Not on the guest list for the highly-anticipated royal nuptials this April? Don’t worry, neither are we. But you can still live out your royal fantasy. From London to Italy, we’re rounding up some travel providers who know how to treat travelers like kings and queens by delivering once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
TRAVEL LIKE A ROYAL
Cox & King’s Royal Heritage by Rail
Guests travel in style through London, York, and Edinburgh. For seven days, they are transported through centuries of royalty with their treasured jewels and palatial homes in London, the country estates and formidable landscapes in Yorkshire, and the mystical and magical jewel that is Edinburgh, Scotland. Anglophiles can savor the bygone eras of pomp and circumstance while seeing the royal residences of Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Edinburgh Castle, and Kensington Palace, in an exclusive tour. Downton Abbey fans will also love a behind-the-scenes look at Castle Howard, which has been in the same family for 300 years. A longer, eight-day itinerary adds stops in beautifully scenic Wales, including visits to the 16th-century Chester Cathedral and charming seaside villages.
EAT LIKE A ROYAL
Discover Your Italy’s Cooking With “The Duchess”
This is not a simple cooking lesson in an 18th century palazzo by the sea, it's a fascinating journey through Sicilian culture and food, guided by accomplished chef and Duchess of Palma, Nicoletta Lanza Tomasi. Travelers will rise early to follow her through a colorful local market, buying the season’s freshest ingredients and learning about the hidden treasures of Palermo. Next, The Duchess will take travelers back to her beautifully restored palazzo, the last home of Prince Giuseppe Tomasi de Lampedusa, a world-famous novelist and in-law of The Duchess. In the palazzo’s historic and welcoming kitchen, travelers will create a mouthwatering Sicilian menu under The Duchess’ expert guidance and enjoy the fruits of their labor in the elegant dining room.
STAY LIKE A ROYAL
Regal Accommodations at CastaDiva Resort & Spa This five-star retreat located on the shores of Lake Como, a playground for Europe’s aristocracy, knows how to roll out the red carpet for its guests. Accommodations fit for nobility include the private Villa Norma. Built in Neoclassical style, with details and the genteel ambiance typical of region, the resort was once home to operatic royalty, Giuditta Pasta, the reigning Italian soprano of her time and the inspiration behind the famous opera, “Norma.” The ground floor features large windows overlooking the Lake, a full kitchen, separate dining room, living room and library with fireplace. To further enhance the experience, the villa also features a game room, pool table and wet bar, a private dock, an outdoor lakefront Jacuzzi, terrace and private garden. A perfect setting for a modern day principessa!
