Hotel Principe di Savoia has an exciting Sensory Tour for guests, which we joined the following morning – amply fortified by the best scrambled eggs I have ever tasted.
We joined our guide, author and fragrance expert Mariangela Rossi, for a visit to the renowned Atelier Fragrance Milano. This laboratory/office is the base for Luca Maffei, one of Milan’s most renowned ‘noses’. He creates fragrances for many top brands. “It can take 8 months to a year to get the perfume right,” he tells us, as we waft sample after sample, before cleansing our olfactories by a sniff of our own skin. Incredibly this man can smell 1,000 different scents. And tells us that just 1kg of Bulgarian rose oil (the best) takes 4 tonnes of rose petals.
Still, on the floral theme, we said Buongiorno! to former lawyer-turned-florist Margherita Angelucci in her artisan florist shop Foglie Fiori E Fantasia. Using seasonal flowers and herbs, the place is alive with colour and scent. And it was scent on the nose once again at olfactory boutique Perfume by Calé on Corso Magenta. There are many boutique fragrances for sale here, and you can also have your own signature scent offered to you via a short perfumery test.
Our olfactory senses thus heightened we stopped for a light lunch at nearby Om Food. A light-filled bistro serving organic food (and skin products) tucked away in a delightful courtyard. The parent company Officinali di Montaudo makes organic oils and cosmetics in Tuscany, some of which are available to buy in the restaurant.
After an energetic workout in the gym later in the day, I’ve sufficient welcome for a fabulous meal at Hotel Principe di Savoia’s own Michelin-starred restaurant, Acanto. Executive Chef Alessandro Buffolino is creating magic with his Italian-inspired cuisine. Fois gras and porcini segued into risotto and torellos. My Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato red was superb, and excellent pairing with delicious crusted lamb. We opted for single dishes but there is also the option of a 6-course tasting menu.
Desserts were classic Italian – complete with a dry ice extravaganza. My fabulous sweet Maculan Torcolato 2008 from the Veneto region was an especially inspired choice from our sommelier.
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