5 reasons to rent a villa in tuscany

1. Views, views and more views!

2. Live like the Italians do.

3. Cook using local ingredients.

4. Avoid the tourist hordes.

5. Slow down… isn’t that what vacations are for?

We just got back from another glorious trip to the Chianti region in Italy. Two weeks of relaxing in the Tuscan countryside, with meals on the terrace, morning excursions to our favorite coffee bar and remembering how joyfully the whole of Italy embraces food, wine and conversation.

If you haven’t rented a villa property abroad, I highly encourage you to consider it for a future vacation. Not only is it cost effective (especially if you go with another family), it takes you out of the typical tourist experience of hot, crowded cities, (sometimes) overpriced meals, and the need to cram in as much as possible.

Staying in an Italian home allows you to adopt a much slower pace.

Views, views and more views

It starts with the quiet of a country morning. The only sounds are distant roosters and cicadas in the trees. The morning sun is warm and inviting; almost everyone in the house is still asleep. I like to sit on the terrace and soak in the spectacular views. It’s like a postcard come to life and occasionally, the effect is startling. Take, for instance, the view from our bathroom window (below).

Rather than look in the mirror when brushing and flossing, I am transfixed by the view. This is why we stay at L’Aiolina, a farm property outside Siena. Owned by a charming couple, Piero and Rosalba, it offers stunning vistas, peace and quiet, and the ability to commune with both nature and people.

Live like the Italians do

Staying at L’Aiolina (in the lone house on the property, Il Fienile) allows us to pretend we’re natives, even if just for a few weeks. We start most mornings as the locals do, with an espresso or cappuccino. One of the best may be found at Bar Dante Alighieri (Radda in Chianti). About 15 minutes drive from our house and it’s time for coffee and conversation. Note that this is the region of the “strada bianca” – unpaved country roads that spit up tons of white dust – so it’s a short distance but a slow drive.

The proprietors, Fabrizzio and Carolyn, are delightful. He’s Italian, she’s British and they’ve been together 20+ years.

Standing at the bar, watching them pull perfect espresso shots and conversing in a mix of Italian and English is pure heaven to me. This trip, I discovered macchiato – espresso with a dollop of steamed milk. One sip and I was hooked! To me, espresso in Italy is smoother and creamier than in the U.S.; Paul swears it’s less caffeinated, too.

The boys were bummed they no longer serve gelato. Fabrizzio is the one who initiated our custom of “breakfast gelato” for the kids (which allowed us to slowly savor our coffees). Luckily, Bar Dante Alighieri has amazing cream-filled croissants to fill the void!

Cook using local ingredients

Speaking of food, we spent HOURS at the local shops, delightfully perusing the produce, meat/cheese and fresh pasta sections. Our friends, Luis and Becky (who shared the house with us along with their teenage son and daughter) jumped right into our “cook like Italians” mode. Becky even BAKED using Italian ingredients. One day, she whipped up light and airy pancakes from the items below. That girl has an Italian soul… don’t you think?

Avoid the tourist hordes

Most of all, we were able to cherry pick our visits to picturesque Tuscan villages. In the day time, many hill towns like Siena and San Gmignano are overrun by exhaust-spewing buses and endless tour groups lead by people holding umbrellas. By taking a more leisurely approach, (for instance, heading into town in the late afternoon or evening), we were able to enjoy more relaxing experiences. We also tried to have one or two meals at home each day; leaving time to lounge around the pool in the afternoon or watch the kids hunt fireflies at dusk.

Slow down

In short, renting a villa in Tuscany allowed us to do what we most needed to do: slow down and savor the experience. In the past, we’ve returned from vacations exhausted from cramming in too much (influenced by what tour books say you shouldn’t miss). These days, we don’t worry about seeing and doing everything. Hopefully, we’ll get back to Italy again and cross a few more items off our bucket list!

To inquire about short-term stays at L’Aiolina, visit their website at: http://www.aiolina.it/eng/home.html