Picture it: a late-afternoon spritz on a terrace above Lake Como, the ferry bell ringing below and the mountains turning pink. Italy has a way of slowing you down – the food, the light, the centuries of history around every corner. Whether you’re escaping the Australian winter for a European summer or slipping in during the golden shoulder months of September and October, these are the three Italian getaways we keep coming back to.
Part of the pleasure is the packing. Refreshing your holiday beauty kit is half the fun, and the scent to take with you is Dolce&Gabbana‘s Light Blue Summer Vibes – a bottled version of la dolce vita from one of Italy’s most iconic fashion houses.
1. Lake Como: for slow days and grand villas
Tucked into the foothills of the Alps in Italy’s Lombardy region, Lake Como has been seducing travellers since the Romans built their summer villas here. The glacial lake is ringed by mountains and dotted with pastel villages – Bellagio, the so-called “pearl of the lake”, sits right at the point where its three arms meet, while Varenna is all steep lanes, tumbling bougainvillea and waterfront cafés.
The best way to explore is by ferry, hopping from village to village with a gelato in hand. Wander the gardens of Villa del Balbianello at Lenno, take a boat out onto the water, or lace up for one of the hiking trails above the shoreline if you’re after something more energetic.
Getting there: Lake Como is an easy journey from Milan – trains run to both Como and Varenna in around an hour.
2. Sicily: for ruins, volcanoes and the best seafood of your life
Head south and Italy gets wilder, hotter and more flavourful. The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily is a place where Greek temples, Arab-Norman cathedrals and baroque towns sit side by side.
Walk among the ancient temples of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, gaze up at the glittering gold mosaics of Palermo’s Palatine Chapel and nearby Monreale Cathedral, then take a guided trek up Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest active volcano. Afterwards, base yourself in clifftop Taormina, where the ancient Greek theatre looks straight out to Etna and the sea below is impossibly blue.
And then there’s the food: just-caught seafood by the water, arancini from a street stall, and granita with a warm brioche for breakfast – a Sicilian summer ritual you’ll want to take home.
What to wear it with: Sicily is also where Dolce&Gabbana draws so much of its inspiration, which makes it the perfect backdrop for Light Blue Summer Vibes. The heart of the fragrance reveals the sweetness of ripe peaches, balanced by a soothing touch of warm cedarwood – sunny, easy and made for long days by the sea.
3. Venice: for romance on the water
Italy has no shortage of gems, but there is nowhere quite like Venice. Built on more than a hundred small islands and laced with canals, it is at its most magical at sunset, when the light turns the water gold and the gondolas glide home.
Tick off the icons – St Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and the Rialto Bridge – early in the morning before the crowds arrive, then get deliberately lost in the quieter backstreets of Cannaregio and Castello. Stop at a bacaro (a traditional wine bar) for cicchetti, Venice’s answer to tapas, and finish with tiramisu, which was born right here in the Veneto region.
If you’re visiting in summer, time your trip for the Festa del Redentore in July, when locals take to the lagoon in boats for a spectacular fireworks display. The famous Carnival, with its masks and costumed balls, takes place in February – a good excuse for a second trip.
Good to know: Venice has introduced an access fee for day-trippers on peak days, so check the city’s official website before you go if you’re not staying overnight.
Tips for your Italian getaway
- Beat the heat and the crowds: July and August are hot and busy. June and September offer warm seas with fewer people.
- Book ahead: Lake Como villas, Taormina hotels and Venice’s major sights book out early in peak season.
- Travel by train: Italy’s rail network makes it easy to link Milan, Venice and beyond without a car.
- Pack light and bright: linen, a wide-brimmed hat, comfortable sandals for cobblestones – and a summer scent to match.
Looking for your signature scent? Read our guide to how to tell which perfume is right for you, from the classics to the moderns.
