Our Week in Italy

Our Week in Italy

via Lufthansa and Air France First Class

October 2024

Off to Italy

Mrs. SFO777 and I are off for a week in Italy, mostly Rome and Milan. And a treat to be flying Lufthansa First Class nonstop from Denver after Lufthansa finally brought First Class back to Denver. A very pleasant flight once on board, but Lufthansa priority boarding for First Class is as bad as ever… as in not at all.

Since the Capital One Lounge was at capacity, we headed to the new but unimpressive United Club.

Meh.

Denver DEN to Frankfurt FRA

Lufthansa LH 447

A340-600

6:45pm-11:35am +1 (sked)

7:41pm-12:03pm +1 (actual)

October 27, 2024

Departed 3/8

Our A346 to Frankfurt.

From the familiar Gate A41/43

Outstation First Class boarding is as bad as ever. Sure, even though there are only 3 of us, let's board with 50 other pax.

But on board, still a lovely First Class cabin.

Tonight's champagne. Menu says Dom, but not a bottle on the plane.

Tonight's menu...

And wine list. Talk is cheap as there was no Dom.

Wine is not a strong suit on Lufthansa.

After departure, the spicy tuna was delicious.

With no Dom, I'm back to G&T.

The starter trio.

The lone good wine on board... the Bordeaux was good.

My Pork Chop with apple Calvados sauce was very good.

Mrs. SFO777's sea bass was a meh.

But the warm Pecan Pie was spectacular!

With only one other First Class passenger, we each had our own bed across the aisle.

Fruit plate prior to arrival.

Since we parked at a remote tarmac position, a van was waiting to transport the three of us to the terminal.

Instagram video of our day with Lufthansa

Lufthansa First Class Terminal

Lufthansa First Class Terminal - Frankfurt

The Frankfurt First Class Terminal was as good as I remember, once we walked there. Yo Lufthansa, walking 300 yards outside is not a very First Class ground experience.

Elevator from ground level the check-in, where we were met by our Personal Assistant and guided us thru private security.

Very nice atmosphere.

Apparently marijuana was just legalized in Germany. Funny to see this sign.

The FCT wine selections. A far cry from Emirates or even Air France.

Self serve options...

But we both opted for the yummy veal schnitzel.

Lufthansa Business Class to Rome

Lufthansa Business Class Frankfurt to Rome

At around T-35, our Personal Assistant came to escort us downstairs to our limo for the tarmac drive to our plane.

Frankfurt FRA to Rome FCO

Lufthansa LH 238

A321

4:05pm-5:55pm

October 28, 2024

The best of a bad lot of fake Euro Business Class.

90 minutes later, welcome to Roma!

Rome and The Tribune Hotel

The Tribune Hotel Rome

As a Hyatt Globalist, I’m pretty much all in on Hyatt these days. In Rome, I used free night awards at The Tribune, a pleasant neighborhood hotel a few blocks from Via Veneto. Small rooms but a most convenient and excellent rooftop restaurant @TerrazzaBorghese where we had dinner just after our arrival.

Lovely and certainly convenient rooftop restaurant Terazza Borghese

Our first Cabonaro of the trip!

Nighttime view from our room.

And morning over Borghese.

The next day, we headed our to explore the neighborhood. Too many cars and too few spaces mean creative double parking.

Then over to Via Veneto for people watching and an excellent lunch on the terrasse at @allegrio,

Welcome to Roma! lol.

Then a BigBus hop on hop off tour around the sights of Rome.

Rome traffic.

Cool Tribune Hotel lobby.

Off to dinner a couple of blocks away at nearby @il_fellini_roma

OMG, carbonara with truffles.

Yummy pork main.

Instagram video of our day in Rome.

Rome to Amalfi

Rome to Amalfi

Wednesday morning we rolled the dice with Italian driving and drivers, and headed south to the Amalfi coast. The drive was just over three hours and uneventful other than trying to understand and navigate the toll booths. Lol. And the nerve racking narrow winding roads to Ravello, Amalfi and then over to Vico Equense on the Sorrento coast.

Our hotel for the night was the lovely and romantic Hotel Capo La Gala. Postcard perfect location on the water with wonderful staff and service.

Colorful main office lobby.

Our cute nautical themed room.

With balcony and great view.

Time for a drink. Nice bar and lounge area,

Beautiful setting for a drink.

Amazing bruschetta with delicious local Sorrento tomatoes...

And picture perfect sunset.

Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

My cuttlefish. Loved it in Taipei, but this was downright gross.

Seriously? Yuck.

Instagram video of our day on the Amalfi coast and Bay of Naples

Naples to Milan

Napoli to Milano

After a short but wonderful stay at Hotel Capo La Gala, we passed on a Pompei visit and just relaxed at the hotel.

Plan B was pizza for lunch in Napoli. Our valet, a Napoli native, suggested which he said was the best pizza in Napoli. Sounded great until we discovered that it was in the middle of old Napoli and virtually inaccessible with a car. You win some, you lose some. We finally gave up and just headed for the airport for our 4pm ITA flight to Milano.

We headed to the contract Pearl Lounge which every airline uses at NAP.

Scary looking food options...

At T-45, we headed to our gate.

Where they had already called boarding, with no Priority access despite the signage.

We lucked out by being the only ones to use an elevator which opened up at the front of the massive queue. LOL.

Napoli NAP to Milan Linate LIN

ITA AZ 1290

A320

4:00pm-5:20pm

October 31, 2024

Cost: 17,000 Flying Blue miles

The usual Eurofraud Business Class but at least I “upgraded" us to bulkhead extra leg room seats… $22 for everyone including SkyTeam Elite+. Another ITA oddity... no alcohol until 6pm on domestic flights!!

No alcohol on ITA domestic flights before 6pm.

Welcome to Milano!

Instagram video of our day in Naples and flight to Milan

Park Hyatt Milano

Park Hyatt Milano

The Park Hyatt Milano is a gorgeous hotel in a wonderful location, adjacent to the spectacular Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II as well as the Duomo di Milano. Amazing staff and facilities. What a treat to spend 3 nights here.

Very nice room although no Globalist upgrade this time.

Dinner at the PH's La Cupola.

Wonderful vitello tonnato

Whoa, amazing Veal Milanese.

And delicious salmon.

After dinner drinks.

Next morning, I'm up early to find the Apple store... since I can't seem to keep track of my charging cable. Now this is one sweet Apple store.

And back to the PH via the Duomo plaza.

And spectacular Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II

Back to the PH for lunch.

And exploring the neighborhood.

Back at the PH, visitng the bar.

What a treat tonight with a special Alba truffle dinner Il Solferino

Whoa!

Incredible Barolo to pair with our truffles.

Steak tartare with.... fresh Alba truffles.

The most amazing risotto with... fresh Alba truffles

Fabulous beef filet with parmesan and... fresh Alba truffles.

And the finale... vanilla gelato with.... fresh Alba truffles,

Grazie mille to Roberto and Harold for a memorable evening.

Instagram video of our day and evening in Milan

Lake Como

Lake Como

Today we’re headed 90 minutes north to beautiful Lake Como and the town of Bellagio, on yet another gorgeous sunny and unseasonably warm November day. Our wonderful driver Luca dropped us off at Ristorante La Galetta for lunch in the iconic Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni. After lunch, a one hour private boat tour of the lake with personable captain Ezie. What a fabulous day.

Crazy one lane road in Bellagio shared with hundreds of pedestrians.

Our destination for lunch, the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni.

And it's restaurant, La Goletta...

Delicious focaccia with mozzarella and proscuitto.

Yummy lasagna.

Some vintage photos of this more than century old hotel.

Gorgeous day at Lake Como.

After lunch, a private boat tour of the lake.

Grand Hotel Tremezzo where we stayed some 10 years ago.

Iconic Villa Balbionello, featured in Casino Royale with Daniel Craig.

Back in Bellagio, our slow ride out of town.

90 minutes later, back at the Park Hyatt.

And our final pasta carbonara of the trip.

Instagram video of our day at beautiful Lake Como

Air France La Première Lounge CDG

Milan to Paris and the La Première First Class Lounge

Time to head home after a wonderful week in Italy. Today is an Air France La Première day from Milan to Paris to Washington DC, with amazing La Première service on the ground and in the air. In Milan, we were escorted from check-in to the lounge and then to our Milan-Paris flight where the staff held back all boarding passengers as we were pre-boarded.