Up your wanderlust with these new openings and enticing experiences
Lead image: The five-day Fuji, Hakone, Izu National Park hiking tour
Immersive wild food experiences on Mount Etna
Luxury guesthouse, Palazzo Previtera – located in Linguaglossa on the slopes of Sicily’s famous volcano – is hosting two immersive experiences in April and October this year, with British chef and restaurateur Ben Tish. Guests will learn about traditional Sicilian cuisine, reinterpreted by Ben, during two hands-on cooking lessons, followed by dinner paired with Etna wines. The four-day workshop will also include a masterclass on Etna DOC wines with wine expert Barbara Liuzzo, a hike on the wildest part of Mt Etna with a nature guide, an olive oil tasting and foraging in the Alcantara Valley and a granita-making class with award-winning pastry chef Giovanna Musumeci.
Experience runs from 28th April to 1st May and 3rd to 6th October 2023, priced at £2,950 per person and including accommodation for three nights, all meals with local beverages, all experiences and airport transfers. To book visit: emotionalsicily.com/bentish
Scenic hiking in Shizuoka
Head to the prefecture home to Mount Fuji for a spectacular, new hiking experience along the ancient Tokaido hiking route – a footpath that for five centuries linked Tokyo with the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Osaka. The five-day ‘Fuji, Hakone, Izu National Park Hiking Tour‘ takes in the Tokaido route, followed by a day alongside the Old Shimoda Foot Highway, which runs down the middle of Izu Peninsula. It then covers the UNESCO Global Geopark port town of Shimoda for a day of coastal walks, the spectacular Jogasaki Coastline on the Izu Peninsula and finishes with a climb to the summit of Mt. Kurotake for panoramic views of Mt. Fuji (weather-permitting).
Tour starts from JYP 498,000 (approx. £3,100), based on two people sharing and inclusive of the guiding fee, four nights of accommodation and meals. The full itinerary, as well as terms and details, is available here.
Celebrate the coronation in the capital
Super boutique hotel, The Londoner, is inviting guests to raise a toast to the coronation at its pop-up martini bar The Stage – in honour of the new King’s favourite tipple. Three iterations of the martini will feature on the menu, including His Majesty – a classic cocktail reimagined; Le Français, inspired by the iconic French Martini and Homage, a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II. The hotel is also offering a specialty room package that includes an exclusive royal walking tour, the ‘Royal Coronation Experience’, tracing the route of the Royal Coronation procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace before indulging in a martini complemented with exquisite Fine de Claire oysters.
Valid for stays between Thursday 20th April – 18th May 2023. Make reservations and bookings at thelondoner.com
New wine estate in Victoria
The new Carrajung Estate winery, restaurant and accommodation has now launched in scenic Central Gippsland – comprising of a 40-hectare property surrounded by forest in the Strzelecki Ranges, close to the Ninety Mile Beach at Woodside, Tarra Bulga National Park, historic fishing village Port Albert and Yarram’s award-winning Heesco murals. Formerly the Toms Cap Winery, guests can enjoy an on-site wine tasting at the cellar door and lunch at the restaurant, before spending the afternoon admiring the vines and interacting with a variety of local Carrajung Estate residents – from friendly alpacas, pigs and chickens to curious goats. ‘The Nest’ cabin has been renovated as a luxurious, intimate space with views of the rolling hills.
More info at carrajung.com.au
A boutique retreat in Mykonos
Five-star hideaway Kenshō Ornos are currently offering a ‘stay 3, pay 2’ promotion, where guests can book a two-night stay and receive an extra night free. With 35 individually-styled private rooms and suites, the hotel is home to an underground Cave Spa – the only one of its kind on the island – featuring an array of signature treatments, an integrated hammam, tropical rain beds and luxury amenities from Codage Paris.
Visit the hotel website to book
