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.
On Saturday 2nd February at 2.15pm the whistle will blow, signalling the start of another titanic battle between Scotland and Italy on the hallowed turf of Murrayfield. Over the course of the last decade the clashes between these two countries, one an established nation of the old order and the other an upstart recently promoted to the cream of northern hemisphere rugby, have been tense, passionate and close encounters.
In 2019 Italy will have a score to settle, having been pipped to a well-deserved victory in 2018 by a last-minute Scottish penalty in Rome—a repeat of their 2014 encounter, when with a minute to go, a Scottish drop goal sealed victory by a single point. However, with Scotland resurgent, and with a record of 21 wins out of 29 games, you would have to pick them as favourites on home soil. Since this year is a Rugby World Cup year, the pressure will be on both sides to prove themselves. Whichever way it goes, this will be a match to savour and one to plan a visit to the Scottish capital for.
Set in the heart of Edinburgh, The Balmoral is the perfect base from which to spend a weekend enjoying this Six Nations Rugby spectacular—just remember to wear blue, either the navy blue of Scotland or the light blue of the azzurri—and join one, or both, sets of supporters enjoying Scottish hospitality well into the night.
To book your stay at The Balmoral, email reservations.balmoral@roccofortehotels.com or call +44 131 556 2414.
If you have any ticket enquiries please email concierge.balmoral@roccofortehotels.com
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.