Reaching New Heights in Italy
“We travel to learn; and I have never been in any country where they did not do something better than we do it, think some thoughts better than we think, catch some inspiration from heights above our own.”
9,800 feet: talk about heights! This is the height of the mountain I climbed in the Dolomites.
Dear Friends and Clients,
I recently returned from a three-week journey through Italy. This trip was all about discovery. Despite having traveled to Italy more times than I can count, and living there in college, the Dolomites and the Lake District were tops on my personal bucket list...and had escaped me, until now!
The Dolomites are absolutely a must for anyone who appreciates fresh mountain air, rich history, and tall tales - not to mention a mixed-up Italian/Austrian culture! Each morning, our group of 15 adventurers hiked our way from the gorgeous Alpina Dolomites in the Alpe di Suisi region to our favorite family-run Rosa Alpina in the Alta Badia region. By car, no more than a couple of hours from each other, but by foot, we took a week to make the trek as we slowed down to take in varied landscapes. The trip's highlight was successfully climbing the Via Ferrata: the iron paths constructed during WWI. One hour straight up the side of the jagged mountain...just to realize the only way down was the same as the way up! Completing this physical and emotional challenge with the support of my girlfriends was more powerful than I could have imagined.
After a week with these amazing women, I moved onto Lake Garda and Lake Como, where Jay joined me along with another couple. One word: Romance! Wow, truly one of the most romantic settings I've experienced. There is no shortage of luxury properties (Villa Feltrinelli, Grand Tremezzo, Il Sereno, Mandarin Oriental, Villa d'Este, and the newest jewel, Passalacqua) to choose from, all with their individual uniqueness. We channeled our inner George and Amal Clooney as we dressed nightly and traveled by vintage Riva to various stunning dinner locals.
We ended our trip with a quick hop over to the Amalfi Coast, where we met André and her husband. We stayed at Borgo Santandrea, the newest darling of the Amalfi Coast — marking the first luxury hotel to open on the water in 20+ years. It was fabulous (Amalfi Coast never disappoints). We also visited our favorites, and even popped over to Capri for lunch at the island's newest beach club (La Palma) to indulge in a bit of shopping!
So, if you love Italy as much as I do, I can promise you there is no shortage of new and exciting discoveries to be made no matter how many times you go back.
#TraveltoLive
Shawna Huffman Owen
