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When you travel with intention, time slows down. Daily worries get reshuffled. Patience for nonsense disappears.

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A woman with blonde hair wearing sunglasses, a denim jacket, a grey top, black pants, and black open-toe shoes standing on a cobblestone street in a European town with colorful buildings and outdoor market stalls.
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Hi! I’m Melissa, the owner of Tres Travel Design. I fell in love with immersive travel on my first culinary trip to Italy with my mom. Sharing recipes that had been passed down through generations made me feel like I'd been welcomed into Tuscan culture, even for just a week. I knew then that I wanted to create the same profound connections for others—while carefully respecting local communities, the principles of sustainability and the joy of traveling with intention.

All of this influences how I choose my partners—smaller boutique hotels, river cruises that emphasize truly local experiences, local craftspeople, artisans, and guides who create unforgettable moments, highly personalized restaurant suggestions, properties that source regional products and experiences for their guests.

My passion is giving you an experience that touches your soul, brings you joy. I get to know you, your travel wish list and preferences and then I pour everything into curating your personalized itinerary—making your dream trip one that will leave you forever changed.

Let's go
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Fully curated and customized itineraries

Private and small group tours

Women-only, solo travel, couples and multi-generational groups

Luxury, local, and unique boutique hotels and villas

Small ship ocean and river cruises

Specialty/adventure travel

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Europe

Italy, in particular

North and South America

Mexico and the Caribbean

Canada

Anywhere close to water

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Wine and culinary excursions

Active adventures (golf, pickleball, snorkeling, hiking)

Cultural immersions

Wellness destinations

Local artisan and craftspeople access

You dream it. We’ll make it reality.

Ready to get started? Schedule an Inspire call.

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  • A collage of three images: left - a garden with a gravel path, trees, with a poolside view with a person's legs in the water, overlooking mountains and a lake; right - a plain light blue background. Honeymoon in Spain.

    Tuscany, Cannes, Mallorca

    “Working with Melissa and Tres Travel Design turned our wedding and honeymoon trip across Italy, southern France, and Mallorca from ‘well-planned’ into truly unforgettable. In a world full of booking apps and automated ‘deals,’ Melissa is the advantage you can’t click: she personally knows hotel managers and on-the-ground insiders across Europe, and those relationships translated into welcomed upgrades, VIP touches, and access we simply could not have arranged ourselves. Every handoff—trains, planes, cars, boats, check-ins, dining—was seamless, and when plans shifted, Melissa was already three steps ahead with smooth fixes. She balanced celebration and downtime perfectly, curated experiences that felt personal, and protected our time so we could actually enjoy the moments that mattered. If you want a fantastic, stress-free trip with the kind of insider options that make you feel like a true guest, not a reservation number, work with Melissa. We’ll never plan another trip to Europe without her.”

    Rebecca and TJ

  • Close-up of a hand holding a chocolate gelato cone on a table at an outdoor café with blurred chairs and tables in the background; scenic view of rolling hills and trees at sunset with a tall cypress tree in the foreground. Trip to Umbria.

    Umbria, Florence

    "Melissa was extremely helpful in planning a trip for us to the Umbria region of Italy - plus an end-of-trip visit to Florence. She knows a lot about Italy and its regions, cities and sites. She is well-versed in Italian food, wine, restaurants and accommodations. After identifying options for us to stay in Umbria, she booked a relaxing country house, with pool, not far from Orvieto. She planned day trips for us to quaint towns like Todi, Assisi, Orvieto and a great winery tour in Montioni. She also directed us to many good restaurants (from small to sophisticated) throughout our trip, including in Florence. Melissa’s attention to detail and knowledge of Italy made our trip easy. Instead of stressing over details, we could simply enjoy the journey."

    Cheryl and Lyle

  • Scenic view of the coastline with a body of water, cliffs, and buildings on a hill, featuring a lamp post and greenery in the foreground. Trip to Italy, Florence, Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Rome.

    Rome, Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast

    We appreciate all the special touches Melissa extended to us.
    The thoughtful and personal welcome notes, the delicious
    and refreshing beverages after a long day of travel, and of course,
    the care and attention to detail, that only Melissa can create!
    What a joy it was, to be in her care!
    Mona And Jeff

  • Photo of historic European cityscape with church spire, and an indoor hall with high arched ceilings illuminated in blue, decorated with a Christmas tree, Stockholm and Copenhagen travel, Festive Season.

    Christmas in Stockholm and Copenhagen

    “The two of us, along with our parents, worked with Melissa and Tres Travel Design to plan a family Christmas trip to Stockholm and Copenhagen. What an amazing trip she put together. All the details, from airport pickups, to hotel and restaurant choices, to the tours she arranged, were superb. It was a magical time to visit both countries, with Christmas markets in Stockholm and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen beautifully decorated. Traveling as adults with our parents was a treat, and Melissa’s careful attention allowed us to relax and enjoy each and every day together.”

    Amelia and Olivia

  • A collage with the left side showing ancient Roman ruins with stone arches and a domed building in the background under a blue sky. The right side depicts a family of three walking down a tree-lined street, holding hands, multigen travel, Rome, Italy

    Multi-generation trip to Rome

    Melissa was outstanding to work with. She was very responsive and provided us with many options for housing, tours, and restaurants. The trip she planned for us to Rome was for 3 generations, which included our son and daughter in law and their 20 month old daughter. Melissa was very careful to include appropriate options for our granddaughter with every activity. She also planned an overnight stay for our son and daughter in law to Florence and a one day trip for the two of us to Orvieto. In addition, she provided very helpful information on trip insurance and provided frequent updates for us before we left about what kind of delays EES was causing at the Rome airport. She has already planned a trip for us in 2027.

    Barb and Tom

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Pura Vida Costa Rica
two coasts sandwiching wild jungles
catch-of-the-day in acidic ceviche
markets bursting with pineapple and papaya
dreamy spas that commune with the tree tops

Amsterdam: Bicycles parked along a bridge over a canal in a city with buildings and trees lining the waterway and boats floating in the water, under a partly cloudy sky.
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Cruise the Rhine
Amsterdam's colorful canals and tulips
Ghent's breathtaking medieval beauty
charming German castles dotting the Rhine
the fairy tale streets of Strasbourg

Vineyard in Umbria with grapevines and grape clusters growing along wooden posts under a clear blue sky.
Blank black background with the word 'immerse' written in white cursive font.

Umbria, the Green Heart of Italy
enchanting hill towns Todi and Assisi
Deruta's ancient pottery traditions
cooking lessons with a nonna
the intoxicating red Montefalco Sagrantino

Four countries. Legendary wine regions. One extraordinary river. 
This is Europe at its most indulgent. Before it gets too hot and too crowded. Wind your way through Vienna’s grand Baroque boulevards. An exclusive wine festival in Spitz. The ro
While on Kaua’i for a week I was able to tour the @1hotel.hanaleibay I’m not sure there are words to describe how lovely and serene it is. If you are a spa person, this is your happy place. The north side of Kaua’i is lush, colorfu
Packing for a trip that’s been on my list for a very long time. Jungle. Ocean. Every shade of green. Lots of cute creatures (and maybe a few scary ones). 
Any guesses?
I can’t wait to share. @selectedescapes @andavotrav #curatingjoy #inte
LET'S GO