Custom Italian Travel Planning for Unforgettable Moments

Ciao!

This month (and if I'm being more exact, just next week alone) will see not one, not two, but SEVEN Spring Break trips take off for warmer and sunnier destinations.  

 

One of the funny things about this job is how abruptly the communication with people that you've been collaborating with for months and months and months just suddenly comes to a screeching halt once their travel is over.  

 

It's like a break-up with no closure. One day we're exchanging excited messages about that perfect restaurant in Rome, and the next day... radio silence. 

 

I get it! Re-entry is a slap in the face of all your real life responsibilities - catching up on mail and emails, planning and cooking your own meals, doing allllll the laundry.

 

But I genuinely want to stay in touch and hear how things went!  So don't be a stranger after you return. Send me your favorite photo, share a quick story about that unexpected highlight, or just let me know where you're scheming to travel to next.

 

Connect with me on Instagram or Facebook (@ArcoDestinations) if that's easier - I'm that friend who actually wants to see every. last. one. of your travel photos. Genuinely.

 

The best part of this job isn't just crafting the perfect itinerary - it's the relationships that continue long after the suitcases are unpacked. So keep in touch!

If you're looking for a slice of history with your sea view, the Grand Hotel Duchi d'Aosta in Trieste delivers both in spades. This 5-star gem sits right on Piazza Unità d'Italia, a piazza that has a reputation for being Europe's most beautiful, and has hosted guests from Casanova to Admiral Nelson and Francis Ford Coppola. 

 

Unlike many grand hotels, the Duchi D'Aosta (there's a joke to be made here, and I am NOT going to make it) falls squarely into the boutique category with only 37 rooms and suites. 

 

This is the kind of place where you'll find yourself lingering over your morning cappuccino while enjoying the fine art of *people watching in the piazza.

 

*Your husband might say that you are simply staring at people, but do not be deterred from enjoying your observations simply by his poor choice of terminology.

This charming medieval town in Friuli is basically the Harvard of mosaic art. Since 1922, the Mosaic School of Friuli has been teaching students how to turn tiny colored tiles into mind-blowing masterpieces that would make even ancient Romans do a double-take.

 

You don't have to be particularly crafty to appreciate how these artists meticulously piece together stunning works of art, but I would wager it's a lot harder than it looks and probably DOES require a pretty high level of craftiness to turn out a stunner.

 

While you're in town, wander through the cobblestone streets to the gorgeous Duomo and castle - both dripping with 14th-century frescoes that are definitely Instagram worthy.

 

If you visit in August, you'll hit the jackpot with the Macia festival, when locals don Renaissance costumes and the entire town transforms into a 16th-century party, definitely putting that other Renaissance Faire to shame.

Picture this: you're sitting in the piazza sipping a crisp glass of Friuli white wine when you look up to over 2,000 sailboats filling the horizon as they sail into the Gulf of Trieste. 

 

The Barcolana isn't just the world's largest regatta—it's also the world's largest sailing party held annually on the second Sunday in October. 

 

Boats of all sizes navigate a 13-mile course from Miramare to a spectacular finish at Piazza Unità d'Italia, and the entire city transforms into a 10-day maritime festival.

 

Just book early—when 2,000+ boats and their crews come to town, the best rooms disappear faster than gelato on a hot day!

I was first introduced to ajvar while on vacation in Croatia with friends, and it is 100% a Balkan specialty as well.  But as is the case for many of the regions in Italy that border other countries (in this case, Slovenia), the local foods tend to reflect the cultures and influences of the neighbors.

 

Ajvar is made by blending charred red peppers, roasted eggplant, garlic, vinegar, and oil and is served as a sauce for sausages, cold meats, or salami.  It is DELICIOUS.  

 

I loved it so much that after that Croatia trip, I trekked to a Bosnian grocery store somewhere in NJ to buy some to serve when it was my night to host book club.  We read The Hired Man by Aminatta Forna, an excellent book that takes place in Croatia (always trying to match the food to the book theme).

 

I will share without a hint of embarrassment that while I was cleaning up that night, I also ate the rest of the ajvar directly from the jar.  I mean - it's mostly veggies.

Did you know that Amaro Nonino is named for the Nonino family?  They infused grappa with herbs from the Friulian mountains to create this delicious liqueur.  

 

This is also another super attractive bottle to add to your bar cart!

 

Drink it on its own straight up or mix up a batch of one of my favorite cocktails - The Paper Plane.