Join our world of travel
Receive handpicked inspiration, insider tips and exclusive updates from Emma, Deborah and the Essential Escapes team.
Italy is a country made for lingering. From the cobbled streets of Rome to the olive groves of Puglia and the shimmering lakes of the north, every corner invites you to slow down and savour. Sip an espresso in a sunlit piazza, watch the light fade over Tuscan hills, or let children chase waves along the Amalfi coast. With history around every turn and warmth in every welcome, our Italy journeys reveal the joy of la dolce vita, that unmistakable blend of beauty, flavour, and soul.
Our Italy journeys are shaped by passion and precision curated through deep local knowledge and a love of the details that make travel sing. Stay in a centuries-old palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal, or a farmhouse in Umbria where breakfast comes from the orchard outside. Wander Rome with a private art historian, take a family pasta-making class in Florence, or spend a day tasting wines in Chianti while the children roam vineyard gardens. Every trip is a balance of luxury and authenticity, crafted entirely around how you love to travel as a couple, a family, or a gathering across generations.
Begin in Rome, where ancient wonders sit alongside contemporary flair. Explore hidden neighbourhoods with a local guide before moving north to Tuscany for rolling hills, medieval villages, and long, lazy lunches. Continue to the Amalfi Coast, where pastel towns spill down cliffs and private boats drift between Positano and Capri. In the north, the Italian Lakes offer tranquillity and style, think Lake Como’s grand villas and Lake Garda’s crystal waters. Or go south to Puglia for whitewashed towns, trulli houses, and beaches lapped by two seas. For a deeper dive, explore Sicily’s Greek ruins and volcanic landscapes, or venture to Sardinia for wild beauty and barefoot luxury.
From Parisian boulevards to Provençal vineyards, France is a country that invites indulgence in food,...
From the whitewashed villages of the Cyclades to the cypress-studded hills of the Peloponnese, Greece...
Where mountains meet the Adriatic, Croatia reveals itself in shades of blue and stone, ancient...
Tell us your wishlist and we'll be in touch with the ideas.