I road-tested Dua Lipa’s honeymoon route before she did – here is how to do the same trip, for less

Pop into the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast needs no introduction from me, but, as expected, it can be oversaturated. If you’re looking for somewhere to enjoy those views but brimming with character and authenticity, book a night or two at Monastero Santa Rosa.

Hidden away in the fishing village of Conca dei Marini, this 17th-century monastery reimagines what was once the home of wool-clad nuns, who busily baked their signature cream-filled pastries within its walls. Today, it is all arched ceilings, stone walls and terraces that splay down the hillside towards the sea. It delivers the Amalfi fantasy without making you feel as though you have wandered directly into the background of someone else’s proposal shoot.

Say ciao to the Roman Coast

With so many coasts, coves and fishing villages to choose from in Italy, the Roman coast is not often the first place people mention for a beach holiday. But if you know, you know. From Amalfi, it is a decent four-hour journey, so hire a car and make the drive part of the point with sea views, roadside coffee and the particular thrill of navigating hairpin Italian roads while pretending to be more relaxed than you are.

Here, you’ll find Ladispoli, a small but ancient town that even many Italians consider something of a hidden gem. It is not buzzing, exactly, but history lovers can visit the medieval Castello di Odescalchi and Borgo di Ceri, a preserved 13th-century hilltop village with a cluster of local restaurants.

Megan at La Posta

Megan Murray

The big reason to come, though, is La Posta Vecchia. The hotel may already be lodged somewhere in your subconscious thanks to its iconic yellow umbrellas and vaulted-ceiling indoor pool. But it’s only once you arrive that you understand just how storied it is.

La Posta Vecchia was once the Roman hideaway of J. Paul Getty, the American oil tycoon, billionaire and collector of Italian artefacts. After the Sciò family took over the estate in the 1970s, many of its antiques remained in place. The result is a grand old house where you can wander around, pick through bookshelves, sink into sofas and briefly pretend you have always lived like this.