Italy is full! | | WTN? Esperanza in Cabo | Highlight

📷 Esperanza

WHERE TO NEXT?

Good morning Traveler,

A variety of travel updates and insights for you this week!

Italy is "full!"

Not really, but it is for my purposes. I must shut the door on planning custom trips to Italy for travels through September. Unless it's Sicily. Which has a bit more space. And I LOVE Sicily! I will share some ideas for Sicily next week.

If you are still looking for a summer getaway or really want to go to Italy, here are a few

TIPS:

Consider other incredible destinations! Last week I had some brainstorming calls with clients who want to plan a summer adventure to a less crowded place. Some suggestions - Slovenia, the countryside of the UK, the Azores, Spain (certain places), Croatia and Sweden.
Check out the Where to Travel When pages on my website. I'll be filling in the details in the months ahead. For now there may be a few inspiring ideas in there for you to consider.
If you want to go to Italy in the next couple of years - plan far ahead (ideally before the December holidays for the following summer - which now includes May and September) or go at more off peak times (but still plan ahead)

Addition to your travel wardrobe

Since I travel a lot, I love finding a new comfy outfit that works well with traveling. I can't recall where I first read about these jumpsuits, but I love them and wanted to share them with you in case you are looking for a comfy, stylish travel outfit for an upcoming trip.

Sabbaticals

For those of you who know me or have been getting this newsletter for a while, you know our family took a year-long sabbatical to Madrid. It was a life changing experience for all of us. For others who have a dream of living abroad, of becoming fluent in another language (or for their kids to) or who want to shake up life a little bit, I highly recommend it!

Harvard Business Review just last week published an article by one of my friends and colleagues, DJ DiDonna, called Research: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals. If you are looking for some inspiration for yourself or if you are the leader of a company and want to add in a benefit that is proven to help with retention of key employees, consider it. I am one of The Sabbatical Project coaches and through that work, I get to enjoy the pleasure of helping others reach their dreams! Which brings me immense happiness.

Where in the world is Jessie?

This week I am starting a new section - Where in the world is Jessie? As many of you know my 19 year old is on a gap year and she left last week for South America. Although she is backpacking and her accommodations and transportations choices are not the typical focus of this newsletter, she is going lots of incredible places, having amazing cultural experiences and doing some epic adventures. I will share those with you as she travels around.

This week's articles include lots of travel inspiration including 15 secret Italian islands, a peak inside the 5 most expensive hotel rooms in Europe and what Air France’s brand new business class suite is like. Check them out below.

Enjoy your week!

Warmly,

Below:

This week's highlight - Viña Santa Rita
Where to Next? Esperanza
Where in the World is Jessie?
Articles to Inspire+Inform

VIÑA SANTA RITA

This week I was inspired to share a bit about Santiago, Chile with you.

Santiago is a likely stop when heading to Patagonia and it's worth a few days to visit - to see the city and enjoy the wine.

My favorite hotels in Santiago range from a few smaller, boutique hotels to towering 5* hotels, one with a helipad on the roof.

If you have a super short stay, there are opportunities in the city to fit in a wine tasting.

If you have an extra day and want a fun excursion outside the city (by car or helicopter),

Viña Santa Rita is the perfect place.

The winery was founded in 1880 and is steeped in Chilean wine history.

Casa Real Reserva Especial, its 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine,

is considered one of Chile’s most important.

Last year Viña Santa Rita was selected as the winner out of 136 contenders

for the best wine tourism experience.

Their experience "combines the tradition of Chilean wine with innovation, in an incomparable environment of culture, heritage, nature and gastronomy."

It's just 45 minutes from Santiago by car.

There are a variety of ways to enjoy your visit...

do a wine tour and tasting
take a horse drawn carriage ride through the gardens
have a gourmet picnic next to the vines
become a winemaker for the day and create your own signature blend
take a spin on a sustainable mobile pedal bar
enjoy a meal at Restaurante Doña Paula with views out over the vineyards
stay overnight in the former summerhouse of the winery’s founder that has been converted to a hotel, Hotel Casa Real

For those travelers who prefer to spend their last night in a more tranquil setting than the city center, it's a great option to stay overnight for a flight out the next day.

🌟 Our clients will be heading to beautiful Los Cabos this week. They are staying at the beachfront resort, Esperanza.

Why is Esperanza so special?

Esperaza is perfect for families or couples, and offers suites, villas, casitas and haciendas.
The resort sits on a hill, overlooking a private beach. Every room feels private, with a balcony and ocean view. Some have plunge pools, hot tubs or hammocks.
The variety of dining options is fantastic! Choose from seafood at Cocina del Mar which offers a tasting menu on the cliffs overlooking the Sea of Cortez. Dine outdoors at Las Estrellas, with Mediterranean favorites and an adjacent bocce ball court or at La Palapa for casual Mexican.
Enjoy the sun at the five pools or their private beach. And indulge with a poolside cabana that provides a complimentary pitcher of margaritas and fresh fruit to keep you cool.

Do as much or as little as you like:

Enjoy the spa, gym, yoga classes and pilates studio.
Play tennis and pickleball with friends or take private lessons to elevate your game.
Take a cooking class with Esperanza’s executive chef and learn to make ceviche.
Become a Tequila expert in the tasting class where you’ll learn the history of Tequila, how it differs from Mezcal and enjoy several different varieties.

‼️ Don’t miss…a private air and sea whale safari, an exclusive experience for Esperanza guests. Take a private plane and look for whales from the sky. Land in Bahia Magdalena, where a boat takes you into the open sea in search of gray whales and other marine life.

📷 Esperanza

Jessie arrived in Santiago, Chile Saturday morning to reunite with her best friend, Siska, and have a few days of exploration and connection before they head off to Patagonia.

I think many of you share the feeling that when you send off one of your kids to an unfamiliar place or even when you go yourself, that having someone who knows who you are and is expecting you is a very comforting feeling. And for the times where you are fortunate to have a friend, friend of a friend or some other personal connection, it's even better.

Lucky for Jessie we have a few of those people in Santiago. Our delightful Spanish-Venezuelan neighbors from Madrid moved to Santiago last year and Jessie was excited to reunite with them and their kids. And my dear colleague, Mili, who has three daughters around the same age also invited them over for dinner. My heart is full to see the photos of them all together.

On my first visit to Santiago 20+ years ago, I remember thinking it felt very cosmopolitan and quite like a big US city. Like many cities, there is a big park adjacent to the center. The photo above is from Jessie and Siska's hike up to the Cerro San Cristóbal viewpoint. You can see the details of the 5.6 miles trail on AllTrails. It's a perfect way to get some exercise while in the city.

Another important point to note about Santiago, like with many cities, is there have been some lasting changes since covid. Certain neighborhoods are not what they once were. Of course when planning your trip to Santiago, we will take that into account. I have a few favorite hotels that would be ideal for your stay.