerations that the rest of us face. Or much in the way of self-doubt. Most of these properties are Big Vision stuff, with price tags to match. David Copperfield doesn't just own one private island in the Caribbean, he has an archipelago of 11 and his personality is writ large across them. Sting has 900 acres of prime Tuscan landscape to call his own. But celebrity holiday lets can also provide some surprises. These houses and villas, available to rent, anywhere from California to the English countryside, can also show a gentleness and an affinity with both nature and classic architecture. This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue Best for Britpop fansPearl Lowe and her husband, Danny Goffey of Supergrass, turned a 19th-century gothic-inspired mansion into a boho-accented party pad after buying it in 2017. Now a fashion and textile designer, Lowe has adorned each of the nine bedrooms in her 1920s-inspired image, with brass bedsteads, velvet sofas and exuberant wallpaper mixed in with maximalist beading and tassels. You can walk to funky Frome from the end of the tree-lined drive but also ramble straight into impossibly lush Somerset countryside from a garden that has a hot tub and a gypsy caravan. With its mix of art galleries and very trendy restaurants, Bruton is a 20-minute drive away. This was the couple's family home when their children were growing up, but you may need to make a booking fast. Or think of it as a try before you buy — Pearl's Place is on the market for £ Seven nights' self-catering for 18 from £10,995 a week ( Best for modern-day MedicisSelf-sufficiency, celeb-style. The music legend Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, bought their estate in Tuscany in 1997. The family tend to take up residence there in the early part of the summer but it's available to mere mortals the rest of the time. There's also a large private swimming pool, tennis court and yoga pavilion amid acres of olive groves and serried rows of vines. Perched on a hilltop, Il Palagio is near the medieval town of Figline Valdarno and a 40-minute drive from Florence. The main house, which dates from the 16th century, has nine bedrooms with a further six bedrooms split between two cottages while cellars have been turned into dining rooms and a meditation room. With guitars and mandolins sprinkled around and its own recording studio, there are plenty of clues to the ownership (although to be fair, Il Palagio's website spells it out pretty clearly too). Details Seven nights' all-inclusive for 29 from £188,003 ( Fly to Florence/Pisa Best for architecture loversThis sprawling compound gives guests the choice of two celebrity owners to boast about. Located in the very smart Old Las Palmas area of Palm Springs, 432 Hermosa was built in 1964 by the architect Donald Wexler for the singer Dinah Shore. In 2014 Leonardo DiCaprio snapped it up. While the actor is said to stay regularly, you won't find much trace of him — instead, this sprawling single-storey building majoring in glass and glamour has been sensitively updated to showcase its mid-century heritage, with carports a built-in bar and more than a sprinkling of shag-pile carpet. This means that all the 1960s Palm Springs essentials are here to get starry-eyed about, including six bedrooms, seven (and a half) bathrooms and a swimming pool with a guest cottage, and views onto the San Jacinto mountain range beyond. Details Two nights' self-catering for 16 from £5,568 ( Fly to Palm Springs • 13 of the most luxurious villas in Europe Best for party tricks Think that owning a private island is pretty aspirational? In 2006 the American illusionist David Copperfield bought a chain of 11 islands in the Exumas, a district of the Bahamas made up of more than 365 islands and cays. Today it's the most high-octane private property in the Caribbean, sleeping up to 24 guests across a main house and a series of smaller properties. The turquoise waters and creamy sand have been augmented with all the ultra-luxury aquatic toys you can want, including jet skis and water trampolines. Copperfield has also added plenty of trademark touches. There's a secret village, a full-scale cinema called Dave's Drive-In and sculptures on the ocean floor to bring a bit of extra fun to snorkelling. Meanwhile the 30 staff have the magical ability to appear with cocktails and gourmet meals at any one of its 40 beaches. Details Five nights' all-inclusive for 12 from £211,590 ( Fly to the Bahamas Best for proper relaxationGentler than most celebrity holiday rentals, this three-bedroom villa is proof that the bad boy of rock has a very mellow side. Set on the beach (obviously), there's a touch of Balinese contemplation in the wooden decking and infinity-style swimming pool. Decorated in soothing creams and whites, the vibe is so serene, Richards has said that he'd like to see out his days here, but if the Rolling Stones tour again in 2026, there should be plenty of time to nip in. And you may get a starry neighbour thrown in. Just along the beach, Lucky House is owned by 1980s supermodel Christie Brinkley. Both villas have access to the hotel facilities of Parrot Cay, a short wander along the white sand beaches of this Caribbean island and come with butler service. Details Seven nights' B&B for six from £84,000, including flights, transfers and butler service ( Best for immersion in natureFrom the masks on the wall to the family photos and Illy espresso machine, this is the surprisingly low-key holiday hangout of one of the world's most famous film directors. Not content with winning five Oscars and starting a series of acclaimed vineyards, Coppola has also opened hotels in Italy, Guatemala and Argentina as well as Georgia, USA. But the director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now has a special affinity with Belize and recently made a collection of villas on the island available for exclusive hire. Blancaneaux Lodge, which he bought in 1980, was originally a family home, becoming a hotel in 1993. Deep in the rainforest, surrounded by ancient pines and palmetto trees, his own two-bedroom villa overlooks the Privassion River. Nature has primacy here; toucans drop in, a plunge pool and hammock beckons, and you can even rustle up a meal in the kitchenette, although a walkie-talkie means you're in constant touch with Blancaneaux's staff for meals and service. Details One night room-only for four from £817 ( Fly to Belize
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Chianti Classico's Evolution: How Sangiovese Reflects Its Land
Vineyards in the Chianti Classico area are colored under the light of the sunset during the autumn ... More season. Greve in Chianti, Italy. Understanding how a wine region evolves—vintage after vintage—is never simple. Grapes reflect not only weather, but also farming shifts, winemaking choices, and cultural change. For a grape like Sangiovese, whose character is exquisitely tuned to its environment, that evolution can be even more revealing. And in Chianti Classico, one of Italy's most historic regions, we're seeing a quiet but meaningful shift: producers leaning into transparency, elevating quality, and allowing the voice of Sangiovese to speak with more precision than ever before. That's where the experts, and the annual rhythm of major regional tastings, come in. For Chianti Classico, that moment happens every February at Anteprime di Toscana, when an unparalleled range of producers gather to pour newly bottled (and often not-yet-bottled) wines for journalists, sommeliers, importers, and trade professionals. It's one of the rare opportunities to taste hundreds of wines side by side, providing a comprehensive snapshot of both the current vintage and where the region may be heading. It usually takes some time for the dust to settle as critics, writers, and buyers process, synthesize, and publish their assessments. Now, a few months removed from the flurry of initial tasting reports, it feels like the right moment to step back and reflect—not just on the scores and headlines, but on what these early tastings actually reveal for those of us who drink, collect, and follow Chianti Classico. An infinite lineup of Chianti Classico wines for the 2025 Anteprima tasting. Anteprima isn't just about previewing wine, it's about checking the pulse of the region. It's where we see how producers are adapting to new climate challenges, refining their cellar practices, or leaning more into terroir transparency. And while many of the wines are early in their evolution, there's value in tasting youth. Like hearing the first few bars of a symphony, you may not get the full picture, but you'll sense tone, direction, and intent. Annata 2023: In Infancy, But Promising Tasting 2023 Annata wines offered a snapshot of freshness and energy. Still coming together in bottle or barrel, the wines nonetheless hinted at depth of fruit, lifted acidity, and a drink-now appeal that also promises complexity in the near term. For a vintage still unfolding, it offered a fair and encouraging preview of what's to come. Why Riserva Wines Hit the Sweet Spot While Gran Selezione garners the spotlight as Chianti Classico's top tier, Riserva wines quietly overdeliver. With longer aging than Annata and more flexibility than Gran Selezione, Riservas often offer the best of both worlds: complexity and accessibility. At this year's Anteprima, many Riservas struck a chord—wines with structure, soul, and a strong sense of identity that didn't need to shout. The Soul of Sangiovese, in Every Curve of the Road Sangiovese is a grape that mirrors the land around it with remarkable clarity. Sensitive to elevation, exposure, and soil, it can shift character from one hill to the next. In Chianti Classico, where a new ridge or forested slope appears around every turn in the road, this becomes part of the wine's identity. And the best expressions are beginning to showcase that sense of place with precision and pride. Why Tasting Reports Matter After every Anteprima, dozens of tasting reports flood the press. For collectors and sommeliers, they can be a reference point. But for most wine lovers, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Instead of listing 50+ scores, I want to offer a curated handful of producers and wines that not only impressed technically, but emotionally. These are wines that stayed with me—not just for what was in the glass, but because of the story behind them. And while I'm offering my own perspective here, I'd also point readers to the thoughtful work of others who have long followed this region: Michael Godel of Michaela Morris at Decanter, Kevin Day of Opening a Bottle, Walter Speller at Antonio Galloni of Vinous, and the vintage overview from Club Oenologique. Their writing provides invaluable context and insight for anyone looking to dive deeper into Chianti Classico. Tasting Chianti Classico's Future, One Sangiovese at a Time With extensive expert analysis like these to consider, I felt it appropriate to highlight a few standout wines—bottles from producers I've had the opportunity to visit, and whose vineyards, people, and places offered a deeper connection to the wines themselves. Wines That Resonate I Fabbri (Lamole, Greve in Chianti) – Nestled in the high-altitude village of Lamole, I Fabbri crafts graceful, mineral-driven wines shaped by elevation and light. The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva showed remarkable purity and lift, with floral aromatics and a savory, lingering finish. Il Molino di Grace (Panzano in Chianti) – Combining traditional methods with sustainability, this historic estate captures the bold yet refined character of Panzano. The 2023 Chianti Classico displayed beautiful freshness and elegance, offering pure fruit and immediate charm. Querciabella (Greve, Radda, Gaiole) – With organic and biodynamic vineyards across multiple UGAs, Querciabella champions purity and transparency in every bottle. The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva displayed clarity and freshness with a layered, energetic finish. Ricasoli (Gaiole in Chianti) – One of Italy's most historic estates, Ricasoli helped define the Chianti Classico style and continues to innovate across its expansive vineyards. Their 2022 Gran Selezione 'Castello di Brolio' was elegant and tightly wound, with graphite and red fruit depth. Fattoria Tregole (Castellina in Chianti) – A charming hilltop estate in Castellina that delivers wines with a warm, balanced expression of Sangiovese. Their 2020 Riserva was inviting, with ripe cherry, dusty tannins, and soft spice. Istine (Radda and Gaiole) – Focused on site-specific wines, Istine lets its vineyards speak for themselves through minimal intervention and clarity of fruit. The 2021 Radda bottling offered vivid acidity and crushed-stone minerality. Castello di Ama (Gaiole in Chianti) – Known for its combination of contemporary art and traditional winemaking, Ama's wines are layered, elegant, and expressive of altitude. Their 2021 Gran Selezione 'San Lorenzo' was tightly knit, dark-toned, and incredibly polished. Fontodi (Panzano in Chianti) – Set in the famed Conca d'Oro, Fontodi is a benchmark producer for bold yet polished Sangiovese, all organically grown. The 2021 Vigna del Sorbo Gran Selezione was powerful and age-worthy, bursting with dark fruit and velvety structure. Castello di Volpaia (Radda in Chianti) – High in Radda's cooler hills, Volpaia combines historic charm with precision farming and organic certification. The 2021 Gran Selezione Il Puro Casanova offered bright red fruit, fine tannins, and lovely lift—an elegant snapshot of high-elevation Sangiovese. Nardi Viticoltori (Radda in Chianti) – Based in Radda, Nardi Viticoltori continues to impress with its elegant, structured style. The 2022 Chianti Classico Riserva showed beautiful structure and depth, with finely integrated tannins and a long, graceful finish. Final Thoughts If Chianti Classico once lived in the shadow of its own stereotypes—rustic or simple, a table wine for casual occasions—its best wines today reflect something far more compelling. What these recent tastings reveal is a region steadily evolving, not through radical reinvention, but through refinement and renewed focus on what makes Sangiovese shine: place, purity, and personality. The future of Chianti Classico lies in this quiet evolution—one that rewards close attention, vintage after vintage.
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Pope Leo XIV And St. Augustine's Contributions To Economics
Pope Leo XIV as missionary, Bishop and Cardinal, followed and lived according to St Augustine's ... More teachings. Picture of Cardinal Prevost by Franco Origlia, St Augustine painting by Botticelli at Ognissanti Church, Tuscany, Italy The election of Pope Leo XIV, a member of the Augustinian Order, has renewed interest in the teachings of St. Augustine (354-430). The Order of St. Augustine (OSA), although not formally founded until 1244, drew its inspiration from the rules for monastic life established by the saint. Augustine's numerous works cover mostly theology, philosophy, biblical exegesis, apologetics, and pastoral matters. In some of his writings, though, we can find principles helpful for business and economics. A recent well-researched article by Matthew Becklo captured what I have also heard from various Augustinians: The Pope is 'a man thoroughly drenched in Augustine's theology and spirituality.' Following St. Augustine, he understands that 'the Church isn't striving to create heaven here on earth; instead, it's striving to draw earth up into heaven.' With this caution in mind, what were St. Augustine's views regarding earthly policy? The State Noted Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter (1883-1950) writes in his History of Economic Analysis: 'The accomplished author of De civitate Dei and of the Confessiones—whose very obiter dicta reveal analytic habits of mind— [never] Augustine's view of the state is deeply rooted in his theology, particularly as outlined in his seminal work The City of God (De civitate Dei), where he describes two cities, the City of God and the Earthly City. The first comprises those who live according to God's will and love God above all else. It is eternal and governed by divine justice. Members of the second live according to self-love and seek worldly power. This 'city' is temporal and marked by pride, conflict, and disorder. 'City of God' - from miniature by St. Augustine (translated by Raoul de Presles), 15th century. ... More Upper enclosure represents saint who have been received in heaven. The seven lower enclosures represent those who are preparing themselves, through Christian virtues, for heaven, or who are excluding themselves by committing capital sins. SA: Also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, Bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Annaba, Algeria). Latin - speaking theologian and philosopher of Roman region, 13 November 354 28 August 430. (Photo by) *** Local Caption *** Augustine's reflections on this Earthly City inform his views on political economy. Dino Bigongiari summarizes Augustine's view of the state thus: '[The immoral] are the ones whose needs have called into the existence the political State. The State is necessary because the people, with all their greed, with all their desires, would otherwise soon have exterminated themselves.' The State helps to maintain relative peace and order in a fallen world, but Augustine never saw it as a means of salvation. Those who follow St. Augustine's writings do not idealize the state. Salvation lies solely with God and the Church; love for God and neighbor must guide political economy. Some brief yet essential passages in Augustine address private property, business profits, economic value, and the relationship between law and justice. To continue, I will briefly elaborate on these ideas. Private Property It makes little sense to speak about private property in the 'City of God,' but here on Earth, we see evils such as conflict, war, and injustice. Private property (as Thomas Aquinas later argued) does not eliminate these evils but does help to mitigate them. Augustine urged detachment from material goods but did not advocate the abolition of private ownership. Private property, he argued, was not divinely ordained but a human construct—created and regulated by humans and the authorities of civil society for practical purposes. 'It is by human right,' he wrote, 'that we say this estate is mine.' God has given the earth to all, but human laws make private ownership useful and tolerable; after original sin, this better accords with humanity's fallen nature. Augustine wrote, for instance, in opposition to a heretical sect called the 'Apostolics': 'The people styled 'apostolic' are those who arrogantly claimed this title for themselves because they refused to admit married folk or property owners to their fellowship, arguing from the model of the many monks and clerics in the Catholic Church. But such people are heretics because they cut themselves off from the Church by alleging that those who, unlike themselves, marry and own property have no hope for salvation" (De haeresibus 40). Closely connected with private property is the reality of business and profit. Business, Augustine wrote, 'is like eating, a morally indifferent act, which can be good or bad depending on the ends and the circumstances." Pedro de Aragón, a 16th-century Augustinian theologian, expounded: 'It is not business, but businessmen, who can do evil.' Augustine stressed that true poverty is in the heart. The Theory of Value There is a chapter in The City of God titled 'The distinctions among created things and their different ranking by the scales of utility and logic.' Augustine's reflections here had an immense influence on later economic thought. In the divine order and in the order of nature, 'living things are ranked above inanimate objects; those which have the power of reproduction, or even the urge toward it, are superior to those who lack that impulse. Among living things, the sentient rank above the insensitive, and animals above trees. Among the sentient, the intelligent take precedence over the unthinking: men over cattle.' But in the earthly order, utility—usefulness for man—is the main determiner of value. In Augustine's words: 'There is another gradation which employs utility as the criterion of value. On this other scale we would put some inanimate things above some creatures of sense…. For instance, would not anyone prefer to have food in his house rather than fleas?' The Late Scholastic notion of just price was also influenced by Augustine's theory of value, which states that the value we place on goods depends on the utility we derive from them. Since our needs and desires are subjective, utility is subjective as well. According to Schumpeter, Aquinas relied on Augustine once again when arguing, 'The just price of things is not fixed with mathematical precision, but depends on a kind of estimate, so that a slight addition or subtraction would not seem to destroy the equality of justice.' Augustine himself acknowledged that it is common to try to buy low and sell high, but emphasized that fairness is the moral course to follow in any transaction. For instance, he speaks favorably of a man who paid the fair price for a book even when the seller was offering it at a lower price. Justice and Law Augustine developed the notion that unjust laws are not true laws: a law, to be such, has to fulfill certain requirements. As we know, few things are more important for an economic system that leads to integral human development than the institutions of justice and the rule of law. 'Without justice,' Augustine wrote, 'there is no realm, nor province, nor city, nor hamlet, nor house, nor family, nor even a band of robbers and highwaymen that can last.' In Book IV of The City of God we read: 'If justice is taken away, then, what are kingdoms but great robberies? For what are robberies themselves, but little kingdoms? The band itself is made up of men; it is ruled by the authority of a prince, it is knit together by the pact of the confederacy; the booty is divided by the law agreed on. If, by the admittance of abandoned men, this evil increases to such a degree that it holds places, fixes abodes, takes possession of cities, and subdues peoples, it assumes the more plainly the name of a kingdom, because the reality is now manifestly conferred on it, not by the removal of covetousness, but by the addition of impunity. Indeed, that was an apt and true reply which was given to Alexander the Great by a pirate who had been seized. For when that king had asked the man what he meant by keeping hostile possession of the sea, he answered with bold pride, 'What you mean by seizing the whole earth; but because I do it with a petty ship, I am called a robber, whilst you who do it with a great fleet are styled emperor.'' A dictum of Augustine's was, "That which is not just seems to be no law at all' (On Free Will I.5). To be just, a law must derive from the law of nature in accordance with the rules of reason and usefulness to man. The just law must also be possible in the context of the customs of the country. It must be formulated by the one who governs the community, but it may not exceed his power as a lawgiver. The subjects should bear the burden of the law in accordance with proportional equality. Pope Leo XIV. (Photo by Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media via) Pope Leo ... More XIV's economic teachings will likely follow and provide clarity to traditional Catholic Social Doctrine, but concrete economic policy recommendations will come from economists, not the Church Conclusion: The Church and Economics We should not exaggerate the Pope's influence on today's policy discussions. For instance, despite Pope Francis's more interventionist views, his Argentine compatriots elected Javier Milei, whose free-market views were the most radical in the country's history. During the electoral campaign, one of Milei's mentors even advocated breaking relations with the Vatican. And this was despite the fact that over 60% of the Argentine population is Catholic, compared to approximately 20% in the United States. This may give some indication of what influence we might expect Pope Leo's views to have. The Catholic Church's social doctrine, in which Leo XIV is very well versed, establishes that the concrete economic policy solutions is not a matter of dogma but of prudential decisions. The battle to choose the best policies is a task of the Earthly City. It is a great help, however, to have in the highest recognized moral pulpit someone who recognizes the autonomy of economic science and, at the same time, provides moral direction and clarity. Josh Gregor, jgregor@ contributed to this piece
