Unusual experiences to book this spring
Adventures to inspire every traveller
Easter in Europe has a magical quality to it, with its sun-dappled vineyards and secret stretches of beach. Whether guests are looking to hone their culinary skills with loved ones or craving an outdoor adventure, here are three dream family holiday destinations to experience this spring.
Puglia, Italy
Perfect for: gourmands
With its ancient sites, charming hilltop towns, Baroque architecture and pristine beaches, Puglia in southern Italy ticks a lot of boxes for guests wanting an Easter holiday. This is also where much of Italy’s wine and olive oil are produced, among other gastronomical delights such as orecchiette pasta, which is often accompanied with cime di rapa sauce.
Masseria Torre Maizza’s restaurant Carosello is set in the former stables of an Italian farmhouse, or masseria, and has high whitewashed ceilings, a terrace and garden views which make it an idyllic spot to indulge in seasonal local delicacies, but guests can also opt to sit amid the hotel’s centuries-old olive grove for a candlelit picnic.
Novice cooks and seasoned gourmands can join a cookery class to learn how to make regional specialities with ingredients freshly picked from the hotel’s grounds. They’ll also learn new skills and discover the stories behind the dishes they help prepare.
Florence, Italy
Best for: a romantic escape
The cradle of the Renaissance and home to some of the world’s most impressive art and architecture, Florence is also one of Europe’s most romantic Easter destinations.
For those looking to create an unforgettable proposal, Hotel Savoy organises private boat rides on a traditional barchetto gondola along the Arno river. The boat slows down as it drifts beneath the mediaeval stone Ponte Vecchio bridge so passengers can take a photo of the special moment, before continuing to the workshop of Italy’s ‘Queen of embroidery,’ Loretta Capone, home of embroidered linens and handmade lingerie.
Guests can round off their evening by indulging in a private Tuscan dinner accompanied by live entertainment in the Presidential Suite at Hotel Savoy, from which they can gaze across to Florence Cathedral’s dome and belltower.
London, United Kingdom
Perfect for: sensational art
London has long been known as the capital of the art world as it is home to an array of top class galleries.
Brown’s Hotel is based in Mayfair, one of the city’s main hubs of modern and contemporary art. Fine art galleries such as Connaught Brown, which specialises in paintings and drawings by French Impressionists, post-Impressionists and modern masters is on Albemarle Street, on the hotel’s doorstep. Nearby, historic Cork Street is dotted with some of the world’s most renowned galleries such as Messums London, a specialist in contemporary British art and sculpture.
Guests can round off Easter in style with an unforgettable stay at a Rocco Forte hotel in Europe.