Merano's 5-star Villa Eden’s Black Week special offers as the month of December approaches, and with it the Christmas holiday atmosphere and the desire to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

To make the most of the last days before Christmas and the start of a new year, Villa Eden Leading Park Retreat has a special offer for those who wish to relax and enjoy moments of pure wellbeing.

One free night for every three

Up to 12 December you can book a 4-night stay at the 5-star luxury hotel and pay for only 3 nights. Villa Eden is giving away one night to those who book by 12 December. The offer is also valid during the holidays and includes the Italian December national holiday long weekend from 8 to 11 December, thus making it possible to enjoy a short break immersed in a context of evocative natural beauty.

Complimentary €100 spa voucher

Furthermore, with a minimum stay of 4 nights, and departure on Monday 12 December, Villa Eden is offering an additional free gift consisting of a Spa Voucher worth €100. Villa Eden, with its luxurious Spa, is indeed the ideal place to pamper oneself with a range of beauty and medical Spa treatments.

Gourmet dining and precious chilling-out time

With only 29 suites and immersed in a centuries-old park located in the most exclusive residential area of Merano, Villa Eden - a true Leading Hotel of the World – where and for 39 years the Schmid family has been taking care of guests' well-being, is the ideal place to enjoy a stay of utmost tranquility. And the new gourmet restaurant where chef Marcello Corrado awaits you is certainly not to be missed. So from the beautiful panoramic terrace to the Cheminée Lounge Bar and from the wellness centre to the reception area to the gourmet dining rooms and the Mindful Restaurant, this is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a refined environment in which to delight in spa pampering, fine dining and chilling-out time.  

  

In anticipation of the much-anticipated holidays Starhotels is offering some timeless travel ideas for getting into the Christmas spirit in the heart of the most beautiful Italian cities.

The famous Christmas lights on Florence’s Via Tornabuoni

The Helvetia & Bristol Firenze - Starhotels Collezione in Florence, a stone's throw from the famous Via de' Tornabuoni, offers a dream stay in a recently renovated historic 19th-century residence where you can breathe the elegant atmosphere of the Grand Tour. To celebrate in style, the Cibrèo Restaurant & Cocktail Bar has devised two special menus for celebrations aimed at satisfying the most discriminating palates on Christmas Eve and on the last day of the year.

The Grand Hotel Continental Siena is the city’s only 5-star

In addition to experiencing the Roman Baths, the SPA Helvetia & Bristol offers an original menu to start the New Year with new energy. For an even more exclusive New Year's Eve the entire thermal area can be reserved for the most festive night of the year. And while in Tuscany, Siena is another magical place to visit. The Grand Hotel Continental Siena - Starhotels Collezione is the only 5-star hotel in the historic center, just a few steps from Piazza del Campo. For Christmas and New Year's Eve lunch, the Sapordivino restaurant has special bespoke menus accompanied by fine Tuscan wines from the wine cellar, which is in the hotel’s ancient mediaeval tower.

Exclusive views of Milan and its famous cathedral

There is no more central and fascinating location in Milan for those who choose to spend their holidays there than the Rosa Grand Milano - Starhotels Collezione, an iconic hotel in the shadow of the Duomo, in the heart of the fashion and design capital. Christmas lunch at the Sfizio Restaurant has a distinct flavor, and on New Year's Eve the atmosphere comes alive with a Chef's Show Cooking, followed by a DJ set. For an even more exclusive experience and a breathtaking view, stay in the Duomo Luxury Apartments, luxury residences that offer all the comforts of home as well as unique views of the Madonnina statue on top of the cathedral in the Penthouses. For more information, please visit: https://www.starhotels.com/it/egift.html 

A surprise with a strong Argentine flavour awaits passengers departing Rome’s Fiumicino Airport who have access to the Plaza Premium Lounge in the boarding area. 

A menu of Argentine delicacies and fine wines

Until Sunday 11 December passengers will find a selection of traditional Argentinian dishes – from meats to desserts – on the lounge menu, while the Doc Italy Maestri del Gusto Chefs will pay homage to the South American country with some of its most iconic desserts.

A tango performance delighted guests and departing passengers

Present at the inauguration of the Argentinian Gastronomic Week in the Premium Plaza Lounge were the Argentinean Ambassador Roberto Cales together with Alejandro Luppino and Vanesa Di Martino Creide. Together with Ivano Bassato, Aeroporti di Roma’s Chief Aviation Officer they welcomed guests to the event, and a performance of tango by Maestros Leonardo and Cristina Elias from the International CulturTango tango academy in Rome delighted both the guests and departing passengers.  

The ambassador Roberto Cales

"We are proud to welcome guests to this important Argentinian tourist, food and wine promotional event,” said the ambassador Roberto Cales, while Plaza Premium Lounge General Manager Analia Marinoff said that Fiumicino has been their home for the last five years. “We have hosted over 350,000 travellers from all over the world, offering them the utmost comfort and quality food.”

A commitment that was recently awarded the World's Best Independent Lounge at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards 2022. Both Aerolineas Argentinas and ITA Airways operate direct flights from Fiumicino to Buenos Aires’ international Ezeiza Airport.

Luca Pergolizzi is the new director of sales & events at the Grand Hotel Poltu Qualtu. Born in Milazzo in 1982, Pergolizzi joined the Sardinian property’s sales team in 2015, after the San Domenico Palace in Taormina.  Poltu Quatu has just finished its long season. Having opened in April and closed at the beginning of November, it is already preparing for 2023.

"The 2022 season has decreed the success of our destination on the international tourism scene," says Rafael Torres, CEO of Girama Hospitality, which manages the resort. "In these two years we have set up a 360-degree strategy that highlights the possibility of looking beyond the classic tourism dynamics and has allowed us to develop and make this wonderful destination in Sardinia known to guests from all over the world. We are already working for 2023″.

Marcello Cicalò is the new CEO of the Bluserena group. Cicalò brings to the company over twenty years of experience in luxury hospitality - starting his career at Delphina Hotels and Forte Village, and then moving  to the Rome Cavalieri  - and specific expertise in Italy, Europe, countries of the former Soviet Union, the United States and the Gulf States. 

“We share an orientation towards quality, innovation, training and motivation”

"I accepted this new position with enthusiasm and determination. I will bring to it all the skills I have acquired in each of my hotel experiences, together with a great passion for the world of hospitality and teamwork," Cicalò said. "Bluserena represents an innovative and stimulating reality in which I will have the opportunity to develop the vision of Azora European Hotel & Leisure, working in synergy with the entire team, with whom I share a strong orientation towards quality, innovation, training and motivation.

Summer 2021 closed with a 20% rise in turnover

For the immediate future, Cicalò will supervise the renovation projects of the 4-star villages and design the new services included in the investment programme of more than €30 million, allocated in 2021 following the acquisition by Azora European Hotel & Leisure. The expansion and renovation plan focuses on the further development of the company after a successful summer season, which saw pre-pandemic figures exceeded with a total of 1.2 million presences and a 20% increase in turnover. With 2,500 employees and a total accommodation capacity of 4,400 rooms spread across its 13 4- and 5-star villages and resorts, the ongoing investment programme will show its first results at the start of the 2023 season.

Work is underway at the Hilton Rome Eur La Lama, in preparation for its debut in the heart of Rome's EUR business district, the nerve centre for large companies, with bookings currently opening from January 2023.

The hotel will have 439 guestrooms and seven meeting rooms

The futuristic building, an example of architectural mastery is next to the Rome La Nuvola Convention Center. Standing 60 metres tall and spread over 16 floors, it has 439 rooms, 2 restaurants, 2 bars, a gym and 7 meeting rooms.

The Hilton Rome Eur La Lama is easily reached from Fiumicino Airport

This new hotel is aimed at an international public but also at locals, not only as a travel destination for business or pleasure. It will also be ideal for events and meetings thanks to its strategic position which is easily reachable from Fiumicino’s international airport.

This is the third Hilton Icarus property

Hilton Rome Eur La Lama will employ over 200 staff and represents the next chapter in the partnership between Icarus and Hilton, after the Hilton Rome Airport, which opened more than 20 years ago as the first airport hotel in Italy, to which the Hilton Garden Inn Rome Airport was then added in 2016.

The new hotel is owned by ICARUS

The new Hilton Rome Eur La Lama is owned by ICARUS S.p.A. with the engineering studio Reconsult S.r.l in charge of construction management, support for the interior design from Lorenzo Bellini Atelier, and Stile Spa on construction.

Emilia, the Land of the Slow Mix, is a lifestyle with a plethora of experiences, all to be experienced between Parma, Piacenza, and Reggio Emilia.  

One-of-a-kind experiences from local operators 

With a concentration of one-of-a-kind events such as cooking classes, visits to places of excellence in the Food Valley, enchanted castles, and historic towns, Emilia is a land to be experienced on many different levels. And it is possible thanks to the many local operators who belong to the Visit Emilia, Food & Wine, Culture & Castles, Spas & Outdoors networks.

Gastronomic tours in a true foodie heaven

To fully immerse yourself in Emilia’s culture why not start with a gastronomic tour of Parma and Reggio Emilia? Beginning with a tasting of the traditional Balsamic vinegar of Reggio Emilia Dop and a visit to a vinegar factory before continuing on to one of the producers of the famous Parma ham. Then it’s time for a tasty lunch based on typical Emilian cold cuts. And in the afternoon the itinerary continues, exploring Malvasia wine and admiring the Torrechiara Castle.

On two wheels around the heart of the city

Emilia is the land of two wheels, so a bicycle itinerary taking in Parmesan cheese and Parma is not to be missed. The half-day guided tour begins in a dairy to discover how the cheese is made, and you then pedal around the heart of the city. For a quick lunch break you can enjoy a basket of typical products, or stop in a historic delicatessen in Parma's centre.

A magnificent Renaissance square and a famous film set

Starting with a tour of Reggio Emilia and Gualtieri, with its magnificent Renaissance square, you can then continue to Brescello, which is an open-air film set where you can relive the stories of Don Camillo and Peppone, two of Italy’s best loved screen characters. 

Medieval tours, wine tastings and cured meats  

On the guided tours in the mediaeval heart of Castell'Arquato you can relive the days of ladies and knights, discovering this magical and romantic town with its Collegiate Church and Viscontea Fortress. Wine lovers will delight in the Colli Piacentini, surrounded by landscapes dominated by fine vineyards and wine cellars. The Piacentino Cellar Tour features tastings of various typical wines and combinations of Emilian gastronomic products. Then visit salami factories to discover Piacenza’s famous PDO cured meats - coppa, pancetta and salami – which are winners of numerous prizes and awards.

Taste a selection of the best South Tyrolean wines in typical ski lodges as you admire the stunning Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

South Tyrol’s finest wines and great skiing

This winter 2022/23 the Alta Badia, which is a popular ski destination in northern Italy not far from Austria and Switzerland, proposes Sommelier on the slopes. With six dates scheduled between December and April (13 December, 17 January, 7 and 14 February, 7 March and 4 April) and fabulous skiing on the slopes of the Alta Badia, there will also be with tastings of some of South Tyrol’s finest wines. The price of the tastings, including the ski guide, is €40.00 per person.

Tickets can be purchased at the ski lodges

On Sunday 26 March 2023, Alta Badia brings the best South Tyrolean wines to new heights, with an exclusive tasting which will be held from 10:00 to 15.30, at the Piz Arlara, Ütia de Bioch, I Tablà and Pralongià ski lodges. The cost of the ticket, which can be purchased directly from the four participating lodges, is €35.00 per person and includes all the wines. An exciting way to combine tasting the area’s fine wines with skiing on the sunny slopes of the Alta Badia. 

For information www.altabadia.org  

During the Christmas holiday season Genoa (together with San Sebastian in Spain) will be the European Capital of Christmas. 

“A commitment to pursuing the European values of Christmas”

The designation is “for the high technical level of the projects…and the commitment to pursuing the European values of Christmas.... a powerful element of integration and knowledge of the values of Europe among its citizens:” The events will kick off on December 12 with a connection to San Sebastian the other 2022 capitals via a giant screen and with a concert by Beppe Barra. 

Festivities leading up to the Epiphany weekend

The busy programme of Christmas animations and light trails started on 1 December and will continue until the Epiphany weekend, all with the European Capital of Christmas logo. And on 8 December the lights on the large Christmas tree in Piazza De Ferrari will be switched on. Genoa, decked out in lights and decorations, will have markets that enliven the historic center's squares and alleys, as well as concerts, shows, and events inspired by the festive atmosphere.  

A traditional Genoese celebration

The Confeugo, which is celebrated on the Saturday before Christmas, is a much-loved Genoese tradition. Following the joyous procession in traditional costume, accompanied by flag-wavers, they set fire to a laurel trunk covered with branches and on New Year's Eve in Piazza De Ferrari concerts with famous artists will bring the holiday season to a close.

Themes guided tours of the city

Throughout the holiday season themed guided tours will allow visitors and locals to enjoy European Christmas capital, exploring its traditions and art, from guided tours to the Rubens City Pass promotion for those staying three nights in Genoa, to the special Rolli Experience - Rubens Edition package. For information visit the website: www.visitgenoa.it  

Genoa, a city for all seasons

The Val d’Ega in the heart of the Dolomite range, just a few kilometres north of Bolzano, has sun, snow and fun for all ages.  

A new ski lift, hiking trails and cross-country skiing

The futuristic Campanil chairlift in Pampeago with 29 seats, each carrying six people, joins the lifts serving the legendary Latemar Ski Center. The Zanggen II slope in Obereggen is a new addition to the snow sports playground with its 90 kilometres of slopes, three toboggan circuits, two snow parks and one night park. There are also many hiking trails and snowshoeing in a fairy-tale landscape as well as 160 kilometres of white trails for cross-country skiing between Obereggen and Carezza.

It's time to star-gaze among snow-capped mountains

Among the surprises of the coming season is the opportunity to travel even in winter on the Path of the Stars. This Dolomite trail connects the Astrovillages of S. Valentino in Campo and Collepietra and is the prefect way to explore the secrets of the firmament and the universe in the embrace of snow-capped mountains.

An explosion of emotion on 48 kilometres of slopes 

Obereggen, on the other hand, is an explosion of pure emotion and pleasure, with 48 kilometres of slopes of varying difficulty served by 18 ski lifts. It also has snow parks and original and high-quality food outlets, as well as two children's parks and one Miniclub, four toboggan runs, and the mythical Alpine Coaster. 

Named the best ski area in the world

The Oberholz Refuge and the LOOX Alpine Club represent the more refined side of this mountain pearl that speaks the language of design. And skiers and snowboarders of all sizes and ages will find what they are looking for inside the Ski Center Latemar, one of the most popular in the Dolomites, and named the best ski area in the world by www.skiresort.de. 

Great prices and super discounts 

To get the season started the Dolomiti Super Première - valid until 24 December 2022 - offers one free day for every four, which become two free days in the case of an eight-day stay. This offer includes lodging and ski passes, as well as ski schools and rentals and equipment at extremely low prices. Obereggen For Families, which runs from 8 to 28 January and 19 March to 16 April 2023, allows little skiers to take their first steps on skis and have fun on two toboggan runs on three fun slopes. Seven nights in HB/B&B/APP are included in the €1400 price as well as six days of the Skipass Fiemme-Obereggen, a free Skipass for children under eight, six days of ski and equipment rental for children, one day of free sled rental, and free admission to Brunoland.