A Fashion Holiday in Italy

The internationally-renowned fashion capital of Milan hosts Fashion Week biannually and is home to Versace, Prada Dolce & Gabbana and Armani. It is also home to the Quadrilatero D’Oro (the golden rectangle) where you can get the best luxury fashion and jewellery boutiques and the Via Monte Napoleone, one of the most expensive and significant streets in Milan, which dates back to Napoleon’s rule in the 1800s.  

You’ll be met by Meet & Greet staff in the airport’s arrival section and enjoy a leisurely transfer to Armani Hotel Milano – the perfect place to get you in the mood for a full-on fashion immersion, featuring faux-lizard furniture, backlit headboards reminiscent of runways and Armani’s iconic ‘greige’ incorporated in the decor.

You’ll get a tour of the trendy shopping streets, including Via della Spiga and Via Gesu, which showcase both designer and pret-a-porter brands. You can also enjoy an exclusive, behind-the-scenes access of Vhernier, Italy’s premier jewellery brand, with the chance to try on the latest designs, with an optional add-on tour of the Versace flagship store if you wish. There will also be plenty of time to explore the fashion capital at your leisure – don’t miss the beautiful 150-year-old Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the world’s oldest shopping mall.

As the city that gave us immortal fashion icons like Gucci, Pucci and Ferragamo, not visiting Florence on a fashion-forward getaway would be nothing short of a sacrilege. The Via de Tornabuoni is the most famous street in Florence, where Salvatore Ferragamo’s first property is located (now converted into the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum). The Palazzo Pitti – a lavish Renaissance palace located south of the River Arno – is home to the Costume Gallery, which is the only museum of fashion history in Italy featuring fashion trends of the last 300 years.

You will stay at the stylish Hotel Brunelleschi, overlooking the remarkable Duomo cathedral. VIP Meet & Greet staff will be there on arrival and departure to help you make the most of your trip. Find out about the city’s history of medieval wool and silk trade and the highly-skilled artisans who produce materials of the best quality, and take a trip to the Gucci museum. You’ll also have a rare and exciting opportunity: an exclusive tour of the Gucci factory, showcasing custom footwear, leather cuttings and gorgeous fittings (and yes – touching is allowed!)

A trip to the Eternal City would not be complete without a visit to its iconic landmarks. In fact, you’ll have one right on the doorstep during your stay at Hassler Roma, at the top of the Spanish Steps. After a leisurely lunch, you’ll be taken to the Vatican – get ready to be enthralled by St Peter’s Basilica and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.

Enjoy a comprehensive city tour of Rome, led by an expert local guide who will recount myths and legends that will transport you back in time. Trace the footsteps of Caesar and Cicero in the valley of Forum Romanum, and explore the Basilica of Constantine, Senate House and the Arch of Titus before finally making your way to the famous Colosseum.

Afterwards, visit the ruins of imperial palaces and the small museum at Palatine Hill. Michelangelo’s Moses is one of the biggest highlights of the tour, found in the Basilica of St. Peter, where you’ll go before heading to the Vittoriano, a grand marble building known as the ‘wedding cake monument’, which was built to honour Italy’s first king, Victor Emmanuel II. Your tour will conclude with a drive past Circus Maximus, where Romans competed in chariot races.

Ever wonder how the perfect, soft and supple cashmere jumper is made? You’ll get to go behind the scenes at one of the most innovative cashmere labels, founded by the king of cashmere, Brunello Cucinelli. You’ll find out how beautiful cashmere garments are made from scratch and have lunch with the craftsmen who make them (on request). Afterwards you can meander through the olive groves, and visit the School of Crafts and the art forum for some creative inspiration.