At the wheel of a classic Alfa Romeo Spider you trace a line across Italy’s most beautiful islands and coasts. The journey begins in Palermo, follows the legendary curves of the Targa Florio through the Madonie mountains, continues along the flanks of Mount Etna and the bay of Taormina, then carries you via Rome into the picture-book landscapes of Tuscany and on to Elba with its cliffside coastal roads. Handpicked osterie, wineries and waterfront hotels turn this Grand Tour into a compact homage to Italian lifestyle – you drive, look, enjoy, and Nostalgic takes care of the rest.
Your journey starts in Palermo. After arrival you are transferred to the centrally located NH Palazzo Sitano. First impressions are intense: baroque facades, market stalls scented with citrus and espresso, voices echoing through the narrow lanes. In the afternoon you discover the city on a guided walking tour, including access to the cathedral’s rooftop with its spectacular view over the old town and the sea. An aperitivo is the perfect moment to meet your fellow travelers. For the welcome dinner you stroll through Palermo’s lively streets to the restaurant “La Galleria” – an atmospheric introduction to Sicily and a fitting prelude to the driving days ahead.
Nach dem Frühstück geht es an die Küste nach Cefalù und weiter ins Hotel Costa Verde Resort. Dort begegnen Sie zum ersten Mal der Nostalgic-Flotte: klassische Alfa Romeo Spider, glänzendes Blech, Interieurs mit Patina – alles sorgfältig vorbereitet. Nach einer ausführlichen Einweisung und einem Fahrerbriefing starten Sie auf die erste große Runde auf den Spuren der legendären Targa Florio durch die Madonie-Berge. Die Straße windet sich durch dichte Wälder und über weite Hochflächen, dazwischen kleine Dörfer, in denen die Zeit langsamer zu vergehen scheint. Beim Mittagessen im „Casale Drinzi“ genießen Sie sizilianische Küche, bevor Sie am Nachmittag zurück Richtung Küste rollen. Der Besuch des malerischen Cefalù mit seiner Kathedrale, dem Strand und den engen Gassen ist der ideale Abschluss eines ersten intensiven Fahrtages.
Heute führt die Route ostwärts entlang der Nordküste über Santo Stefano di Camastra, wo bunte Keramik in den Schaufenstern leuchtet. Die Straße bleibt immer wieder dicht am Meer, bevor sie sich ins Landesinnere schraubt. Hinter jeder Kurve öffnet sich ein neuer Blick, mal auf tiefblaue Buchten, mal auf stille Täler. Zur Mittagszeit erreichen Sie das Relais Villa Muraglia, wo Sie bei einer Pause regionale Spezialitäten genießen. Am Nachmittag geht es weiter Richtung Ätna: Je näher Sie kommen, desto stärker prägt der Vulkan die Landschaft. Schwarze Lavafelder, Kastanienwälder und Weinberge bilden eine eindrucksvolle Kulisse. Ziel des Tages ist das Picciolo Golf & Spa Hotel – ein ruhiger Rückzugsort im Grünen, an dem Sie den Tag entspannt ausklingen lassen.
Nach dem Frühstück starten Sie Richtung Rifugio Sapienza am Südhang des Ätna. Die Vegetation wechselt mit der Höhe, schließlich dominieren Lavafelder und Krater – eine fast surreale Landschaft. Sie haben Zeit, die Aussicht zu genießen und die besondere Atmosphäre dieses aktiven Vulkans auf sich wirken zu lassen. Im Anschluss rollen Sie mit dem Spider hinab zum Weingut Gambino. Hier verbinden sich Ätna-Weine, lokale Küche und Panoramablick zu einem Highlight der Reise. Nach Mittagessen und Verkostung fahren Sie weiter über Castiglione und Francavilla di Sicilia zurück zum Hotel. Abends verwöhnen wir Sie bei einem Gourmetdinner in Linguaglossa.
The morning drive takes you once more into the Sicilian hills to Savoca – an authentic mountain village with quiet lanes, stone houses and a small bar on the main square. An espresso with a view, a short stroll, a quick photo – these are the little moments that stay with you. After a final look across the hills you return the classic cars and drive back to Taormina. Some free time remains: perhaps a last walk through town, a lunch with sea view or a swim in the bay. Later you transfer to Catania Airport and fly to Rome (flight not included). In the capital you check into a centrally located hotel; the evening is yours – for a first stroll or a relaxed dinner in the neighborhood.
This day belongs to Rome. After an unhurried breakfast, you have time to explore on your own: a visit to Campo de’ Fiori, a caffè on Piazza Navona, or browsing small boutiques around the Spanish Steps. In the afternoon you discover Rome on a guided tour, for example with a focus on the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica. Here, history, art and modern city life blend at every corner. In the evening a typical Roman dinner awaits at the traditional “Checco er Carrettiere”, where you experience the city’s cuisine in convivial surroundings – complete with trattoria bustle and warm evening light.
After check-out, the morning in Rome is again at leisure. You might return to a favorite lookout, pay a last visit to a museum or simply enjoy one more cappuccino at a local bar. Around midday an executive transfer collects you and brings you north into Tuscany. Your destination is Hotel Il Piccolo Castello near Monteriggioni – an elegant hideaway framed by cypress trees, olive groves and vineyards. In the late afternoon you visit the winery Rocca delle Macìe: a guided tour, cellar visit and tasting provide insight into Tuscan wine culture. The day ends with dinner at “Osteria Passo dopo Passo”, where regional cuisine and atmosphere align perfectly.
Today marks the start of the Tuscan driving section of your Grand Tour. After an introduction to Alfa Romeo history and a detailed driver briefing, you select “your” Spider for the day. The route leads through the Colline Metallifere via Pievescola, Radicondoli and San Dalmazio – a landscape of rolling hills, forests and scattered villages straight from a coffee-table book. Around lunchtime you pause in Sassetta. In the afternoon you head toward Piombino. Driving the classic cars onto the ferry is one of those special images that stays in the mind. From the deck you watch the mainland recede and the island of Elba grow larger. By late afternoon you reach Portoferraio and continue to Villa Ottone – an elegant waterfront hotel that will be your base for the coming days.
After breakfast it’s time for a full island loop in the classic Alfa. The western coastline of Elba unfolds as a sequence of panoramas – cliffs dropping steeply into the sea, coves with turquoise water, small places like Marciana Marina with its promenade and cafés right on the harbor. Lunch is at your own discretion in Marina di Campo – perhaps fresh fish or pasta with seafood. In the afternoon more winding roads lead you back to Villa Ottone. In the evening you drive up to the agriturismo “Montefabrello”. Under the open sky, with home-made products and local wines, you experience a side of Elba far from the bustle and very personal in character.
The day begins with a short driver briefing before you set off toward Porto Azzurro. This small harbor town with its piazza right on the water invites you to a coffee stop and a stroll. Next the road climbs to Capoliveri, a picturesque hilltop village with stairways, narrow alleys and wide views over the coast – a perfect setting for an individual lunch. In the afternoon you enjoy the finest roads of eastern Elba once again. The mix of driving pleasure, sea and Mediterranean light seems to amplify every impression. Back at Villa Ottone there is time for a swim or a drink on the terrace. In the evening you return to Porto Azzurro, this time to the “Sapereta” winery, where you end the day over dinner among the vines.
On your final day you set off early. After breakfast you drive to the ferry and watch Elba slowly fade into the haze behind you. Back on the mainland, a last, particularly atmospheric stage begins via Mensano and Colle Val d’Elsa – Tuscany’s parting greeting with gentle hills, cypress trees and small villages. In the trattoria “La Fornace” you enjoy a farewell lunch together before returning the cars at Casone. The many impressions, conversations and pictures of this Grand Tour accompany you on the transfer to Florence Airport (FLR). From here you commence your individual journey home – taking with you the feeling of having experienced Italy from some of its most beautiful island and coastal roads.
Sicily
Sicily is the Mediterranean’s largest island and feels almost like a small continent of its own. In the northwest, Palermo sets the tone: a city where Arab-Norman arches, Baroque facades and lively markets overlap layer upon layer. Within a short drive, the streets give way to the Madonie mountains, where the Florio family once owned vast estates and carved the “Circuito delle Madonie” into the hillsides – later to become the legendary Targa Florio race course.
Rome
Rome is Italy’s hinge point – politically, historically and culturally. Anyone strolling through the city moves constantly between antiquity, Renaissance and vibrant metropolis: the Colosseum, Roman Forum and St. Peter’s Basilica lie only minutes from lively squares such as Piazza Navona or Campo de’ Fiori. At the same time, Rome is a city of contrasts: narrow backstreets and hidden courtyards, elegant shopping avenues, trattorie where the same recipes have been cooked for generations, and rooftop terraces with sweeping views over a sea of domes. On this journey, Rome is not just a stopover but a deliberate counterpoint – you emerge from the world of coastal roads and islands into the “Eternal City” before continuing on to Tuscany.
Elba
Elba belongs to the Tuscan Archipelago and is often described as a “small Tuscany in the sea”. The island combines soft hills, chestnut woods and vineyards with spectacular coastal roads that repeatedly open onto views of coves, rock formations and turquoise water. History remembers Elba as Napoleon’s place of exile; today, the charm lies in its small harbors, old hill villages and beaches: Portoferraio with its fortress, Porto Azzurro with its waterside piazza, Capoliveri high above the coast. On our route you experience Elba at the perfect Alfa-Romeo touring tempo – with ample time for panoramic drives, stops in harbors and hilltop towns, and evenings by the sea when the island settles into its own relaxed rhythm.
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