Here I am! Popping back in with a blog post on my trip to Italy back in April. It’s hard to believe I’ve already returned to Europe for two weeks since I last posted. Needless to say, I’m catching up and am excited to have some new favorite destinations to share!

Here’s the scoop: Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy, was one of my absolute favorite stays of this trip. I was invited to visit by the wonderful team at Villa Cortine Palace Hotel as a pre-stay before the Travelux luxury travel event in Venice. Trust me, it was an unforgettable experience.

Arriving at Villa Cortine Palace Hotel is an event in and of itself. Our driver whisked us through ornate gates, past antique statuary and formal gardens to this stately, luxurious and historic property. It sits on 12 acres on the peninsula just north of charming Sirmione and is bordered on both sides by Lake Garda rimmed with majestic mountains.

As you can imagine, this location yields the most amazing lake views from all angles.

As we pulled up to the hotel, I was greeted by the staff and our host, General Manager Giacomo Grossi, with a welcome drink and escorted to my spacious, luxurious suite where gifts and goodies awaited.

This is a tour of my lake view suite. The view is stunning as is the Murano glass chandelier!

The next day, graced with sunshine, a scenic boat ride on Lake Garda and a festive wine tasting at Contithun were on the itinerary.

Our select group of international travel advisors was invited to experience the charms of Villa Cortine Palace. We enjoyed luxury accommodations, private tours of the historic hotel, grounds and gardens, gourmet dining with impeccable service at Il Molo, cocktails at Maria Callas bar & bistro, and enjoyed a wonderful time together thanks to our gracious host, Giacomo Grossi.

As you can imagine, we were all thrilled to be traveling in Europe again, and to be here was magical.

This video is a peek of the historical section of the hotel by our host, Giacomo Grossi.

Not only is the rich history of the property celebrated, but there are also modern touches like the luxurious linens, designer bath products, and the oh-so-chic beach club and dock.

My thanks to Giacomo Grossi for the fabulous stay and the introduction to magical Lake Garda.

I can hardly wait to introduce this property to my Italy-loving clients.

Villa Cortine Palace Hotel

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Up next: Venice

Grazie Mille!

Heather