Franciacorta & Portofino
Italy
Franciacorta & Portofino wine Tour
A meandering wave of green hills that descend from Lake Iseo to the plain of the Oglio river, Franciacorta is a green island, far from the usual routes famous for its high-quality sparkling wines. A sunny morainic amphitheater, Franciacorta offers an evocative natural setting that includes towers, castles, palaces and patrician villas, churches, sanctuaries and abbeys, in whose stones you can read the fascinating history of this land of passage between the Alpine valleys and the Po valley.
After Franciacorta sparkling world is tested time to find a love in Portofino, like Dalida and later Andrea Bocelli sang. Whether you’re set to stage the summer’s most sparkling party, or an intimate gathering of your nearest and dearest, enjoy exclusive use of iconic hotel Belmond Splendido Mare. Escape to Portofino to elope in style. Hotel located by the harbour is the perfect place for a timeless low-key love affairs.
Itinerary
From nature to food and wine Franciacorta represents a unique experience in Italy. An agricultural land with a long history behind rises among the twisting hills of sparkling vineyards.
While Ligurian jewel Portofino is an icon and the perfect place to soak up the sun, take a refreshing dip in the emerald waters and make the most of your exclusive spot in this beautiful bay.
We will design a wine tour exclusively for you. Additionally will spice up your taste buds and educate your palette about some of the finest Lombardy and Italian riviera wines.
- 2 nights of unmistakable style and elegance relais L'Albereta that rises among the sinuous hills of vineyards and involves in an unforgettable experience of Franciacorta. Located in a strategic point of Lombardy, a few kilometers from the romantic Lake Iseo, L'Albereta is the ideal starting point for wine adventure.
- 2 nights in Belmond Hotel Splendido encourage to discover the epitome of uncomplicated, stylish allure of Portofino. This exquisitely detailed hotel is a true Ligurian gem, rich with familial warmth and a captivating nautical spirit. It’s a chic point to explore the wonders of the Italian Riviera. From picture-perfect fishing villages and azure waters to tempting culinary delights, every moment is a cinematic escape.
- Flight tickets on regular flight or private jet.
- Luxurious or vintage car rental or perhaps personal driver at your disposal.
- Save 2 days for Franciacorta sparkling wines, local Ligurian delicacies, Espace Chenot Spa and golf.
- 2 days spend in gentle lull of the Ligurian sea is nothing is more romantic. Return from a stroll by the shore to our intimate seaside guest-house. Dine on local delights at Chuflay restaurant or curl-up together in the bar as piano tunes fill the air. By day, spend the long balmy hours exploring on the waves, just the two of you. Picture the pleasure of Portofino’s most stylish social hub, all to yourself...and maybe a few friends of yours.
- WINE & WINE & WINE. Private meetings with Franciacorta wine makers, wine tasting.
- Dining experience in multiple Lombardy and Italian riviera Michelin starred restaurants.
Following wine tour is just a sample to be designed and modified according your preferred dates, places, restaurants & wineries wish list.
Accomodation
Suggestive relais in Franciacorta that rises among the sinuous hills of vineyards, L'Albereta involves its guests in an unforgettable experience, because here the art of hospitality is understood as the ability to guarantee absolute well-being and sublime pleasure of the senses.
L'Albereta is located right in the middle of an evocative route that connects the most fascinating art cities of Northern Italy from east to west. Located in a strategic point of Lombardy, a few kilometers from the romantic Lake Iseo, L'Albereta is the ideal starting point for tailor-made itineraries: from here it is possible to quickly reach the main art cities of Northern Italy, such as Milan, Bergamo, Verona and Venice.
L'Albereta carries with it the charm of a long history, which is strongly linked to the territory of Franciacorta. A land characterized by a suggestive natural scenery dotted with patrician villas of refined architecture, many of which were the summer residences of the noble families of Brescia and Bergamo. The past of L'Albereta belongs to this history and still retains its signs today, in a sort of fil rouge that outlines the destiny of this villa in Franciacorta, which has always been devoted to hospitality, arts and culture. This ancient Neo-Renaissance mansion of the late nineteenth century stands on the Bellavista hill, and was the private home of the lawyer Giovanni Cavalleri and his wife Anna, a musician and a great lover of art and painting. Real patron, Donna Anna transformed it into a sort of Academy of Arts. In the main turret, she created a "Music Room" with two pianos, an organ, a transverse flute, mandolins and accordions, while her love for travel led her to meet artists from all over the world and many of them became regular guests. of his house. The house of the Cavalleri spouses represented an important point of reference for the artistic and cultural panorama of northern Italy in the first half of the twentieth century.
The house then passed on as an inheritance to a granddaughter, and was subsequently bought by Vittorio Moretti, President of the Terra Moretti Group, an important entrepreneurial reality which today includes 11 companies operating in the most varied sectors.
Vittorio Moretti's eldest daughter, Carmen, is the true demiurge of L'Albereta's success. Since she was a child she has cultivated the dream of creating a place dedicated to the cult of the guest, rethinking the entire structure as a real hotel in Franciacorta. It was then the passion for cooking and culture linked to the world of taste that led her to Gualtiero Marchesi, undoubtedly the greatest Italian Chef, to involve him in the L'Albereta project. The hotel in Franciacorta L'Albereta opened its doors on 23 September 1993 with its first 9 rooms, located in the body of the Casa Leone and in the Torre Bellavista. Since then, years have passed marked by important satisfactions such as the creation of the Terzo Millennio Sculpture Park and studded with numerous awards including recognition in 1997 as the best resort in Europe, and in 2008 inclusion among the 101 best SPAs in the world according to SPA Guide distributed together with famous English magazine Tatler.
Accomodation in Belmond Hotel Splendido Mare
Tucked into the curve of Portofino harbour is the stylish Belmond Splendido Mare. Our charming guest-house takes pride of place on the town’s main piazza, where you’ll be perfectly poised for a dip into the local social scene. Portofino’s glamorous village spirit flows through our doors. Inside, you’ll discover an alluring haven, chic in design and playful in nature.
A place for you in paradise. A stay in Portofino calls for a day at the beach.The secluded Bay of Paraggi is nestled into the coastline just a short drive from Splendido Mare in our courtesy shuttle. As our guest, you’ll have your own private lounger waiting for you on the golden sands. Soak up the sun, take a refreshing dip in the emerald waters and make the most of your exclusive spot in this beautiful bay.
As you make your way through our whimsical corridors, you’ll feel an urge to pause and take joy from the glittering sea views, or the moments of playful architecture. Indulge it. Then throw the door open wide on one of the most decadent spaces of any Portofino luxury hotel. Step in, kick-back and soak-up the rich Ligurian hues, nautical touches and pretty harbour views. You’ll never want to leave.
Activities
Activities at L’Albereta
From nature to food and wine, from sport to wellness: choose the world that belongs to you most. Or better: don't miss any! Both inside L'Albereta and in the many places around it.
Wine
Franciacorta represents a unique experience in Italy: Franciacorta producers have been able to introduce and combine updating, development and experimentation with tradition, while at the same time enhancing the territory.
Franciacorta is an agricultural land with a long historical tradition. Although there are various hypotheses on the origin of the name Franciacorta, the most convincing and accredited one believes that the name derives from "francae curtes", small medieval communities of Benedictine monks who obtained exemption from duties and gabelles in exchange for their commitment to teach to indigenous peoples the cultivation of the vine.
These same borders today delimit the production area "Franciacorta" which gives its name to the renowned bubbles produced with the classic method of slow refermentation in the bottle and with the total elaboration only in the grape production area, in that territory bordered to the north by shores of Lake Iseo, to the east by the continuation of the Rhaetian Alps which divide the Camonica Valley from the Trompia Valley, to the west by the Oglio river and to the south by Mount Orfano.
We are talking about Franciacorta DOCG, the king of Italian bubbles and more; the first and only Italian brut in bottle fermentation to have obtained this recognition, precisely in 1967. But the cellars of Franciacorta are not made of bubbles alone. At the same time as the Franciacorta DOCG, in 1995 the DOC Terre di Franciacorta was recognized for still white and red wines.
The Franciacorta method
The Franciacorta method was recognized by the European community in 2003 as the highest expression of excellence and quality production. The method involves the use of Chardonnay and / or Pinot bianco and / or Pinot nero grapes and slow refermentation in the bottle in contact with the yeasts for at least 24 months for non-vintage Franciacortas and for at least 30 months for Franciacortas with vintage. Franciacorta represents a unique experience in Italy: Franciacorta producers have been able to introduce and combine updating, development and experimentation with tradition, while at the same time enhancing the territory. It is no coincidence, therefore, that one of the best ways to dedicate yourself to discovering this territory is precisely to go to Franciacorta cellars: many are housed in ancient villas and palaces and retain, indeed enhance, the charm of the time. Others, more recent, are perfectly integrated into the natural landscape and, surrounded by vineyards and gardens, blend with it.
Perfect examples are the cellars of the Terra Moretti group: Bellavista and Contadi Castaldi di Franciacorta. The Bellavista di Franciacorta winery, founded in 1977, is located on the hill of the same name, a green hillock that represents a privileged point of view to enjoy a unique panorama; here the horizon opens up and the view sweeps over the centuries-old park, the surrounding woods and vineyards, up to embrace the nearby Monte Orfano, the arc of the Alps and Lake Iseo. The Contadi Castaldi di Franciacorta winery, opened in 1987, occupies the structures of the ancient Biasca furnace in Adro, an evocative building from 1880 transformed, according to the most modern conservation techniques, into an ideal place for refining Franciacorta wines, because the long arched tunnels, separated by thick walls, keep the temperature and humidity at an optimal level.
Golf
The golf courses immersed in Franciacorta.
The game of golf is in itself a kind of journey, an opportunity for discovery and exploration, thanks to its unfolding through a succession of stages, each different from the other, full of surprises, unknowns and pitfalls. In fact, every course you will find at the Franciacorta Golf Club, with its 18 + 9 holes, hidden in real oases of green, among trees, ponds, streams, hills, and valleys of sand, is a real adventure, from enjoy alone or to share with friends or family. What better way to dedicate yourself to the pleasure of this game, using it as a pretext to discover new destinations and enjoy a good swing in the most evocative landscapes of the world? L'Albereta is, without a doubt, the ideal destination for golf lovers in the Franciacorta area! It is, in fact, right in the center of a vast golf area of primary importance and extraordinary scenic beauty, which groups 9 prestigious golf courses within a radius of less than 100 kilometers. Fans of this sport will be spoiled for choice!
Activities
Activities at Belmond Hotel Splendido Mare
Set sail in traditional style
Portofino’s nautical heritage is best appreciated from the waves.Take to the water for a complimentary two-hour excursion in our gorgeous wooden gozzo.
Motor boat
Portofino’s nautical heritage lures you into the waves. If, like many before you, you can’t resist then head out to explore. Our luxurious private motor boat, the Chris-Craft Corsair 36 is perfect for up to eight guests. Enjoy a leisurely cruise around the coast, or venture beyond the harbour to discover the stunning Gulf of Tigullio.
Complimentary shuttle service
Our guests enjoy access to the facilities of both hotels, from our harbourside haven to our hilltop retreat. So, whether you’re staying at Belmond Splendido Mare or Belmond Hotel Splendido, our complimentary shuttle service is on hand to whisk you from one to the other.
Ultimate takeover
Picture the pleasure of Portofino’s most stylish social hub, all to yourself...and maybe a few guests of your choice.
Whether you’re set to stage the summer’s most sparkling party, or an intimate gathering of your nearest and dearest, enjoy exclusive use of our iconic hotel. Let us take care of all the little details. We’ll tailor your stay to your tastes to create the most beautiful celebration of all time
Party in the Ava Gardner Suite terrace
Stage one of the most glamorous parties Portofino has ever seen in our stunning Ava Gardner Suite. Named after the celebrated American actress, who famously adored our little slice of heaven, this opulent apartment takes up the hotel’s top floor with a spacious private terrace to match. Host a stylish family celebration, or an intimate gathering with fellow dolce vita devotees. Whatever the occasion, your guests are sure to be impressed.
Elopements
Escape to Portofino to elope in style. Our hotel by the harbour is the perfect place for a timeless low-key love affair. We’ll arrange the details, so all you have to do is turn-up and tie the knot. Exchange your vows overlooking the world’s most picturesque harbour and enjoy an indulgent wedding breakfast with spectacular views. We promise moments you’ll never forget.
Honeymoons
Nothing is more romantic than the gentle lull of the Ligurian sea by moonlight. Return from an evening stroll by the shore to our intimate seaside guest-house. Dine on local delights at Chuflay restaurant or curl-up together in the bar as piano tunes fill the air. By day, spend the long balmy hours exploring on the waves, just the two of you. Your dream of a honeymoon in Italy begins here.
A place for you in paradise
A stay in Portofino calls for a day at the beach.The secluded Bay of Paraggi is nestled into the coastline just a short drive from Splendido Mare in our courtesy shuttle. As our guest, you’ll have your own private lounger waiting for you on the golden sands. Soak up the sun, take a refreshing dip in the emerald waters and make the most of your exclusive spot in this beautiful bay.
Wine SPA & wellness
Chenot SPA & wellness at L’Albereta
Espace Chenot Spa in Franciacorta: an oasis of well-being.
"I have always refused to create another space elsewhere than in Merano. Until the day when two worlds met: Spazio Chenot and Terra Moretti, where L'Albereta hides.
The Espace Chenot Health Wellness SPA de L'Albereta is the SPA in Franciacorta that best represents the ideal of absolute well-being, a space where you can dedicate yourself exclusively to self-care, according to a rigorous method strongly rooted in the principles of medicine, capable of bring the body back to maximum psycho-physical form Espace Chenot is one of the only two medical & wellness SPAs signed by Chenot in Italy and a highly qualified team of over 30 professionals works within it, including doctors, therapists, dieticians, therapy assistants, osteopaths, beauticians and of course, reception managers and receptionists.
Designed by Ettore Mocchetti, architect and director of AD Italia, Espace Chenot expresses the same search for harmony in its architecture, made of balance between full and empty spaces, between places of light, shadows and water features which animates its raison d'etre. In this SPA in Franciacorta, natural light is molded to envelop the space that develops over an area of 2,000 square meters, divided between two levels: the first opens with the reception area, favored by soft architectural volumes and curved lines; followed by the area dedicated to medical departments, with areas dedicated to energy tests and dietary assessments. In the herbal tea area, every day you can find an ever-changing selection of herbal teas and infusions with draining and antioxidant properties;
The ground floor area is instead dedicated to hydro-treatments and the aqua-fitness area. Dominating the spaces of the Chenot spa is a large indoor and outdoor swimming pool, alongside which the sauna and Turkish bath with aromatherapy are combined with a large gym equipped with the latest generation Technogym machines. Last but not least, in the most intimate heart of this evocative path designed and built according to the Chenot method, a reserved space, with an enveloping circular shape, is the realm of hydrotherapy, phyto-mud applications and hydrojets.
Wellness restaurant reserved for guests being treated at L'Espace Chenot Health Wellness SPA. The Wellness Restaurant is dedicated to the recipes created by Dominique Chenot and developed by her together with a team of experts, with the aim of combining balance and taste.
Dining with Belmond Hotel Splendido Mare
Experience the simple pleasures of Portofino’s Piazzetta lifestyle. Our vibrant social hub stands on a former orchard and fresh water well—a fitting spot to indulge in the most exquisite local produce. Mingle with stylish locals and the international jet-set on our terrace. Ours is one of the best restaurants in Portofino, Italy—the views are divine and the dining is even finer.
Chuflay restaurant
Dining at Chuflay restaurant is a matter of exceptional taste. The menu is peppered with local Ligurian delicacies, expertly conjured by our chef. You’ll often spot him moving from table to table, making your acquaintance, discussing favourite dishes and adding the finishing touches to his recipes with a spectacular flourish. The atmosphere at Chuflay is formal yet relaxed, intimate yet open—the kind of dining spot where you’ll feel right at home and yet a million-miles from the everyday.
Chuflay bar
By day Chuflay Bar is the laidback heartbeat of Portofino. By night, it’s an elevated retreat from the hubbub of the town. Find a cosy spot in our stylish surrounds and unwind with your favourite cocktail. If you're in need of inspiration our barman is on hand with a perfect pick for your mood. Tempting snacks from our bar menu are served throughout the day and jazzy piano notes fill the air until midnight. Before long, you’ll lose yourself in the gentle rhythms of an evening by the harbour.
Gelateria San Giorgio
Gelateria San Giorgio takes up just a small slice of the Piazzetta, but the sweet delights on offer here are ample. From a classic ice-cream cone to an indulgent local gelato, on golden afternoons it’s the perfect place to pause for a treat.
We also welcome little ones to indulge in some flavourful fun at our tailored ice-cream tasting sessions.
Wine SPA & wellness
Dining with L’Albereta
Here you can indulge in the pleasures of the palate at the gastronomic restaurant Leonefelice Vista Lago, whose terrace opens up a view of Lake Iseo, or enjoy an award-winning pizza accompanied by excellent wines at the La Filiale kiosk. Unique flavors, attention to detail.
To complement the Leonefelice Vista Lago revolution, a warm and elegant environment, redesigned by Valentina Moretti's more design studio to offer the best of L'Albereta-style hospitality, which has always fascinated national and international customers.
The restaurants in Franciacorta De L'albereta
An explosion of taste and flavors. Born as a place dedicated to the art of living and the pleasure of conviviality, L'Albereta, with its restaurants in Franciacorta, continues to be a real temple of taste thanks to its new restaurant Leonefelice Vista Lago, whose terrace enjoys an extraordinary view of Lake Iseo. The Benessere restaurant is dedicated to those who wish to respect a controlled caloric regime, in whose proposals it is possible to find the pleasure of a cuisine calibrated in the calorie intake, but rich in flavors, which will surprise even the most demanding palates. In addition to our restaurants in Franciacorta you will find the Greeneige Lounge, which with its warm living room atmosphere is the ideal place for relaxation in total privacy: to sip a Chenot detox herbal tea, to read a good book.
The branch
Pizza as you've never tasted. The kiosk La Filiale de L'Albereta offers a unique dining experience that combines a menu entirely dedicated to Franco Pepe's pizzas with exceptional wines from Franciacorta and beyond. Perfect right from the aperitif, La Filiale is a young and informal meeting place, where you can start the evening enjoying the legendary "pizza a libretto" accompanied by a glass of wine or a cocktail; the journey continues on the first floor in the glass room surrounded by greenery, where you can be definitively conquered by pizza in the manner of Franco Pepe, with its hand-made and very light dough and the ingredients that each tell a story to be discovered. On the menu you will find fried pizzas, calzone and the famous mistaken Margherita, together with an unprecedented and skilful foray into the tradition of Franciacorta, with pizzas created exclusively by Franco Pepe for the guests of La Filiale.
Greeneige lounge
Intimate and welcoming lounge of L'Albereta Relais. The Greeneige Lounge of L'Albereta Relais is a real lounge, intimate and welcoming, to be enjoyed at any time of the day, to relax on comfortable sofas and taste the best detox herbal teas by Henri Chenot. Natural nuances, from dove gray to beige to antique pink, materials with velvety textures, enveloping volumes. Each corner is a small world unto itself, where you can find the right atmosphere for a romantic meeting for two or where to meet up with friends for a sincere chat. A large library to draw from to find all kinds of text: fiction, poetry, architecture, art and much more. A fireplace for cold winter evenings.
Wellness restaurant
The pleasure of the Chenot diet. Reserved for guests being treated at L'Espace Chenot Health Wellness SPA, the Wellness Restaurant is dedicated to the recipes created by Dominique Chenot and developed by her together with a team of experts, with the aim of combining balance and taste. In this room with a refined décor, which extends with its wonderful bay window between the trees and flowers of the park of L'Albereta, almost as if to merge into one with the surrounding nature, guests are seduced every day by dishes that enchant the sight and delight the palate. It thus becomes a pleasure, rather than a rule, to respect the personalized Chenot diet, prescribed by expert dieticians, which is the essential complement to Chenot care treatments.
