Italy Luxury Hotels

Dear Guest,

it is with great pleasure that we welcome you through the pages of “Luxury Accommodation in Italy”, the finest selection of luxury hotels in Italy, historical estates, country manors and, in some rare but excellent cases, bed and breakfast accommodation you can choose among to plan your deluxe stay in our peninsula.

Browsing through this website you will be delighted by the sight of the very best Italy has to offer you: a historic manor in Veneto, a castle in Chianti, a charming hotel in the Dolomites or in Sicily, a breathtaking suite in Rome or Sorrento. All of them have been selected with utmost care according to strict criteria: quality, beauty, class, comfort, impeccable service. In a word: luxury.

Managing the Italia Lodging website we have been dealing with many different kinds of accommodation over the years, and quality has always been the main keyword in the selection of lodgings to be listed. As the overall level of hotels and country inns grew higher and higher, we soon realised that some of them were somewhat special and tended to stand out both aesthetically and qualitatively: beyond high standards, they had “personality”. They were not simply farm houses or standard hotels, so we thought they deserved particular attention and should be promoted separately in a website that could exalt all their charm and style.

“Luxury Accommodation in Italy” was devised following the exalting idea of creating a “luxury only” network, a garland of incomparable pearls all over Italy which are so different form each other yet all so fascinating, so gorgeous, so luxurious. Just a few selected places, all bookable on-line, for the most demanding clients who plan to spend an exclusive stay in Italy filling their eyes with beauty and wrapping themselves in a soft blanket of comfort, treat and class.

Take your time, have a look. Choosing your destination is not going to be an easy task.

http://www.luxury-accommodation-italy.com/

Aeolian Islands Sailing Itinerary, Italy

The Eolian Islands should really not be described in uniformity as every one of the eight islands; Alicudi, Filicudi, Salina, Lipari, Vulcano, Panarea, Basiluzzo, and Stromboli, have their own characteristics that distinguish them from the others. They do however have common characteristics. The eight islands bathe in the same crystal clear water, with an underwater world of sea-life, colours, and archaeological treasures constituting an Eldorado for divers and swimmers alike. Born from volcanic eruptions, the islands' stone formations, beaches, and caves making the transgression from land to sea are simply spectacular. These natural phenomenon make amazing viewing both from land and sea. There is no point denying that the full splendour of the islands is best experienced by boat. Although the splendour of the Eolian Islands are most immediately evident in the sea, the land itself holds many a treasure.

To summarise all the islands are sublime in their own way. Each offers different things or the same things in different ways. Filicudi is so unspoilt and natural as well as Stromboli. Also as the islands get more built-up the people are not as friendly. The fauna on Salina is excellent. Driving around on a scooter and seeing all the beautiful plants and trees and the way they grow in the mountains is beautiful. Scooter is a great way to explore the islands and cars are limited. Reasonable price per day for an OK 50cc scooter is 10 Euro. Haggle if you don't get this. You would need a special edition Piaggio Eolie model to get around the islands as the roads are about 1.5 metres (max) wide and a normal car just does not fit. You can even take the scooters on the boats with you, if you wanted to bring your own. Except for on Lipari shopping is non-existent. You can buy some foods and cook, but no clothes, shoes, snorkel gear, games, etc. So you can spend all your money on the glorious food.

Enjoy your sailing itinerary in the Mediterranean Sea boarding a luxury yacht or a nice sailing boat with Italy Yacht Charters

Sardinia Sailing Charter

Sardinia is the second island in the Mediterranean sea for extension. Because of its geographic position in the middle of the Mediterranean, Sardinia has always represented a perfect destination for sailing holidays. The climate allows to have a very long summer season, from April to November. You will be rewarded with shimmering turquoise waters, wind-sculpted sandstone formations, beautifully camouflaged resort homes and brightly-hued fishing villages. Both if you are cruising Sardinia by a sailing boat or by luxury yachts, you will be amazed by dramatic sunsets, and untouched nature preserved wonderfully in the national parks like the Maddalena Archipelago Marine reserve, or the Tavolara marine protected area, and you will be enchanted by the legendary Emerald coast where the international jet Set came every year to spent luxury holidays and to show their luxury motor yachts.

Your bareboat yacht or sailing charter in Sardinia - Italy Yacht Charters

Italy Sailing itinerary to discover the Tuscan Archipelago

It is told that the Venus of the Tyrrhenian sea while emerging from the waters of our sea to hug the horizon let slip seven pearls from her necklace which adorned her white neck. They transformed themselves in the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago: Gorgona, Capraia, Elba, Pianosa, Montecristo, Giglio and Giannutri. You can enjoy the uniqueness, the beauty of these pearls in every season. In summer you can spend a week end , a stay gies you the possibility to learn the history, the culture and the nature of the islands all the year long.

The climate of the Tuscan Archipelago is typically Mediterranean where the sea creates a strong moderating effect, especially in the smaller islands. Even if humidity is evident, the summers are warm and mainly dry and breezy. The winters are rather mild. Rains are common in the middle seasons and during the winter whereas there are often droughts in summer. The winds have a typically coastal character, although they become quite varied on the high seas. In summer, the winds tend to come from the west, north-west, and north; while in winter there are also strong winds from the south-west, north-east, south, east, and south-east.

Sailing in tuscany with Italy Yacht Charters

Amalfi Coast sailing itinerary, Italy

This spectacular coastline which embraces the charming resort towns of Positano, Praiano, Amalfi and Ravello, where the narrow road laces its way around precipices defying gravity and which provides us with one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the world, invites us to imagine ourselves back in the sunny carefree days of the sixties - for here the beauty and romance of those times has not changed. Sailing along the coast, past the green terraces of grapevines, the groves of lemon and olive trees which sweep down the slopes to the clear blue water below, you are presented with a panorama of breathtaking beauty.

The Amalfi Coast has become famous throughout the world for the unique beauty of its landscapes. The twisting road squeezed between the rocks reveals tantalising glimpses of small villages, secluded bays, and inlets, all looking out over a clear blue sea in stark contrast to the lush green Mediterranean flora which colours the slopes of the hills and cliffs. A journey which leads the traveller not only to towns of world wide fame such as the picturesque Positano, the one time Marine Republic of Amalfi, and the superbly elegant Ravello, but also to lesser known, yet exquisitely beautiful, places such as Nerano, La Marina di Furore, Conca dei Marini, and Praiano. Continuing further along the coastal route one comes upon a series of fascinating towns facing the Gulf of Salerno - Maiori, Minori, Vietri sul Mare, Salerno, and Paestum. The fascinating Costiera and Gulf of Salerno form part of a territory which unites various Mediterranean cultures and where the local traditions are steeped in an ancient past. This is a land where nature and history embrace to create a magical atmosphere, where peace reigns supreme over the shimmering sea, and visitors are left quite simply spellbound.

Sailing charter and luxurious yachts in Italy - Italy Yacht Charters

Maddalena Archipelago, Sardinia

The islands of the Maddalena Archipelago lie in one of the most seducing seas in the world. Luxuriant Mediterranean vegetation and rare essences. Moreover, beaches, bays, small bays, gorges, and very white or pink sands; granitic rocks shaped and dug by the raging and purifying wind of a sea where dolphins and big fishes swim. Arcipelago di La Maddalena is known all over the world as a territory of rare beauty and of particular naturalistic, historical and cultural value. The establishment of the "La Maddalena National Park" will without a doubt set off the safeguard and the enhancement of all the resources of the territory. The Archipelago of Maddalena, known and appreciated by the people fond of sea and of sailing, will become a cause of pride for Sardinia and for the whole Country and will attract the attention of the European Union. Islands and holms situated in the large and charming stretch of sea between the Bocche di Bonifacio and the Costa Smeralda. La Maddalena, Caprera, S. Stefano, Spargi, Budelli, Razzoli, S. Maria, and a myriad of holms (among which Mortorio, Soffi, and Nibani) scattered in the most beautiful stretch of Mediterranean Sea, and maybe of the whole world, form an archipelago which is universally considered a real nature work of art. Sailing this waters with a sailing boat charter will be a breathtaking experience.

The Park will attract thousands of tourists, coming in particular from Europe and looking for uncontaminated areas. Big and small islands, transparencies, stones shaped by the wind, beaches with very thin sands, inlets, bays, ravines, blue depths and low seabed where you can see your image reflected. A submerged world populated by thousands of animal and vegetal species, underwater relicts and archaeological sites of great interest. Everything, together with the plants which find a perfect integration with the granitic rocks, represent a unique and unmistakable area and a great attraction. Visiting the National Park of La Maddalena means to travel in a wonderful world.

Italy Yacht Charters - A wonderful sailing holiday in Italy

Costa Smeralda, Sardinia (Emerald Coast)

The North East Coast of Sardinia, from Golfo Aranci to Baia Sardinia, is called Costa Smeralda (The Emerald Coast) - 35 miles of sandy beaches and coves bordering an emerald green sea, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the world one of the best destination for a real luxury Sailing or power yacht vacation.

Once the unmarked territory of a few shepherds, today it has become one of the most exclusive holiday destinations in the world. Fifty years ago the Aga Khan purchased this region. Where at one time there were only fields of grain and sheep bathing in the sea, there now stand beautiful villas, designed by architects of international fame to blend in with the wild striking beauty of the coastline. If you really search a wonderful luxury unforgettable vacancy on a motor yacht among the international Jet Set this is your ideal goal.

But the most striking characteristic of Costa Smeralda is that beyond the small jet setting villages life retains its simplicity. Whether you stay in a luxury hotel, on a million-dollar yacht or in a tent, if you go to the trouble to visit Sardinia, you must not leave without negotiating the narrow, windy, hilly road that curves alongside this most picturesque coastline.

You will be rewarded with shimmering turquoise waters, wind-sculpted sandstone formations, beautifully camouflaged resort homes and brightly-hued fishing villages where minuscule boutiques sell the most expensive, most elegant casual attire in the universe. It costs the earth, in August it's crowded, it's impossible to find a place to stay, but we dare you to find anyone who regrets having gone there.

Italy Yachtc Charters, Sailing charter in Italy

Teams of the 32nd America's Cup

The teams of the 32nd America's Cup are composed of the best sailors, designers, sailmakers, nautical engineers and boat builders in the world. While it is the sailors who get the glory, ultimate success comes only through the efforts of the entire team; some 100 people all working with the same goal in mind - to win the fabled America's Cup.

DEFENDER

Alinghi
Alinghi was formed in the summer of 2000 and charged with the ambitious task of winning the America's Cup. On March 2nd 2003, this mission was accomplished with Alinghi sweeping Team New Zealand 5 - 0, to win the 31st America's Cup. With this victory, Alinghi brings the America's Cup to Europe for the first time in 152 years.

CHALLENGER

BMW ORACLE
The BMW ORACLE Racing Team is an international team comprised of 140 people from 16 different nations all focused on one goal: to win the 32nd America's Cup in 2007. Blending technology and team work, BMW ORACLE Racing is striving to close the gap on the America's Cup Defender.

Luna Rossa Challenge
This Luna Rossa Challenge is an evolution of a former Italian project that first entered the America's Cup arena in the1999 Louis Vuitton Cup. That first effort was very successful, and on the 6th of February, 2000, the swift, sleek and stylish Luna Rossa boat, skippered by Francesco de Angelis, crossed the finish line ahead of AmericaOne in the ninth and final race, to win the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger selection series and the right to race Team New Zealand for the America's Cup.


+39 Challenge
The Italian +39, (formerly the Clan Des Team), through the Circolo Vela Gargnano (CVG) was the first challenger to join the BMW ORACLE Racing team in challenging Alinghi for the 32nd America's Cup. The defending yacht club, the Société Nautique de Genève, accepted the challenge from the CVG on the 25th March, 2004.

Team Shosholoza
The South African Challenge was formed in Cape Town by Captain Salvatore Sarno, Chairman of the Durban-based branch of the Mediterranean Shipping Company, the first time an African America's Cup challenge has been accepted.

EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand has a relatively long history in the modern era of the America's Cup. While the country began competing for the Cup in 1986/1987, the current Emirates Team New Zealand can trace its roots back directly to the winning challenge in 1995.

Areva Challenge
Sailing as K-Challenge through the end of the 2005 season, this team was born before the 31st edition of the America's Cup had even started, when two businessmen, Ortwin Kandler and Stephan Kandler, started the project with sailor Dawn Riley.

Victory Challenge
This is the second consecutive America's Cup campaign by the Victory Challenge and Sweden's fifth attempt to claim the Auld Mug. The 2002 Victory Challenge was a strong effort, marked by resolute determination in the face of adversity. The team founder and syndicate head Jan Stenbeck passed away just days before the first race of the Louis Vuitton Cup. But the team sailed strongly through the Quarter-Finals before being eliminated in the Repechage.

Desafío Español
This is the fourth Spanish Challenge for the America's Cup, following entries in the 1992, 1995 and 1999 Louis Vuitton Cups. But this Desafío Español team is entirely new and represents a break from the past.



MASCALZONE LATINO - CAPITALIA TEAM
Distinguished by a primarily 'all-Italian' sailing team and with the support of its main partner Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team has high expectations for its campaign.



United Internet Team Germany
This is the first German challenge to sail for the America's Cup in its 154-year history. United Internet Team Germany, (formerly known as the 'Fresh 17' project) is led on the water by Danish skipper Jesper Bank, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and previous America's Cup skipper in 2002/2003 with the Swedish team.

China Team
China Team represents the Qingdao International Yacht Club, and is the first Chinese team in the long history of the America's Cup. The team is led by Chaoyong Wang, the chairman of a leading Chinese venture capital firm. He has formed a partnership with Le Défi, a French challenger in the last two editions of the America's Cup, to acquire their knowledge base and assets, including two America's Cup Class boats from the last event.




We'll provide in the next weeks detailed information on each team.


Italy Yacht Charters - Sailing in Italy

New Luna Rossa berthed in Valencia

Luna Rossa's ITA 94 berthed in Valencia

The comings and goings of boats centre the interest of the teams inside the Port America’s Cup. Whilst on Friday the two boats of Victory Challenge left for Dubai, this morning Luna Rossa’s new boat arrived in Valencia.
The ITA 94 - with which the Italians will compete during the 2007 season - has arrived at its destination without complications after more than 5 days of travelling. The Italian boat departed from the shipyard where it had been built in Nembro (Bergamo, Italy), on 13th December and has arrived this morning in Valencia by truck after a stop in Tarragona.
ITA 94 is Luna Rossa’s second boat for the 32nd America’s Cup. Until now, they have been competing with their previous boat ITA 86. Now after 3 years of investigation and hard work they will start the new season with a performing new boat, thanks to the effort of more than 20 people from their design team.
Claudius Maletto, designer of the ITA 94, has commented that the boat is "radically different from the previous one, with respect to the aesthetics one can definitely appreciate the evolution of the lines of the hull".
Luna Rossa has tentatively scheduled the launching of the boat in its base of the Port America’s Cup in Valencia this coming January.

Italy Yacht Charters - Sailing charter in Italy