The Year of Experiential Luxury
2025 is shaping up to be the year travellers swap excess for experience.
According to Virtuoso’s latest report, 71 percent of luxury travellers are prioritising once-in-a-lifetime memories over possessions. The post-pandemic wanderlust has matured into something soulful: people want to feel their travels again.
From cliff-top villas in Amalfi to mirrored cabins beneath the Northern Lights, Europe’s most coveted stays are now defined by privacy, sustainability, and sensory design. Every detail is curated — hand-blown glassware, farm-to-table menus, geothermal spas — all wrapped in that quiet, cinematic atmosphere we’ve missed.
Summer Escapes 2025: Where the Sun Still Feels Sacred
1. Amalfi Coast, Italy — The Slow Glamour Revival
Data from Expedia shows a 43 percent rise in searches for “Amalfi villa stays 2025.” Guests are booking agriturismo-style luxury: lemon-scented terraces, vintage Fiats, and aperitivo hours with a view. Stay in Positano’s boutique Casa Privata or the newly opened Le Sirene Residences — both embody the “less crowds, more soul” movement.
2. Santorini, Greece — Private Infinity Caldera Views
Santorini bookings have rebounded 28 percent year-on-year, but the trend is shifting towards private cliff villas in Megalochori and Imerovigli. Many offer zero-waste operations and local chef menus. Think endless sunsets and Cycladic calm — the perfect manifestation spot.
3. Mallorca, Spain — Sustainable Luxury in the Balearics
2025’s Balearic buzzword: eco-luxury. Solar-powered fincas with saltwater pools and olive-grove massages dominate searches. Visit Son Net or Finca Serena for five-star serenity and farm-fresh gastronomy.
Winter and Year-Round Escapes: Europe’s Hidden Sanctuaries
4. Reykjavík & the Icelandic Countryside — Northern Light Luxury
Virtuoso data shows a 56 percent spike in luxury travel to Iceland as travellers seek thermal baths and polar clarity. Imagine floating beneath auroras at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon or sleeping in a glass-roofed forest suite near Þingvellir.
5. Lake Bled, Slovenia — Europe’s Most Instagrammed Secret
Google Trends reveals “Lake Bled luxury hotel” searches up 39 percent this year. This storybook lake offers spa resorts where guests arrive by boat, sip local wines, and hear nothing but bells from the island church.
6. Scottish Highlands — Modern Castle Retreats
ABTA’s 2025 report names Scotland a top growth destination for UK travellers seeking eco-retreats without flying far. Converted castles like Tulloch or Glencoe House combine heritage with wild wellness: cold-water swims, whisky rituals, and fire-lit nights.
The New Wave of Luxury: Sustainability & Soul
Modern luxury is becoming deeply personal. According to Skyscanner’s 2025 Travel Trends, more than 60 percent of travellers would pay extra for sustainable accommodation. Expect to see solar-panelled yachts, vegan Michelin menus, and digital detox lodges across Europe’s most exclusive resorts.
Yet even as we look ahead, there’s something eternally magnetic about old-world glamour — the kind that turns travel into theatre. Imagine sipping champagne as the European countryside glides past your window aboard the world’s most iconic train. These Orient Express holidays and Orient Express train holidays invite travellers to rediscover the art of slow, cinematic travel — all mahogany panels, Art Deco lamps, and the lingering echo of a grand piano somewhere down the carriage.
Manifest Your Next Marvellous Escape
Whether you’re drawn to Santorini’s pink-orange horizon or the Highlands’ misty silence, let your intuition lead. 2025 is the year of beautifully intentional travel— of booking places that mirror who you’re becoming.
Discover curated European experiences at marvellousescapes.com — your gateway to tailor-made journeys designed for the modern dreamer.