The clouds and fog are hanging so low and the rain so heavy that we can barely see in front of us. We blindly follow the GPS on our rental car up the single winding mountain road that leads to Sant’Agata Feltria, navigating hairpin turns and precarious drops on both sides. With the same focus and tenacity as foraging pigs, my husband and I are on the hunt for white truffles (tartufi bianci).

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It’s easy to get spoiled by the attentive service on a small ship, which can offer many advantages over a voyage on a larger one. On the Spirit, every meal rivaled one we might find in a gourmet restaurant. We loved being able to dock at small ports, merely stepping over a gangway to get to shore. But when our boat was making its way through seasonal gale force winds in the Ionian Sea, for a few moments I wished we were aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, a ship built to cross the North Atlantic. The first and most basic decision a cruiser must make is what size ship?

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When we reach the driveway of Villa Ida, we are greeted by Roberta Cuomo, the first member of the Cuomo clan we meet. We follow her along a short path lined with grape vines and fragrant oranges and lemons.

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Pausing for a relaxing afternoon tea service in an elegant setting can be a delightful indulgence, whether you’re in your hometown or visiting another city. The Duchess of Bedford started the tradition in the mid-1800s when she began inviting friends to share tea and a snack between the two meals a day customarily eaten by the aristocracy. Now people enjoy the ritual to celebrate memorable birthdays or anniversaries or for no special reason at all.

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