ITALY


When we finally muster up the courage to take a dip in the fresh water, we have nothing but dragonflies for company


` 6>l `i hi>n>] i̽à VonÃi`iÀi` oni ov Ìhi wniÃÌ Üinim>kin}


regions in the world, producing full-bodied red and rosé wines that draw scores of oenophiles every summer.


Beautiful borgo We spend two blissful nights at Borgo Santo Pietro, a 300-acre estate home to 150 free-range hens, 120 Sardinian Ãhii«] honiÞ LiiÃ] >l«>V>Ã] nÕÌ wil`à >n` ÛiniÞ>À`ð Ƃn iÝ«>nÃiÛi «>ÌVhÜoÀk ov moÀi Ìh>n £ää ÌÞ«ià ov hiÀLà vÕilà Ìhi LÀ>n`½Ã oÀ}>niV ÃkinV>Ài lini° º/hÀii‑µÕ>ÀÌiÀà of the food provided is grown on site or locally,” says Ã>lià >n` m>ÀkiÌin} `iÀiVÌoÀ ƂÀi>nn> iÀi}li>no° The mercury lingers around the high 30s, so the hotel


recommends we cycle down to the River Merse for a Voolin} ÃÜim° 7i Ì>ki >`Û>nÌ>}i ov Ìhi LiVÞVlià `oÌÌi` across the resort and meander past the pastel-hued VhiVkin Voo«] ÌhÀoÕ}h }ol`in wil`à ÃÌÀiÜn ÜiÌh h>Þ bales. We hear the water before we see it. When we wn>llÞ mÕÃÌiÀ Õ« Ìhi VoÕÀ>}i Ìo Ì>ki > `i«] Ìhi Ü>ÌiÀ ià vÀiÃh >n` Üi h>Ûi noÌhin} LÕÌ `À>}onyiià voÀ Vom«>nÞ° Ƃ `ivviÀinÌ borgo LiVkonà >à Üi li>Ûi° n ÀoÕÌi Ìo


Borgo Pignano (Reviews, page 112), less than an hour’s `ÀiÛi >Ü>Þ] Üi Ì>ki Ìhi o««oÀÌÕniÌÞ Ìo ÃÌo« >Ì -iin>] ÜhoÃi city centre is so well preserved it’s achieved Unesco World Heritage status. Clients with a little more time should VonÃi`iÀ ÌÀ>Ûillin} v>ÀÌhiÀ i>ÃÌ Ìo ƂÀiââo] ÜhiÀi Üill‑ki«Ì medieval walls, churches and castles and a bounty of Renaissance art offer a spectacular glimpse into the past. We are greeted at Borgo Pignano with chilled glasses ov ë>Àklin} Üini° >n>}iÀ i}i½Ã «>ÃÃion voÀ Ìhià nää‑>VÀi estate is immediately apparent and we learn about the staggering breadth of its operations on a tour of the estate. He leads us into the cool of the forest, where 17 pigs are


FROM TOP: Orvieto; Borgo Santo Pietro; tower houses, San Gimignano Credit: Unsplash/Gabriel Tovar, Joshua Kettle


ÀiVlinin} >mon} ÃiÝ >VÀià ov vinVi` Üoo`l>n`° º V>ll oÀ}o *i}n>no > «i} ÀiÃoÀÌ]» Ãmilià i}i° º/hiÞ liÛi in «>À>`iÃi°


ª 68 ASPIRE NOVEMBER 2024 aspiretravelclub.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129