For those who have traveled with Luxury Gold, you’ll appreciate the amount of personal care, attention to detail and professionalism that goes into delivering that dream vacation. One past guest who can personally testify to the exceptional quality of a Luxury Gold journey is Sandy, who has traveled with us twice, with a third journey coming up.

She kindly agreed to talk to us about her experience of a Luxury Gold vacation, including her favorite destination to visit, and why she and her husband plan on taking more vacations with us in the future.

Hi Sandy. How did you first hear about Luxury Gold?

“We first heard about Luxury Gold via some friends we made on a river cruise. They sang the praises of Luxury Gold’s five-star hotels, Michelin-rated restaurants, expert guides, and brilliant Travel Concierges and drivers. The one thing they kept reiterating was the small number of people on each tour. It sounded like a dream vacation.”

Which journey did you end up booking?

“Right after Covid, we took our first Luxury Gold holiday: Spain and Portugal in Style. There were 17 of us. We had the most glorious time together, visiting Valencia and the orange blossom coast, the Alhambra Palace, Andalucia, Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon.

“Our tour director and driver were fantastically knowledgeable, and fluent Spanish speakers. Our tour director made lots of beautiful dinner reservations for us and booked various events along the way. She led us to pasteis de nata in Lisbon, found us Flamenco lessons in Seville and organized a horse and carriage ride, too. I fondly remember a Michelin star restaurant in Lisbon overlooking the city, and a fabulous former Portuguese convent with a winery. It was truly a dream vacation, and we were hooked.”

Did you follow Spain & Portugal with Italy with another journey?

“Yes. Our next trip was the Ultimate Italy journey. I loved Rome so much, and the Grand Hotel Quisisana in Capri was incredibly special – a real jewel. We took a cooking class in the hunting lodge of the Medici family in Tuscany and an art historian introduced us to Renaissance Florence. We saw the grottos and coves of the Capri coastline on a private cruise. Over the course of the journey, we traveled by water taxi, gondola, funicular, train and ferry. It felt like such an adventure.”

Two guests recline on Luxury Gold’s private boat tour of Capri

What is it about a Luxury Gold journey that keeps you coming back?

“We love that the opulence begins the moment you leave your house, and lasts until you get home. There’s so much one-on-one care, and everything is tailored to your needs – meals, events, concerts, tours, transport. You feel special, looked after, relaxed, which is the most important thing. In between the big moments, your tour guide will regale you with treats and stories from the region as you travel on your comfortable bus. You really get to sit back and relish it all.”

And do you have anything else booked?

“Our next tour will be Ultimate Southern France, ending in Paris. We look forward to it. It’s our dose of elegance. I feel like royalty when I travel with Luxury Gold.”

Want to experience the glamor of a Luxury Gold vacation for yourself? Explore our full catalogue of journeys here.

To whet the palate: Exceptional Dining with Luxury Gold

Where do truffles grow?

One reason truffles are so expensive is that they don’t grow in every part of the world. Historically speaking, truffles were largely only found naturally in European countries like Italy, France, Spain and Slovenia. In recent years, some other countries in North America, South America and Asia have successfully started growing their own.  

You may also enjoy reading: 7 ways you’ll celebrate Tuscan food when you travel with Luxury Gold

How do truffles grow?

Truffles grow beneath trees in a symbiotic relationship by attaching their spores to the tree roots. The transfer of nutrients enables them both to grow. Most truffles grow beneath specific tree species, including hazelnut and poplar, which influence their taste and scent. 

Why are truffles expensive?

Truffles are expensive because they’re so rare to harvest. Grown naturally only in a few European countries, truffle hunting is a centuries-old practice in which truffle hunters rarely share their hunting grounds with anyone else. The most expensive truffles are white truffles found in Italy’s Piedmont region. The International Alba White Truffle Fair is the preeminent truffle fair where you’ll find the largest, most expensive truffles for sale.

Bookmark for later: Where to find the most rare and expensive food in the world  

Where can I hunt for truffles with truffle hunters? 

Luxury Gold’s Croatia & the Dalmatian Coast tour is a two week itinerary filled with unforgettable activities, including hunting for truffles with a local farmer in Istria. You can also hunt for truffles on our Ultimate Italy tour in Florence. Keep in mind that the best time to harvest white truffles is typically between September and November, though peak season may alter based on the summer season’s temperatures, spring’s rainfall, and if the holes where the prior year’s truffles were found were filled properly. Black truffle harvest is between April and October in some areas like Slovenia, and their bounty is also impacted by seasonal climate fluctuations.

Read more about truffle hunting: A day in the life of one of Croatia’s top truffle hunters

Where can I taste a truffle?

Although only found in select countries, you can taste truffles at restaurants across the world. Casa di Langa, a hotel just outside of Alba, Italy, has a restaurant with a case of fresh truffles you can choose from. Restaurant Zigante in Livade, Croatia, is another fantastic dining destination where truffles are blended in delicious ways, including in truffle ice cream.

You may also enjoy: Indulge your inner gourmet with these luxury food experiences

Italy

Italy is the epicenter for truffles. When the most expensive truffles are up for auction, it’s likely that they were found in the Italian countryside. Truffle hunters stay silent about where they find these fungi in Le Marche, Tuscany, Piedmont, and Umbria, but the restaurants in these regions aren’t shy about featuring them in both fine and rustic dishes. 

Truffle hunting on the Ultimate Italy tour is the ultimate way to find and taste fresh Italian truffles.

Croatia

Italy may stay in the limelight for having the most expensive truffles, but Croatia’s Istria region has a bounty of its own worthy of your attention. The truffle capital of Croatia wasn’t lauded as such pre-1999, until a hunter and his dog dug up what became the largest white truffle in the world. Now, the Istrian Peninsula is regarded as a popular destination for truffle hunting and sampling.

Get off the beaten path and uncover gems like fresh truffles on the Croatia & the Dalmatian Coast tour.

Spain

The majority of Spain’s truffles are black truffles and its black winter truffles are especially popular, but that wasn’t always the case. In fact, it was until the mid-1900s that truffle hunters from France started seeking out the black diamond truffles they knew in the hills of Spain. When Spanish farmers realized how valuable these truffles were, they seized the opportunity and have since become the world’s largest producer of black winter truffles. 

Discover Iberia on: Spain & Portugal in Style

You may also enjoy: For Fine Dining in Spain, This City Sets the Gold Standard

France 

It should be no surprise that anything grown in French soil is delectable; that includes truffles. France produces nearly one-third of the world’s truffles. The “black diamond” is a popular truffle found in Provence and Southwest France. Also known as the Périgord truffle, black diamond truffles are known for their strong scent and distinctive taste.

Sample truffle-infused dishes as you explore the French countryside on our Ultimate Southern France tour.  

Bookmark for later: Sophisticated and Stylish: why Southern France is Unmissable

Slovenia

Slovenia shares a small piece of the Istrian Peninsula with Croatia. With Italy as its adjacent neighbor, one shouldn’t be shocked to learn that Slovenia is an underrated destination for truffle hunting and dining. One of the unique experiences you can have in Slovenia that you seldom can elsewhere is hunting for the rare spring white bianchetti truffle which is harvested around March each year. 

With Exceptional Dining a hallmark of every Luxury Gold journey, see how you can enjoy a truffle-infused vacation, or other gastronomical pleasures with our worldwide collection of luxury tours.

Some restaurants are just a cut above. Maybe it’s the satisfaction of eating a smooth entrée that makes the taste buds unite in total harmony. Or perhaps it’s the unique sensation of flavours that should, in theory, clash, but combine to create something delicious. Every foodie likes something different about dining, but one thing everyone agrees on is that Michelin star restaurants are the epitome of fine cuisine. 

But what does it take to be one of the world’s top Michelin star restaurants? Aficionados may discuss it over glasses of rare wine and tantalizing tasting menus, and among the world’s top chefs, how to get a Michelin star is a hot topic: the recipe for success, however, is secret. 

Tantalize your taste buds: Exceptional Dining with Luxury Gold

The Michelin inspectors could arrive anytime

Chef and owner Vincent Guimera prepares a dish at Michelin-starred L’Antic Moli in Spain, where you dine on Spain & Portugal in Style. Photo credit: @lanticmoli on Instagram

Michelin has produced its restaurant guides since 1900. As the brand’s reputation grew, the process of its prestigious awards was refined. In a nutshell, anonymous inspectors will book, dine and pay at an establishment that’s caught their eye – where the ingredients are said to be top-notch, or the chef is believed to be particularly excellent.

There are currently around 80 Michelin inspectors, all of whom are highly trained food professionals, sworn to total secrecy.  The inspectors are told to pay no attention to the restaurants decor, service, or any other distractions. They simply focus on the meal in front of them. 

Essential reading to get ready to dine: What to Expect When Dining at a Michelin-star Restaurant

Experience Michelin-starred dining at L’Antic Moli on Spain & Portugal in Style

Graded according to five criteria

Delicata pumpkin, Exmoor caviar and pecan served at Michelin-starred Olive Tree Restaurant in Bath, England. Dine here on British Royale. Photo credit: @olivetreebath on Instagram

Michelin officially lists five criteria chefs should be striving for; the quality of the ingredients (i.e. only the freshest produce and most succulent meats), mastery of culinary techniques, an injection of the chef’s personality into each and every dish, value for money, and the consistency of the food.

The inspectors report back to Michelin with their findings and the company holds regular meetings to decide which eateries make the cut. However, being a top Michelin star restaurant isn’t easy; inspectors will visit, at any time, to make sure the food stays up to scratch. And, if a chef leaves, they don’t take the Michelin star with them: they have to earn it in their next kitchen.

You may also be interested to read: A Journey of Flavour: The Mastery of India’s Michelin-star Chefs

Savor exquisite dishes at Michelin-starred Olive Tree Restaurant on British Royale

A revered three-star system

A sensational dish is served at Michelin-starred Borkonyha Winekitchen in Budapest. Dine here on Harmony of Central Europe. Photo credit: @borkonyha on Instagram.

One hard-earned Michelin star is enough to put any restaurant on the map, but since 1931, restaurants can earn up to three of these floreal accolades. The early editions of the Michelin Guide said that an eatery with one star was “very good in its category”, two meant it had “excellent cooking, worth a detour” and a third meant it offered “exceptional cuisine, worth a special trip”. Currently, France has the most Michelin star restaurants – with Japan hot on its heels.  

If a restaurant is thought to warrant an upgrade to a two-star, four inspectors need to visit to verify the quality of the food. Should that restaurant be lucky enough to be considered for a third Michelin star, ten different inspectors need to sample its delicious dishes.

As the Michelin listings are updated every year, there are plenty of opportunities to gain a star. Currently, there are 139 three-star restaurants: France and Monaco have 29 of them. 

Read about the best of Japanese cuisine: Explore the Top 8 Michelin Star Restaurants in Tokyo

Experience fine dining plus an extensive wine cellar at Borkonyha Winekitchen on: Harmony of Central Europe

A Michelin star is not for life

Divine dishes and stunning vistas await at Michelin-starred Mamma restaurant in Capri, where you dine on Ultimate Italy. Photo credit: @lemonzurestaurant on Instagram

In the tough world of restaurant accolades, all chefs know what is given can easily be taken away. In fact it’s not uncommon for restaurants to lose a Michelin star. This could be a result of standards in the kitchen slipping, the downgrading of ingredients, or even head chefs leaving for greener pastures. 

Gordon Ramsay’s NYC restaurant, The London, notoriously lost two of its stars in 2013 – the Hell’s Kitchen star himself was reduced to tears. Despite this Ramsey holds 17 Michelin stars, making him the third highest chef for these esteemed accolades. Frenchman Joël Robuchon is top with 31.

However, inspectors at Michelin are aware of the impact losing a star could have on a chef’s career – be they young or established – and endeavour to be as fair as possible in their judgment.

Perhaps the greatest thing about the top Michelin star restaurants is that the guide is always growing, evolving, and open to innovative ideas – so, when exploring our wonderful world, the flavour-loving traveller will always find somewhere phenomenal to satisfy their culinary cravings. 

Bookmark for later: The Luxury Gold Guide to the Finest Michelin star Restaurants in Edinburgh

Enjoy exceptional dining and sensational views at Michelin-starred Mamma Restaurant in Capri on Ultimate Italy

Exceptional Dining – a hallmark of Luxury Gold

From in room breakfasts to culinary masterclasses, VIP wine tours to Michelin star dining, gastronomy is at the heart of every Luxury Gold journey. You’ll experience sensational surroundings from private estates to bustling street markets, and sample the menus of acclaimed chefs worldwide. Delectably delicious and thoroughly enjoyable, each plate and Exceptional Dining experience brings you closer to your destination.

Tantalize your taste buds with our worldwide collection of small group journeys.