HotelChatter

Don't get us wrong, we love Italy's big cities--Milan, Florence, Rome. But last fall we just needed a break. We wanted a quiet place where we could escape the rest of the world. So when we befriended Giovanni, a local Italian, and told him our pleas, he knew just where to take us. We piled into his tiny Fiat, and he swooped us into the mountains from San Remo, around terrifying hairpin turns, where we defyed death every time we passed another car. Finally, he slowed the car, and we entered a tiny hilltop town: Triora.

Triora is a tiny hamlet perched atop a mountain in Liguria, about forty minutes from San Remo. We stayed at the rustic Colomba D'Oro Hotel, owned by the very sweet Simona Pastor. The rooms aren't fancy, but they're clean and comfortable--and they offer panoramic views of the valleys. (Tip: Request room 312, which has a large terrace.)

The next few days were like going back in time. We ate rabbit stew and homemade pasta at the hotel restaurant, hiked the surrounding hills (never running into anyone) and spent lazy afternoons reading on the terrace overlooking the mountains. One night, we found ourselves in a gourmet mood, so we took a quick drive down the road to the restaurant La Capanna dei Celti (+39 34 08615310), where the accomplished chef makes his own wine and fois gras. The place was packed with Italian foodies, and we enjoyed a fresh, homegrown meal. On the drive back, we heard the wolves howling and owls calling. Truly otherworldly.

Rooms from 35 to 55 Euro.

[Photo: Putman Har]

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· Hotels in Italy [HotelChatter]