The weather outside is frightful—but somewhere a plane ride away there’s a beach, spicy margaritas, and sunshine.
Fortune’s The Good Life has spent the best part of this year finding out how those who have made it enjoy the fruits of their labor, from how they spend their bonus money to where they vacation. And it seems that Italy and the Maldives are popular choices for a getaway among this cattle of leaders.
Scroll on to find out where CEOs are taking their vacations in 2025 for a dose of inspiration—or, envy.
Somewhere mountainous
“For a few years, I lived in Grenoble, France, while I was at Schneider Electric, and I became addicted to mountains. The fresh air, the silence, and the crystal-clear lakes you can literally just jump right into. And the occasional cowbell in the distance.
So, I think the next time we travel with the family, we’ll probably head towards the mountains in Austria or Italy.”
Kim Povlsen, president and CEO, Universal Robots.
Italy, Sicily
“For my next trip, I’m off to Sicily to enjoy amazing food, drink great wine, and spend time with the whole family together in a country full of rich history.”
Andrea Rasca, founder and CEO, Mercato Metropolitano.
Bali, Indonesia
“Next on the list for a travel destination is Bali. My husband suggested this the other evening actually and I was very surprised at the idea but now I can’t wait to book.
“I’m not very good at taking holidays, so normally, there’s been one every few years. However, this year, we’ve been lucky and had four trips. I enjoy exploring somewhere new or somewhere that I haven’t been in a long time, and that’s what we did earlier in the year. We went to Malta, and I’d been there before but not for a long time.”
Rachel Watkyn, founder and CEO of Tiny Box Company, the U.K.’s largest online green packaging business and the most successful woman to ever appear on Dragon’s Den—or Shark Tank for the Americans.
Anywhere in Italy
“I do visit Italy every year during the summer—it’s a must. Capri, Amalfi Coast, Forte dei Marmi, and Sardinia are some of my favorite places to enjoy the summer. I also love spending at least one or two weeks in the Alps every year. I always do a bit of work during the week when I’m on holiday as it’s impossible to completely switch off when you have a startup, but I do try to disconnect on the weekends. This year’s holiday itinerary is Forte dei Marmi, Portofino, St. Moritz, and Positano. I made the decision to not travel too far this year as I’ve already had an intense year of traveling with work.”
Alfonso de Gaetano, founder and CEO of the fine wine club Crurated.
Probably Portugal
I have a campervan, so my holiday view is never the same and I can take holidays at least twice a month. I also love Portugal and have been every year for the last 18 years or so. Mostly staying in or around Monchique in the hills of the Algarve. The original attraction was the sun and the west coast beaches, but recently the food scene has picked up hugely. My favorite pizza place in the world is Arte Bianca in Aljezur.
Camilla Barnard, co-founder of Rude Health.
Maldives
“The one time my wife and I can both have a big holiday and really switch off is Christmas and New Years. We’ve spent the last few years in the Maldives, and we’ll be returning again this year. It’s a real splurge, but it’s an incredible place to really switch off and forget about the rest of the world.”
David Abrahamovitch, founder and CEO of Grind.
Italy, Amalfi Coast
“The past few years I haven’t really been able to detach from work or take a proper holiday—personally, I find it hard to relax whilst being away from work or the office for too long. That said, I love the South of France, my business partner recently hosted us in Antibes, and I’ll most definitely be looking to return this year for a long weekend. The Amalfi Coast is on my bucket list, so I’ll be making some time to visit there in the next few years.”
Tom Grogan, chief of Wingstop U.K.
Maldives and Berlin
“I do a lot of short frequent trips for work and I really enjoy city breaks. For holidays, we will go as a family to the same hotel in the Maldives every Christmas and New Year. It’s amazing as it feels like home and all the same people go every year who I now call friends. I am very much a “people-person” so don’t enjoy destinations that are too quiet.
The rest of the time we try to go to new places. The next place I am going to is Berlin. I’ve never been but can’t wait for the sightseeing as I’m a bit of a Cold War geek and love immersing myself in the history of places.”
Hanushka Toni, founder and CEO, Sellier.
Skiing and Cornwall
“What’s next on my vacation list? 3 or 4 ski trips, some downhill, some touring, and heli (off-trail, where the skier reaches the top of the mountain by helicopter) if I’m lucky. All my family and friends are ski nuts. I tend to also go on a cycling trip with friends to some mountains somewhere. We have a house on the North Coast of Cornwall to escape to, which backs onto dunes, the sea and surf — I’ll get in the water every day and walk or run the cliff tops with the family and the dog. And then somewhere interesting or hot. Last year it was Sumba and Komodo in Indonesia, this year Croatia. How many is that? Not enough!”
Colin Waggett, CEO, Third Space.
