As the autumn harvests fade into memory and trees are festooned with fairy lights in place of fruit, we continue to curate experiences to enthral clients and offer an unrivalled sense of place. From an exclusive Sicilian culinary journey to an exceptional chocolate workshop in Brussels, each of the following experiences are distinctly emblematic of the country in which they take place.
Olive oil harvesting in Sicily
Late autumn in Sicily sees the olive ripen. Your clients will no doubt have tasted this prized delicacy, an essential part of la cucina Italiana. Now, gastronomes can gain a deeper insight into the journey from branch to bruschetta with Verdura Resort. Accompanied by a U Canuscituri (local insider), clients will visit the quaint hilltop village of Sant’Angelo Muxaro in the Sicani mountains where, with a local family, they’ll partake in the olive harvesting, reaping the olives from the branches with the same implements used since antiquity, before catching their prize in large nets. After witnessing the pressing and extraction phases of production, they’ll prepare and enjoy a seasonal lunch together with their hosts, featuring the fruits of their labour.
Chocolate crafting in Brussels
Home to an estimated 2,000 chocolatiers, Brussels is known as the chocolate capital of the world. Courtesy of Hotel Amigo, your cocoa-loving clients can not only sample some of the finest sweet treats in the city but also get behind the scenes to learn the art of crafting chocolate from a renowned local Maître chocolatier. In the warm, cocoa-scented surrounds of Laurent Gerbaud’s Atelier, they’ll discover the secret to blending chocolate with various fruit and spices to exotic effect – the Maître’s extensive travels in the Far East inspired his innovative recipes and guests can expect to use kumquats, apricots, lemon peel, figs, grapefruit, nuts and more. Not only will they take home their own creations, but each attendee will also carry away a deluxe collection of seasonal chocolates made by the Maître himself.
Book your 2020 stay at Verdura Resort by emailing reservations.verdura@roccofortehotels.com or calling +39 06 32 888 630.
Book your stay at Hotel Amigo by emailing reservations.amigo@roccofortehotels.com or calling +7 812 494 5770.
The Grand Tour has had its day, in the most fortunate way. What was once a rite of years is now within reach of anyone with the curiosity to make it. The prescribed list of sights has loosened too, leaving the traveller free to follow Goethe's original instinct, to stand where the present is being made as well as where the past is preserved. Today, our journey through Milan, Florence and Rome begins, as it always did, in the north…
"Sicily isn't just where we source ingredients. It's very much the soul of my brand." For Irene Forte, the island shapes everything — her skincare line, her approach to wellbeing, and her own sense of what it means to live well. As Wellness Consultant for Rocco Forte Hotels and founder of Irene Forte Skincare, she belongs to a new generation of wellness leaders rethinking longevity, connecting the wisdom of those who have always lived well with the insight of modern science.
Much like the island, the resort’s Rocco Forte Private Villas encourage a slower, more considered way of living. Designed by Olga Polizzi, each villa is thoughtfully arranged to bring loved ones together, while still allowing space for solitude
