Latest news with #summergetaway
CNA
3 days 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.
CTV News
22-05-2025
- CTV News
Tips for exploring the region on a bike
Ottawa Watch Is it time for another summer getaway? Ditch out car and hoping on a bike for a fun adventure.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Daily Mail
The UK's top secret beach bays without the crowds
Tired of jam-packed car parks, overpriced ice creams and never-ending toilet queues at some of the UK's most bustling beaches? Then it's time to ditch the crowds and head to the nation's most secluded bays instead. As Brits brace for a season of sunny spells and scorching temperatures, walking shoe experts, FitFlop, have shared the ultimate solution to the summer stampede. By analysing Google search data for 915 beaches across the UK, they've revealed the least searched - and most secluded - bays in Britain and Northern Ireland, perfect for a tranquil escape. The data highlights just how many Google searches there are each month per beach location, on average, to unveil the beach bays under the radar as the least researched online. Topping the charts are the likes of Abermawr Bay in Wales and Knockinelder Bay in Northern Ireland - all averaging just ten monthly searches, making them the least-known and most peaceful spots in the UK. For those seeking a destination with multiple secret spots, then Wales is the best region overall, with four of its bays making the top ten. Read on to discover the most secluded beaches in the UK that offer a secret, solitary summer escape: 1. Abermawr Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales Rated 4.5 on Tripadvisor and nestled on Pembrokeshire's north-west coast, Abermawr Bay is a true gem for beach walkers seeking peace, beauty, and connection with nature. This secluded shingle beach is framed by lush greenery, rugged cliffs and exposed tree stumps of a drowned forest. Ideal for reflective walks and birdwatching, its coastal path offers stunning views over St. George's Channel. Dog-friendly and rarely busy, it's a haven for nature lovers - and there's even a local woollen mill for cake and craft browsing after a long, scenic walk. 2. Kingsand Bay, Cornwall, England Tucked in Cornwall's 'Forgotten Corner', Kingsand Bay offers a quiet escape with historical charm. With just 100 Instagram tags and no TripAdvisor reviews, the bay remains blissfully under the radar. Visitors can wander through narrow lanes, take in traditional Cornish cottages, and enjoy panoramic coastal walks to nearby Cawsand or Rame Head, away from the summer bustle. 3. Knockinelder Bay, County Down, Northern Ireland Located on the Ards Peninsula, Knockinelder Bay offers golden sands, rock pools, low dunes, and sweeping sea views. With only 46 Instagram tags, this spacious and generally uncrowded beach is perfect for long beach walks or exploring the surrounding coastal paths. On clear days, try taking the Coastal Path that links the bay with nearby beaches like Cloughey Bay and Kearny, where the backdrop of the Irish Sea and the distant Mourne Mountains adds a magical touch to the serene stretch of shoreline. 4. Brown's Bay, County Antrim, Northern Ireland Another Northern Irish gem, Brown's Bay sits at the northern tip of Islandmagee. Shaped like a horseshoe and backed by green headlands, the beach is known for its calm waters and tranquil setting. Follow coastal paths for elevated sea views or simply enjoy the peaceful sounds of lapping waves and distant seabird calls. Walkers can enjoy a coastal loop by linking Brown's Bay with nearby Portmuck or follow informal trails over the surrounding headlands, offering elevated views of Larne Lough, Scotland's Mull of Kintyre, and the wide expanse of sea beyond. 5. Mowingword Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales Perhaps the most hidden of them all, Mowingword Bay is a secret cove only accessible by a 400-yard low-tide swim from neighbouring Box Bay. The cove reveals a mix of sand, pebbles, and sea-polished rock formations (including Pinnacle Stack) surrounded by steep, vegetated cliffs and some enormous sea caves - one of which has a blow-hole reaching right to the top of the cliffs. With no Tripadvisor reviews and just three Instagram tags, this wild beach also offers dramatic cliffs, sea caves, and total isolation. It's perfect for adventurers ready to explore its raw, untouched beauty.
