Has a proper summer escape so far eluded you? I’m not talking one of those selfish wedding weeks that cost you thousands and you didn’t even manage so much as a tan line. Those definitely do not count! Nor do “family vacations” populated by rarely seen rellos constitute an escape. I’m thinking more in the realm of four or five days off, reduced work check-ins, a garden from which a chef picks vegetables for lunch, polite guests, a perfect pool set-up and a few good restaurants nearby so that a car is never needed. If you find yourself in such a position, watching August zip past, then I have a well-tested solution that works for Monocle readers in Europe while also being a favourite of subscribers as far away as Dubai, Hong Kong and Upstate New York. Here’s my nine-point plan.
1.
Lana in South Tyrol is your destination, and as you’re travelling without kids, you’re checking into the Villa Arnica. We’ve covered this property in both Monocle and Konfekt, hosted many parties and dinners here, and it always delivers. In fact, I’m tapping out this dispatch in the garden right now and it’s entirely calm; other guests are napping, tanning or reading. Loudmouths are not allowed.
2.
Lunch is served at the Villa, and in the evening you can walk to the sister properties for dinner. The Hotel Schwarzschmied is a bit more family friendly and is an alternative if travelling with the young ones; while the nearby 1477 Reichhalter has one of the best kitchens in the valley.
3.
You can go for hikes around the region or stay put within the villa’s walls. As most guests want to walk, you tend to have the property to yourself during the day.
4.
Kuntrawant is a local coffee roaster that might want to rethink its name if it wants to go global. It’s an easy five kilometre round-trip stroll for superb coffee and a bit of local buzz. On the way back to the Villa, stop by Holzner to pick up some steaks and sauces for your return journey – this applies best to our readers from Italy, Austria, Germany and Switzerland who drive here.
5.
If you want to fly, look for flights into Bolzano rather than Venice, Verona or Innsbruck. SkyAlps is the home carrier and it’s doing a good job connecting other parts of Europe to Südtirol.
6.
When in Lana, make sure you visit The Monocle Shop in nearby Merano and spend some time with Linda.
7.
If you don’t make it to Merano, you can still stock up on fine print and other bits at our kiosk in the garden of the Parkhotel Mondschein in Bolzano. Try the hotel’s restaurant, Luna, or a pizza at Alto around the back. These operations are also related to the Villa.
8.
Victorienne in Bolzano has long been a Monocle and Konfekt favourite for its selection of womenswear in Mitteleuropa. As this is the season to top up your autumn-winter wardrobe, get in there fast. Pieces from Les Vacances d’Irina, Apuntob and Les Prairies de Paris looked particularly strong on the rails.
9.
Don’t return home without purchasing the Villa’s elegant, locally made brass and glass candle lantern. If you too are tired of tabletop LEDs, this homegrown design by Silvio Rebholz will have you sorted – indoors or out.
Happy holidaying.
Enjoying life in ‘The Faster Lane’? Click here to browse all of Tyler’s past columns.
