Staying at a villa in Italy conjures up all sorts of delights. It’s a dream held by many and lived out by travelers and tourists for centuries. It’s not just the weather or the glorious countryside. It’s the culture, the food and the complete romance of vacationing in Italy – one of the most delightful countries in the world.
Take your pick from Tuscany to Umbria, to Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy has it all, from stylish cities to ancient ruins and from colourful towns to some of the best beaches in the world. Take your holiday in Italy and you could have your pick. Staying in an Italian villa will allow you to make the best of it. What are some tips that could help you get the most from your villa experience?
Ensure you are booking with a reputable agency.
It makes perfect sense to know who you are booking with. A reputable agency will have people on the ground. They will have visited the area and the villa. You will know that you are getting exactly what you see in the pictures. Some less scrupulous agencies might take some creative license with images. You are probably travelling a long way, and a villa is not a hotel in that you can’t just switch rooms if you don’t like the view!
Have a local contact.
Again this is something that you should be able to get from the Agency. Even if you are met at the villa and given a guided tour and shown how everything works, things still go awry. The air conditioning might decide not to work, or the plumbing might develop a problem. It could happen that you lock yourself out of your villa. These scenarios are unlikely, but you don’t want to be trying to call services in a foreign country at the weekend or holiday. And besides you are there to enjoy yourselves not to worry about maintenance. Ensure that you have a similar contact for your car hire. You’ll be driving on unfamiliar roads and you never know when the weather could turn.
Understand where your villa is located.
You don’t want to be surprised to find that your villa is miles from the nearest shop or restaurant. Then again if you wanted a blissful retreat, you wouldn’t want to be in a busy and lively area. Try and find out where the nearest facilities are. Perhaps you’ll want to be able to hire a bicycle to explore the countryside. Where can you hire them? Having to drive everywhere might be a drag. There are some lovely villas in stunning locations. The hilltop villages of Puglia are enchanting. From here you’ll be able to access great beaches and explore the heel of Italy.
Find out what others thought.
It can be a great idea to know what the experiences of others were like. A travel forum could be a good way to investigate this. People who have stayed before may well be able to recommend places to go and see. Conversely, they may well be able to give you some tips to get the most from your stay. It’s also good to know information about the opening hours of shops, restaurants and where the best places are.
Ideally, you’ll be able to find a villa that will give you the best of all worlds. If you have a pool, you’ll be able to come back every day from beach or countryside and cool off. Allow the warm evenings to seduce you and prepare to enjoy all the best that an Italian villa holiday can give you.