We travel for many different reasons—for work, to relax, or maybe to check off a bucket-list item. But there’s something every traveler enjoys—making friends and family jealous with amazing trip photos. For many of us nowadays, choosing the right Instagram snaps to post while we’re away is just as important as finding a great local restaurant. We’ve taken the guesswork out of your next trip with these seven villas in Italy. Each one is a sure-fire Instagram winner, set to inspire trip envy in all of your followers, and you get a luxury Italian vacation at the same time. It’s win-win!

1. Villa Dorata

The gorgeous sun terrace at Villa Dorata on the Amalfi Coast

A classic stone palazzo with stone columns, exquisite painted ceilings and an uninterrupted view of the Mediterranean, Villa Dorata is the choice to go for a classic Amalfi vacation. Painted sun-baked red and bathed in golden sunlight, the villa has four bedrooms and overlooks the tiled roofs and lemon trees dotted along the coast. You can spend your days hiking the Path of the Gods, sunning yourself on the terrace overlooking the water or walking down to the chic town of Positano (just 15 minutes away) for coffee with a side of people watching.
When night falls, head downstairs to your private spa, complete with indoor pool, sauna, steam room, hot tub, massage room (a masseuse can be arranged) and waterfall. Blissful sleep guaranteed!
Top Instagram Shot: The private sun terrace overlooking the Mediterranean

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2. Podere Panico

Just outside Siena along a well-trodden pilgrimage route to Rome, Podere Panico has welcomed many weary travelers over its four-hundred-year history, so you’ll be in very good company as you drive up to the front door. Don’t let its humble past fool you, however, as today Podere Panico is one of the most luxurious homes you can find in Tuscany. There are six sumptuous bedrooms complete with silky-soft linens and spacious en-suites, a chef-level kitchen (plus a chef can be arranged to cook for you), infinity pool and miles of beautiful rolling countryside. Private wine tastings, massages, and yoga classes can also be arranged.
There’s really no reason to ever leave the property during your vacation, but you really should take the time to explore the historic city of Siena and take a day trip to Florence, only 50 miles away.
Top Instagram Shot: Capturing the view from the master bedroom’s private terrace

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3. Baraquiel Relais

The unique style of Baraquiel Relais will appeal to architecture buffs

Built from 11 traditional stone “Trulli”—quirky cone-shaped homes once typical to Puglia—the architecture of Baraquiel Relais will delight at every turn. The home pays homage to its unique origins but has been expertly decorated to ensure guests have every comfort. Each of the bedrooms is spacious and light, and the common areas have been designed with vacation in mind—an shaded outdoor kitchen/dining area invites you to relax over a delicious meal (maybe pizza cooked in your own pizza oven), while the swimming pool with plenty of parasols and loungers provides plenty of room for the whole group to enjoy the sunshine.
The beautiful medieval town of Ostuni is just a short distance away and has a number of excellent restaurants serving fresh seafood and typical Puglian dishes like Orecchiette, hand-rolled pasta (the word means little ears in Italian), served with broccoli rabe, garlic and a glass of local wine.
Top Instagram Shot: A night-time shot of the villa all lit up with its pointed roofs

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4. Villa Concetta

You’ll enjoy panoramic views from every room at Villa Concetta in Lake Como

Alongside the banks of beautiful Lake Como (where George Clooney also has a home), Villa Concetta is the perfect destination for a getaway in Northern Italy. Just over a hundred years old, it has been welcoming illustrious visitors ever since—and it was even painted by the former British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The home has a lot of things to recommend it, including a wood-fired pizza oven and even a mini spa with aromatherapy hot tub, but it’s the views that really take the cake. Como is famous for its beautiful sunsets, and you can enjoy yours from the rooftop terrace, Aperol Spritz in hand.
The charming towns of Bellagio and Como are wonderful to explore, and you can reach them by boat from the town of Pigra, just half a mile away. The tiny island of Comacina, only accessible by boat, is home to Benvenuto Puricelli’s famous restaurant little else, is an absolute must-visit. The delicious, deceptively simple menu has stayed the same for 50 years and focuses on using all local produce.
Top Instagram Shot: A view of the lake and surrounding hills take from the roof terrace

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5. Il Parco del Principe

Both the interior and exterior of Il Parco del Principe in Tuscany look like they fell straight from the pages of Architectural Digest, which makes this villa ideal for the serious Instagrammer. Virtually every vista is worthy of your time, and your camera; the tree-lined avenue leading up to the gates, the romantic outdoor bedroom lit with candles, the outdoor dining area laid for a Tuscan feast, the list goes on.
Do try to put your camera down for a few minutes though; after all, there’s the swimming pool to enjoy and the thermal baths to visit at Chianciano, which has been welcoming visitors to its restoring waters since pre-Roman times. You can brush up on your cooking skills with a class in the villa’s expansive kitchen, then enjoy an al fresco dinner before curling up with a glass of local Multipulciano and watching a classic movie in the media room. Oh, and did we mention, the beds are absolutely divine.
Top Instagram Shot: The curtained, four-poster, open-air bed surrounded by candles

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The post 5 Italian Villas that will Make Your Instagram Followers Jealous appeared first on Luxury Retreats Magazine.