EUROPEAN CITIES
These eight cities are our clients’ perennial favourites and, as we know from personal experience, never fail to reward the curious traveller. These cities draw on their rich cultural heritage that is both preserved and enriched by a calendar of activities in the fields of music, art, design, fashion and, of course, Christmas and festive season traditions.
Florence
FLORENCE
Florence in autumn glows: golden light over the Duomo, quieter galleries at the Uffizi, and warm afternoons for lingering over Chianti in Oltrarno. Mild temperatures, shorter queues, and a calmer pace make September to November ideal for exploring on foot. Contemporary art at the Florence Biennale from 23 October, Ferragamo exhibition, immersive Dante’ s Inferno, and live opera and classical concerts. Hotels: Bernini Palace, Brunelleschi, Savoy, Loggiato dei Serviti, Palazzo Firenze.
ROME
Autumn brings the Colosseum and Roman Forum into sharper focus, with softer light for photographs and smaller crowds around the major sites. The Vatican Museums are notably calmer too, while cooler days suit visits to the Borghese Gallery and Palatine Hill. In Rome, autumn sees the Roma Jazz festival, Diego Rivera and the Emergence of Modern Art in 20th-century Mexico, the Colossal 3D Statue of Constantine and candlelit concerts in churches such as St Paul’ s Within the Walls. Hotels: Hotel de Russie, Hotel de la Ville, Hotel Mascagni, Leon’ s Place, Portrait Roma, Palazzo Venere.
Hotel de Russie, Rome
VENICE
Venice takes on a different character once the crowds thin in the winter months: mist rising over the canals, quieter routes through Dorsoduro, and gondolas gliding past in near silence. Acqua alta aside, late autumn and winter reveal the city at its most evocative and authentic. Venice offers a host of cultural experiences from opera at La Fenice, to Vivaldi concerts, the Ca’ Rezzonico Sketchbooks Exhibition. Hotels: Hotel Luna Baglioni, Hotel Bisanzio, Hotel Londra Palace, Ca Pisani, Hotel Monaco and Grand Canal.
Venice, from the Hotel Londra Palace
MILAN
Milan rewards an autumn or winter visit with world-class exhibitions at the Pinacoteca di Brera and a lighter footfall around the Duomo’ s rooftop terraces. Add crisp days perfect for exploring the Navigli district, and this is when the city’ s design and culture feel most accessible. From October until February is the Armani / Silos Haute Couture show of around 150 pieces. Opera at La Scala season until 31 December. Hotels: Hotel Carlton, Hotel de la Ville, Chateau Monfort, Hotel Indigo, Portrait Milano, Grand Hotel et de Milan.
Milan
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