the ultimate tuscan upgrade

If you’ve longed for the ultimate Tuscan summer getaway, look no further. Il Salviatino is a dreamy aristocratic Florentine villa hidden deep in the hills of Fiesole overlooking the city of Florence and beyond to rustic farmland. Book before 31st May and we’ll upgrade you to the best available suite for free.

the gorgeous architecture of il salviatino

Il Salviatino is steeped in history dating back to the Medieval times, and has been restored to perfection with impressive stone work, beautiful mosaics and delicate fine art adorning the walls. The seductive atmosphere is enhanced by flickering candles, creamy white roses and soft jazz music resonating through the property.

The rooms are breathtaking. You’ll simply melt into your sumptuous beds swathed in crisp snowy linen while light pours into the rooms through floor-to-ceiling windows.

the ojetti suite

Each room is individually decorated with various layouts, making your stay much more personal. So pick between luxurious De Luxe rooms located within the Villa, to suites decked out with lavish leather sofas and crackling fire places. Our favourite has to be the Ojetti suite located in the main tower. It has its own living room, a marvellous private balcony and a rooftop Jacuzzi: perfect to take in the views with a glass of bubbly in hand. And with our free upgrade, you can have this without breaking the bank: Amazing.

enjoy your meals in the tuscan sun at la terezza restaurant

Roll out onto La Terrazza Restaurant for decadent meals whilst under the Tuscan sun. Tuck into fluffy omelettes and coral-pink Sicilian orange juice at breakfast to seasonally-inspired dinner menus and melt-in-your mouth home-made gelatos in every flavour. And just think when you think you couldn’t be spoilt-to-death anymore, you’ll have an immaculately dressed ‘Service Ambassador’ to attend to your every whim. Perfect.

So turn this longing feeling into reality and get booking now.

(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

 Loading ...

a volcano has erupted

And it’s still going, for now.

double whammy: volcano explosions with the northern lights in the distance

On Iceland’s Fimmvörðuháls glacier, lava is exploding out of a 100 meter long fissure, reaching up to heights of 400 meters, melting everything in its way to create the most spectacular lava flow ever seen by man.

Think you have to wait for David Attenborough’s next documentary to see it in full swing? Nope, because we at Black Tomato can arrange for you to see it up-close and personal in a steroid-induced 4×4, or near-missing squirts of lava in a helicopter as your pilot skillfully maneuvers the craft.

enjoy the views of the lava explosions from your 4x4

And for those adrenalin junkies, kick up some snow in the lava’s path as you dodge the hot stuff on your speedy snowmobile.

If there’s one thing to do before you die, it has to be this. Act now or never, because no one can predict how much longer these eruptions will go on for.

Get in touch if you don’t want to miss an opportunity of a life time.

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

dance to the music

Here at Black Tomato we are always on the lookout for something a little different, and although we love the glamour of the Tango and the sexiness of the Salsa, we like to see something a little more unique. So here are our top 5 alternative musical and dance performances from around the world:

getting ready to dance through fire

1. The Baining Fire Dance, Papua New Guinea.
When night falls and the fire is lit, the men of the Baining tribe don enormous decorative wooden masks and start to dance. But this is a dance like no other. The routine is complicated, involving jumping through fires to the rhythm of about 20 musicians, but the main thing is to give the fire a good kick. Kids beware- the Bainings do not hesitate to take their young ones through the fire to ‘cure’ bad behaviour. A dance and a hot, fiery spectacle not to be missed.

a dance scene from a kathakali performance

2.    Kathakali Dancing, Kerala
Combining dance and (a lot) drama is something that comes very natural to India, take Bollywood for example. The Kathakali dances present the famous Hindu stories of Rama and Krishna, in a dance form. Traditionally lasting all night long, it is now possible to see these performances condensed into (just) 3 hours. Dancers are heavily made up and dressed in bright costumes accessorised with bells, which they stamp and jangle in time to a small band of musicians. A real foot stomper of a performance.

princess sita waiting to be rescued

3.    Kecak Dance, Bali
Originating from a traditional Balinese trance dance, Kecak is theatrical and deeply moving. Depicting the Hindu epic of Prince Rama rescuing his long lost love Princess Sita, lavishly costumed dancers perform a dramatic series of moves to a musical accompaniment. But, there is not an instrument in sight; all the music is performed by a choir of about 150 bare-chested men and boys. This is a truly unique musical experience.

jumping high, the maasai tribe

4.    The Maasai Adamu, Tanzania
The Indigenous Maasai tribes in Africa hold music and dance close to their hearts, and are excellent performers.  The Adamu (or Jumping Dance for the non-Maasai among us) is a coming-of age ceremony and can last up to 10 days. The dance holds a competitive element and combines a series of lofty jumps accompanied by singing and chanting. A beautiful dance from one of the world’s most special regions.

acting fierce during a traditional aboriginal dance

5.    Aboriginal dance, Australia
Australia has its fair share of trendy nightclubs, but there is far more to the dance scene down under. Australia’s Aboriginal people have a history deeply embedded in traditional dances, and to catch one is a veritable pleasure. Varying from tribe to tribe, but usually imitating animals or birds, each dance is fun, light-hearted and lively. We guarantee you’ll be joining-in in no time.

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

UTSO spain

We’re at it again, this time getting you Under The Skin of Spain. We’ll be exploring Spain’s usual suspects but taking you to the hidden spots that are unknown to most. Yoga in Mallorca, secluded beaches on Formentera, new boutiques in Gran Canaria, converted water reservoirs in Lanzarote, private wine cellars in Rioja, and lots lots more. There’s not much time to waste before word gets out, so what you waiting for?

In the meantime, here’s a taste of the lesser known festivals in Spain: Batalla del Vino.

Remember the good ‘ol days running around the garden armed with a water pistol trying to soak your opponent? Well, let us acquaint you with this adult version. On St Pedro’s Day in Haro, La Rioja, northern Spain’s wine producing region, thousands of people take to the hills with water pistols loaded with red red wine.

battala dos vino

The festival’s origins lay in a land dispute between neighbouring towns, and since then townfolk  have been gathering at a particular hill for a good nature battle with wine. If you’re more hardcore, then go ahead and arm yourself with a pump action supersoaker that will take your wine further afield. But if you rather join the traditionalist, arm yourself with buckets, bottles and old boots to insure that your opponents get truly and utterly soaked in the red stuff. The council takes the pleasure of providing each festival goer with 4 litres of wine, but with the festival lasting for three hours, you may have to bring your own supermarket ammo.

Read the rest of this article here

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

good times in hollywood

Oh Hollywood, it ain’t called Tinsel Town for nothing. And we’ve got firsthand proof why. Our USA expert, Kate, flew over to Los Angles for a short break and ended up scouting for trouble, stumbling into celebrity parties, and doing what Californians do best. Read on to find out…

“So I recently flew out for a long weekend in sunny L.A. to explore some of the city’s finest beaches and celebrate all things celebrity. Staying at the uber-chic Andaz hotel, I was perfectly positioned by the star-studded Sunset Strip in West Hollywood and a stone’s throw from the legendary Chateau Marmont, where we spent the first night sampling some of L.A.’s finest cocktails and hoping to witness some of the notorious behaviour that has so famously happened within its walls. But it was a fairly tame night in comparison with the next, where I managed to stumble into one of Hugh Heffner’s infamous Bunny Parties at the Hyatt in Beverley Hills. With Bunnies everywhere, it was definitely a more raucous affair! I won’t be dropping any names but let’s say it was as star-studded as Sunset Boulevard. The rest of my time was spent exploring the brilliant beaches, enjoying the delicious food at the Farmer’s Market, shopping at the Grove and laying by the Andaz’s rooftop pool soaking up some much need sun California-style: heels, sunglasses, and a glass of wine in hand. Paradise!”

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...