Escape Seekers Travel, Southampton (2026)

27/12/2025

And with that, the 2025 season comes to an end.

Malta 🇲🇹
Luxembourg 🇱🇺
Montenegro 🇲🇪
Croatia 🇭🇷
Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦
Czech Republic 🇨🇿
North Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

What a year! 💙… Bring on 2026.

#2025

01/10/2025

“Following in the footsteps of Romeo and Juliet in the heart of Italy…” This is Verona … and Venice.

Our last 2 stops of our Italian road trip took us to Verona and Venice.

Verona is often referred to as the “City of Love” for its amorous atmosphere and poetic scenery that draws travelers from far and wide. However, its pink-hued buildings and legacy of romantic fiction, while certainly incredible, only scratch the surface of this captivating yet easygoing city.

Sites to check out in Verona:
📍Arena di Verona
📍Piazza delle Erbe
📍Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House!)
📍Castelvecchio and Ponte Scaligero
📍Piazzale Castel San Pietro
📍Ponte Pietra

Verona is one of my most favourite stops in Italy, which leads me to the next and final stop - Venice - which whilst unique due to the water, and still beautiful it just didn’t match the hype for me. Controversial I’m sure.

“The floating city” with its floating palaces, shimmering canals, rich history, and incredible art is a unique experience.

Sites to check out in Venice:
📍Visit St. Mark’s Square and Doge’s Palace
📍Bridge of Sighs
📍Admire Venice From Above at Campanile
📍Take a Gondola Ride
📍Cross the famous Rialto Bridge

We didn’t venture into the nearby islands, but from what I’ve heard they are worthy of exploring!

23/09/2025

Stop 4: Cinque Terre 😍

Cinque Terre is a string of five ancient, colourful fishing villages in northwestern Italy’s Liguria region, known for their rugged coastal landscape, terraced vineyards, and picturesque architecture. The “Five Lands”—Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore—are connected by scenic hiking trails and a local train line, forming the Cinque Terre National Park, a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. Key attractions include the hiking trails, local seafood and pesto, regional wine, and the unique atmosphere of each village.

This was my favourite stop on our trip! Was it busy? Absolutely! But it was just stunning and loved that the train connects you to all 5 villages so you can explore each of them - all offering something worth while seeing.

The Five Villages….

Monterosso al Mare:
The largest village, known for its beaches, lidos, and a wider variety of accommodation options.

Vernazza: A picturesque village with a bustling port, colourful houses, and a charming central piazza.

Corniglia: Perched high on a cliff, it’s a quieter village with unique streets and beautiful views.

Manarola: Famous for its iconic colourful houses cascading down the cliffside and its scenic beauty.

Riomaggiore: The southernmost village, it offers vibrant streets and a classic Italian coastal atmosphere.

We stayed in Corniglia, and it was the quietest but to reach the bottom to access the train, you have to take the bus which can mean queueing a little bit but I think it was worth it for the quiet streets in the height of summer.

We swam in the harbour, spent a day at the beach, ate far too much ice cream, and admired all the colours of each village.

05/08/2025

Stop 3: Florence & Pisa

Geographically small but culturally rich, Florence — two hours northwest of Rome — is home to some of the greatest art and architecture in the world. Florence offers visitors a brimming bucket list of masterpieces, topped by Michelangelo’s David, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, and Brunelleschi’s heavenly dome.

Florence is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance. A turbulent political history included periods of rule by the powerful Medici family, religious and republican revolution. From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. Florence is often known as the “Jewel of the Renaissance

We spent 2 nights in Florence and here’s some of things to explore:

📍Piazzale Michelangelo:
Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Florence, especially at sunset
📍Piazza della Signoria:
A historic gathering place with impressive sculptures and the Palazzo Vecchio - we had dinner in the evening in the piazza and a classic musical concert was playing and it was beautiful.
📍The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence Cathedral), also known as the Duomo di Firenze and Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, is the city’s shining star.
📍The Campanile di Giotto (Giotto’s Bell Tower) offers lovely views over all of Florence, just like the Cupola does, but it also grants you that iconic vantage point of the Dome itself
📍The Piazza della Signoria (Square of the Lordship) is another main square in Florence,There’s the Nettuno (Neptune) fountain, the David statue copy in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, and Loggia de Lanzi
📍Uffizi Gallery and/or Accademia Gallery
📍Explore the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens

Leaving Florence we stopped at Pisa… how could we not??

We had to do the standard poses, and see the leaning tower for ourselves. We had just enough time for lunch before we had to jump back on the train for our next stop…

13/07/2025

“When in Rome” ….

Stop 2 on our Italian road trip took us to Rome.

A City of Contrasts: Rome is a place of striking contrasts. While it boasts magnificent historical sites, it’s also a bustling, modern metropolis with a vibrant street life. The city can be chaotic and crowded, but this very energy contributes to its unique charm. It’s a city that can be both overwhelming and inspiring, with something to offer everyone.

We spent 4 nights, 5 days in Rome and visited the following;

📍The Colosseum
📍 ..and Roman Forum
(We booked a combined ticket, with guide, and recommend you do so in advance. This allows you to access Arena Floor, Underground, and the upper levels (Attic) at the Colesseum
📍Trevi Fountain
📍Pantheon
📍St. Peter’s Basilica
📍Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
(We didn’t book this initially because we were told the queues we would be awful in the heat but we headed there and got talked into a tour which got us in quickly - so glad we did!)
📍Forum Romanum & Palatine Hills
📍Piazza Navona
📍Castel Sant’Angelo
📍Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
📍Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna)

It was busy, and recommend taking a collapsible water flask, we took 2 and attached them our bags with carabiner clip.
Rome has numerous public drinking fountains called “nasoni” (plural of “nasone”) that offer free, clean, and constantly flowing water from the city’s ancient aqueducts. These fountains are a common sight throughout Rome, and the water is safe to drink!

But even with how busy it was, it didn’t take anything away from our experience. Rome is a top destination for a reason - for its history, art, architecture, and beauty. Oh and maybe the tasty pasta and gelato helped!!

Address

Southampton

Telephone

+447889318837

Website

http://emmafitsell.InteleTravel.uk/

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