MENUOur list of articles tagged with "Italy."
During the past few years, Lake Como in Italy has become one of Europe’s most festive holiday destinations, with legendary luxury hotels like Villa d’Este and Passalaqua staying open during the season and transforming into glittering winter wonderlands.
For travelers who love books, history, architecture and design, incorporating visits to some of the world’s most beautiful libraries into private touring is a wonderful way into a destination’s cultural and literary heritage.
Hotel Castello di Reschio is a stylish luxury hotel on the border of Tuscany and Umbria, a tranquil base for privately touring the region.
Italy is renowned for its rich heritage of traditional crafts, including leatherwork, ceramics, goldsmithing, bookbinding, perfume making, glassmaking and marbled paper. Artisans of Leisure arranges for our travelers to visit historic workshops and enjoy hands-on private lessons in traditional crafts such as marbled paper.
Artisans of Leisure arranges private Venice tours including exclusive excursions to Murano by luxury boat. We arrange behind-the-scenes access to prestigious glass studios as part of our private Venice tours. Visting Murano is a must for glass collectors, enthusiasts and anyone interested in traditional crafts and history.
Artisans of Leisure arranges private insider tours of the highlights of Venice that feature architecture, art, crafts, cuisine, Jewish history, private boat rides, excursions in the Venetian Lagoon, and more.
We love experiencing hot springs and thermal baths around the world—such as serene Japanese onsen and open-air baths at spas in cities such as Budapest and Reykjavik—in spectacular settings.
Artisans of Leisure can incorporate local thermal bath experiences and bathing traditions in all of our private international tours.
Many of our travelers return to Italy again and again, drawn by the enduring appeal of the country’s culture, food, wine, landscapes and people. Ashley Ganz, the Artisans of Leisure founder and CEO, travels to Italy frequently to relish her favorite places and scout the latest in luxury hotels and insider experiences. Read more about some of her favorite places and experiences throughout the country.
One of the most legendary resorts in Italy is Villa d’Este, an exclusive property on the shores of Lake Como known for its majestic Renaissance architecture, beautiful gardens, spectacular lakeside setting and sophisticated Old-World style.
One of our favorite private excursions from Venice is an exclusive vineyard tour and tasting of the rare Dorona wine on the lesser-known island of Mazzorbo.
Visiting the breathtaking landscapes of Tuscany is an iconic experience for many travelers on our private Italy tours.
Synonymous with the Golden Age of travel, luxury train journeys evoke the romance of a bygone era in a way that few other experiences do. Read more about our favorite luxury train journeys that we can incorporate into our customized private tours around the world.
Artisans of Leisure founder and CEO Ashley Isaacs Ganz recently spent time in Sicily to enjoy its incredible food and wine, history, culture, landscapes and wonderful luxury hotels. Read more about some of her favorite places and experiences.
Artisans of Leisure travel specialist Claire Munn just returned from a private Italy tour, where she enjoyed time in Florence, Tuscany and Rome that included private tours of iconic highlights and off-the-beaten-path gems. Read more about Claire’s trip and her favorite experiences and places that can be incorporated into any Artisans of Leisure private Italy tours.
The Roman Forum is a sprawling archaeological complex in Rome, Italy and one of the city’s most iconic sites. Once the center of the Roman Empire, the Forum contains the ruins of some of ancient Rome’s most important temples, monuments and government buildings. A privately guided tour is a must for travelers interested in history, archaeology and architecture.
Artisans of Leisure can arrange hospitality packages and VIP access at the top Formula 1 races and coordinate race dates seamlessly with private touring and luxury accommodations.
Artisans of Leisure arranges private Italy tours filled with insider experiences. Upon request we can arrange exclusive access to the Duomo Terraces, private meals in private palazzos overlooking the Duomo, and more.
Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, an exclusive resort in Italy, is one of our favorite places to stay in Tuscany. For families and friends traveling together, we particularly recommend the resort’s private Tuscan villas.
Artisans of Leisure can arrange private, full-day and half-day luxury yacht and catamaran excursions in favorite destinations such as the Amalfi Coast in Italy, the Cote d’Azur in France, the Greek Islands and the coasts of Turkey, Croatia and Spain.
Positano’s spectacular setting enchants visitors from around the world who come for the iconic views and authentic la dolce vita on the Amalfi Coast.
Trulli–the distinctive limestone cottages of Alberobello in Puglia, Italy–create an enchanting scene of whitewashed walls and conical stone roofs.
Like many of our travelers, we love visiting gardens when we travel. Not only beautiful and relaxing, gardens are tangible reflections of local culture that offer insights into local history, aesthetics, religions, and culinary and medicinal traditions.
We just returned from a food and wine immersion tour in Piedmont, Italy’s northwest region famous for white truffles, the Alba Truffle Festival, Barolo and Barbaresco wine, and the Slow Food movement.
Artisans of Leisure arranges private luxury tours in the Dolomites, including hiking, food and wine experiences, and the most interesting cultural touring.
Artisans of Leisure’s bespoke private tours of Tuscany feature highlights of this iconic region, including ancient hill top towns, incredible art, renowned food and wine, and luxurious countryside resorts.
We recently caught up with Giuditta Gallo, owner of the luxurious Relais San Maurizio, for an insider perspective on Italy’s Piedmont region, a must-visit food and wine destination for 2019.
Ravello on the Amalfi Coast is the perfect luxurious retreat and base for exploring the best of the region.
The sumptuous interiors and outstanding art collection at Palazzo Doria Pamphilj make this private palazzo one of Rome’s best hidden gems.
The idyllic island of Capri makes for an ideal day trip from the Amalfi Coast, with the chance to enjoy beautiful scenery, tour the historic highlights, savor local cuisine, shop for specialty goods and more.
Few images evoke a sense of summer like a shot of the breathtaking blue waters off the Italian coast. In Sicily, short hikes along the coast–through beautiful nature preserves–lead to secluded beaches where locals and visitors flock to enjoy the sun. Our private Italy tours feature the best of the country’s gorgeous coastal regions, including […]
A short drive from the Sicilian town of Taormina brings you to the base of Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano. A day trip to Mount Etna is a great option for travelers wanting to explore the active volcano’s diverse landscapes, learn about its natural history, and see how frequent eruptions continue to […]
Close to Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Oplontis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some of the most interesting yet least known ruins in southern Italy. Oplontis was once a cluster of villas on the outskirts of Pompeii and was also buried under ash after the infamous 79 A.D. eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Though […]
Italy abounds in gastronomic treasures, but perhaps none is more highly prized than white truffles. Travelers visiting the Piedmont region in October and November—prime white truffle season— can see and taste the best of the best at the Alba International White Truffle Fair. We arrange for our travelers to visit the fair, and we also […]
Genoa, a port town in the Liguria region of northern Italy, may not be the first city that comes to mind when thinking of culinary destinations in Italy, but that means fewer tourists and lots of hidden gems. Genoa’s culinary tradition is rich and vibrant. The city is best-known as the birthplace of pesto, but […]
Photos from our recent visit to the Amalfi Coast, Capri and Naples in Italy.
Italy’s southern region of Puglia is a wonderful destination known for its historic whitewashed villages, coastline with crystal-clear water, fantastic cuisine and beautiful traditional crafts. Artisans of Leisure arranges private luxury tours that feature the best of Puglia.
Artisans of Leisure founder and CEO Ashley Isaacs Ganz just returned from a trip to Italy that included a stop at Expo Milan 2015, an ambitious World’s Fair focused on food. While the many international delicacies on offer were a highlight, the stunning architecture of the national pavilions left the biggest impression. At the top, geometric […]
Sicily is an enchanting region of Italy and an ideal destination for travelers interested in history, food, art and design, culture, adventure and luxury.
A great way to get to know the delicious and fascinating cuisine of Sicily is through a hands-on cooking class. One of our favorite cooking instructors is Nicoletta Polo Lanza Tomasi, the Duchess of Palma di Montechiaro, who conducts lessons at her beautiful 18th-century palazzo by the sea in Palermo. (The palazzo was once the home of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, author of the classic Sicilian novel The Leopard and the adoptive father of Tomasi’s husband, Gioacchino.)
We love Puglia for its excellent local cuisine, whitewashed villages, outdoor activities, sandy beaches, luxurious hotels, and interesting culture and history. A highlight of our private tours in Puglia is a private cooking class. Puglian cooking is distinct from other Italian regional cuisines in its simplicity and fascinating Greek, Middle Eastern and North African influences.
We love returning year after year to Lake Como, one of our favorite destinations in Italy. Villa d’Este is our preferred lakeside hotel. A classic grand hotel in the European tradition, it’s perfect for both families and seekers of Old World romance. We love its immaculately manicured gardens, excellent restaurants, clay tennis courts and the […]
Italy is adding another must-see destination to its already long list with the Milan Expo, which runs May 1–Oct 31, 2015. This World’s Fair explores the theme of “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life” in individual country pavilions, as well as group pavilions with displays related to cacao, coffee, rice, spices and other foods. In […]
Lunch with a duchess in her seaside palazzo. A private cooking lesson with a renowned Sicilian cookbook author. Meeting a member of the Italian royalty and touring her exquisite Mediterranean garden. These are a few of the exclusive culinary and cultural experiences included in our all-new 2014 private Sicily tours. The tours define the best of […]
One of our favorite ways to experience Sicily’s unusually complex history is through its delicious food and wine. The beautiful Mediterranean island has been colonized, invaded and controlled by many different groups over the centuries, including the Greeks, Romans, Normans, Arabs and Spanish. Each wave of people brought its own ingredients and culinary traditions. The […]
When taking a luxury cruise, a great way to make the most of your time in ports of call is with private shore excursions and private overland tours. Artisans of Leisure has a vast network of expert guides and drivers in cruise destinations around the world, and we work with sophisticated travelers to customize private […]
We always encourage travelers on our Italy tours to visit Tivoli, either as a private day tour from Rome or during their private transfer from Florence or Tuscany to Rome. Tivoli is home to Villa d’Este, a Renaissance palace with one of the most famous, influential and delightful gardens in the world. Built in the […]
On our recent journey around Sicily, we explored the highlights of Palermo and the Baroque cities, dined on delicious Sicilian cuisine and relaxed at the top resorts around the beautiful Italian island. Architecture in and around Palermo displays Sicily’s diverse cultural influences. Our local guides help travelers understand the meaning of the forms and symbols. […]
Italy is one of our most popular family destinations for many reasons. Food is easy: nearly everyone loves Italian specialties such as pasta, pizza, antipasti, fried vegetables, cheese and gelato. Culture is everywhere: older children are fascinated by places where history is so tangible (and beautiful), and younger children are wowed by iconic places such […]
Sicily has become a favorite destination for many of our clients who have already traveled extensively in Italy and for those interested in tracing their family heritage. Sicily is also great for first-time visitors to Italy who are attracted to the fascinating Mediterranean island for its complex history, abundant culture and delicious food. We recently chatted […]
Looking for great options for a short international trip over the Christmas and New Year holidays? Our luxury travel experts have selected five of their favorite destinations. 1.) Marrakesh A week in Marrakesh promises over-the-top luxury, thriving traditional culture, great shopping and dining, and plenty of outdoor options. We recommend using Marrakesh as base for five or […]
Porticos are as essential to Bologna as gourmet food and university students. The distinctive covered walkways course 38 kilometers (more than 23 miles) through this attractive and very walkable city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, sheltering pedestrians and window-shoppers from the elements while providing access to daylight and fresh air. Porticos typically flow […]
Highlights from our recent trip through Italy, including Lake Como, Bologna, Florence, Tuscany and Rome.
Our travel experts have created a list of our Top 5 favorite romantic destinations–these locations are perfect for honeymooners or anyone seeking a special romantic getaway. 1.) Morocco Our favorite way to experience the most luxurious and romantic side of Morocco is to stay in Marrakesh for several days at luxury resort such as the […]
Many travelers ask us to incorporate people, places and activities of Jewish significance when they are traveling internationally with us. We can incorporate Jewish touring into any of our tours around the world, from Sydney to Shanghai and most places in between. Many travelers simply want us to incorporate some Jewish-related sightseeing in Europe, Asia, […]
Cruising by private boat from Marco Polo airport to your palace hotel is a quintessential Venice experience and the best, and most romantic, way to arrive in this city of islands. As you depart the airport and glide through the lagoon, watch as the views of rural islands and sparkling water slowly give way to […]
John is one of the travel experts based in our New York City office. He’s passionate about art and architecture, and helps design our tours around the world. Q: What are your favorite travel destinations? A: Each destination is fascinating in its own way, and I love exploring new places and discovering what’s distinctive about them—local […]
We feel that food is a window into culture, history and traditions, and we always encourage our travelers to visit local food markets as part of the private tours we arrange. It’s a great opportunity for people-watching and to sample the tastes and flavors of each destination. Here are a few of our favorite food […]
Known as the City of Frescoes, Padua is a compact historic town less than an hour from Venice. It has a lively university atmosphere, great outdoor cafes and a wealth of cultural treasures well worth seeing. In fact, fitting all of them into one day can be a challenge! For our travelers, we take care […]
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