JUST CHECKED OUT: VILLA PASSALAQUA... LAKE COMO'S NEW CROWN JEWEL

Lake Como, in Northern Italy’s Lombardy region, continues to be one of the most sought out destinations by Mapps clients, year after year. Set against the foothills of the dramatic Italian Alps, and only a 45 minute drive from Milan, the lake area is home to the most elegant villas, scenic small towns and fragrant gardens.

This past September I decided to head back to Northern Italy after a 4 year hiatus and check out the brand new Villa Passalaqua hotel, as well as the elegant Mandarin Oriental and Il Sereno Hotel.

We spent our 4 days in Lake Como lounging by the pool, cruising the lake and eating and drinking way too much pasta and Barolo wine than we needed. Below, I share some snaps from my iPhone and a few of my favorite spots. —

Travel Notes: Lake Como is a perfect 3-4 night stay and combines beautifully with Portofino, Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast.

P.S. we are planning summer travel for Europe 2023 now, so do not wait too long to plan, space is filing up in all the good spots.

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LAKE COMO

Hotel Stay: Villa Passalaqua

https://www.passalacqua.it/en/

Mapps X Passalaqua:

VIP upgrade status, complimentary daily breakfast & 100.00 food and beverage credit.

Lunch Spots: Giacomo & Locanda La Tirlindana.

Villa Tours: Villa Carlotta and Villa del Balbianello.

Apertivo: The bar at Passalaqua or Grand Hotel Tremezzo.

Dinner Spots: Osteria Figli dei Fiori, Convivialità, Trattoria del Glicine and La Terrazza.

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THE CLIENT POSTCARD: A BIKE TRIP THROUGH TUSCANY

One of the best ways to explore the Tuscan countryside is on a bike as most of the roads are wide, deserted paths with jaw dropping views. We recently put together a privately guided, six-day, five-night birthday celebration bike tour for 7 fabulous ladies. The level was active, an average day ride was about 25 miles coupled with luxury hotels, sightseeing, epic restaurants, wine tastings and a private boat experience. Below, we share some snaps and scoop — xx Elisa

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HOTEL STAYS

1 night at Castel Porrona Relais https://castelporrona.it/en/

2 nights at L’Andana https://www.andana.it/

2 nights at Il Pellicano https://www.hotelilpellicano.com/en/

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 1

Bike tour through an enchanting farmland | Explore the ancient perched town of Montalcino | Ride through wine country and discover vineyards that produce exceptional Brunello grapes |  Have lunch at one of the region's premiere wine estates | Stroll through Porrona, a medieval village town.

DAYS 2-3

Ride the Tuscan hills through Maremma's high grass and maritime plains as you near the Tyrrhenian coast | Hilltop village for a farm-to-table lunch | Breathe in the sea air on an exhilarating ride through foothills and valleys to the bustling fishing port of Castiglione della Pescaia | Kick back on the beach and indulge in gelato as you stroll the old town center | Sip Super Tuscans before a private cellar tour and gourmet dinner at a renowned local wine estate.

DAYS 4-6

Enjoy a scenic ride and take in vistas of the bay during lunch at a beachfront trattoria | Explore Orbetello Lagoon, a World Wildlife Fund oasis, and watch the migrating birds on the quiet shores of Lake Burano | Climb to the hilltop town of Capalbio as the blue ocean shimmers in the distance | Sail across the sea on a historic luxury boat | Relax in Porto Ercole | Pedal to the summit of Monte Argentario, offering panoramic views of the wooded hills and blue-green lagoon below.

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ELISA REPORTS BACK ON HER COUPLE'S GETAWAY TO ITALY

September is my favorite time of year to go to Europe. The weather is in the low 80’s, the mass tourist crowd is gone but still busy enough to have a buzzy vibe and you can finally score a table at the latest hotspots with ease… well, most of the time. With all five children settled back into their respective schools, we decided to pack our bags and head to Italy for ten nights, dividing our time between the island of Capri and the city of Florence with a delish pizza lunch stop in chaotic Napoli. We spent our days in Capri lounging poolside or at various beach clubs with long, lazy lunches or on a boat, island hopping. In Florence, it was all about living like a local and immersing ourselves in the food, the wine and the culture. To say we lived la dolce vita, would be an understatement and it served as a wonderful reminder to both of us why it is so important to continue to carve time for each other away from the craziness of our busy lives. Below, I share some snaps and a few of my favorite spots ( I hit the ground hard to curate the perfect list for clients )… and I promise, we really did miss the kids— xx E

P.S. we are planning summer travel for Europe 2022 now, so do not wait too long to plan, space is filing up in all the good spots.

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CAPRI

Hotel Stay: The Capri Touch Suite at Capri Palace Jumeriah which was absolutely gorgeous.

Mapps X Capri Palace: VIP upgrade status, complimentary daily breakfast and resort credits.

https://www.capripalace.com/en/

Lunch: The Spagetti alle Vongole at La Fontelina and La Conco de Sogno, the lobster pasta at Le Riccio and the Zucchini Spaghetti dish at Lo Scoglio.

Apertivo: Aperol Spritz on The terrace at Grand Hotel Quisisana.

Dinners: The tomato, mozzerella salad at Da Paolino, truffle pasta at Villa Verde and the white pizza Aurora.

Post Dinner Spot: Anema e Core Taverna for live music and dancing.

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FLORENCE

Hotel Stay: The Master Suite at The Place Firenze, completely obsessed.

Mapps X The Place: VIP upgrade status, complimentary daily breakfast and resort credits.

https://www.theplacefirenze.com/

Lunch: The Terrace at The Place

Enoteca: Le volpi e l'uva.

Apertivo: The Negronis at Serra Torrigiani.

Dinner: Osteria Cinghiale Bianco

Post Dinner Spot: The Lodge Club

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NAPOLI PIT STOP

On our way from Capri to Florence, we pressed pause for 2 hours to eat lunch where pizza was born. I cannot recommend Pizzeria da Concettina ai Tre Santi enough… absolute carb and dairy perfection!

http://www.pizzeriaoliva.it/en/

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BREAKING NEWS: ITALY CHANGES ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR US TRAVELERS BASED ON YOUR VACCINATION STATUS

Travelers from countries in group D - which the United States is a part of - will now need to present the following to enter Italy to avoid the 5-day quarantine requirement going into effect on August 31 for non-vaccinated travelers:

• Passenger Locator Form

•.CDC Vaccination Card

• Negative molecular or antigenic swab test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival into Italy.

Here is the Italian website with the update. 🇮🇹

https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/ministero/normativaonline/decreto-iorestoacasa-domande-frequenti/focus-cittadini-italiani-in-rientro-dall-estero-e-cittadini-stranieri-in-italia.html

THE CLIENT POSTCARD: PICTURE PERFECT PUGLIA

Hotel: Borgo Egnazia

“After so many summers spent in Positano, we wanted to try something different. We missed the charming towns and food offerings we found years ago in Tuscany but did not want to give up the coastal vibe of the Amalfi Coast. Puglia gave us the best of both worlds. The grounds at Borgo were breathtaking, truly an amazing property with a great bar, impeccable service, gorgeous rooms and a lovely spa. Every week they set up a festival on their grounds with amazing food stations, pasta making areas, pizza ovens, all kinds of crazy food, wine, music and dancing! Def must!”

Masha & Ilya’s Tips: Do not miss a stroll through the town of Alberobello. It is really beautiful and unique and sunset time was really special. Lunch at The White Beach Club in Torre Canne is a definite must and we also loved going to Ricarrdo’s Bar for drinks (awesome music) and then walking over to Osteria Del Tempo Perso for dinner, was delicious.