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08 February 2011 07:10
20 romantic things to do in Italy
Looking to take a break in Italy this Valentine's Day? Let us give you the lowdown.
1. Walk through San Marco in the early morning... best to do this in Spring or Summer just before sunrise. It is just you and the early morning slowly stirring.
2. Take the early morning Vatican tour and get to experience the Sistine Chapel in its full glory just you, your partner and the guide. There may be some other people there however not the crowds. You will definitely be moved!
3. Get yourself organised and pre-book tickets for the Accademia Gallery in Florence and get to see David in the "flesh"... for those who prefer the female form how about pre-booking the Uffizi and checking out Botticelli's "The birth of Venus".
4. Watch the sunset from the terraces of Ravello over a Mimosa cocktail or even better, a Rossini!
5. Book a table for two with candle-light at the 2 star Michelin Villa Crespi and enjoy one of the tasting menus which have been designed with you in mind.
6. Drive from a selection of classic convertibles including Alfa Romeo duetto 1967, MG MIDGET 1968, and AC COBRA 1977 to name but a few. We highly recommend that you choose to do this on the Amalfi Coast. The leather gloves, the foulard, the soft breeze in your hair, the dramatic scenery...
7. A romantic and private boat tour for two on Lake Como with your chilled bottle of Italian Sparkling wine. Admire the lakeside villas which beckon you - Villa d'Este, Villa Erba, Villa Olmo, Villa Fontanelle, Villa Cassinella, the wonderful Villa Balbianello, Villa Carlotta...
8. Enjoy chocolate cuddles in Montecatini with an anti-age "Choco Energy" face treatment followed by a slimming-energizing "Choco Minceur" body treatment based on the properties of cocoa, chocolate, black pepper and honey. If you fancy something a little more wine based... go for a purifying rebalancing wine treatment with a Chianti Sangiovese grape must body scrub with massage followed by an ozone bath with wine nectar (Virgin Red Grape Juice), facial muscle toning massage and gel masks with Chardonnay Grapes from Lake Garda, strawberry juice and raspberry honey.
9. Enjoy wine tasting in the Roman cellars of this excellent restaurant in Piazza Erbe in the historical centre of Verona. With over 600 labels and a total of 7000 bottles managed and cared for by qualified and highly competent staff. Or if you fancy something a little more intimate try a candle-lit dinner for two in the cellar with your own personal waiter for the night.
10. Why not spend a night in a wonderful hotel and enjoy a bottle of the veneto's finest in the evening under Juliet's balcony, just you, your partner and the stillness of the courtyard.
11. Try something a little different and stay in the "unique" art hotel where reality and fantasy seem to coexist in every room. For all you lovers we suggest - La Torre di Sigismondo, an art room created by the movie director Raoul Ruiz. With a huge round bed which revolves and occupies the entire space of the tower. Guests have the opportunity of opening up the roof revealing the starry sky.
12. What about a night at the opera? With so much romance to choose from: La Boheme at La Fenice in Venice in February/March; Romeo & Juliet at La Scala in Milan in June; Madame Butterfly in Teatro Petruzzelli Bari in July...
13. Why not take part in the Venice Carnival and dress up for the occasion. Choose from the Commedia dell'Arte (costumes of 16thcentury Italian theatrical characters), historical costumes of the ages, 1700 Veneziano to fancy dress. With this comes all the accessories, the masks, the hats, the gloves, the shoes... Be part of the mystery and make it romantic.
14. Enjoy a long bath and we have the perfect tub for you at this unique hotel Philippe Starck is in full swing here and the bathtub is just to die for... smooth and soft like marble allowing you to reach the height of total relaxation. Add some essential oils to your water, rose petals and a few candles and you will not want to come out.
15. When choosing your Italian coastal property, make sure that you opt for the room with an external Jacuzzi.
16. Stay in the candle-lit cave in the heart of Matera.
17. Hire a Vespa in Rome and discover the hidden treasures which await. Become Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn for the day.
18. Why not try pizza in Naples. Particularly good pizzerias in Naples are rewarded with a vera pizza emblem. Some of the best are Brandi, the Lombardi in Via Benedetto Croce, 59, and last but not least da Pasqualino in Piazza Sannazzaro 78/9. The Neopolitans eat their pizza with beer and when all is finished head to the Gran Caffè La Caffettiera in Piazza dei Martiri for a good cup of coffee and then end your evening with a Gelato (ice-cream)... and here are some of the best Naples has to offer... Bilancione in Via Posillipo 238, Otranto in Via Scarlatti 78, which specialises in seasonal fruit ice creams. Chalet Ciro a Mergellina in Via Caracciolo and not forgetting Gran Bar Riviera in Riviera di Chiaia 181 and Remy Gelo in Via F. Galiani 30.
19. A balloon trip for two over Tuscany.
20. Head out to your own Italian island retreat. Check out destinations like Pantelleria, Salina, Elba, Ponza, Stromboli... and many more hidden gems.
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