August is the month of summer weddings and amore in the air. Nowhere more so than Italy - which is home to some of the most classic and romantic honeymoon or ‘luna de miel’ destinations and experiences in the world. Italy is seen internationally as the most romantic country in the world and unsurprisingly is a top honeymoon location for newlyweds from the UK and US.
The Blind Experiences team all have their hearts in Italy and a little of the romantic nature of the country seeps into everything they do, so they are the perfect people to plan a surprise honeymoon in Italy! Here’s a selection of some the best independently owned and run hotels and experiences in three classic Italian locations:
Castello di Reschio
It only opened as a hotel this year, but already this thousand year-old castle in northern Umbria has become one of the most desired locations on the planet. Meticulously restored and reimagined into a spectacular luxury hotel, exuding effortless style, by the Bolza family, Reschio offers guests a slice of timeless Italy. The vibe is one of relaxed elegance and immersion into the Umbrian landscape and laid-back pace of life. Find yourself in the Umbria hills riding Andalusian horses, indulging in homemade produce, or simply unwinding by the pool.
All of the castle’s sophisticated rooms and suites are unique, with bespoke furniture, antique ornaments and locally-crafted textiles.
Nature comes first at Reschio and this protection and celebration of the natural environment is a perfect example of the sustainability values we hold dear at Blind Experiences. Guests can go “careful foraging” – sympathetically wandering through the landscape, searching for little-known or forgotten plants with botanical expert Nencia.
Framing is of course organic, but at Reschio this is taken a step further, with a plan to be fully biodynamic and synergic. That means vegetables grown as nature intended: mingling with flowers, herbs and fruit bushes, all working together.
This approach would be nothing without the key pollinators - bees. Reschio’s flower-filled meadows and forests filled with flourishing wild herbs and plants are home to thriving colonies of happy, healthy honeybees, producing rich millefiori honey.
All the bountiful products grown and harvested at Reschio will appear on a plate in one of the hotel’s restaurants - linking commerce, community, culture and conservation together in one harmonious approach to life and love of the natural world.
Villa Cimbrone
Standing high on the hill in the jewel-box town of Ravello, Villa Cimbrone stands in one of the most romantic gardens in Italy, set in a peerless location overlooking the oh-so blue sea and the green Mediterranean hills. One of the most recognisable and buildings along southern Italy’s Amalfi Coast, this hotel has true pedigree. As a villa it enjoyed its heyday in the 1920s when it was a retreat of the Bloomsbury Group including writers E.M Forster, Virginia Woolfe and DH Laurence, also politician Sir Winston Churchill and actress Greta Garbo. It opened as a hotel hotel in the 1960s, inspiring writer Gore Vidal to say of its famous Terrace of Infinity,
“I was asked by an American magazine what was the most beautiful place that I had ever seen in all my travels and I said the view from the belvedere of the Villa Cimbrone on a bright winter’s day when the sky and the sea were each so vividly blue that it was not possible to tell one from the other.”
For spoiling luxury, sober elegance and utter romance, this hotel which has been owned and run by the Vuilleumier family for five generations, is a dream come true. Villa Cimbrone offers a small selection of exquisite rooms featuring vaulted ceilings, frescoes, tiled floors and antiques. But it’s the fairytale gardens, which roll away to the cliff edge that really set this hotel apart. Parts of the gardens are open to the public during the day, but guests have this utterly magical and fragrant place to themselves in the evening and early morning. The kidney shaped pool is set in a private area of the gardens and the Michelin-starred Flauto di Pan restaurant, located on a terrace looking down over the Gulf of Salerno is a romantic treat.
Ravelllo is perfect base for a Blind Experiences surprise honeymoon with a plethora of secret and romantic adventures designed just for two awaiting along the poetic and dream-like Amalifi coast.
Venissa
Located on tiny island of Mazzorbo in the Venice lagoon, Venissa is a peaceful and relaxed getaway in the heart of one of the most visited cities in the world. Best of all it has a unique wine project at its heart. Created by The Bisol family, who are famous for their prosecco, Venissa was created to help to protect the rare and ancient dorona di Venezia grape variety, which was almost obliterated by a huge flood in 1966. The family rediscovered this indigenous grape variety, and replanted it in the walled vineyard at Venissa.
Here food is just as important as wine - Venissa is home to one of Venice’s finest Michelin-starred restaurants run by Francesco Brutto, who was named Italy's best young chef in 2016 and 2017 and Chiara Pavan who was named ‘’Best Female Chef in Italy’’ by the Espresso Guide 2019, and International Chef of the Year awarded by Elle Gourmet.
There are just five relaxed rooms all with exposed-beam ceilings and hardwood floors, antique furnishings combine with modern accents to create an atmosphere of warmth and calm.
The hurlyburly of Venice is just a 50-minute boat trip away and the colourful island of Burano is connected by a bridge to Mazzorbo.
A stay at Venissa Wine Resort is a brilliant way to experience the relaxing nature of the area. Here, guests immerse themselves in nature, disconnect and experience true lagoon life while exploring tiny streets or a range of immersive local experiences.
The Blind Experience
Remember these are only suggestions of places you might stay at as part of a wider surprise honeymoon itinerary that will be individually designed around you and your partner.
Blind Experiences only works with other travel experts, who offer the most personal, interesting and sustainable experiences.
So why choose a Blind Experiences honeymoon?
Well, it’s the ultimate ‘no-stress - all delight’ vacation. After all that wedding planning, you won’t need to plan a thing for your honeymoon - it’s all taken care of.
You won’t know the destination (or destinations!) you’re visiting or what experiences you’re going to have - so opening the Blind Experiences envelopes is like unwrapping a collection of the best gifts ever!
You’ll maintain the spontaneous and exciting energy of your wedding celebrations throughout your honeymoon as you experience your travel dreams coming true in unexpected ways.
But best of all you will share the best time of your life with the person you love the most!
That’s amore…...
Comments