by Alessandra Busacca @alessandra_busacca

The scent of meadows, the sound of a creek, the flavors and colors of the advancing summer, a romantic book to read under the branches of a weeping willow… our journey in search of the perfect siesta has just begun. Flâneurs, are you ready to laze around?

Far from the noise of the city, be it fresh water or saltwater shores, immersed in the cool mountain air or among fields of poppies, the well-deserved rest must be consumed in the right place.

Enjoy, dear Gou Gous, this Gourmode guide to disappear and never be found again: between a villa di delizia and a locus amoenus, urban detox is assured!

The landscape is an enchantment of woods and olive groves. Just a few kilometers from Siena, in the ancient Borgo San Felice nestled in the Tuscan vineyards on the hills of Chianti Classico. From picnics to dinners under the stars, allured by the best wines of the area, surrounded by the sinuous Sienese countryside and endless rows of cypress trees, it is impossible not to regenerate. When you wake up, the fresh air and the smell of coffee anticipate a breakfast of blackberry and poppy seed croissants and rice puddings.

A stone’s throw from Venice, after a boat trip on the gentle bends of the Brenta River, the XVII century Villa Franceschi is ready to welcome you. The ancient marble fireplaces light up in the evening along with the marvelous Rezzonico chandeliers, whose glass panes sparkle. Delighting the palates are local dishes, the result of the meeting of sea and land: fried moeche and granseole al naturale (two tasty local types of crab), with white asparagus from Giare, straight from the island of Sant’Erasmo!

At dusk,  Villa Cipriani glimmers in the dark, an undisputed maison de charme in delightful village of Asolo, with its dreamy, romantic atmosphere. The heart of the villa is the garden, where it is possible to stroll by day and by night, among May tulips and roses.

The traditional American Bar, known worldwide for its unmistakable style, offers an iconic Bellini, with white peach pulp and Prosecco. Cheers!

On the territories of the Po Delta, Tenuta Ca’ Zen is shrouded in mystery and poetry. The Po waters flow down from a distant source, until they kiss the salty waters of the Adriatic Sea. A romantic encounter that also inspired Lord Byron, when he stayed at the estate in the past, and wrote that love has no obstacles and knows no boundaries…

To experience a regal day, Castello di Spessa is the right destination: a true fairy-tale Château in Friuli Venezia Giulia, where you can soothe your nerves at the Vinum Spa with a Merlot massage, or swing on the golf courses, while showing off enviable total white looks.

Chocolate, truffles, good wine and ancient royalty, in Piedmont you don’t mess around with vacationing! An example? Tenuta il Palazzasso, established in the late 15th century as a summer residence and agricultural estate, is a country life-themed retreat.

It is in the deep South that we reach a place where space and time truly have value: Montekore. Nestled in the reserves of Salento, this villa is a mystical gateway to Italy’s first sunrise. A charming masseria, farm and botanical park, Montekore is the archetype of a self-sufficient world where you can breathe in an atmosphere steeped in silence and peace.

On the island of Elba, surrounded by the Tyrrhenian Sea, there is no shortage of villas au bord de la mer. Villa Ottone is a fine mansion to admire with your nose in the air: its famous frescoed ceilings literally leave you breathless. And the view? Overlooking the bay of Portoferraio, we admire the beach glistening in the sun and observe the renowned seaside resorts.

At a short distance from the coast, L’Andana Resort in the Tuscan Maremma is a refined corner of tranquility. The Villa is a jewel of design to be explored throughout its many facilities, from the Stable to the Granary, each of which offers a luxurious treat, from adventurous sports to a moment of relax by the pool or beach.

To experience one of the pillars of villeggiatura, the famous “Sunshine cure“, another destination that a true Gou Gou cannot forget is Liguria. It is just a stone’s throw from Nice, a city which has managed to turn this health remedy into a synonym for the entire French Riviera.

Villa della Pergola initiated the late 19th-century British into this fashion. Londoners, in fact, were escaping their cold and rainy motherland in search of warmth, beauty and hospitality. Three key elements of the Villa, in which we find watercolor collections and a very rare memorabilia museum! The hotel is set in a timeless garden, which boasts one of the most admired botanical collections in Europe. Alfred Hitchcock shot his first film here, not surprisingly titles “The Pleasure Garden”.

And if we’re talking about life’s pleasures, there’s the coast, the Divina Amalfitana! Here, Italian passionality burns at its brightest, and each alley and corner hides precious gems, including the lovely Maison La Minervetta in Sorrento, a masterpiece of light and color overlooking the cliffs. The interior is filled with family collections, including design objects, art and precious Vietri ceramics.

Equally impressive will be a stay at Palazzo Santa Croce in Positano. The palazzo, once the site of a monastery, was built resembling the Ancient Roman thermal baths. It can be spotted from afar because of its vermilion color, which stands out against the blue water of the bay. To reach the villa, we climb a whopping 190 steps along a scenic route through lemon and olive groves. An alternative to the classic daily pilates!

A guarantor of relaxation since 1952 is the Hotel Savoy. It was Michele Rossiello who bought Villa Azzurra in Grado, the closest seaside resort to Austria and the renowned “Island of the Sun”. This hotel with its sky-blue facade has an intimate, informal atmosphere that hides a surprisingly eccentric twist, so much so that you could call it accidentally Wes Anderson – or rather, Gourmode. Two leaps of sanpietrini cobblestones away from the sea, The Savoy is a place of well-being, familiarity, and warm welcome, so much so that it makes any guest wish they could stay forever.

On the shores of Lake Garda, Villa Cordevigo, Wine & Relais Spa offers not only a magnificent stay in the heart of Bardolino, but also poolside wine tastings directly from the Villabella vineyards. For the gourmand Gou Gous, a sensory journey into the culinary art of chef Marco Marras is offered at the prestigious Oseleta Restaurant, a reflection as much of traditional flavors as of aristocratic spirit and nobility.

At the La Foleia, two houses mirror each other on the opposite shores of the private lily pond. A surreal image that hypnotizes anyone who stops to stay. It’s up to you Gou Gous to choose whether to sleep in the octagonal villa or the neoclassical pavilion with its large windows. Between personal chefs ready to prepare delicacies using local produce, private speedboat rides on nearby Lake Maggiore, tasty picnics by the lake, Finnish sauna and refined aperitifs, a refreshing stay is ensured.

Lake Orta, a Piedmontese gem, hosts the Moorish Villa Crespi on its shores. A temple of cuisine and good taste but with an oriental reminiscence. The stucco, arabesque inlays and colors immediately take you, mind, and body, back to exotic places as in One Thousand and One Nights.

The best of Franciacorta is spent at L’Albereta, an ancient patrician villa of refined architecture that sits surrounded by a bright, unspoiled landscape on large panoramic terraces. Between a game of golf, spa treatments, local organic banquets and brunches overlooking Lake Iseo, this oasis of well-being allows you to take care of yourself and return to your highest level of vital energy.

How then to forget the undisputed jewel born in the Renaissance and transformed in the 18th century into a villa di delizia, Villa Sola Cabiati, sul lago di Como. Adorned with frescoes by Tiepolo, it is not only a place ornamented with opulent stucco and tapestry collections, in fact managed by the Grand Hotel Tremezzo it offers a refined and luxurious stay.

On the same gentle lake shores stands Passalacqua, a hotel that gives a contemporary twist to the sophisticated art of villeggiatura. This is the perfect place to spend precious time with your loved ones and enjoy the pleasures of the palate and of sweet idleness. Passalacqua is a fairy-tale village on Lake Como, its lush garden adorned with striped curtains and pointed umbrellas that resemble pastries.

High altitude and pure air. Hotel Drei Zinnen, established in 1930, still carefully preserves the original furnishings of its rooms and halls. Here, dear Gou Gous, it is possible to enjoy a wellness-oriented vacation after having tried our hand at long hikes and climbing. Ready for a dip in the swimming pool overlooking Val Fiscalina, “the most beautiful valley in the world”?

La Perla greets the morning with a serving of fresh eggs and freshly cooked crêpes.

Among the lush forests lining the Dolomites, the one that stands out is right in Corvara, specifically in La Perla’s garden, which features a treehouse where you can sip champagne and sample gourmet appetizers with a perfect view of the peaks.

For an authentic mountaineer French touch, we have to move to the Alps in Aosta Valley, where French is the second official language, ça va sans dire.

Auberge de la Maison in Courmayeur is nestled among clear waterfalls and rainbow glimmers. In summer, the valley melts away as if from a long hibernation, and the surroundings awake with the blue of the streams that flow around Mont Blanc.

After traveling across mountain ranges, we return home, or more specifically “a ciasa”: Ciasa Salares in the midst of Alta Badia, will be especially appreciated by wine loving Gou Gous, who are welcome guests in the exclusive wine cellar reserved for intimate dinners and tastings – don’t miss the cheese cellar and chocolate room.

Romantik Hotel Turm gives us an extraordinary experience on the Seiser Alm.

It features five towers, some of which date back to the 13th century. Find privacy on the terraces, jutting out at various heights and offering intimate alcoves, delve into the park which hides mystical caves, and appreciate private art collections that boast Picasso artworks.

We close this last chapter following Empress Sissi’s footprints to Merano, one of her favorite places, and in particular at Meisters Hotel Irma. Devote yourself to true Roman otium in the thermal water pools, delight your palate with a tasty breakfast in the enchanting jardin d’hiver, and finally retire to the rooms of Villa Amore, a true refuge for lovers.

Here, dear Gous Gous, is a guidebook neither meant to be a compendium of aristocratic nineteenth-century villas nor a nostalgic chronicle of our mythical and unrepeatable childhood vacations.

Here, dear Gous Gous, is a celebration of the contemporary meaning of villeggiare, a tale of special places that still manage to transport us back in time to a retreat marked by slow rhythm, familiar and warm atmospheres, adventures and exploration – back to that long-lost experience of estrangement and rebirth.

To you, dear Gou Gous… bon voyage!