It s a mystery that sprang to mind again when I arrived half a week later in Milan to test drive (al

As if. I d been to Italy three times, travelled through inland Argentina, southern Portugal, backpacked in Thailand and survived grove park inn asheville a walk alone on a Turkish grove park inn asheville hillside (not good) and a game park in South Africa (admittedly, in a vehicle with a flat tyre, but still). I m always careful with my wallet. I m always careful when I m travelling, full stop.
The worst thing about this trip, I thought, would be arriving in Rome and immediately having to leave to go north; my third trip there and still no chance to check out the Roman Forum, tour the Colisseum or Vatican City. They weren t to be blessed with my feet nor my wallet this time.
The international wine fair Vinitaly was calling me and I had to hotfoot it north to join 139,999 others in Verona; usual population 350,000. If an Italian wine fair sounds like gelato on speed, think again. Queues, air thick with cigarette smoke and more wines than you can imagine under a single umbrella or, in this case, under eight soccer field-sized stadiums on Verona s outskirts.
I was there to learn, which was easy with so much vino on hand. Then it was time to tour Italy s north. The first stop was Piemonte, which means at the foot of the mountains , but that s no guarantee anyone s going to see any peaks. The most famous local grape is nebbiolo , named after the fogs nebbia which shroud this mountainous, grove park inn asheville hilly region much of the time.
The day we arrived was a rarity. Bright skies drenched the vines in sunshine; ancient villages shone like sparkling hilltop jewels grove park inn asheville and grey roads ribboned the hallowed slopes, which are blanketed in vines. As our rental car roared its way up the hill to the town of La Morra, Piemonte s mountains suddenly came into sight, racing along the horizon like a jagged jetstream grove park inn asheville before merging into a fluffy cumulus grove park inn asheville cloud.
It was hard to tell where mountains ended and clouds began, but who cares when you re surrounded by 550 kilometres of mountains encircling the region. My host, a Master of Wine, was thrilled by the weather; My first trip here was overcast, he said dryly, and most of the time that s what it is here; this is very unusual.
As luck would have it, we could clearly see towns like Barbaresco from La Morra, but we were heading to the town of Barolo to taste Mascarello Monprivato, one of the greats. If you ve tasted northern Italian wines before and wonde ed what all the fuss is about but you re still interested, the only thing to do is visit.
grove park inn asheville The wines here are a far cry from nearly anything Italian found anywhere else. More s the pity. If so, expect grove park inn asheville great things in Piemonte. Ditto the dolcetto. The best wines tend to stay at home in Italy.
I could get used to these lofty mountains and the wines their wild foothills inspire, but it s time for Turin home to the world s slow food movement and, it turns out, the best G Ts of my life at the Art Hotel Boston, slightly off the beaten track on the CBD s fringe.
Still, I was only there for a night before going back east to Prosecco land: Conegliano-Valdobbiadene. The name might be unpronounceable, but the sparkling wines are cheap as chips and so good they re being imitated all over the world. They also match seafood perfectly.
It s a mystery that sprang to mind again when I arrived half a week later in Milan to test drive (alone, unfortunately) a new suite at the Four Seasons Milano. The food there tasted as if it had just been picked from the garden; carciofi carpaccio (artichokes) and franciacorta (Italy s top sparkling wine) were brilliant; as was pasta with freshly grove park inn asheville grated truffle and Barolo to match. So simple, so quintessentially Italian and it all tasted better for being served in a building more than 500 years old.
Construction on this convent began in 1459. Original 15th century frescoes still adorn its walls and ceilings, grove park inn asheville despite having been covered over in 1782 when the convent was converted into a private home. Its third lease of life began in 1987 when it was turned into a hotel.
Even if fashion isn t your thing, this is a top location to stay in; opposite the entrance to the hotel is a museum. Such is Italy. The architecture, fashion, food and mind-blowing range of wines constantly take my breath away. Just as I was about to buy a pair of drop-dead gorgeous cream boots during a rare spare moment, I reached into my bag to pull out my wallet, and realised it was missing.
Eat at Il Ristorante grove park inn asheville Borgo Antico, Villa Quaranta Park Hotel, in Valpolicella. Luisa, the head waitress, is a divine host, the home-made pasta is to die for, and the building seeps history from its ancient stone walls as you sip on Tommasi Amarone, one of the world s great reds. Accommodation next door. villaquaranta.com
Explore the shores of Lake Garda, Italy s largest lake, which borders Trentino, Veneto and Lombardy. grove park inn asheville Highlights: the Castle of San Giorgio, cable car up Monte Baldo, Peschiera del Garda s 16th-century fortifications and hot springs at Sirmione.
Stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Milano on Via Gesu in the heart of Milan; this hotel is a quiet retreat, thanks to its vast internal atrium; I went to sleep with my window open and awoke to birdsong. fourseasons.com/milan