You don’t go to Italy to do non-quintessentially Italian things.

No.

You go to Italy to hunt truffles and lounge poolside while you’re also lounging Lake Como-side.

So in the interest of making it easier for you to do those things, we’re here to discuss two completely different ways to see Italy this year. One is north. One is south. Both are in this slideshow. And below, of course. 

The Kingdom of Truffles and Barolo
This is an eight-day trek through the Langhe region of Piemonte. You’ll sleep in various hotels (including a restored palace). You’ll wake and hike vineyards, visit local beekeepers and taste full-bodied Barolos in underground cellars. And the highlight: truffle hunting with a trifolao and his dogs. No camouflage necessary. Or allowed, probably.

Il Sereno Lago di Como
It’s not often that a new hotel pops up on Lake Como. Like, this-is-the-first-in-a-decade not often. So of course it’s going to have a Michelin-starred chef, hidden passageways along the garden and a 60-foot freshwater infinity pool surrounded by a sundeck and bar… that’s adjacent to a small beach with direct access to the lake.

Come on in, the water is... whatever you want it to be.