IC Bellagio – DUCO Galleria

IC

Bellagio

REGION

All of Italy

INSIDER TIPS

FROM OUR KITCHEN
Caffè Baratti & Milano

Luxury DMC IC Bellagio makes a tempting proposal for a mid-afternoon snack: traditional coffee and chocolate in one of Turin’s oldest and most famous cafés.

Gastronomic Storytelling: 
When visiting Piedmont, a stop in Turin is a must, and not just because it was the first capital of the Regno d’Italia (Kingdom of Italy) in 1861. More importantly, it is the Italian capital of coffee! While strolling through the city looking for a fix, stop by one of the oldest cafes, Caffè Baratti & Milano, serving coffee, tea and more for 160 years. The charming interiors will bring you back in time, and their special, personalized blend of coffee will complete the experience.

Best Enjoyed: 
We suggest sipping your coffee while sitting at a table under one of the cafe’s impressive chandeliers. In addition to being coffee professionals, Caffè Baratti & Milano are also chocolatiers and were once nominated as the “official suppliers of the Royal House” when the king lived in Turin. Along with your coffee, make sure to ask for a Gianduiotto: an individually gold-foil wrapped chocolate, made with hazelnuts from the Langhe region and shaped like a gold ingot.

For more information about IC Bellagio, click here.

Hidden Treasure
Il Rudere

Lake Como has plenty of attractive spots along its coast for one to see and be seen, but luxury DMC IC Bellagio shows us another side of the lake and Il Rudere, a hidden hideaway perfect for a low-profile stay.

Tell us about a hidden treasure in this region? 
Il Rudere on Lake Como, the refuge of the Como-born writer Giuseppe Guin. This house is located among the pretty, quaint and colorful villages on the lake in an old quarrymen’s toll booth from the late nineteenth century. 

What makes it so special? 
After years and years of renovations and restoration, Giuseppe welcomes guests to stay at his refuge on the lake accessible only via “La Trappola,” his personal wooden gozzo boat. The home is filled with vintage objects and furnishings that tell the story of the area, which, in addition to the local history and landscape, serves as inspiration for his books. This hideaway has a certain magic to it. It offers a restful place to get away and blend in with the locals, and is made even more special by Giuseppe’s tales — just ask about the history of the property, and you’ll see his eyes begin to twinkle. 

How can visitors best experience this gem? 
Il Rudere is so special, it’s simple to enjoy it at its best: lounging in a comfortable chair in the garden with a gentle breeze coming from the lake to the sound of the waves and ducklings, a glass of red wine in hand and an enveloping sense of peace and tranquility. In the background a few songs of local singer Davide Van De Sfroos can be heard, as the sun sets low over Como.

For more information about IC Bellagio, click here.

outdoor insider
Mt. Sibillini National Park and Castelluccio Plains

Luxury DMC IC Bellagio takes us on an adventure to the Mt. Sibillini National Park and the Castelluccio Plains of Norcia, two iconic examples of Umbria’s endless natural beauty.

What makes the park so special to this region?
Umbria is known as “the green heart of Italy” and this region claims the most famous eco-lover of all time, Saint Francis. The flora and fauna of the Sibillini mountains embody the area’s wild spirit from wolves and elusive mountain cats to roe deer, porcupine, and the royal eagle which has recently begun to build nests in areas abandoned for years. The woodland forests are impressive, but most enchanting are the colorful legume blooms across the basin of the Castelluccio plains – like gazing down into a real-life impressionist painting. 

When is the best time to visit? 
The high plains of Castelluccio are stunning from May to early July, when the flowers in the fields burst into a thousand hues. Grab a sandwich filled with some of the delicious local specialties, like prosciutto di Norcia or the famous pecorino cheese, and hike into the mountains to best enjoy the view. Or, if extreme sports are your thing, hang-gliding or paragliding will give you an eagle-eyed view over this grand spectacle. 

What role does nature play in the culture and economy of the region?
Umbrian agriculture is noted for its tobacco, olive oil and vineyards, which produce excellent wines. Umbrian wineries are at the center of the Cantine Aperte or “Open Cellars” event, when local wine makers open to the public. Another typical Umbrian product is the black truffle found in Valnerina, an area that produces 45% of the black truffles in Italy!

For more information about IC Bellagio, click here.