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Our summer trip to Italy began in Montreal (see my last post). We had booked Air France, with an early morning change in Paris, and while somewhat inconvenient, it wasn’t too bad. Air France is not my usual airline of choice, and my expectations were low based on friends and family who had flown recently, but my husband and I were pleasantly surprised. The plane was new, the flight crew very amenable, even the food, which looked totally unappealing wasn’t terrible. I do wish we could return to proper meal service rather than a shrink wrapped tray, but happy to be traveling (maskless) once again. I tried my best to get some sleep, and succeeded for a few hours.

When we arrived in CDG it was 5:45 am so we went right to the Air France lounge to wile away the time. There were some tempting baked goods and an array of French cheeses to snack on while we waited, and I was also sure to take a spin around the Hermès boutique and Ladurée, both which opened at 6 am, and were attracting other sleepy shoppers. The terminal (terminal F) itself is an architectural masterpiece.

The Air France flight between Paris and Rome was on time, our luggage wasn’t lost, and the breakfast on board was palatable, which we considered a big win. We were out to collect our bags in no time, and then met by our driver who would take us to our first stop, La Posta Vecchia. Located just a half hour from Rome Fiumicino, this historic estate dates back to the 17th century, and was the seaside home of J. Paul Getty in the 1960s and 70s. Currently the hotel is under the same ownership as Il Pellicano, another magnificent property in Italy. The goal for our trip to La Posta Vecchia was pure relaxation, or “dolce far niente” the art of doing nothing. We had set aside 2 nights at LPV just for this reason, and it was the perfect place for it. Lounging, eating, massages, looking at the sea, eating, drinking, and more eating, all the while marveling at the property which doesn’t seem to have changed a bit since it was Getty’s summer retreat.

We arrived at LPV and were met by an exceedingly friendly receptionist who brought us to our room (The Olive Suite) and toured us around the property.

After checking out our accommodations, we explored the property a little more and found ourselves truly transported to another time. There are multiple spaces to claim as your own, and it felt as though we were visitors at a friend’s (very grand) home rather than hotel guests. Aside from these glorious rooms there is an actual museum underneath the property which features the ruins of two Imperial villas dating back to the 2nd century BC.

The outside spaces are even more stunning than the inside, and it was here that we spent most of our time, whether on a lounge chair, or dining al fresco.

The small private beach that belongs to the hotel is inviting, and protected from the wind.

After we quickly unpacked and explored, it was time for our first meal at the hotel’s restaurant, The Cesar which is under the supervision of Chef Antonio Magliulo whose focus is on organic local ingredients, many of which are grown on property or fished from the sea. The public is welcome to dine there as well, with priority given to the hotel guests. It is hard to imagine a more inviting setting, or more delicious food.

On tap at any time of day was a rotation of perfectly crafted Negronis, Aperol Spritzes and red wine. This was very helpful in the pursuit of total relaxation

Pictured below is pretty good sampling of some of the outstanding meals we enjoyed. There was a very good gluten free pasta they substituted out for me.

We were so inspired by the food, the Ginori 1735 dishes, the Frantoio Muraglia olive oil and the Santa Maria Novella products used in the massages and facials that we were busy placing orders to send back home even before we left.

Breakfast at La Posta Vecchia is just as tempting and enticing as lunch and dinner. Who doesn’t love a gorgeous buffet stocked with loads of Italian cheeses as well as buffalo milk yogurt (I clearly don’t suffer from dairy issues). The view of the sea while we ate breakfast was a magical way to start the day.

After a very indulgent weekend at the Formula 1 in Montreal and an overseas journey that allowed for about 3 hours sleep, La Posta Vecchia was the ideal transition into our Italian vacation. If you are flying into Rome and embarking on an exploration of Italy, I cannot recommend a short stay at this magical destination more enthusiastically. Aside from a brief foray on one of the hotel’s bikes by my husband, we succeeded in doing absolutely nothing for 48 hours. Perfection.