A luxurious stay at Villa Lena. Photo: David Kaliga
Private room at Generator in Venice
A Taste of Mussenden
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A luxurious stay at Villa Lena. Photo: David Kaliga
Lucy White
If you are in, or near, Belfast over the next 24 hours, head into the city for its annual Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, until next Sunday. After a Covid hiatus it’s back with in-person aplomb: the international, best-selling Nina Simone stage biopic Black is the Color of My Voice tonight at The Black Box; Mogwai in the marquee on Thursday and silent horror film Nosferatu live-soundtracked by Jozef Van Wissem (who composed for the film Only Lovers Left Alive) in the evocative surrounds of St Patrick’s Church on Saturday. cqaf.com
Also in Northern Ireland is ATaste of Mussenden, the brainchild of Mussenden Salt – yes, those purveyors of artisanal sodium, who, not content with just sprinkling mealtimes with saline love, have teamed up with the National Trust for pop-up evening feasts at the 17th century Mussenden Temple. Tickets for May 13 and June 24 cost £80 each and include a five-course menu and gin cocktails. mussendenseasalt.com
Head under the Tuscan sun to the agriturismo hotel Villa Lena, nestled among 500 hectares of woodland, vineyards, olive groves and organic vegetable gardens, much of which provides ingredients to its new restaurant Osteria San Michele. The 19th-century villa at the heart of the estate was originally built for an Italian aristocratic family but these days is a magnet for foodies, artists, musicians, filmmakers and other creatives.
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They are drawn not just toward its bohemian bonhomie, but to its workshops – from truffle hunting, yoga and woodland poetry readings to flower arranging and cooking. Lodgings from €220. villa-lena.it
Venice Biennale is in full swing until November, where Irish artist Niamh O’Malley is representing the Auld Sod. If you’ve yet to book your accommodation and have cash to flash, look no further than the 18-roomPalazzo Venart Luxury Hotel, which has the feel of a private residence – but the boon of a Michelin-starred restaurant. Rooms from €473; palazzovenart.com.
Have a mid-range budget but still want that pied-à-terre vibe? Try the five-suite Cima Rosa B&B in the quietly residential area of Santa Croce, where rooms have quintessential Venetian canal views. Minimum three and four-night stays; cimarosavenezia.com.
Lastly, thrifty culture vultures should check out the hip, reassuringly inexpensive Generator hostel, whose former warehouse property stands on the waterfront, on the island of Giudecca, a short hop from Piazza San Marco on the Vaporetto. Beds available from €18, with private rooms on offer from a frugal €60; staygenerator.com