Going anywhere in Italy in the height of summer feels like wrestling your way into a lifeboat when a cruise ship is sinking. Hordes of tourists everywhere, fistfights for the last table in a restaurant and hour-long queues to visit museums and churches. September however is peaceful, with plenty of availability and an explosion of festivals and events to soak on local culture. Here we go from North to South with our pick of places to travel to Italy in September.
VILLA PRINCIPE LEOPOLDO – LUGANO
Although this hotel is located in the Swiss canton of Ticino, in my books it can be considered Italy. The closest airport is Milano Malpensa (80km away), the most spoken language is Italian and it really feels as a little pocket of Italy. From the Ascona Polo Cup to the Concorso d’eleganza for lovers of classic cars, Ticino bustles with festivals and exclusive events during the month of September. And this time of the year, as the seasons change, the landscape turns into a kaleidoscope of colours, from light golden hues to the deepest reds, nature’s gift to visitors and residents.
Left, scene from a match during the Ascona Polo Cup 2023. © Der Rote Drache Fotografie. Right, Museum Herman Hesse. Photo by Luca Crivelli. © Ticino Tourism
Among the luxury hotels in Ticino, Villa Principe Leopoldo stands out for its regal past. Once the stately home of German Emperor Wilhelm’s brother-in-law, it was built on Collina d’Oro, a picturesque hill overlooking the city and the lake, with the backdrop of the surrounding Alps. It was here, that Nobel Prize Herman Hesse lived for 43 years until his death, and where he wrote most of his works, among them Siddharta and Steppenwolf.
The privileged location of Villa Principe Leopoldo on Collina d’Oro grants this luxury hotel unique views of the lake, the city and the mighty Alps.
Villa Principe Leopoldo offers a special Herman Hesse experience which includes not only the stay at the hotel but also a series of walks and thematic routes designed to retrace the stages of the writer’s life in Ticino, including a visit to the Herman Hesse museum in Montagnola. As a member of the Relais & Châteaux association, Villa Principe Leopoldo is known for its impeccable service, sophisticated cuisine and variety of exclusive experiences available to its guests.
ODSWEET HOTEL – MILAN
Milan is considered by many the power engine of Italy. Fashion, design, finance, business… all these sectors and more are headquartered in this effervescent city. September is an enchanting time to visit it, as the city’s parks and gardens change into their autumn wardrobe in time for Women’s Fashion Week on the third week of the month. Since 2007, Milan and Turin join forces to put together MITO, a remarkable festival of classical music with a rich array of events, including the original, “Music that can be seen,” a host of different musical genres in unusual settings, straddling the fine line between theatre and performance art.
Left, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra directed by Risto Joost, performed at last year’s MITO in Milan. Photo by Lorenza Daverio. Right, Roberto Cavalli FW 2022-23, Milan Fashion Week. Photo by Christopher Macsurak.
The ODSweet Hotel enjoys an enviable location in the heart of the city and a truly unique character. The hotel is themed with sweets, marshmallows and chocolate. Architect Franco Costa designed 17 rooms following a white and pink marshmallow concept, and 17 inspired by dark chocolate. There are even Sweet Corners available in all rooms at no extra charge. If this was not indulgent enough, you’ll also find Dyson accessories.
Chocolate-inspired Classic Suite at ODSweet Hotel and view of the Piazza del Duomo from its rooftop bar and restaurant, Dome.
Its rooftop restaurant and bar, Dome, is one of the best places from which to view the Duomo Cathedral, its lovely piazza and the sunset.
POSTA MARCUCCI – TUSCANY
The region of Tuscany that extends from the hills south of Siena to Monte Amiata is known as Val d’Orcia. It was declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site in 2004. Its beauty has enamoured the powerful and the famous since history can remember. From popes to film directors, artists and celebrities, all have succumbed to the charm of its gentle hills, golden fields of grain and olive groves, speckled with elegant cypresses, medieval castles and fairy-tale villages.
Left, San Quirico d’Orcia, a village that dates back to Etruscan times. Right, Bagno Vignoni, with its natural hot water pools.
In the heart of the valley, we find Bagno Vignoni, known for millennia for its natural hot springs. Our destination is Posta Marcucci, a 19th century inn turned into a luxury hotel in the 1950s, blessed with its own natural hot pools. Of volcanic origin, the waters in this area gush from a depth of 1,000 metres. Rich in minerals such as calcium, sulphur, iron and zinc, they help alleviate skin and musculoskeletal conditions.
Being in Tuscany, the restaurant at Posta Marcucci uses the best local ingredients, including DOP extra-virgin olive oil, meat from Bottega delle Carni, a renowned butcher’s shop in San Quirico, and DOC wines from Val d’Orcia, Brunello, Nobile, and of course, the great Sassicaia.
Left, night view of the hot water pools at Posta Marcucci. Right, view from Casa, the restaurant at Posta Marcucci.
September is a fabulous time to visit, ideal to enjoy the vendemmia (grape harvest). Val d’Orcia wines earned their own DOC appellation in 2000 and have achieved great recognition since. Not an easy task when you are sandwiched between two of the greatest Tuscan wines: Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. From the end of August until mid-September, the festival Il Bravìo delle Botti takes place in Montepulciano, offering visitors a variety of art, music and photography events that take place in different locations across this medieval town, whose walls and fortifications were designed by walls and fortifications designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder in 1511 for Cosimo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany.
PALAZZO RIPETTA – ROME
Rome is spectacular any time of the year but in summer, it is extremely hot. Most of the locals go away to be replaced by hordes of heat-stricken tourists wandering from one site to the next, while the Eternal City sinks into a lethargy from which it surfaces in September with renewed energy. Romaeuropa Festival offers a spectacular array of cultural events, including cinema, dance, theatre and music to mention but a few. Live @ Colosseo Festival allows visitors to enjoy unforgettable jazz nights under the stars in the setting of one of the most iconic Roman landmarks.
The 39th edition of the Romaeuropa Festival opens with the prestigious Ballet de l’Opéra de Lyon with two different choreographies: Mycelium by Christos Papadopoulos, and Biped, by the great Merce Cunningham – the father of contemporary dance. Photo © Agathe Poupeney.
Located in the heart of the city, Palazzo Ripetta is the perfect elegant base from which to explore Rome. The 17th palace turned into a luxury boutique hotel, member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux association. Here, the glamour of yesteryear meets contemporary luxury. Everything here has been chosen with the outmost care. From the fabrics to the furnishings, the marble surfaces and the unique objects decorating each space. Basically, the place exudes Italian grandeur.
Left, Etere, the new rooftop bar at Palazzo Ripetta. Right, the elegant foyer Bernini.
Enjoy a drink and pure Mediterranean cuisine at Etere, the hotel new rooftop bar. Its relaxed atmosphere makes it the ideal place where to unwind at the end of the day, enjoying unparalleled views of the Eternal City with a cocktail or a glass of one of the excellent wines from its carefully curated cellar.
IL SAN CORRADO DI NOTO – SICILY
After the success of the White Lotus series, whose Season 2 was filmed in Taormina, Sicily, the ancient town founded by the Greek in 734BC has now been invaded by more than four million tourists every year. Down at the tip of the same coast of the island we find the lesser-known Val di Noto, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Apart from its archaeological sites such as Noto Antica and architectural gems such as the Noto cathedral, this region is home to the stunning costal Vendicari Nature Reserve. September is a great time to visit it, as the migratory bird populations are at their peak. The area is also known for its baroque towns, which were rebuilt by the Viceroy of Sicily after an earthquake in 1693 destroyed most of them.
Left, view of the historic town of Noto. Right, flamingos at Vendicari Nature Reserve.
The milder temperatures of September are ideal to visit this region, which in autumn blossoms with multiple music and fine art events destined to give visitors the opportunity to experience the opulence and grandeur of Sicilian aristocratic life.
Also part of the Relais & Châteaux network, Il San Corrado di Noto is the place to stay to immerse yourself in that aristocratic grandeur. Originally an ancient masseria (a fortified farmhouse) belonging to Prince Nicolaci, it is today a luxury hideaway boutique hotel set amidst the luxuriant landscape of this region.
Left, the main pool at Il San Corrado di Noto. Right, the freshest local ingredients such as this red mullet are favoured in the menu of Principe di Belludia, the fine dining restaurant at Il San Corrado di Noto.
Sicilian tradition blends with contemporary state-of-the-art facilities to guarantee its guests a transformative stay that will engage of your senses, experiencing all the contrasts and influences of Sicilian culture. Its stunning wellness facilities feature a 100m long heated pool as well as a spa, comprising a hammam, Finnish sauna, frigidarium, solarium and relaxation space, completed with a fitness suite and a tennis court.
The luxuriant countryside surrounding the resort is a patchwork of land cultivated since time immemorial, amid vineyards and olive groves. Il San Corrado di Noto is a stone’s throw from the sea, where it has its own private beach club. Nearby, there are quaint fishing villages such as Marzamemi, the impeccable beach of San Lorenzo and Vendicare, a paradise for birdwatchers.
I hope this selection of luxury hotels and beautiful destinations will inspire you to visit Italy in September. If you have never been this time of the year, you’ll realise what you’ve been missing and never again go in the summer season.
Author: Julia Pasarón
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