“There's a strong interest in promoting the Sicilian excellencies, which are of course connected to food and wine, but also the natural beauties that we can offer. So, even though Mount Etna is visible from everywhere, really, it's the olive groves and the vineyards surrounding the estate that make all the difference for an experience that makes it really relaxing and exclusive.”

We’re in great company with Fabio Cimenti, Operating Officer of Villa Neri Etna Resort & Spa, an extraordinary retreat nestled on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna in the ancient hilltop village of Linguaglossa, Sicily—where a century-old family legacy of farming, winemaking, and quiet reverence for the land has blossomed into one of the island's most distinctive luxury escapes.

Here, the silence is intentional, the materials are local, and every detail—from the lava stone underfoot to the Etna DOC wine in your glass—is a love letter to this remarkable corner of the earth.

In the final episode of Season 9, Fabio teaches us that a sense of place isn't designed—it's inherited, tended, and passed down.

Top Takeaways

[1:55] From the Dolomites to the slopes of Etna—what does it take to leave a career in education behind and follow a feeling?

[6:00] Greek, Roman, Arabic, Spanish, French—Sicily isn't just an island, it's a civilization layered on top of itself.

[7:10] With its lava stone houses and a cuisine fed by volcanic soil—Linguaglossa is not the seaside Sicily you imagined.

[11:00] A tenor's voice built the fortune. A brother's grief brought it home to Sicily. And four generations later, those first vines are now a five-star estate.

[13:50] At Villa Neri, the roots aren't just a story—they're sitting in the hallway for guests to encounter.

[16:35] Breakfast facing a volcano, lunch in the vineyards, dinner under a Sicilian sunset—Fabio's ideal day at Villa Neri is not a hard sell.

[21:35] From marble floors, lava stone walls and a local sculptor's permanent collection to suite wine cellars and lodge spas facing the volcano—Villa Neri has thought carefully about what it means to wake up on these slopes.

[27:15] Chef Elia Russo's memories menu at 12 Fontane is a journey through Sicily—from the volcanic highlands to the coastline—told through ingredients that have never left the island.

[29:10] At Petra Spa, even the treatments are sourced from the land—because Villa Neri believes a guest should feel Sicily in every sense.

[31:10] Casa Arrigo is where it all began—the original land, the first vines, the first olive press—and a minute's walk from Villa Neri, it's still where the best stories are told.

Notable Mentions

White Lotus Season 2 at San Domenico Palace in Taormina, Sicily

Dolce & Gabbana

Artist Salvatore Incorpora

Sicilian desserts, cassata cakes & cannoli

Neri Etna Rosato DOC made of 100% Nerello Mascalese

Ferragosto in August

Neri Agricola Shop

Visit For Yourself

Villa Neri Website | Neri Etna Website | @villaneri

“We should be an experience for guests to experiment with Portuguese products, Portuguese brands, and this means the coffee, the toilet paper, the wines, the amenities. This creates a kind of conversation and it's also storytelling for them to take home.”

We’re in great company with Sofia Brandão, Managing Director of AlmaLusa Hotels, a boutique collection of three soulful properties rooted in the heart of Portugal—from the grand historic squares of Lisbon's Baixa, to the ancient cobblestoned alleys of Alfama, to the sun-bleached tranquility of Comporta's coast.

Here, they have reimagined what it means to truly meet a place—not just stay in it—through heritage, Portuguese soul, and the warmth of genuine hospitality.

In this episode, Sofia reflects on ten years of building AlmaLusa with patience, purpose, and intention—reminding us that the most memorable stays are never about the room, but always about how a place makes you feel.

Top Takeaways

[1:55] Sofia didn't set out to run hotels—she set out to see the world, and somewhere along the way, the world checked her in.

[9:10] The Portuguese have always had history, food, and soul worth sharing with the world—and have spent centuries being far too humble to insist upon it.

[12:20] A decade in, AlmaLusa's quiet rule for growth has never changed—the right location, real heritage, and a neighborhood worth genuinely sharing with guests.

[15:40] After 25 years in Lisbon, Sofia is still getting lost in it—and she wouldn't have it any other way.

[18:15] Three properties, three entirely different heartbeats—from the vibrant historic square of Baixa Chiado to the poetic evening streets of Alfama to the unhurried, sun-stretched days of Comporta.

[21:15] At AlmaLusa, the history isn't hanging on the walls—in many cases, it is the walls.

[24:05] AlmaLusa has a simple vision—every product a guest touches should be Portuguese, and every one of those products should have something worth saying.

[26:20] In Portugal, the next meal is already being planned before the current one is over—and at AlmaLusa's restaurants, that spirit of gathering around the table is baked into every honest, ingredient-led dish.

[29:20] Alma means soul in Portuguese—and at AlmaLusa, that isn't a brand promise, it's the operating principle behind every greeting and every turndown note.

[34:10] Portugal will always be a small country—and Sofia believes that's exactly what makes it one of the most quietly extraordinary destinations in the world.

Notable Mentions

Six Sense Douro Valley

Pastel de Nata, Portuguese egg custard tart

Vinho Verde

Visit For Yourself

AlmaLusa Hotels Website | @almalusahotels | @almalusacomporta | @delfinarestaurants

% off with code FRIEND at checkout

“ I think that if travelers choose well where they go, they will always find rooted experiences and really personal experiences, because most of the wine world is like that. Wine is all about people, family, and stories. There's so much diversity with local producers. It's amazing because I promote many of my colleagues—I go to their places, they come to mine, I send my guests, I pick their wines for my wine list—and everyone has a story to tell.”

We’re in great company with Ana Lovaglio Balbo, Co-Founder of Susana Balbo Unique Stays, and the daughter of one of Argentina's most iconic winemaking legends—who has woven her family's four decades of passion for wine, art, and terroir into Susana Balbo Winemaker's House & Spa Suites—a hidden oasis in the vineyards of Mendoza, where luxury hospitality and winemaking heritage are inseparable.

From the vine to the suite, Ana has spent her career turning a winemaking legacy into a living, breathing hospitality experience—and she's only just getting started.

As Ana uncorks the story behind her family's remarkable journey, this conversation is a reminder that the most memorable hospitality is never about the accolades—it's about the people, the place, and the passion behind every pour.

Top Takeaways

[2:10] Growing up between the vineyard rows and the wine cellar, Ana's childhood was shaped not just by the land—but by the world that came to visit them.

[5:45] Hospitality came naturally to Ana—but it started, as so many good things do, with nourishing food and a table set for strangers.

[8:50] What does it look like when you lock down two visionary women with too much energy and not enough to do—and what happens to a city when they finally open the doors?

[14:45] Ana doesn't want you to feel at home — she wants you to feel like a welcomed guest in hers, guided through Mendoza by a local friend you didn't know you needed.

[17:30] A black door. A hidden garden. And the faint feeling that you've somehow slipped out of the world entirely—without ever leaving the city.

[20:45] Seven suites. Seven elements. One vine-rooted symbol—“el Árbol de la Vida”—where “vid”, the Spanish word for vine, breathes life into every corner of the experience, and quietly invites every guest to reflect on their own story while immersed in Ana’s.

[24:25] For Ana, two MICHELIN Keys, membership in Relais & Châteaux and the Virtuoso network, and a Silver Eco Label for sustainability were never the goal—they were simply what happens when you stop chasing accolades and start chasing excellence.

[27:50] At La Vida, expect to have your assumptions about Argentina gently, elegantly overturned — one white wine pairing at a time.

[31:30] From winemaking legends to the next generation of female talent, Ana's Winemaking Expeditions are a window into an Argentina most travelers never get to see.

[35:35] From concrete egg barrel bathtubs to grape seed scrubs, wellness at SB Winemaker's House & Spa Suites is less a spa menu and more a love letter to the vine.

[38:20] Waking up inside a high-altitude vineyard, face to face with the Andes—the Mountain Lodge in Valle de Uco is Ana's next chapter, and it's only just beginning.

Notable Mentions

Osadía de Crear & Espacio Crios

“Tila” herbal tea made from lime tree blossoms

Susana Balbo Limited Edition Blanco de Gualtallary

“ Medialunas” Argentinian croissant

Visit For Yourself

Susana Balbo Unique Stays Website | @susanabalbouniquestays

Susana Balbo Wines Website | @susanabalbowines