The Obereggen and Carezza ski areas get ready for the 2022 winter season in the Val d'Ega.

Just 20 minutes from Bolzano, in the snow-capped landscapes of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the two ski areas are preparing for the ribbon cutting of their many facilities which are ideal for all levels, from professionals to beginners, as well as for snowboarders and families with children.

One ski pass for 111 kms of slopes

In addition to being one of the 12 ski areas of the Dolomiti Superski, the Val d’Ega is part of the Obereggen-Val di Fiemme consortium. The local ski pass covers skiing on 111 kilometres of slopes in Obereggen, Pampeago , Predazzo, Cermis-Cavalese, Alpe Lusia and Bellamonte.

Slopes for skiing, snowboarding, sledding and snowshoeing

Carezza is the most popular ski area for families with children. The facilities for little ones there include ski schools, leisure areas, a themed run, a varied program of activities and a games room. The curtain was raised in November 2021 revealing many kilometres of slopes of all colours and 12 ski lifts. The area is easy and quick to reach by cable car from the village of Nova Levante, and has also upgraded its snow-making system, offering experienced winter sports lovers and beginners alike great slopes and countless opportunities for snowboarding, sledding, skiing. cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and freestyle.

A new 60-seat cable car 

The big news for 2022 is that the Tires cable car is operational, connecting the town of San Cipriano with the Frommer mountain hut in the Carezza area. The arrival and departure stations will be underground and the spectacular 60-seat cabin has a panoramic roof terrace.

Florence’s Helvetia & Bristol has opened the largest wellness centre in the centre of the Tuscan city. Open to both hotel guests and the general public, the spa is located where the Roman Florentia Roman baths once stood. The environment is suffused and dreamlike with Travertine surfaces, essential furnishings and areas for conviviality and relaxing.

Swimming pools with video art 

La Spa has a wet area that opens onto the calidarium, and continues with the aquamotus Vichy shower, the sudatorium Finnish sauna, the frigidarium and finally the tepidarium salt room. Then there is the lacus quietis, the area with swimming pools with different depths and various water features. Here the artist Felice Limosani has created a suspended piece of video art to be experienced immersed in the warm water: digital landscapes that through animations are reflected on mirrors and walls, creating a sensory experience for the body and mind. From the wet area, a path leads on one side to the gym, and on the other to the first floor with the treatment cabins, including a suite.  La Spa is managed by Snow Group Italia, part of the French group that owns over 60 wellness centres around the world.

“The new spa has a fascinating history, just like the hotel” 

"Helvetia & Bristol is a real icon,” says Elisabetta Fabri, president and CEO of Starhotels. “After a careful restoration and the recent addition of 25 new rooms and suites designed by Anouska Hempel, La Spa is now a destination within a destination and an exclusive experience. During the works we discovered that the ancient Capitoline thermal baths of Roman Florentia once stood here and this inspired us to create a spa that is unique in Florence. It is not just beautiful, it also has a fascinating history, as does the hotel.”

The San Nicola in Peschici  tourist resort has become part of the Baia Holiday family.

The open-air operator based in Salò recently closed negotiations for the acquisition of the 12-hectare resort in Puglia, 70% of which is in a beautiful wooded area in the Gargano Park. 

On the seafront for 1,500 guests

San Nicola's strong points, in addition to the natural beauty of the area, include its seafront position on a 700-metre stretch of soft sandy beach on which is has its own private lido bookended  by two stretches of cliffs that form a perfect bay. There are 420 pitches, some directly on the sea and many are in shady areas. There are also twenty-three masonry bungalows with private bathroom and verandas and the complex can accommodate 1,500 guests. 

Sports for all tastes and a children’s playground 

In San Nicola there is also a restaurant and a bar directly on the sea, a supermarket, two tennis courts, a five-a-side football pitch, a beach volleyball court, a children's playground and a games room. The area is also perfect for kitesurfing, windsurfing, horse riding, diving, canoeing, on-road and off-road cycling and canoeing.  With the new acquisition Baia Holiday now  has ten camping villages, two residences and a 4-star superior hotel from Lake Garda to the Venice lagoon, the Gulf of Trieste, the island of Lussino (Croatia), the Rome area and various seaside resort areas in Sardinia.

“We manage and market our properties” 

"We are very pleased that we have added San Nicola resort, an important new property in a key region such as Apulia, thus increasing the number of our properties which are totally managed and marketed by us. San Nicola is unique for its position in the Gargano park and for the beauty of the surrounding area,” said the CEO of Baia Holiday, Valerio Vezzola. 

In Governolo, a charming village in the province of Mantua, everything is ready for the most anticipated event of the year.

From Thursday 9 to Monday 13 June, and again from Saturday 18 to Wednesday 22 June, great food, music and various shows will be the order of the day.

This is a wonderful opportunity to discover the best Mantuan wines, to be enjoyed with many typical local delicacies, including ostrich in many forms, from appetizers to desserts. 

Tasting lunches, live bands and orchestras

On Sunday 12 and Sunday 19 June at 12.30, two tasting lunches are scheduled by reservation and every day there will be entertainment in the square from 9.15 pm. Ranging from 70s/80s disco music to classical favourites the best bands and orchestras in the area will be performing on stage.

The town stands where two rivers meet

Due to its unique geographical position at the confluence of two rivers, Governolo was once the gateway for navigation from Mantua to the Adriatic Sea. The ancient hydraulic basin, designed by Bertazzolo, recently renovated and fully illuminated, together with the nearby Matildic Tower, are just two of the town’s main tourist attractions.

Fascinating riverine industrial archaeology

In the same area there is the Mincio River Museum with many models, exhibition panels and videos illustrating centuries of local history and hydraulic archaeology. On the path along the former riverbed visitors can admire the mechanical devices that used to regulate the river level and allow boats to overcome the difference in height of the waters between the Mincio and the Po rivers. Lovers of outdoor walks will enjoy strolling along the cycle paths on the banks of the two rivers, losing themselves in the serene and tranquil countryside.   

Lefay Resorts becomes part of the Legend category of Preferred Resorts & Residences. This is the most prestigious cluster of the US soft brand, and also includes the subgroups Lux, Lifestyle, Connect and Residences.

"It is a great honour to be included among the five Legend properties in Italy - said Alcide Leali, Lefay's CEO – we are confident that this new strategic partnership will further enhance international attention on our group. It will also allow us to approach an increasingly diversified audience interested in our wellness destinations.”

 

Discovering Lake Garda and the Dolomites 

"We are very proud of the new partnership with Lefay," adds Preferred's vice president Europe, Roberta Possenti. "The Garda-based company’s hotels are perfectly suited to the Legend Collection and represent a must-visit destination for travellers who want to discover the wonders of Lake Garda and the Dolomites.”

Villa Gelsomino is an Art Nouveau residence on the Gulf of Portofino, an oasis of luxury overlooking one of the most exclusive stretches of the Ligurian Riviera in the province of Genoa.

The five enchanting suites in the 19th-century residence overlooking the beautiful coastline, are named for some of the Ligurian Riviera’s most famous little towns: Portovenere, Camogli, San Fruttuoso, Portofino, and the Cinque Terre.

Villa Gelsomino is managed by an all-female team
The sea views from the property have seduced poets and artists down the centuries and the property, managed by a young, enterprising and all-female team, has conserved the atmosphere of an Art Nouveau residence, but with harmonious contemporary details. The period inlaid floors and ceiling frescoes, antique furniture and crystal chandeliers are complemented by the comfortable contemporary beds and modern bathrooms with LED lights and minimalist allure.



Green electricity and no single-use plastic
There is no more delightful way to start the day than by enjoying the spectacular Riviera view from the colonnaded patio of the Villa Gelsomino, or in the gazebo in the garden with is centuries-old palm trees and perfumed jasmine, over a breakfast of quality home-made products, jams and cakes made from local ingredients. In this natural paradise only green electricity is used, and trees are planted to offset the emissions from cooking and water heating in collaboration with the Treedom project. Special attention is also paid to the Plastic Free Certification Standard project, that eliminates single-use plastic in favour of environmentally friendly alternatives, such as micro-filtered water dispensers instead of bottles.



Romantic bespoke menus
Villa Gelsomino is open all year round, and guests can treat themselves by booking a private chef who will prepare a romantic menu for two inspired by the best Italian traditions. 

Villadorata Country House in Sicily is a country residence a few kilometres from the town of Noto, nestling in the rolling hills of the valley of the same name.

A former palmento where oil was produced and dating back to the end of the 19th century, it has undergone a restyling and been transformed into a contemporary and welcoming residence. The Val di Noto consists of eight Baroque towns in the south-east of Sicily, and is one of Italy’s most stunning UNESCO world heritage sites.  

22 hectares of olives, lemons and almonds and a vineyard

In a separate building from the 7-room hotel in the historic centre of Noto, Country House Villadorata is an ideal link between the town and the countryside, enhancing the different aspects and uniqueness of the area which is on the edge of the Vendicari Nature Reserve. Surrounded by a luxuriant 22-hectare estate of olive, almond, lemon and orange trees and a small vineyard, all cultivated organically, the Country House is committed to minimizing emissions and maximizing the use of renewable energy, the aim being to achieve energy self-sufficiency.

Five suites with private pools

The eight deluxe rooms with verandas are divided between two buildings, and the five spacious independent suites have private pools. Completing the services offered by the hotel there is a large swimming pool – the water enriched with a blend of natural salts with beneficial properties combining health, well-being and pleasure. The W Villadorata Restaurant, helmed by Viviana Varese, is an immersion in the flavours of southern Sicily, also thanks to the farm-to-fork products from the resort's own land and from a nearby farm where the utmost respect for the environment is the name of the game.

Themed tours in the UNESCO Val di Noto  

The magnificent Val di Noto has a wealth of precious hidden treasures immersed in a wild and harmonious natural setting. To help guests discover this splendid area and to promote its beauty Country House Villadorata offers a choice of themed tours in the surrounding area. 

InHomie, Italy’s first hotel without staff, is to open in Rimini and is the brainchild of Nardo Filippetti, former founder of Eden Viaggi.

After taking over the Hotel Naiade in Rimini, the current president of the Lindbergh Hotels&Resorts group will renovate and transform it into a highly automated property - but simple to use, he is keen to point out - which will have a receptionist as its only staff member.

No in-house catering

InHomie is a pilot project in which the company will invest €3.5 million, Filippetti explained to the Corriere di Bologna newspaper. The idea stems, among other things, from the current difficulty in finding qualified staff. The luxury property, which will have 43 rooms and be sold at rates of around €55 per night, will not have any in-house catering, but guests will be able to use the city's wide range of delivery services.

The format could open in cities like Milan and Rome

If the pilot project is successful, Lindbergh's president is already thinking of exporting the format to other regions of Italy, especially to main commercial and economic hubs such as Rome and Milan for hotels with 40 to 50 rooms. The novelty is also part of the company's ambitious expansion project which, according to a report in the daily Il Sole 24 Ore, does not exclude the possibility of future collaborations with large groups and investment funds. 

Livigno, in the heart of the Italian Alps in Lombardy is known as Italy’s Little Tibet and, as well as a winter wonderland with over 115 kilometres of ski trails, it is also a popular summer destination, a place in which to regenerate the mind and the body enjoying a direct and privileged contact with nature. 

Modern lifts to over 3,000 metres altitude

The start of Livigno’s summer season is 11 June, coinciding with the opening of the Mottolino Bike Park. On 25 June it will be the turn of the Mountain Park Carosello 3000 and, on 1 July, of the Mountain Area Sitas with modern lifts that quickly reach over 3,000 metres altitude with just one Bike Pass, which is the summer version of the Ski Pass. With these openings Livigno gets into full summer mode with a network of hiking, running and biking trails that are accessible to all and a varied range of opportunities for fun and relaxation with outdoor experiences, good food and glamorous shopping in its over 250 exclusive boutiques.

Chasing the myth of great Italian cycling

With more than 3,200 GPS-mapped kilometres, 17 of cycle paths and three bike areas for all levels, the bicycle is undoubtedly the queen of an active holiday in Livigno. Enduro, cross-country, flow-country, downhill, e-bike and road-bike: there is no discipline on two wheels that cannot be practiced here, and those approaching it for the first time will find qualified instructors and guides at the Bike Skill Center. 

Cycling with champions 

There are many ideal starting and finishing points for unforgettable trips over the Alpine passes that have made cycling history - Stelvio, Gavia, Mortirolo, Bernina, Foscagno and Maloja -  and the Wednesday Pedala con il Campione  pedaling with the champion events allow bikers to pedal in the company of the many professionals who choose Livigno for their mountain training. Add in quality accommodation services and facilities, hiking and trekking, excursions and climbing with Alpine Guides, but also running, horse riding, paragliding, golf, tennis and fishing, and Livinio has just the right activity for every age and taste.  

Plogging. Personal well-being and helping nature

To give even more value and meaning to an experience of total immersion in nature, this summer Plogging will return to Livigno. Imported from Sweden, plogging combines the search for one's inner wellbeing with the physical and mental benefits that come from taking care of one's surroundings. Before setting off on an excursion, those wishing to plog can collect a waste collection kit consisting of a rucksack, gloves and pliers from the Active Hotels and tourist information centres. Making a meaningful contribution to the protection of Livigno's natural alpine eco-system will be their reward on their return.

Shopping, nightlife and gourmet food

Experiencing a holiday surrounded by nature does not mean excluding the comforts and amusements typical of the city, and when it comes to lifestyle, shopping and nightlife, Livigno is a destination that knows how to please even the most demanding visitors. Summer 2022 will also see the return of big events with the Sentiero Gourmet (15 July), the tried and tested food format curated by the Livigno Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs that offers visitors a chance to discover the tastes of the territory through gourmet finger food and traditional dishes prepared by five-starred chefs. 

For further information: www.livigno.eu