Archive for the 'Villae International Magazine' Category

As a young boy, Vicente Gracia fell in love with jewellery in the family workshop, mesmerized by the precious metals, gems and techniques that sculpt these miniature works of art. Though his personal style as a creator of jewellery differs greatly from that of his father, the love affair with the fine materials and processes of his trade remains as strong as ever.

“My father produced solid, rather traditional jewellery,” says Vicente. “I may have diverged from this trail but it is certain that I got my grounding and indeed my love for the genre while growing up surrounded by gold, silver, rubies and diamonds.” Not one to follow the ‘fashion’ trends of the day, Vicente Gracia is someone who follows his own route, allowing inspiration to fire a creative streak that needs to run free. The result is a style of jewellery that is not only unique – but also highly sought after from New York and Valencia to London, Rome and the Middle East.

Continue reading…Vicente Gracia: giving shape to Romanticism…

Since its foundation in November 2004, the European Real Estate Network (EREN) has established itself as an organisation that stands for quality and excellence. International cooperation and the highest standards are at the heart of its creed, and so EREN has become a reference point for luxury real estate in Europe and the partner of choice for similar organisations around the world.

Continue reading…EREN takes it to another level…

Golf, the gentleman’s game, is best played in that spirit and in a setting that reflects the gentlemanly origins of the sport.

The rapid growth and globalisation of golf has produced many good things, but also allowed the original charm that surrounds the sport to be watered down in places. For some, it has become a conduit for property construction, for others a glorified tourist attraction, yet among today’s veritable proliferation of clubs and courses there is still a wide choice of settings in which to enjoy golf the way it was meant to be.

This infers not only championship-class courses that are beautifully kept and set in awe-inspiring locations, but also a clubhouse and accompanying services that exude an air of quality, charm and dare we say it, exclusivity. After all, this is a sport born of an era of grace and gentlemanly behaviour, so to properly indulge in the game of golf one needs to at least pay homage to the spirit that produced it.

Gleneagles, Scotland

Where else to start such a line-up but at the home of golf: Scotland. Famous names rebound in this country where golf inevitably is tangled with tradition and history. St Andrew’s always catches the imagination, but we’ve decided to focus on Gleneagles, a simply stunning resort of golf in the spiritual home of the game.

Continue reading…Top Spots: A look at some of the finest golf clubs in the world…

Do you ever wonder what it would have been like to travel in the heyday of elegance and comfort? With the revival of the legendary Orient Express, an important part of that era is reborn.

At the time, ocean liners and luxury trains formed the very pinnacle of stylish travel, and amongst these, few could rival the allure of the Simplon-Orient-Express. Revived in 1976, it is a unique experience in a world made up of mass-tourism, congested airports and busy roads, taking discerning travellers back to a time that was less harried and stressful, and altogether more enjoyable.

Continue reading…Romance Reborn: The Simplon-Orient-Express…

The country that gave us the Renaissance, not to mention thinkers and artists of the calibre of Michelangelo, Dante and Botticelli, is also the spiritual home of architecture, classical music and design. What started with the likes of Brunelleschi and Palladio continued through Piano and Giugiaro, while the ingenuity of Leonardo da Vinci was reborn in modern times through the engineering passion of Enzo Ferrari et al. Whichever way you look at it, Italy is a land abundant with the fertile pastures of human creativity.

A land of passionate people, the Italian peninsula has given birth to such creative and artistic exuberance that it can rightly be called the cultural heart of Europe. Others may have an equally rich tradition in art, cuisine and architecture, or an even more famous reputation for technology and engineering, but in Italy the very love of all things beautiful and exciting means that it is uniquely represented in all these departments. To visit its richly varied landscapes, therefore, is to surrender oneself to a symphony of the senses.

Continue reading…Italy Cultural Heart of Europe…

Turin Hill, Italy — The Castle of Castagneto Po, an estate of timeless enchantment, is recognized as one of the most unique dwellings in Europe. The historic 11th-Century residence is being represented by ImmobilSarda s.r.l.

Located on the slopes of the famous Turin hills, a protected area containing a park as well as a natural reserve, Castagneto Po commands a towering position offering breathtaking panoramic vistas. Surrounded by more than 70 hectares, or nearly 173 acres, of verdant beauty, this historic estate, whose origins date back almost 1,000 years, was destroyed in 1705 and later rebuilt and completed in 1835.

Continue reading…Celebrated 11TH century Italian castle…

Though young, Daniel Stone is an up-and-coming photographer whose technical ability and dramatic compositional style has been recognised in his native England and beyond. A true lover of his chosen genre, Daniel is drawn to capturing the essence of both natural and man-made settings. His ability to represent the drama in apparently everyday situations marks him out as a true talent.

TROMSO CHURCH

Exiting the port, all boats head past The Arctic Cathedral, and with a look at the waves and weather you can see why it is placed where it is!

FJORD CRUISE

Large cruise liners depart from Tromso. As the taxis/tube/trains of north Norway, they are the lifeblood of this remote region at the very top of Europe. Visitors can stay on board for several weeks, watching huge mountains rolling past them in imposing fjords; dinner is served as the lights dance over the evening sea.

Continue reading…In search of Northern Light…