(A love letter to la dolce vita, shared tables, and women who travel well together)
We set off for Italy with one clear intention; to experience it the way it should be experienced, slowly, beautifully, and with a lot of good food along the way.
This wasn’t just another FAM. It was a journey shared with an incredible group of women in the travel industry, each bringing their own energy, humor, and perspective to the road ahead. I had the absolute privilege of hosting this pre-DUCO itinerary, with every detail thoughtfully brought to life by our on the ground partners at Privilege Italia.
What followed was a few days of Venice canals, Renaissance streets, Tuscan kitchens, seaside sunsets, and more laughter than I think any itinerary could possibly plan for.
And honestly? It felt like Italy was showing off a little for us.
VENICE – ARRIVING BY WATER AND SETTING THE TONE
We began in Venice, which is really the only way this kind of trip should begin.
There’s something about arriving by private water taxi that immediately changes your pace, like the city gently telling you, you’re here now, slow down.
Our home was Palazzo Venart, tucked right along the Grand Canal, and from the moment we arrived, it felt like stepping into a living piece of history.
Stepping inside Palazzo Venart feels like entering Venice’s own living history. A beautifully restored 15th-century palace, it balances grandeur with something softer, like you’re staying in a noble home rather than a hotel. Nothing feels staged, everything feels intentional.
What stood out most wasn’t just the beauty, it was the warmth. Within minutes, the team knew our names, our coffee preferences, and somehow made this grand palace feel personal. That kind of hospitality stays with you.
And then… the food began.
Dinner at Glam, Venice’s only two-Michelin-star restaurant, was one of those meals where conversation slowly fades because everyone is just… happy. Each dish felt like a reflection of the lagoon itself, delicate, thoughtful, and beautifully executed.
The next morning, Venice really started to open itself up to us.
Thanks to Privilege Italia, we headed to Murano for a glassmaking experience that was far more than observational, it was hands-on, loud, hot, slightly chaotic in the best way, and incredibly memorable. Watching artisans at work for over 700 years of tradition is one thing… but actually trying it yourself? That’s something else entirely. We even made our own glass pieces to take home, which immediately became one of those “you had to be there” stories.
From there, we moved into Piazza San Marco for a private guided visit of St. Mark’s Basilica. This is where Venice really deepens. The mosaics, the gold, the layers of history, it’s overwhelming in the best possible way, but having a guide made everything feel like a story unfolding instead of just a monument you’re walking through.
We paused at Caffè Quadri for a spritz (because obviously), and I think this was one of those collective moments where everyone looked around like, okay… this is exactly why we do this.
We ended Venice the same way we began it: beautifully and a strong feeling that Venice had spoiled us.
FLORENCE – RENAISSANCE ENERGY, WINE WINDOWS & LONG TABLES
We made our way to Florence by train, and even that felt elevated thanks to Privilege Italia, bags seamlessly handled, transfers smooth, everything just easy in that quiet, behind-the-scenes way that makes travel feel effortless.
Florence greeted us with a different rhythm, more energy, more movement, more life.
Our home here was Palazzo Portinari Salviati, and it immediately felt like stepping into a painting.
Once the residence of Beatrice Portinari (Dante’s muse) and Cosimo I de’ Medici, the palace has been restored into something truly special, historic, but still warm and livable. Frescoed ceilings, elegant suites, and views of the Duomo that honestly don’t feel real the first time you see them.
We explored Florence with a guided city experience that included one of the most unexpectedly fun moments of the trip: the wine window. There’s something about receiving a glass of wine through a tiny Renaissance-era wall that makes you stop, laugh, and think, only in Florence.
Our visit to the Accademia brought a completely different tone, quiet, powerful, and grounding. Seeing Michelangelo’s David in person is one of those rare moments that really doesn’t need commentary. You just stand there for a minute.
That evening, we gathered at Atto di Vito Mollica, the Michelin-starred restaurant within the palace. The atmosphere was elegant but never stiff, and the menu felt like a modern love letter to Tuscany, refined but deeply rooted in place.
The next day was one of my favorites.
We joined a private chef for a market-to-table experience that started with walking through Florence’s local markets selecting ingredients and ended with all of us cooking together back in the kitchen. Fresh pasta, laughter, wine, and that kind of easy joy you can’t manufacture, it just happens when the setting is right and the company is even better.
We sat down afterward to eat what we had made, and honestly, that might have been the most “Italy” moment of the entire trip.
VIAREGGIO – A COASTAL SURPRISE THAT STOLE OUR HEARTS
From Florence, we drove into Viareggio and the shift was immediate.
Rolling countryside gave way to sea air, and suddenly everything felt lighter.
Viareggio is one of those destinations that doesn’t try to compete with Italy’s heavy hitters and that’s exactly what makes it so good. It’s elegant but relaxed, refined but unpretentious, and feels like a place the locals keep slightly to themselves.
Our home was the Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte, and it perfectly matched that feeling. Timeless design, soft coastal light, rooftop views over the sea, it has that rare balance of iconic and intimate.
Days here slowed down in the best way.
Lunch at Il Piccolo Principe, the hotel’s two-Michelin-star restaurant, was refined and beautifully executed but the real highlight was the unexpected magic of Maitò Beach Club.
This night deserves its own category of memory.
Live music, dancing, incredible food, and a table full of women fully in their element, singing, laughing, completely unfiltered joy. It wasn’t polished or planned; it was just fun. The kind of night you don’t realize is a highlight until you’re already smiling thinking about it later.
Breakfast the next morning somehow managed to outdo itself, custom cappuccinos printed with photos, endless pastries, sushi, anything you could possibly think of. It was playful, over-the-top, and very much part of the charm.
We ended our time in Viareggio with a visit to the Carrara marble quarries, which added a completely different layer to the trip.
Marble has been extracted here for over 2,000 years and was used in some of the world’s most iconic works, including Michelangelo’s David to the Pantheon in Rome. Standing in the quarries, seeing where something so raw becomes something so iconic, was genuinely powerful. It’s one of those experiences that connects beauty back to its origin.
THE END OF THE JOURNEY (BUT NOT REALLY)
This trip was never just about hotels or itineraries; it was about people.
Women in travel showing up for each other, sharing ideas, and laughing over long dinners, not just as professionals, but as travelers.
It was about experiencing Italy fully, meals that turned into lingering conversations, laughter that carried into the evenings, and those quiet in-between moments that end up defining everything. There was an ease to it all that made each destination feel even more alive.
Privilege Italia brought everything together with such care and precision that the journey felt seamless, but more importantly, personal.
Italy doesn’t ask to be rushed; it asks to be felt. And when you move through it that way, it stays with you.
And I think that’s what will stay with me most.
Not just the places themselves, but the feeling of moving through them with intention, curiosity, and joy.
Italy didn’t just show itself to us, it let us settle into it.
And in the end, it felt like a long table stretched across every destination, warm, full, a little unpredictable, and always making room for one more story, one more laugh, one more moment you didn’t expect.
I wouldn’t have it any other way. 🤍
