Inspiration

Tuscany by train, Sicilian breakfasts, and the latest places to join the collection: Nicole Franchini’s top picks for 2023

Sawday's Expert

5 min read

  Living in Italy is a blessing and a curse. There are always so many places that call to me to be explored, whether its somewhere I’ve long loved or a refreshing innovation. Ok, so it’s really only a blessing, but it is so hard to decide where in Italy to venture next. Here are some of my recommendations for 2023, featuring some great new additions to the Sawday’s collection, the latest City of Culture (which is actually two cities!) and my personal favourite way to experience this country, the magnificent agriturismo. Nicole Franchini is our Rome-based inspector and writer.

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Travel through Tuscany by train

There are few better ways to see Italy than by train; the service is affordable and easy to navigate, and extensive enough that you can experience several parts of the country on one trip. Tuscany is a personal favourite, especially the train to the Castellina in Chianti-Monteriggioni that drops you right at the heart of the wine-making region. You can also carry on to Siena and stay at Santa 10 – La Limonaia & La Torre; an organic olive and wine farm just outside of the town, where you’ll be treated to traditional Tuscan dinners that you’ll remember forever. 

Taste the dolce vita at an agriturismo

Italy’s agriturismo movement is my absolute passion. It’s often translated to “farmstays” but to me this always makes it sound like volunteering to do some weeding! It’s more the chance to truly live like a local and see the Italian way of life, which remains alive in huge part because of the agriturismi. 

I recently visited Agriturismo San Gallo in Montepulciano and welcomed them to Sawday’s. You’ll love their certified Le Bertille red and rosé wine, the extra virgin olive oil they produce is wonderful and aromatic and there’s always something fresh from the orchard or vegetable garden incorporated in delectable meals. 

Stay at a quintessentially Italian trullo

The conical trulli are one of Puglia’s most famous sights and this lovely example is surrounded by olive, fig and walnut trees with beds of thyme and rosemary. The owner, Prue is an interior designer, who flits between Puglia and London (sounds lovely doesn’t it!), and tends the charming garden when she’s here. There’s a shop and deli a short drive away which sell home-cooked Italian food as well as wine and local produce. It was a delightful find and makes a welcome addition to our Italian collection. 

Dig into Sicily’s rich soil

Although I still love Palermo’s occasionally gritty feel, Catania is my Sicilian destination of choice if you get the chance this year. A fine crop of stylish new Sawday’s places have sprung up in the shadows of Mount Etna and you’ll be treated to a rich mix of architecture and history, as well as world-famous local cuisines. Beaches are just a short drive away too. 

You can see the volcano from the breakfast table at family-run boutique hotel La Fucina di Vulcano,  or stay a little closer to the city itself in the spacious Villa Edera. Either will give you a great Sicilian experience.  

Fall in love with Lombardy

The cities Bergamo and Brescia, next door neighbours in the Lombardy region, have been named together as Italy’s City of Culture for 2023, bringing a renewed interest to the region. They have five UNESCO World Heritage sites to explore which is remarkable in such a small area, even for Italy! Stay at Villa San Pietro, a short drive from Brescia, and you’ll be treated to tranquil views and homecooked meals after a day’s exploring.    

Explore our collection of special places to stay in Italy >

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Nicole Franchini

Sawday's Expert

Nicole grew up on the shores of the Great Lakes in cold Chicago, but the pull of her Roman father's heritage meant she always knew that Italy was her destiny. From her country home in the olive groves of Sabina, just outside the capital, she works on our Italy marketing, keeps in touch with members and tours the country on the lookout for beautiful new places to add to our collection, enjoying food, wine and yoga in equal measure if not at the same time.

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