There’s nothing like packing your bag and getting ready for a new adventure. Whether it’s exploring the streets of a new city or dipping your toes in a picturesque coastal beach that’s even more magical than a postcard.
If we are not jet-setting to a destination, we still love to daydream about escaping the daily grind (even just for a minute). We also love a good Instagram stalk into our friends and family’s holidays. So, we couldn’t resist in sharing our Brand Manager, Lauren’s dreamy European trip.
All the holiday snaps and stories had the office opening their diaries for when our next annual leave holiday could be booked! Read on as we picked Lauren’s brain on a few of her holiday highlights and “must dos”.
Oh, and be prepared with a pen and paper so you too can dream up your next escape.
DRINK
Harry’s Bar - Venice
Some say tourist trap, but I say tradition. Grab a spot at the bar and order the world-famous Bellini cocktail and watch the masters at work. Being that this is the birthplace of the infamous Bellini cocktail, it’s not a casual affair as the waiters sport waistcoats and bow ties; so, don’t be afraid to apply a coat of red lipstick and slip on the only pair of high heels you’ve packed.
Drink in the atmosphere, because at €22 a drink, you’ll only need one or two as a pre-dinner aperitif, before strolling down the street for a bowl of €15 Pasta.
DO
Polignano e Mare – Puglia
We made the site of the sacred Instagram beach our main base whilst exploring the Puglia region.
Not only is this place seriously breathtaking when seen from the rocky beaches and cliff-tops, it is even more mind-blowingly beautiful when seen from the water.
Be sure to splurge and rent a private boat and spend the afternoon sipping Aperol’s and swimming in caves and alcoves you cannot reach by foot.
EAT
Loro Piceno – Marche
We ended up spending the night in a tiny village, in which none of the locals spoke English and given my Italian is still a work in progress, we did manage to locate the only restaurant open on a Monday night - Al Girarrosto.
We ordered local vino from the Marche region, (I can successfully order wine in Italian – take away from that what you will!).
The meal I had haphazardly pointed to on my handwritten menu (in Italian) turned out to be one of the most incredible meals of our trip. Handmade ravioli stuffed with ricotta and swimming in burnt butter with sage.
We enjoyed dinner, all the vintage sounds of early Elvis… on CD, which would need to be changed periodically during the meal when the room would fall silent at the end of the disc.
10/10 for authenticity.
We were the last to leave the restaurant after our meal but not before we were ushered to the kitchen to be introduced to the Chef, the host's wife – Lilliana. Ending the night in true Italian style.
PACK
- A leather sandal or slide is essential. I lived in my Bassike leather wrap sandals - stylish and comfortable.
- Breezy, light fabrics in interesting cuts are always at the top of my packing list. Lee Matthews dresses took up prime real estate in my luggage this trip.
- My dependable State of Escape Petite Escape in Ivory. The hands-free cross-body is a no-brainer, and because of its neutral colour I can carry it with every outfit. Completing my "Escape Plan" and for extra storage, I paired the Petite with my Guise in fade denim.
- For dealing with 20+ hours in transit, my inflight non-negotiables are as follows;
- Good quality noise cancelling headphones for a more peaceful long-haul flight.
- A silk eye-mask to block out the world and get some shut eye – Slip Silk Sleep Mask.
- A sneaky mid-flight face mask to save my skin from looking as tired as I feel post-flight – Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask
- Handy old H20. Drink as much as you physically can (and make sure you get an aisle seat for those bathroom breaks) – I took my BKR bottle in Elle Pink for refills.
My absolute number one top travel tip is SPF. My pale skin is loving UltraViolette Supreme Screen SPF 50+.
For more travel inspiration from Italy, follow @stateofescape and view our SOE team highlight.
