Villa Fiordaliso
Hotel and restaurant on a lake
If Romeo and Juliet had enjoyed a happier ending to their story, it is easy to imagine it being played out here. Twenty minutes from Verona, the two lovers would have met secretly on the banks of Lake Garda – one of the largest and most charming lakes in Italy. They would have strolled along the pontoon and private beach of Villa Fiordaliso, a neoclassical marvel with facades of Siena stone, long rows of lemon trees and a lounge decorated with Venetian stained glass. They would have taken refuge in a delightfully romantic room named after a flower: Iris, Mimosa, Orchid, or Magnolia, and would perhaps have lingered in the elegant piano bar in the medieval San Marco Tower which overlooks the private harbour. The rest of the story is yours to write. ...Read more
Italy, Gardone Riviera

Dal Pescatore Santini
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in the country
When Antonio Santini’s grandparents opened the Pescatore in 1926, it was a small family restaurant. Today it is one of the most renowned restaurants in Italy. Between Cremona and Mantua, in the Parco dell’Oglio nature reserve, family members share the tasks. In the kitchen, Nadia and Giovanni prepare nostalgic, generous cuisine: frogs legs gratineed in fine herbs, pike in virgin olive oil from Umbria, with parsley, anchovies and capers and the renowned tortelli di zucca, with goat’s cheese, ricotta and white Alba truffles, a recipe perfected and handed down over three generations. In the dining room, Antonio, Alberto and Valentina create a warm atmosphere and uncork their best bottles – grands crus from France and Italy. ...Read more
Italy, Canneto S/O (Mantova)

Da Vittorio
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux and hotel in the country
Just half an hour from Milan, with its fashion temples and irresistible shopping temptations, the Cerea family has created a residence that has a reputation for excellence and Italian style. Da Vittorio is first and foremost a charming villa with beautiful gardens and two lakes nearby. Just ten minutes from Bergamo, it also extends an invitation to a gourmet journey to savour special Lombardian polenta, cheese and meat. The Grand Chefs, Enrico and Roberto Cerea, treat cuisine like designers treat haute couture and their gourmand breakfast is not to be missed. The hotel, which also has a traditional patisserie and an exquisite wine cellar, has launched a “Gourmandise Line” so you can even take some of the treats home with you. ...Read more
Italy, Brusaporto

L’Albereta et Restaurant Gualtiero Marchesi
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux and hotel in the country
Press a button and, like magic, the ceiling of your room retracts allowing you to gaze at the stars from the comfort of your bed. This is just one of the many enchanting features which delight guests staying at this former manor tucked away in 100 year-old gardens in the heart of the Franciacorta vines. You can combine the delightful creations of Grand Chef Gualtiero Marchesi, the father of modern Italian cuisine, with relaxation at the Henri Chenot Spa. ...Read more
Italy, Erbusco

Il Sole di Ranco
Restaurant and hotel on a lake
In this fine house overlooking Lake Maggiore, since 1850 the tradition of hospitality has been handed down from one generation to the next. Over the decades, the family inn has grown in size and the coaching inn, once popular with walkers and Sunday trippers, has now become a successful restaurant. Today it serves a colourful cuisine which boldly combines regional tradition with a modern twist. Pride of place is given to fish from the lake which is served with wines carefully selected from the restaurant’s well-stocked cellars. The hotel has been refurbished but has retained every inch of its gentle charm – rooms elegantly decorated in the style of the surrounding houses, a romantic view of the lake and a gloriously sunny location from which the place takes its name. ...Read more
Italy, Ranco