The Curated Travel Collection: Italy
A collection of blog posts written and photographed by Heather Lindstrom, owner/travel advisor at Curated Travel, on nearly twenty years of travels to Italy.
Enjoy a glimpse of ‘la dolce vita’!
“You may have the universe if I may have Italy
”
I’ve read that half the pleasure of travel is the anticipation. I’m in that phase now with my upcoming solo trip to Italy. I find myself envisioning the sights, sounds, tastes, and even the rose gold hues of sunset over the Arno River bathing Florence. I can almost taste the cacio e pepe (we made it in a cooking class in Tuscany) and the gelato di caffe’. I’m checking the weather report daily (mostly highs in the upper 60s) to envision my daily clothing needs and am fully packed early for this trip.
Arriving at Villa Cortine Palace Hotel is an event in and of itself. Our driver whisked us through majestic gates, past antique statuary and formal gardens to this stately, historic property. It sits on 12 acres on the peninsula just north of Sirmione and is bordered on both sides by Lake Garda. This location yields the most amazing lake views from all angles.
The first stop on my long-awaited return trip to Italy, for a luxury travel event, was Milan. Though I have traveled through Milan, with stops at Malpensa airport and the train station, I have never ventured out to explore the heart of the city. On this trip, I blocked out time to recover from jet lag and acquaint myself with this vibrant city for a couple of days. And yes, on this trip my luggage arrived with me!
After numerous canceled trips over the last 2 1/2 years, Italy is finally back on my horizon! I’m beyond excited to be invited to attend Travelux, a fully hosted luxury travel event in Venice, hosted by Nebe Club. If you’ve followed this blog for several years you may remember that I attended this same event at Lake Como in 2018. Yes, that’s the one where I had all the fancy events and my luggage didn’t arrive for 6 full days! Travelux is an exceptional experience and I found it to be a life-changer for my travel business.
I wish I could say I’m writing to you from Italy today but, no, not just yet. Last week I spent three glorious days connecting with brand partners in Italy through Duco Virtuale, an invitational luxury travel network in Italy. It was wonderful to connect on one-to-one zooms with old and new Italian friends in the industry. With all the downtime this last year, hotels and resorts have refurbished, refreshed, created new protocols, and reimagined unique ways to experience la dolce vita. They are counting the days until they can welcome Americans again and we have much to look forward to.
I'm reminiscing on a game-changing solo trip I took to Italy three years ago this week. Though I’ve enjoyed several Italian adventures in the years following this entire travel experience opened new doors for my Curated Travel business and reaffirmed my staunch adoration for the magic, beauty, and deliciousness of Italy and the charm and verve of the Italians. Plus, I learned some essential packing strategies I will never forget!
Virtual travel is more popular than ever with all the time most of us are spending at home these days. There is nothing more delectable than pasta in Italy and I’ve been looking forward to sharing a cooking class we experienced at Casina delle Rose at Fonteverde in Tuscany. Famed Chef Salvatore Quarto was our master teacher and the classic dish pici cacio e pepe (pasta with cheese and pepper) was on the menu. This delicious dish is simple yet decadent. We hand-rolled each strand of pasta for class but with some pecorino cheese, fresh pepper, and a lovely premade or even dried pasta, it’s easy to recreate from the pantry.
I had planned to arrive in Italy today for a luxury travel event in Venice. My itinerary included a brief stay in Milan, a hosted tour of Turin, followed by a full weekend of luxury events in Venice. I have been looking forward to Travelux 2020 since I attended for the first time in March of 2018. That event, hosted at Lake Como, was filled with luxury travel experiences in and around Lake Como, San Remo, and Abano Terme. The trip caused me to fall even more in love with Italy, Italians and living la dolce vita. The event was also a life-changer for my new travel business.
A collection of blog posts written/photographed by Heather Lindstrom, owner/travel advisor at Curated Travel, on nearly twenty years of travels to Italy.
Enjoy a glimpse of ‘la dolce vita’!
Our second group cruise hosted by Curated Travel embarked from Venice on September 28th, 2019. Following a couple of days exploring the iconic charms of Venice our group of friends/clients (who’ve become friends) was ready to set sail on the Azamara Pursuit on a boutique-style smaller ship cruise cruising the Dalmatian and Amalfi Coasts.
Sixteen years ago my husband and I landed in Venice for the first time. It was our much-anticipated first trip to Europe together as relative newlyweds. The year was 2003 and I’ll never forget flying over the intricately woven islands, mercurial hues of the water, while squeezing our hands together in breathless anticipation. It was our first travel dream together come true!
Our stay in Venice was pure magic. I remember the carefree feeling of getting lost wandering along the canals, a leisurely candlelit dinner in a piazza we could never find again, a romantic sunset gondola ride and a moonlight dance in St. Marks’ Square.
Puglia, on the eastern coast of Italy, has recently risen to the top of my destinations to explore in Italy. When I learned that our Mediterranean cruise would be ending in Rome, I jumped at the chance to finish up our trip to this beachy, sunswept region.
Our love affair with Italy continues with a street style focus on the sunny Isle of Capri where the people watching is magnifico! While traveling abroad I’m often drawn to capturing the local street style. As you can see by my images, I’m not the only one that finds this fashionable parade eye catching. On Capri it’s all about summery white dresses, chic black frocks, pale straw bags or vibrant leather backpacks, brilliant headscarves, straw hats, jewel encrusted handmade sandals and, as always, the stylish sunnies.
Our visit to Villa il Poggiale was everything we dreamed it would be—graced with these views, gardens of lemons, rosemary, lavendar and roses, the gleaming sun soaked swimming pool and Tuscan charm. Our visit made an indelible imression on my mind.
It may be just a quick view, or an image, that stays in your mind. I spotted vibrant images of Castel Monastero when they first opened as a boutique resort and I jumped at the chance to visit when offered. Mr. C.T. and I spent two nights immersed in Tuscan luxury at Castel Monastero last fall. Days were spent exploring the dappled beauty of winding roads adorned with vineyards, discovering foodie gems, wine tasting at a local winery and getting acquainted with the locals. Evenings spent enjoying Michelin star dining at Contrada and these glimmering sunsets from the terrace.
Our next stop on our spa getaway to Tuscany was the classic Italian spa retreat at Bagni Di Pisa. Here we enjoyed gourmet dining, fine wines with our impressive sommelier and luxurious spa treatments. One of the most interesting elements to this retreat is the history. Our two room suite, loaded with classic Italian charm, was a sumptuous blend of luxury and historic style. Was it the Dalai Lama or Richard Gere that stayed in our suite?
Last fall I received an invitation to visit a collection of spa resorts, the Italian Hospitality Collection, in Tuscany. Let’s just say our host, Cristina Morellini, had me at ‘ciao!’ with this invitation. I’m a fan of spa hotels in general and when they are based in Tuscany I’m over the moon. Our first stop on the itinerary was the classically beautiful Fonteverde Spa resort located in San Casciano dei Bagni. A scenic train ride from Rome, a lift from our private driver, and we arrived at this blissful spot with the goal of relaxation and rejuvenation Tuscan style.
It’s early morning in Tuscany and the sun is just waking up the autumn hued hills. There is faint citrus scented breeze and a lavender mist winding over the distant mountains. The birds, who believe they are the kings of the castel, are twirping. Tuscany is pretty perfect in fall. Cool mornings and sun-drenched golden days are on the calendar. The evening sunsets are spectacular!
It was a chilly day at Lake Como but that didn't stop our Travelux 2018 group from feeling warm and celebratory for our final party of this truly memorable luxury travel event. Villa Balbiano, with roots in the mid 16th century, has recently been renovated by the famous French designer Jacques Garcia. An invitation to a party in this splendor was one of the highlights of my trip to Italy and it took my breath away.
After carefully curating my packing list, constructing outfits and meticulously organizing my accessories for the most import trip of my travel advisor career, a luxury travel event in Italy, the unthinkable happened. My luggage filled with 9 days of outfits, shoes, accessories, makeup and hair tools, did not arrive with me in Nice, France. It didn't arrive while I was traveling on the Italian Riviera, and it didn't arrive until my last few moments at Lake Como!
After being reunited with my luggage, just as we left the hotel in Lake Como, our driver headed to the Abano Grand Hotel in Abano. It was a cold and rainy day but our welcome at the Abano Grand Hotel could not have been more warm and welcoming. As I was introduced to my spacious 'Panorama View' suite I was captivated by the view.
While preparing for my trip to Travelux 2018, I was given several options for excursions during my time at Lake Como. Despite flirting with the option of driving a red Ferrari, or a cooking class with a famed chef at Villa d'este, I chose the boat ride around the shores of Lake Como. My decision was easy when I thought about capturing images of the stunning views of villages, villas and the natural beauty around Lago di Como. This classically beautiful Villa Balbiano, above, is where our final event for Travelux 2018 was held.
I feel extremely fortunate to have received an invitation to the hosted luxury travel event, Travelux 2018, in Italy last month. This 3-day event was held at Villa Erba as well as several esteemed venues on the shores of Lake Como. Travelux 2018 was the perfect blend of luxury travel brand exposure, elevated travel experiences with an elegant Italian flair and fun relationship building with fellow travel professionals from around the world. It never hurts to toss in historic villas, sparkling chandeliers, vibrant bouquets of flowers, delectable dishes, waiters in tuxedos, prosecco toasts, dance parties, Ferraris and fireworks. Living La Dolce Vita!
The first stop on my trip to Italy was an invitation to the Royal Hotel San Remo on the Italian Riviera, just 10 miles east of the French border in west Liguria. Following a red-eye flight from San Francisco, I arrived at the airport in Nice, France, and was driven to the elegant and classic Royal Hotel San Remo. I was introduced to my luxurious suite and joined the formal dinner in progress where I met a wonderful group of fellow travelers from the luxury travel industry.
There are places you stumble upon while traveling that simply need no explanation. On a hazy summer afternoon, we arrived by boat, from Bellagio. Between flashes of sunlight, bursts of showers, and a moody mist that wound around our afternoon, we experienced Varenna, on the shores of Lake Como. These images speak for themselves. Click on the gallery to open a slide show of charming Varenna.
One afternoon Scott and I pointed our rented Peugeot northeast, from our villa in Lezzeno, to beautiful Bellagio for the afternoon. Known for grand hotels, elegant villas, voluptuous flower boxes and stunning views from the steep staircases of the city center. Bellagio is beguiling.
If the Amalfi Coast is shimmering pastels and Siena is rich, brushstrokes in oils, then Lake Como is bathed in watercolors mingling shadows with light. The views of mountain, sky and water are made chameleon by the microclimates in the Lombardy region of the Italian Alps. From sunny and brilliant to dark and stormy, punctuated with raindrops, no wonder this moody vista is considered magical to those who visit.
Thick stone walls create a sense of velvety silence and the stone stairway, leading up to the second-floor apartment, is worn with footsteps of the ages.
There are so many options of where to stay while traveling that it makes the decision all the more challenging, but also intriguing. I love to pour over the images and descriptions of each destination under consideration; our trip to Italy was no different. After months of flirting with various lodging ideas - a villa in the countryside perhaps - we happened upon a charming apartment in the historic city center of Siena. The second-floor apartment is housed in a former monastery and it looked like the right place for us.
As with most of our travels, Scott and I crafted what we wanted our experience to be in Siena. We wanted an authentic, medieval city living situation in the heart of the city.
Scott and I spent a day in Siena, back in 2003, punctuated by wrong turns, a stint mistakenly driving in the no-vehicle zone and an epic heat wave. When we finally settled in and enjoyed the charms of an al fresco dinner, we vowed to return to this hilltop city someday. Siena was Scott’s top choice as a destination for our summer in Italy, so this was our time to revisit.
Contact us to make your travel dreams to Italy come true. Seamless travel itineraries for the modern traveler at Curated Travel.
Heather Lindstrom
Luxury travel advisor/founder of Curated Travel. I'm Heather Lindstrom, the founder and owner of Curated Travel, where I specialize in creating seamless travel experiences for the modern traveler.
I design unique, bespoke itineraries for clients with a passion for wanderlust-worthy destinations. Whether it's the charming streets of Italy, the romantic allure of France, the vibrant culture of Spain, the ancient history of Greece, the scenic landscapes of the UK, or the stunning coastlines of Croatia, I craft travel plans that fit your dreams. I also arrange luxury all-inclusive vacations and luxury cruises to the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Mexico, French Polynesia, and more.
My love for travel, design, art, wine, and cuisine, combined with my strong relationships with luxury international travel brand partners, enables me to offer my clients exclusive amenities, perks, and upgrades. In today’s world, experienced and seamless travel planning isn't just a luxury—it's a necessity to ensure your journeys are everything you dream they will be and more.
One of our favorite regions of Italy is the Italian Riviera, and we find ourselves returning again and again. The dazzling Italian Riviera is situated in the region of Liguria, in northwestern Italy. It stretches along the beautiful Ligurian Sea, beginning near the French border at Ventimiglia and extending to the Tuscan border near La Spezia. Nestled between the sea and the rugged hills, this iconic coastline is famed for its Mediterranean charm, colorful villages, and idyllic landscapes.