The heart of Italy, home to glorious vineyards, artistic legends and refined culture
Ferragamo has for a significant time tailored luxury goods for its clientele, but recently, the brand also weaves fabulous human experiences—by means of curated tours. Leonardo Ferragamo, third generation of the renowned family, follows his grandfather’s entrepreneurial footsteps. In his case, the instrument was not a needle nor a fabric; it was his taste in refined hospitality.
In 1995, the younger Ferragamo has founded the Lungarno Collection, a swanky assembly of Portrait hotels lodged in Italy’s beloved cities—Florence, Rome, with an eye on Milan. Recently, his panache for Italian immersion was cultivated in the glorious backdrop of Tuscany.
They dubbed it Tuscany Again, perhaps a reprise of its old glory, a comeback to the big screen. The Ferragamos are no strangers to the region; cradled inside the lush green fields of Florence is the Palazzo Spini Feroni, home to the brand’s headquarters and museum, where many of their beloved pieces were conceived, and many of the local craftsmen were able to produce wearable pieces of art.
Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral, By Ivan Kurmyshov
View from the Palazzo Pitti, By Dima Moroz
Farmhouse in Chianti with beautiful row of vineyards, By Dan74
The famous Boboli gardens in Florence, By trevorb
The luxury travel brand was dedicated to do one thing: to showcase the region where the Ferragamos flourished, whose success spanned more than a century. Here, 21 unforgettable and often interactive experiences were created to inspire travellers, and afford them the chance to be emotionally engaged with the local community. The offerings are wide and in breath-taking variety: In Chianti, one can learn how winemakers combine their precious liqueur, with a chance to blend a personal concoction with the noted wine expert and sommelier, Filippo Bartolotta. In Florentine, wander through the historic maze and pick up many of its lesser-known legends while inhaling the glorious scent of its perfumeries. Take this chance to visit the Baptistry’s hidden corridors or stroll down the famous Palazzo Strozzi after its peak hours. In Maremma, immerse in the coastal beauty by exploring the caverns lodged on the Tuscan coastline, then dive into a sea-to-table lunch with a relish.
Each experience, like a fine coat, is tailored to one’s preferences. Private museum tours, glimpses of artisan studios, sustainable fishing, boating and personal wine blending; all of them scream with fine taste and luxury, benefitting of Ferragamo’s wide connections and remarkable assets. But this closer glimpse at Tuscany is not just pure indulgence; Tuscany Again is created as something special to the community itself, where influential hands pull the lenses back to Italy’s charming region, and put its renaissance beauty back to the spotlight, where it truly belongs. tuscanyagain.org ◼
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© This article was first published in Oct-Nov 2019 edition of World Travel Magazine.