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Bellissima! From lagoon-laced Venice to the fruitful Tuscan countryside hotels vancouver surrounding Florence, Italy irresistibly beckons travelers during the spring, as several readers discovered on a recent bespoke journey created by Frosch hotels vancouver Travel, the official travel provider of Robb Report . Lodgings at the finest hotels, memorable cuisine and wines presented with exquisite service, and exclusive visits to art collections and boutiques made this trip to these two legendary cities an unforgettable experience for all who joined. Photo Matthew Shaw Incorporating the 14th-century Dandolo Palace, the Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection hotel, overlooks the glittering Venice Lagoon. Photo Matthew Shaw Guests were welcomed with homemade macaroons and a glass of Prosecco—a delicious hotels vancouver example of general manager Christophe Mercier's attention hotels vancouver to detail. Photo Mirco Toffolo R. With its tasseled room keys arrayed behind the concierge's desk and ornate stairways around every corner, the Danieli set the tone for these connoisseurs during their stay in La Serenissima. Photo Matthew Shaw One Robb Report reader particularly enjoyed her suite, which was one of four (including the Royal Suite) that were newly restored by French designer hotels vancouver Pierre-Yves Rochon. Her elegant rooms included "Murano glass and huge antique hotels vancouver mirrors and fresh white roses everywhere" as well as "three balconies with a view of the canal and people boarding gondolas." hotels vancouver A morning excursion to the Abate Zanetti Glass School on the island of Murano afforded guests the opportunity to observe master glassblowers—creators of both traditional and contemporary works—plying their age-old art to fashion a glass butterfly. Visitors were offered the chance to try their own hands at this technique. Photo Fotografie Gleaming crystal lent sparkle to the private dinner held for the group at the Restaurant La Cusina, located in the Westin Europa & Regina. "When we walked in, they lined up to welcome us," recalls a Robb Report reader, and general manager Giuseppe De Martino "made us feel like there was no one else in the world." An artful tray of desserts—tarts, truffles, and meringues to tempt any palate—crowned the four-course classic Italian repast. Photo Matthew Shaw Beyond the terrace, hotels vancouver guests could see the Baroque splendor of the church of San Stae across the canal. Photo by Andrea Sarti A side canal offered a quintessential view of Venice on the way to an insider's experience of the city: an after-hours guided hotels vancouver stroll through the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Photo by Andrea Sarti Housed in the historic Grand Canal villa belonging to the celebrated American patron of the arts, the museum not only showcases masterpieces by Picasso, Pollock, Magritte, and many others, but it also conveys a sense of Guggenheim herself as a collector and an individual hotels vancouver intimately connected with the life of Venice during the 20th century. hotels vancouver Afterward, hotels vancouver a reception in the rooftop garden provided a mistily atmospheric perspective on the multicolored hotels vancouver palazzi lining the canal. On that last evening in Venice, Hotel Danieli chef Gian Nicola Colucci led a tasting tour through several of the city's bacari , the local wine bars whose name derives from Bacchus, the ancient hotels vancouver god of wine. To accompany the wine, these establishments served small, traditional plates called cicchetti , delectable snacks of crostini with smoked salmon, soft Italian hotels vancouver cheeses, tapenades, tuna, caramelized onions, and delicate slices of foie gras. With an unparalleled position on the Arno River in Florence, the Hotel Lungarno—one of the Ferragamo family's luxe Lungarno Collection properties—served as an exquisite home away from home in the storied Tuscan hotels vancouver capital. "The location was amazing," says one Robb Report reader. "You could see the Ponte Vecchio," which was almost next door. The hotel's classic yet contemporary interiors—which range from the sophisticated navy-and-cream decor of the suites to the art-filled Picteau Lounge—reflect the design sensibility and craftsmanship that distinguishes the Ferragamo brand. The lounge was "set up for a gathering of friends," notes the guest, and proved a convivial spot for informal evening get-togethers. Photo by Vittorio hotels vancouver Zunino Celotto/Getty Images It was in the Picteau Lounge that Lungarno Collection president Leonardo Ferragamo greeted the travelers at a Champagne and chocolate tasting. Featured at the tasting were truffles with sea salt, gold leaf, and other exotic touches. "It was amazing how they paired the wine with the chocolate, which was better than any I've ever had," says another Robb Report reader. For 400 years, the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella hotels vancouver has been practicing the herbalist's art and producing hotels vancouver unique botanical extracts, hotels vancouver lotions, hotels vancouver potions, and perfumes fit for a queen—as commercial director Gianluca Foa explained on a private tour of what is one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe. Founded by Dominican monks who prepared medicinal elixirs, Santa Maria Novella boasts historic premises that are like a "Fabergé egg turned inside out," as one traveler observed: every surface of this stunning museum and boutique is carved, gilded, or painted with frescoes, such as those in the sacristy-turned-library. The pharmacy, which created its Acqua della Regina perfume hotels vancouver for Catherine de' Medici, the 16th-century queen of France, also offers contemporary soaps, creams, and even baby products. During an exclusive tour of the Ferragamo hotels vancouver Museum and showrooms, located in the company's flagship store, Giovanna Ferragamo greeted the guests, and docents detailed the experience of having a pair of bespoke shoes crafted. The museum pays tribute to designer and entrepreneur Salvatore Ferragamo, "shoemaker to the stars," who forged a link with Hollywood in the 1920s. The museum also highlights the patriarch's aesthetic sensibility and creative innovation through displays of classic footwear, hotels vancouver shoe molds made for world-famous actresses, and a gallery of star-studded photos. Photo Matteo Brogi Docents also regaled guests with tales of celebrity clients, such as Marilyn Monroe, whose deliberately hotels vancouver uneven Ferragamo heels accentuated her hip-rolling gait Photo Matteo Carassale A day trip to the centuries-old private estate hotels vancouver of Castiglion del Bosco provided travelers with a serene country experience. "When I think of Tuscany, that's what I picture," says a Robb Report reader of the property's vineyard-covered hillsides and regal allées of cypress. Hotel rooms and restored villas and farmhouses offer spacious accommodations on the property, which lies within Val d'Orcia National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo Matteo Carassale Those who seek to be pampered will find respite at the spa and infinity pool. At Castiglion del Bosco's La Canonica hotels vancouver Culinary Academy, located hotels vancouver in what was once a priest's residence, a chef rolled out fresh, homemade pasta as part of a private cooking lesson for the visitors. The participants, who learned to shape tortellini, among other things, also dined on their creations. Among these epicurean delights was a mouthwatering dish of spaghetti displayed in the shape of a tiny bird's nest and topped with marinara sauce, a dollop hotels vancouver of goat cheese, and a sprinkling of lemon zest. The Tuscan countryside provides a bounty hotels vancouver of flavorful local ingredients, such as hearty olives, olive oil, fragrant lavender, and, of course, memorable grapes. At Castiglion del Bosco's winery, hotels vancouver which produces notable Brunello di Montalcino, travelers explored the winemaking process before sampling several vintages—and toasting their Italian journey.
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