Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni chose the Greek island of Rhodes for her summer holidays, staying in a private villa in Lindos before cutting her vacation short to travel to Washington for a high-profile meeting at the White House.

According to dimokratiki.gr, Meloni’s stay on the island was kept strictly private, with no public appearances and tight security. The news only surfaced when the villa’s owner, Manos Nikolidakis, revealed:

“We had the great honor and joy of hosting the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, in Rhodes, ensuring complete privacy while offering the authentic Greek hospitality.”

Reports indicate that Meloni left the island around ten days ago, just before her unexpected trip to the U.S., where she joined other European leaders for talks with President Donald Trump on Ukraine.

Political backlash in Italy

Meloni’s Greek holiday stirred political controversy back home. Opposition leaders accused her of “unpatriotic behavior,” especially amid reports of a 30% drop in beachgoers renting umbrellas and sunbeds at Italian resorts.

Elly Schlein, leader of the center-left Democratic Party, criticized Meloni, calling Italy’s “empty beaches” a postcard of her government, arguing that millions of Italians cannot afford vacations after three years under her leadership. She dismissed state TV broadcasts of smiling holidaymakers as propaganda orchestrated by Meloni’s appointees.

Meloni’s response to critics

According to The Times, Meloni hit back, labeling the opposition’s claims “shameful” and “anti-patriotic.” She presented government data showing that the number of Italians taking vacations in July actually rose by 1.8% compared to last year.

Meloni accused Schlein of deliberately harming Italy’s image for political gain, stating:

“Anyone who truly loves our country should not disparage it in front of the world.”