Germany is truly an unparalleled destination for opera lovers, and Berlin is home to some of the country’s most renowned concert venues and orchestras. Komische Oper stages a variety of performances and the Deutsche Oper offers the largest auditorium, but Staatsoper Berlin is both the most beautiful and the oldest. Home to the Berlin State Opera for over 250 years, a visit to this historic venue is an unforgettable experience.
Take up residence in Hotel de Rome’s elegant Royal Bebel Suite for your 3-night stay, mere steps from Staatsoper. A welcoming array of delicacies including macarons, Berlinerdoughnuts and local rhubarb lemonade will be waiting for you on arrival, along with a special gift—a genuine fragment of the Berlin wall.
After you’ve settled into your sumptuous suite, a private 5-course Italian dinner will be prepared for you by the Head Chef and served in the former Dresden Bank vault. Perfect for those in need of some pampering, you’ll spend the following day relaxing in the tranquil De Rome Spa with a couples’ treatment, Champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries.
Retire to your suite to dress for a glamorous evening of entertainment at the Staatsoper, a short walk across the Bebelplatz. You’ll enter a world of ornate details and red velvet as you take your VIP seats in the exquisitely restored auditorium to enjoy a sublime performance. After the curtain falls, you’ll be whisked off on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the opera house, where you’ll also have the opportunity to meet Maestro Daniel Barenboim, former director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and La Scala in Milan. The perfect finale to a sophisticated evening of high culture, enjoy a cocktail at La Banca Bar before bed.
For more information or to reserve your stay, please email reservations.derome@roccofortehotels.com or call +49 30 460 609 1430.
The blooms of Munich’s Old Botanical Garden fill the city air with a sweet aroma. At the edge of this green lung sits The Charles Hotel, whose recently refreshed rooms capture the garden’s essence. Olga Polizzi, Director of Design at Rocco Forte Hotels, takes us through the finer details.
Paris is always a good idea. Except, perhaps, when it’s hosting the Olympic Summer Games, and the usual tourist throng looks set to multiply almost prohibitively. Of course, the Games are exciting, but if wading through crowds feels like a marathon effort, try a cultural relay around one of these stunning European cities instead.
As the gentle glow of each ornate chandelier begins to dim, a hush descends upon the audience before an all-consuming world of tragedy and triumph unfolds. Both exhilarating and deeply moving, a night at the opera has the distinct power to evoke emotion, while offering a unique insight into a perhaps unfamiliar city.
Journey through Europe’s symphony of unmissable opera houses, each steeped in history and grandeur.
