Search results for

In 1992, Bill Lark opened the first new Australian distillery in 150 years, pioneering a now thriving Tasmanian industry that boasts more than 10 producers of single-malt whiskey islandwide. Most are concentrated in the south, and Drink Tasmania’s whiskey tours visit the best of them. At the original Lark Distillery in the Coal Valley, whiskey connoisseurs can learn the whole process, from brewing to peat smoking to distillation. Old Kempton Distillery produces apple liqueur, spiced schnapps, and lavender malt in addition to its single-malt, which features barley grown here at the historic Dysart House in Kempton. Belgrove Distillery takes that a few steps further, growing its own rye, spelt, wheat, and barley and using a smoker that head distiller Peter Bignell designed himself.

One of the best strolls through Venice begins in the neighborhood of Arsenale and finishes on the Island of Sant’Elena. Walk along the main drag of Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, a street full of shops and colourful local life until it dead ends. Make a right on to Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi where a monument to the streets namesake stands. From here the streets become very quiet. Follow Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi to the end and turn left onto the Fondamenta San Giuseppe. This is a mostly residential area where you see laundry hanging from pastel painted houses and hear small fishing boats tapping against the sides of the canal. Make the first right off the Fondamenta and get lost in the twist of back streets here until you come upon the Via XXIV Maggio. From here, look for signs pointing to the Church of Sant’Elena, a beautiful 12th-century monastery on the island.

Inspired by the lunar calendar, new spa treatments at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne resort on an island south of Miami Beach explore the moon’s influence on the senses. Products from Éminence’s biodynamic line utilize ingredients harvested during corresponding phases of the moon.

There’s something about a place being “secret” that makes it exponentially more exciting. Counter Reformation, the European-style wine bar hidden from sight inside the Parker hotel, lives up to that notion. Open from Thursday to Monday, 3 to 10 p.m., the pocket-sized shrine to great wine has no tables and takes no reservations (though leaning at the low-lit 14-seat bar is encouraged). But there is food, and fantastic food at that. Instead of trying to be everything to everybody, Counter Reformation’s tapas menu is short and original, including caviar served with crème fraîche and a quail egg, plus a layered summer tomato salad with melon. The wines are carefully curated from California, France, and Italy, with a few wild cards from places like Portugal and Oregon, and are all priced the same. While the spot has the feel of an insider’s club, it’s without pretense, with the experts behind the bar providing enthusiastic guidance. For dessert, order the foie gras macarons with sea salt, with a sip of champagne. If you overdo it, don’t worry: You can ask for forgiveness in the restaurant’s authentic confessional booth, shipped in from Italy.

It’s hard to go wrong with Italian food in Boston’s North End, but one surefire way to go right is to turn left from the door of the Paul Revere House and slip inside the historic town house that’s home to Mamma Maria, an unmissable fine-dining restaurant facing North Square. Settle into the serenely elegant dining room overlooking the square to feast on classics like terrine of suckling pig, veal osso buco, Tuscan-style rabbit pappardelle, and a wide selection of seafood dishes from local waters. The uninitiated may mutter a “mamma mia” at the prices, but for Northern Italian in the North End, Mamma Maria rules the house.

To stay in Florence is a visual delight. And a stay at the stunning Il Salviatino hotel is simply magnificent. Tucked into the hills above the glistening city of Florence this restored and refined 15th century villa, Il Salviatino exemplifies the grandeur of Florence with great style in the quiet of the Tuscan hills. Surrounded by 12 acres of their private park, and just 15 minutes from the city center accessible by the hotel’s shuttle;, after being in the middle of the hordes visiting the Duomo and the Uffizi it is a most relaxing place to stay. There is a magnificent tiered pool to swim in, a spa, and horseback riding, hot air balloon rides, cooking classes and wine tastings available nearby. Built as a magnificent villa, each room is unique. Some have outdoor terraces, several feature a glass greenhouse enclosure. Another has a bathtub for two with views of the hills. One stunning room is the Affresco Suite, hidden behind a door in the library and boasting an intricate 1886 ceiling fresco by Bruschi, a sarcophagus tub, books on Florence and enough space for two to curl up to read with a glass of wine: this is the definition of refined luxury. From the remarkable stone terrace, one can see the rose garden, the Duomo, and Florence sparkling at night while dining. The hotel restaurant La Cucina del Salviatino serves local specialties with vegetables, herbs and fruit from their organic garden, paired impeccably with wines from their cellar. A most romantic repast here under the stars by their talented chef Stefano Santo will not soon be forgotten. And the opulent breakfast is the perfect way to begin your day of exploration in Florence. Il Salviatino refreshes, inspires and delights the savvy traveler who seeks the beautiful. Compliments to owner Alessandra Rovati Vitali for refreshing this Florence Tuscan paradise and to CEO Marco Milocco for the seamless operation. Be forewarned however, that after being looked after by the attentive and professional staff the hardest part is leaving. https://www.visitflorence.com all photos: Luxepaths Kurt Winner

Australia’s most famous beach has played many roles throughout history. In 1907, a group of local swimmers became the world’s first lifeguards; during World War II, it was fortified by barbed wire and iron stakes; and over the last few decades, it has become a play land for international backpackers. More recently, the bohemian surf hood has morphed into a lively dining and shopping hub, with restaurants ranging from standbys like Sean’s Panaroma to the friendly burger joint Bonditony’s to Italian favorite Da Orazio Pizza and Porchetta, opened by Icebergs Dining Room owner Maurice Terzino. (Don’t miss the pool and sauna at Icebergs either.) Once fed, check in at the QT Hotel, shop along Gould Street, and walk the stunning Bondi to Coogee coastal path.

Anyone can swim in this glorious pool for a mere $5.50. Mon-Fri: 6:00-6:30pm Sat, Sun: 6:30-6:30pm Closed Thursdays.

The 17th-century estate where Simón Bolívar died in 1830 is the site of several Bolivar monuments as well as an art museum featuring works by Latin American artists inspired by Bolívar, the hero who freed Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela from colonial rule. The estate serves as the city’s botanical garden, also worth your time for its magnificent, centuries-old trees.

A shared love for southern Italian comfort food and a chance encounter in the supermarket drew chefs Antonio d’Alaimo and Ciro Genova into this gastronomic venture. The Italian duo, known to everyone as Ciro and Tony, personally welcome every guest to their small dining room. The menu features, among other things, veal marsala, snapper in wine sauce with fresh tomato and laurel, and tortellini Alessandro (pasta stuffed with chopped ham and cream). A wide-ranging wine list and tempting dessert menu help round out the evening.

After years spent working in small workshops in France, Rome, and Orvieto, Italy, and being lauded with an armful of awards, Massimo and Tiziana Aloisio, the couple behind Orogami, have opened a boutique in Capri to sell their jewelry. Their complex designs mix technical skill with philosophies about life and love. The Sphere collection features delicate orbs spun from thin gold or silver threads that are strung in a row on a necklace or knotted onto a simple leather bracelet. The Labyrinth collection of necklaces and rings are etched with a path through which a single diamond or ruby moves.

A Cape Town favorite Italian restaurant that is always packed, with families, lovers on a special date, friends, even though it’s not cheap Italian food by any means. The pastas are divided into long and short varieties – corta and lunga – and you will find the standard dishes plus many variations. Take a table on the verandah on balmy summer evenings.

One thing you’ll likely notice when walking the streets of Cuzco is how many places advertise pizza. If you’re dying for a slice, there’s no better spot than La Cantina. Primarily a wine bar—bottles of all-Italian vintages line the walls—this place also happens to serve the best pizza in town, with a delicately thin crust topped with ingredients like authentic salami, prosciutto, arugula, olives, a variety of cheeses, and more. You’ll also find imported meat and cheese plates, lasagna, bruschetta, and salads. If you’re lucky, there’s tiramisu at the meal’s end, plus artisanal limoncello. Go for the wine, but be sure to try the food while you’re there.

There are few places where you can better learn about the beauty and complexity of desert ecology than the Desert Botanical Garden, not far from downtown Phoenix. Check out the Desert Discovery Loop Trail for a look at local flora, go for a flashlight tour or cooking class (using plants found in the region, of course), or catch one of the musical performances that are part of the garden’s concert series. Make a point to visit the Desert Terrace Garden for the best views of the surrounding buttes and desert.

Adolf Hitler’s mountain retreat, the Eagle’s Nest combines haunting history with stunning panoramic views. Located high in the Bavarian Alps, this famous Third Reich construction was bought for the former German Führer as a 50th-birthday present. Today, the spot (also known as Kehlsteinhaus) is open to the public. After a bus journey to the base of the Eagle’s Nest, visitors walk through a long tunnel and make a final 406-foot ascent in an elevator embedded into the mountainside. Once inside the building, don’t miss the Italian marble fireplace—a present from Benito Mussolini. Also note that weather conditions may cause the Eagle’s Nest to close at certain times of year, so summer is your best bet to visit.

The sustainably designed andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge on the edge of the NamibRand Nature Reserve captures the raw beauty of the world’s oldest living desert. The otherworldliness of the environment has been consciously translated into every aspect of the experience. The off-grid design factors in the extreme climate and harsh elements, and the desert’s forms, colors and textures are reflected in sculptural stone and steel lines that give way to soft, organic shapes. Throughout, glass walls slide away to amplify the big-sky views. The 10 guest suites are self-sufficient, solar-powered private retreats, each generating ample energy to run on photovoltaic power for everything from the AC and the deep swimming pools to the water harvesting and recycling systems.


Activities include climbing the world’s highest dunes at Sossusvlei or e-biking along gravel trails to caves with rock art by the desert’s earliest inhabitants. Back at the lodge, dishes that reflect Namibia’s cultural history include venison and Kalahari truffles and fresh seafood from the Atlantic Ocean. With close to zero light pollution, the Namib is one of the best dark sky locations in the Southern Hemisphere. The best way to end any evening is in the lodge’s observatory. You can also fall asleep counting stars, thanks to a skylight above your bed.