Italy at Its Finest: Where to Stay, When to Go, and What Most Visitors Miss
Italy is not a country you visit once and understand. It rewards return. Each region, each city, each stretch of coast has its own distinct rhythm, its own obsessions, its own way of making you feel that nowhere else on earth is quite this beautiful. What it also rewards, however, is knowledge. The difference between a memorable Italian trip and a transcendent one often comes down not to budget, but to the intelligence of the choices made.
Here are the properties and regions we find ourselves recommending most in 2026, and why.
The Amalfi Coast: Still Extraordinary, If You Do It Right
The Amalfi Coast is one of those destinations that has been photographed so extensively it can feel almost familiar before you arrive. Then you round a cliff edge in a small boat at golden hour, and you understand immediately why it never diminishes. The challenge is choosing the right base.
Il San Pietro di Positano remains one of the Amalfi Coast’s most exceptional hotels. Family-owned and deeply rooted in the character of the region, it has managed to preserve a sense of understated elegance and authenticity that feels increasingly rare along the coast. Built dramatically into the cliffside just outside Positano, the hotel offers a level of privacy and tranquillity that contrasts beautifully with the energy of the town itself. For those who want the drama of the coast with a slightly calmer and more refined atmosphere, Palazzo Avino in Ravello offers a completely different yet equally compelling experience. Perched high above the coastline in a 12th-century villa, the hotel combines old-world Italian elegance with some of the most spectacular views anywhere on the Amalfi Coast.
Lake Como: Understated Elegance
Lake Como has long attracted those who prefer their luxury without announcement. The light here, particularly in May and September, has a quality that painters have tried to capture for centuries. Passalacqua has quickly become one of the lake’s most sought-after addresses, combining extraordinary design, deeply personal service, and the feeling of staying in an exceptionally private Italian villa rather than a traditional hotel. For those drawn to the more classic glamour of the lake, Grand Hotel Tremezzo remains one of the great icons of Lake Como: vibrant, timeless, and wonderfully positioned directly on the water overlooking Bellagio.
Passalaqua, Lake Como
Sicily: A Different Side of Italy
If there is one Italian destination we find ourselves recommending more than any other right now, it is Sicily. The island has everything: extraordinary baroque architecture, ancient ruins, volcanic landscapes, and a cuisine that is arguably the most interesting on the peninsula, all with a rawness and authenticity that feels increasingly rare elsewhere in Italy during high summer. Verdura Resort on the southern coast offers the combination of world-class golf, a beautiful spa, and genuinely warm Sicilian hospitality that is hard to find anywhere else at this level.
When to Visit
May, June, and early September are the sweet spots for most Italian destinations. Long days, warm temperatures, and the crowds of July and August still at bay. For the Amalfi Coast specifically, we always advise clients to avoid August entirely unless they are fully prepared for its particular, glorious chaos.
Drawn to Italy? We’d love to help you design the trip.