La Dolce Vita: Slim Aarons Art of Living Well in Italy
“Attractive people who were doing attractive things in attractive places,” Slim Aarons famously quipped about his photography of the rich and famous. The one-time World War II shutterbug turned jet-setting freelancer for luxury magazines, Aarons managed to embed himself into the world’s elite circles. He also spent his summers in Italy from the 1960s to the 1990s. Spread from Capri to Porto Ercole, Aarons captured international glitterati including socialite Dolores Guinness just outside Costa Smerlda’s Cala di Volpe, Italian actors Marcello Mastroianni and Virna Lisi in Sardinia; and the American writer-intellect Gore Vidal at work from a villa balcony in Positano.
That’s not all. The lensman also gained access to Italy’s most stunning coastal hotels where a rich mise-en-scene of ancient ruins, slick speed boats, rugged coastal waters, sun-dappled rocks, and bathing beauties provided the ultimate backdrop. “Life there was rewarding: the dollar was strong, the wine dolce, and the girls fantastic,” Aarons once said. Fashionable resorts like Villa d’Este and Hotel Il Pellicano (visited by Jackie Onassis and Sophia Loren) were on the docket. And, like most of Aarons’ iconic works, most of his snaps were captured by the water. Below, we take a look at his favorite spots.
Tuscan Coast: Hotel Il Pellicano
Once frequented by the golden age of Hollywood, this one-time sprawling private villa morphed into a luxury hotel in 1965. Today, its 50 rooms are decked in Tuscan hues, sea tones and a dose of cotton candy pink. Here, Aarons shot the bathing deck which remains draped with parasols and stunning views of rocky formations and the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Amalfi: Hotel Santa Caterina
On a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, this century-old, 66-room hotel has interiors kitted out with white walls, vaulted ceilings and gold-hued curtains. Outside, sunseekers relax around a seaside pool or sit perched atop a Michelin-starred rooftop restaurant. Of course, when time allows, there’s beach time and a private boat for cruising.
Lake Como: Villa d’Este
Set in the Alpine foothills, this former royal residence is still a playground for the cultural elite. Surrounded by 25-acres of manicured botanical gardens, the 152-room property is filled with antiques, silks and brocades and lends a grand palatial feel. In 1983, Slim Aarons documented the famed floating pool which sits on a platform in the freshwater of Lake Como.
Positano: Il San Pietro di Positano
Long known for its Aperol Spritz gathering crowd, Il San Pietro’s been open since the 1970s. Perched high above the Mediterranean Sea, 55-rooms are decked with tiles, sea vows and bright linen accents. An elevator whisks you to a private beach, while an artful seafood-forward dinner is found inside the Michelin-starred Zass restaurant. Daily yacht excursions are known to whisk guests to neighboring waters, including Capri.
Capri: Hotel Punta Tragara
One of Aaron's favorite spots nestled among the Faraglioni cliffs and plunging into the Tyrrhenian Sea, this 44-room hotel still smacks of a vintage postcard. Designed by Le Corbusier as a private villa in the 1920s, the house also housed the American Command during the second World War (Eisenhower and Churchill both stayed here). Today, refreshed rooms have private terraces and balconies; and a Michelin-starred restaurant.
LITTLE BLACK BOOK
Hotel Il Pellicano Località Sbarcatello, 58019 Porto Ercole GR, Italy +39 0564 858111
Hotel Santa Caterina Via Mauro Comite, 9, 84011 Amalfi SA, Italy +39 089 871012
Villa d’Este Via Regina, 40, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy +39 031 3481
Il San Pietro di Positano Via Laurito, 2, 84017 Positano SA, Italy +39 089 875455
Hotel Punta Tragara Via Tragara, 57, 80073 Capri NA, Italy +39 081 837 0844
