How to do
Portofino
if you’re…
05
Wayne Rooney
Marry your childhood
sweetheart in a 17th-
century palace; get
a police escort to a
medieval monastery;
pick up £2.5m
(NOK22.4m) from
OK!
for exclusive photos.
Richard Burton
Check into the Hotel
Splendido; propose
to
Cleopatra
co-
star Elizabeth Taylor;
leave Portofino to get
married, divorced,
remarried and
redivorced.
Rihanna
Eat
gelato alla straccia-
tella
; sink white wine;
still
look fantastic in a bikini.
Get active
03
04
For comfort on a budget
PlusHostel, Florence
Plus bills itself as a “luxury
hostel”, which sounds
contradictory until you see
its two pools, sauna and
Turkish bath. The dorms
are spacious, there’s
free WiFi and a cheap
breakfast, and women can
get a hairdryer and fluffy
towel upon arrival.
plushostels.com
For Tuscan royalty
St Regis, Florence
Book a royal suite at the
recently refurbished St
Regis to experience the
good life, Medici-style.
Expect fine-art prints,
bed-sized chandeliers,
coffered ceilings, intricate
frescoes and indecent
quantities of gold, silk
and velvet.
stregisflorence.com
For traditional luxury
ToscanaResort
Castelfalti
In 2007, tour operator TUI
bought the entire Tuscan
village of Castelfalfi. The
last five villagers took
the money, and it’s since
been sensitively restored
with boutique hotels, golf
courses and an apartment
complex, The Borgo.
castelfalfi.co.uk
For glamour and glitz
Hotel Splendido,
Portofino
If it’s good enough for
Winston Churchill and
Humphrey Bogart, it’s
good enough for you.
Formerly a Benedictine
monastery, it’s steeped in
local mythology – and the
harbour views from the
lavish rooms are magical.
hotelsplendido.com
Where to
sleep...
Cycling in rural Tuscany is a treat. The landscape is stunning, the roads are
generally excellent and local drivers are surprisingly well behaved. The
Chain
Gang
runs tours that take in medieval villages, hilltop towns, world-class wineries
and some of the province’s best rural restaurants. While there are a couple of steep
climbs, it’s a trip suited to all abilities. There are seven-night tours commencing on
September 7 and 21.
Tuscany isn’t known for its islands, but UK sailing holiday company
Bareboat
is
hoping to lure holidaymakers to the Seven Sisters – seven islands situated between
the Tuscan coast and Corsica. They charter a range of yachts starting at NOK8,500
per week in the 10m Sun Odyssey (two people) to NOK22,100 for a 15m boat (eight
people).
thechaingang.co.uk, bareboatsailingholidays.com
CORBIS, OUTLINE, REX
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