Idyllic Italy - Tips for Finding and Renting Your Ideal Apartment or Villa


Apartment terrace in Ortigia, Sicily	Photo by S. Kane

These tips apply to selecting apartments in the major cities of Italy, including Rome, Venice, and Florence, as well as to selecting apartments and villas in Tuscany, such as Greve, Panzano, Radda, or Siena; in Umbria, such as Assisi, Spoleto, Bevagna, Montefalco, Orvieto, or Perugia; in Cinque Terre; on the Amalfi Coast; in Sicily; and, in fact, wherever you might want to stay in Italy.

We've assembled these tips to inform you about differences in Italy that you might not have anticipated and to help you select an apartment or villa that will fulfill your expectations and even delight you.

Reserve as early as possible so that you’ll have the broadest choice.
When inquiring about the price, make sure you are aware of all the charges. Many apartments have a base price to which additional charges are added. There is considerable variation from one agency or apartment owner to another. For example, you may be charged according to usage for electricity, heat (or air conditioning), and telephone. You may also be charged for linens, for a final cleaning, and an agency fee.
Consider renting for two weeks or longer in one apartment, basing yourself in a town or city with good transportation from which you can make day trips. Many agencies list properties where stays of more than a week are deeply discounted.
Make sure the location suits the things you want to do. If in a city, do you want to be close to the major museums, shopping, theaters, restaurants, markets, neighborhood food shops, parks, sport facilities, or some combination of these attractions?
Many Italian apartments offer a terrace and some offer a garden. Many apartments have attractive views. Some apartments face an interior courtyard. If you would like such a feature, make sure to inquire about it.
Do you want a fully equipped kitchen? Some apartments provide just a burner or two without an oven. Note that many apartments are equipped with very small refrigerators, the size used in college dorms. Some apartments provide a dishwasher and a washing machine, although many do not. Another appliance discovery is that some washing machines also function as dryers.
Do you want antique or modern furnishings? It is not uncommon for an apartment to have many modern pieces with a few select antique pieces.
Do you like a lot of natural light, or are you content with a limited amount of sunlight? Some city apartments are on lower levels of a building, with neighboring buildings close by, so the light may be limited. Some cottages that are converted farm buildings may have limited light and limited views. Once we rented a beautiful apartment that was a converted stable. The view we had seen in the catalog, a panoramic view of the city of Florence, was the view from the villa itself. However, our converted stable had small windows and faced a small lawn. We requested a refund, which was graciously given to us, and we moved to our favorite hotel in Fiesole.
Do you like to climb stairs? Remember that what Americans call the first floor is the ground floor in Italy. Our second floor is their first floor, and so on. Remember, too, that in older Italian buildings, the ceilings can be quite tall so that the stairs from one floor to the next might be many more steps than what you might expect. Elevators have been installed in many palazzos, but some do not have them.
Are you or your traveling companions light sleepers? If so, and if you plan to rent a city apartment, check about the noise level in the apartment. Some apartment listings specify whether the apartment is quiet but many do not. Apartments on upper floors and bedrooms facing a courtyard, regardless of floor level, usually ensure quiet bedrooms.
When selecting an apartment or villa in the countryside, make sure to inquire about the access road. Some apartments and villas in the most picturesque settings have an unpaved access road, which may be steep and winding. Such a road is known as a strada bianca (white road). The road appears white because of the limestone content of the soil. If such driving conditions concern you, make sure to ask.
When selecting an apartment or villa in the countryside, also consider the distance to a town with food shops, restaurants, a bakery, an enoteca, etc. It is very pleasant to be within a short drive (or even within walking distance) of such amenities.
What type of services would you like at the villa or apartment that you rent? Some properties provide maid service or the service of a cook at an hourly rate. Some properties provide wine tastings. Some properties prepare a meal for their guests once a week or so by reservation.
If you will be renting an apartment or villa in the warmer months, be advised that most properties in Italy do not put screens on their windows and many properties do not have air conditioning. Many Italians rely on a small device that resembles a nightlight and plugs into an electric socket. You insert a mosquito repellent disk into this device, and it is remarkably effective. Some properties provide rather glamorous canopies of mosquito netting.
If you are renting during warm weather and would like a pool, make sure to check when the pool will be available. For some properties, the pool season is much shorter than you might expect and for others, it is much longer. Note, too, that some pools do not have a shallow end but are the same depth for the whole pool.