Bespoke itineraries
Venise, Portofino, Florence, Ravello, Majorque 15-day luxe itinerary
- 15 days
- Venise, Portofino, Florence, Ravello, Majorque · IT
- Luxury
A 15-day luxe itinerary across Venise, Portofino, Florence, Ravello, Majorque. Concierge timings, luxury hotels, luxe, culture, gastronomie highlights, and.
This 15-day journey through Italy and Mallorca is built in five stops, with a steady balance of museum time, long lunches and proper pauses. You move between Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino and La Residencia, a Belmond Hotel, Mallorca on a clear rhythm of three nights each. Expect a realistic budget of 24,000 to 38,000 EUR including taxes for two, depending on season, room category and private transfers. The best window runs from May to early July, then September to mid-October. August brings heavier road traffic and tighter boat timing on the Ligurian and Amalfi coasts. One practical note matters more than scenery: reserve the Uffizi at the 8:15 opening slot before arrival, ideally with hotel concierge follow-up. It changes the Florence stop completely, especially when combined with a late return to Fiesole instead of dinner in the crowded center.
What is the best 15-day itinerary for Venise, Portofino, Florence, Ravello, Majorque?
15 days, Italy and Spain, for a luxury profile: Venice, Portofino, Florence, Ravello, and Mallorca. Day 1: Place Saint-Marc, Basilique San Giorgio Maggiore, Palais des Doges. Day 2: Piazzetta de Portofino, Abbaye de San Fruttuoso, Santa Margherita trail. Day 3: Uffizi, Duomo, Fiesole hills. Day 4: Villa Rufolo, Villa Cimbrone, Amalfi and Positano. Day 5: Deià, Serra de Tramuntana, Cala Deià. Base: Hotel Cipriani. Best: June–September. Updated May 2026.
The itinerary, step by step
Each step combines an exceptional hotel, a tested timing and our on-site recommendations.
- Day 1
Days 1-3: Venice — the Cipriani on Giudecca, away from the crowds
- Venise — Italie
- Stay duration: 3 days
Venice works best from the Giudecca, when the lagoon feels like a rhythm rather than a stream of visitors. Belmond Hotel Cipriani sits on the eastern tip of the island, facing St. Mark’s, with a private shuttle that runs continuously and takes about three minutes. I book St. Mark’s Square and the Doge’s Palace for 9:00 a.m., before the tour groups arrive, and I ask for a timed entry at the palace to avoid the arcade queues. Late morning, cross to San Giorgio Maggiore. Palladio’s basilica is a quick visit, but the campanile gives you a clean angle over the basin of St. Mark’s. Then return to the Cipriani for a quiet lunch and keep the afternoon for the hotel’s Olympic-size saltwater pool, the only one in Venice, or for the enclosed gardens, rare in the lagoon. The hotelier to name here is Belmond Hotel Cipriani. Ask the concierge for a lagoon-facing room and written confirmation of the return shuttle after dinner. That detail avoids the last crowded vaporetto. For dinner, I reserve Oro, the hotel’s Michelin one-star restaurant, for the second seating at about 9:00 p.m. The room is calmer then, and the return to your room is immediate. Concierge secret: ask for a departure to St. Mark’s at 8:20 a.m. The first wave is not yet dense, and you are back on the Giudecca before Venice tightens.
Things to see / do
- Place Saint-Marc
- Basilique San Giorgio Maggiore
- Palais des Doges
- Piscine olympique du Cipriani
- Day 2
Days 4-6: Portofino — the Splendido above the Ligurian gulf
- Portofino — Italie
- Stay duration: 3 days
Portofino reads better from the hill, when the harbor becomes a view rather than a crossing point. Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino, a former 16th-century monastery, overlooks the gulf above the piazzetta. I send guests down by shuttle late in the morning for a short harbor visit, then I save Baie de Paraggi for the first hour of the afternoon, when the water is still clear and road traffic begins to slow. The next day, leave by private boat before 9:00 a.m. for the Abbaye de San Fruttuoso. Arrival by sea is the smoothest option, and you are back before the tenders and ferries crowd the cove. The Sentier vers Santa Margherita works best at the end of the day, with closed shoes and the return arranged by the hotel. Hotel reference: ask the concierge at the Splendido for the latest downhill shuttle after aperitivo, then a car back from Splendido Mare if you dine in the port. That avoids waiting at the top when the road locks up. For dinner, I book La Terrazza at the Splendido. Allow at least a week if you want table 1, north corner, by name. It is the only one with a direct view over the gulf, without a pillar, and the maître d’ holds it for residents first. Concierge secret: insist on an 8:15 a.m. departure from the private quay for San Fruttuoso. After 10:30 a.m., the bay loses its calm, and the return is less precise.
Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino →
Things to see / do
- Piazzetta de Portofino
- Abbaye de San Fruttuoso
- Sentier vers Santa Margherita
- Baie de Paraggi
- Day 3
Days 7-9: Florence — Villa San Michele and the Fiesole hills
- Florence — Italie
- Stay duration: 3 days
Florence is sharper from Fiesole, when the city is observed before it is walked. Belmond Villa San Michele sits on the hills of Fiesole, with a façade attributed to Michelangelo and a regular shuttle to the center. I book the Uffizi for the 8:15 a.m. opening. That is the only slot that lets you enter before mid-morning density. Continue with Santa Maria del Fiore before 11:00 a.m., then keep the Jardins de Boboli for the afternoon, when groups spread out between palaces and museums. After that, return to Fiesole before the end-of-day traffic. From the terrace, Florence reads better than at street level. Hotel reference: at Villa San Michele, ask the concierge for a place on the first downhill shuttle and the return just before sunset. That simple timing avoids irregular taxis between Fiesole and the historic center. For dinner, I favor the hotel restaurant under the loggia, with an explicit request for a terrace-edge table facing the Duomo. Book 72 hours ahead in high season. In town, the best tables often create a heavier return logistics. Concierge secret: have the hotel confirm your Uffizi tickets under the exact passport name. In Florence, one spelling error is enough to slow entry, even on the first time slot.
Things to see / do
- Galerie des Offices
- Cathédrale Santa Maria del Fiore
- Collines de Fiesole
- Jardins de Boboli
- Day 4
Days 10-12: Ravello — the Caruso and the Amalfi Coast from above
- Ravello — Italie
- Stay duration: 3 days
Ravello is best handled from above, away from the quays, with the Amalfi Coast in view rather than in the windshield. Belmond Caruso occupies an 11th-century palace 350 meters above the sea. I keep Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone for the first morning, on foot from the hotel, before day-trippers from Amalfi fill the gardens. The next day, leave by private boat for Amalfi and Positano before 8:30 a.m. You reach the port before the heat and return to Ravello for lunch without climbing back up the road in the middle of the day. The Caruso’s infinity pool is best saved for late afternoon, when the landscape takes over from coastal movement. Hotel reference: ask the Caruso concierge to set the boat departure from Amalfi with the car transfer already fixed from Ravello. That is the sensitive point of the stage. Without coordination, you lose an hour on the road very quickly. For dinner, I recommend the hotel restaurant after 8:30 p.m., with a terrace-edge table. Book before arrival if you are traveling between May and September. The best places go first with longer stays. Concierge secret: the pool empties after 5:00 p.m. That is the right moment for a photo facing the Gulf of Salerno, with golden light and the basin finally clear.
Things to see / do
- Villa Rufolo
- Villa Cimbrone
- Côte amalfitaine (Amalfi, Positano)
- Piscine à débordement du Caruso
- Day 5
Days 13-15: Mallorca — La Residencia in Deià, the Balearic finale
- Majorque — Espagne
- Stay duration: 3 days
Mallorca ends well in Deià, when the Tramuntana sets the pace and the coast becomes accessible again. La Residencia, a Belmond Hotel, Mallorca, brings together two 16th-century manor houses in the village center, within the UNESCO-listed Sierra de Tramuntana. I keep Deià for a slow walk on the first morning, then I send guests down to Cala Deià before 12:15 p.m. After that, the road fills and the cove loses its ease. The next day, devote the morning to the hotel’s terraced olive groves and its collection of more than 800 works. That gives a precise reading of the house without leaving the estate. In the afternoon, go back up into the Tramuntana roads with a car and driver. It is simpler than self-drive in high season. Hotel reference: ask the concierge at La Residencia for the shuttle to Cala Deià on the way down, and an open return, confirmed by phone from the cove. That is more flexible than fixing a hard time. For dinner, I reserve El Olivo in the hotel, with a terrace table if the wind drops. Allow 48 to 72 hours in summer. For lunch, the cove requires no improvisation. Concierge secret: schedule the tapas workshop at the very start of the trip. The concierge can then adjust lunches and dinners around what you have already tasted, which avoids repetitive menus.
La Residencia, a Belmond Hotel, Mallorca →
Things to see / do
- Village de Deià
- Sierra de Tramuntana (UNESCO)
- Crique de Cala Deià
- Atelier de tapas et oliveraies
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for a Belmond Mediterranean itinerary?
To cover Venice, Portofino, Florence, Ravello and Mallorca without rushing, allow 15 days. The right pace is 3 nights in Venice at Hotel Cipriani, 2 in Portofino at Splendido, 3 in Florence at Villa San Michele, 3 in Ravello at Caruso, then 4 at La Residencia. Below 12 days, transfers start eating into the trip. Keep a two-hour buffer for every rail or flight connection.
Which Belmond hotel in Italy is the most beautiful?
If you want the most rounded Italian Belmond on this route, I would place Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino first. It combines direct gulf access, polished service and easy logistics via Santa Margherita Ligure. For architecture alone, Villa San Michele stands out, set in a former Renaissance monastery above Fiesole. For one precise move, ask Splendido for terrace table 1 at the north corner for dinner, requested by name at least a week ahead.
What’s the best way to get from Venice to Portofino?
The smoothest option is by train. Expect roughly 5 hours 30 minutes to 6 hours 30 minutes from Venezia Santa Lucia to Santa Margherita Ligure-Portofino, usually with a change in Milan or Genoa. Then it is a 15-minute taxi ride to Splendido, or a boat transfer depending on season and sea conditions. By car, allow 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes without heavy traffic. Avoid arriving after 7 pm.
Is the pool at Belmond Caruso reserved for hotel guests?
Yes, in practice, the infinity pool at Belmond Caruso is reserved for in-house guests. Any outside access, when it happens, is usually tied to private events or very limited arrangements. For planning purposes, assume resident-only use. The best slot is after 5 pm. The crowd thins out noticeably, and you are far more likely to find the pool clear, facing the Gulf of Salerno, for a quiet swim or a clean photo.
When is the best time to take this Mediterranean circuit?
The best window is mid-May to late June, then early September to mid-October. You keep reliable boat links, workable sea conditions and lighter pressure than in July and August. Venice and Florence still get busy, but the first entry slots, around 8:15 to 9 am, are the easiest. Portofino and Ravello feel better on weekdays. Mallorca works especially well in September, with warm water and noticeably less road traffic.
What budget should you plan for 15 days in Belmond hotels around the Mediterranean?
For 15 days, plan on EUR 18,000 to EUR 35,000 including taxes for two people, depending on season and room category. That range covers 14 nights across the five Belmond properties mentioned, breakfasts, main transfers, and several lunches and dinners, but not personal shopping. In peak season, suites can push the total beyond EUR 45,000 including taxes. Also allow EUR 300 to EUR 800 for timed-entry tickets, private guides and local boat transfers.
Can you visit Florence’s Uffizi without queuing?
Yes, almost. You need a timed ticket booked online, ideally for the first morning slot. The Uffizi sits within Florence’s historic centre, listed by UNESCO since 1982. With an 8:15 or 8:30 am entry, waiting time drops sharply. For a smoother process, use a licensed guide with centralized ticket pickup. Even then, security checks remain unavoidable, usually around 10 to 20 minutes depending on the day’s crowd levels.
How do you get to Mallorca from the Amalfi Coast?
The easiest route is via Naples. From Ravello, allow 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes to reach Naples airport, depending on traffic. From there, you will often need a connecting flight, commonly through Barcelona, Madrid or sometimes Milan, before landing in Palma de Mallorca. On a smooth travel day, expect 5 hours 30 minutes to 8 hours door to door, excluding long layovers. Leave early to avoid Amalfi Coast traffic.
Is this Belmond itinerary a good fit for a honeymoon?
Yes, very much so, especially if you like balancing cities, coastline and serious dining. The route combines five strong properties with stays of two to four nights, which suits a honeymoon without constant packing. For the right dinner setup, reserve terrace table 1 at Splendido’s north corner at least a week ahead. In Florence, add a private early Uffizi visit. In Ravello, keep Caruso’s pool for after 5 pm, when it becomes much quieter.
Can this itinerary be shortened to three Italian stops?
Yes. The most coherent shorter version works in 8 to 10 days with Venice, Florence, and either the Ligurian or Amalfi coast. To keep the Belmond spirit intact, I would do 3 nights at Hotel Cipriani, 3 at Villa San Michele, then 3 at either Splendido or Caruso. Portofino is easier for rail logistics. Ravello gives more contrast, but transfers are longer. Below 8 days, it is better to cut a city than trim every stay.