✨ From Amalfi to My Roots: How I Design and Plan My Own Italy Itinerary
A luxury travel designer shares how she plans her own Italy itinerary — blending Amalfi’s coastal luxury with ancestral roots and the art of slow travel
🕊️ The Art of Designing My Own Journey
Passport and Travel Journal
When you design luxury travel for a living, your own trips become the ultimate test.
Before I pack a single outfit, I do what I do for every Lavishly Travel client — confirm, organize, and personalize every detail.
I double-check transfer times, ensure drivers have my flight info, and pre-book restaurant reservations where I can (because there’s nothing “luxury” about waiting for a table in Positano 🍋).
I upload confirmations into my Trip Plans app, just like my clients use, and even schedule a “Bon Voyage” call for myself — because walking through the trip brings calm before the adventure.
💻 Behind the Scenes: How I Prepare for My Italy Itinerary
Before departure, I always:
✔️ Confirm transfers and guides
✔️ Organize all documentation in the Trip Plans app
✔️ Pre-schedule a quick consult (yes, even with myself!)
✔️ Test new luggage systems for packing efficiency
✔️ Use the MPC (Mobile Passport Control) app for fast U.S. re-entry ✈️
Every trip I take helps refine the Lavishly Travel experience for my clients.
Of course, my suitcase has its own personality. 🎒
As the Suitcase Slayer, I’m testing a few new packing tricks for future clients. (You will understand this if you have heard about my first trip to Italy or if you read my book)
(Hint: roll, don’t fold — and invest in packing cubes that actually fit your wardrobe!)
This part of the process is more than preparation — it’s practice. Every checklist, app, and ritual I use for my own Italy itinerary is the same structure I’ve perfected for my clients’ luxury travel plans.
🇮🇹 The Itinerary: From Amalfi to My Roots
View From Ravello
Soon, I’ll land in Naples and make my way along the Amalfi Coast — from Capri’s shimmering blues 💙 to Ravello’s gardens 🌸, Positano’s cliffside cafés ☕, and finally, to my family’s hometown of Gallo Matese.
I’ll stay at a charming bed and breakfast, visit Lago di Gallo, enjoy pizza at Bar Pizzeria - THE ONLY RESTAURNT IN TOWN and sip espresso at Caffè Colle — the only café in town, where locals gather to catch up on life.
This journey carries deep meaning. I’ll also visit Letino, the mountain village where my great-grandmother was born. There’s something grounding about walking the same cobblestone streets where my family’s story began.
And to make it even more special, I’ll be sharing this experience with my cousins — honeymooners on their first visit to Italy. ❤️ It’s a full-circle moment: love, legacy, and La Dolce Vita.
🌿 Why This Trip Matters
Lago Di Gallo view from Letino
This trip isn’t just a getaway; it’s research, reconnection, and renewal.
I’m returning to the place that inspired my entire business — and I can’t wait to bring back new ideas, hidden gems, and firsthand insights for my 2025 and 2026 travelers.
Because when I travel, I don’t just explore.
I experience — so my clients can do the same with confidence, ease, and joy. 💫
💌 Ready to Plan Your Own Italian Escape?
Jeanine in Italia Shirt Eating Gelato in Italy
✨ Planning fees are waived now through Nov 30 ✨
for early 2026 bookings — including Italy, France, the Mediterranean and many others.
Let’s design your itinerary — effortlessly, beautifully, and Lavishly. 💛