Literary Travel in London, Florence and Rome
Guided by the pages of influential writers, we explore the imagination behind the most romantic of European cities.
Brown’s Hotel is my favourite hotel in London, with an incredible history. The service is impeccable. I find it private and discreet and somewhere to get away from the hustle and bustle of Central London. Where else in the world can you sit, sipping an Old Fashioned or Gin & Tonic, by the same fireplace that Winston Churchill sat by during WWII?
Love tradition? Love Fashion.
I adore the traditions of Mayfair, Savile Row, St James’ and Jermyn Street. I’m not sure if it’s a ritual but I always have my shoes shined in Burlington Arcade every time I’m in Mayfair.
London is the most diverse and exciting fashion capital in the world. It has the heritage brands on Savile Row, but mixes this with fashionforward, exciting young designers, on top of huge international brands such as Burberry. No other fashion capital can really offer this.
An accessory to the look?
My ties and handkerchiefs are usually from Thom Sweeney or Drakes. I also have a watch collection, many of which come from Watch Club in the Royal Arcade in Mayfair.
So if you're looking good, where's good to look?
Wander along Embankment at sunset and past the Houses of Parliament. I truly think it is one of the best and most iconic views in the world.
Other fashionable favourites?
The Riding House Cafe for lunch. 34 Berkeley Square for dinner. The National Portrait Gallery for culture.
Guided by the pages of influential writers, we explore the imagination behind the most romantic of European cities.
Sicily is “the key to everything”, or so wrote Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in his works, Italian Journey. Throughout history, the largest island in the Mediterranean has captivated travellers as a land of myth, natural beauty and ancient memory. Shaped by Greek colonies, Emirates of Crete, Roman Provinces, Norman Kingdoms and Spanish rule, Sicily holds the imprint of civilisations past. Woven into its landscapes, their presence remains with its buildings, ruins and along the pretty coastal paths that follow its shores.
Vivacious, glamorous, powerful. Few figures encapsulate the effortless grandeur of the Belle Époque quite like Donna Franca, our Sicilian muse. Famed for her petite frame, thick dark hair and an exquisite fashion sense that has endured for over a century, Franca was the epitome of an era that placed beauty and high fashion at its forefront.