Touring Italian Il Pellicano: The Love Resort It was love at first sight. As we turned down a steep narrow road toward the sea, my gaze swept from majestic cliffs to terracotta roofs to flower-strewn terraces to sun-dazzled water. Il Pellicano took my breath away. "I want you to bring me here every year for the rest of my life," I said to my husband Bob. That was 1990—and we have indeed returned annually. How could we not? No place on earth may be more romantic. Love is in the DNA of this renowned Relais & Chateaux resort. In the 1960s Michael Graham, a dashing British pilot and war hero, stole the heart of the beautiful American heiress Patsy Danzel—from no less a rival than movie icon Clark Gable. After marrying, they travelled through Europe to revel "in the intensity of their love" (as one biographer put it). A wild, uninhabited hillside of Monte Argentario on the westernmost tip of Tuscany inspired the Grahams to develop a unique hideaway for lovers. They named it "Il Pellicano" in honor of Pelican Point, Ca., where they first met. Rather than a standard hotel, the Grahams created a sprawling compound with a main building, stone cottages, gardens of herbs and wild rosemary, beds of bright flowers, and groves of olive trees and cypresses. Charlie Chaplin, Anthony Quinn and the glitterati of Europe made themselves at home at the posh but unpretentious resort. The Grahams didn't advertise; word-of-mouth kept the two dozen rooms full. (By the way, their original motto—"expensive but worth it"—still holds true.) When we discovered Il Pellicano in 1990, it had shed its jet-set glitz and evolved into a sleepy, rustic inn popular as a weekend retreat for Romans and a stopover for tourists driving along the coast. Over the years we've witnessed firsthand its stunning transformation into a world-class destination under the astute management of its second owner, the cosmopolitan and ever-gracious Roberto Sciò. The site's natural beauty has remained undiminished, but every other part of Il Pellicano has been updated, renovated and polished to a five-star sheen. The restaurant has progressed from standard to superb, winning its first Michelin star several years ago and a second star under its wizardly chef Antonio Guida. In addition to the more formal main restaurant, an outdoor terrace offers a sensational buffet of seafood and pasta. We have spent hours of perfect contentment savoring, not just the food and outstanding wines, but the divine view of tiny islands and sleek boats skimming across the waves. Many guests spend the day lounging around the elegant pool, but I head straight to the sea, accessible by a steep staircase or a gleaming elevator carved into the cliff. There, on a series of terraces, solicitous attendants cater to sunbathers' every whim. However, I spend every possible minute in the crystal-clear water, so intensely turquoise that Italians call it azzurro-azzurro (blue-blue). Early morning swims are my favorite. Except for a few fishing boats, I feel that I have the entire Tyrrhenian sea to myself. Il Pellicano, regularly named to Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler's lists of top hotels in the world, offers every possible amenity and luxury: massages, steam baths, spa treatments, wine-tastings, excursions. But nature provides its most magical moments. The first time that I saw a full moon rise above the dining terrace, I gasped. Within minutes a river of moonlight turned the sea to silver. A waiter told me this is why the peninsula is called "Argentario" (from argento for silver). If his story isn't true, it should be. The sight is magical. So is the atmosphere. "I don't believe you're married," Gianni, the maitre'd, used to tease us. "You laugh too much. You must be lovers." Even after so many years, that's exactly how we feel at Il Pellicano. Come with someone you cherish, and you'll feel the same. For more information: www.pellicanohotel.com Il Pellicano Località Sbarcatello 58018 Porto Ercole (GR) Italy Tel. +39 0564 858 111 Fax +39 0564 833 418 info@pellicanohotel.com This article first appeared in the June 2011 edition of the Dream of Italy newsletter