For all you fashion lovers out there, the Italian Concierge brings you a report on the recent Fashion Week in Milan, Italy. Milan Fashion Week, presenting the Spring 2016 collections, took place from Feb 24 to March 2.
World renowned classical singer Andrea Bocelli is preparing for his 2016 world tour. In addition to playing in several important international arenas, perhaps his most noteworthy show will take place in his hometown of Lajatico, Italy.
I’ve recently returned from a trip scouting even more villa options for clients in Italy’s most desirable vacation areas, because villas increasingly provide an ideal price-quality ratio for discerning travelers.
Italy consistently ranks as the most expensive place in Europe for hotels. The Trivago Hotel Price Index name Venice, at 281 euros per night on average, more costly than famously pricy London, Stockholm and Geneva.
But, thankfully for families and groups planning an Italian summer, villa rentals all around the boot are primed to accommodate travelers disenchanted with astronomical hotel rates. Thanks for the recession, more rental properties are available than every before, as Italians open their previously private second homes to rentals, and owners are in the mood to negotiate.
As you narrow your choices for next summer’s accommodation now, to secure the best properties at the best prices, keep in mind these three key villa rental booking tips:
1. Solidify Your Group’s Priorities First
Take an informal poll of the one or two things each person wants to get out of the trip and the things they can’t live without.
The answers may surprise you—even from your own spouse!
Some normally tight-laced individuals will want to taste all the wine they can in one week, while otherwise easy-going friends may have very specific needs in regard to their bedroom and bathroom requirements.
2. Italian Villa Rentals Run Saturday to Saturday
Most properties book at weekly rates, but the structure of that week is not up to the guest.
It is customary throughout the country for villa stays to run Saturday to Saturday with packed roads each Saturday as visitors move from one property to the next.
Try to structure your travel dates accordingly, with one night on each end in a hotel in the city you are flying in and out of.
3. Tuscany is a Big Place: Where Do You Want to Go Exactly?
Even if you know that you want to rent a villa, the biggest question is where, and it’s more complicated than you think.
Tuscany, maybe? Well, it’s a big region. And there may be other areas that have the same attractions or features you’re interested in at a better price point or in greater quantities.
We can help you find the right area to match your interests and budget, whatever the region.
On the blog, we usually like to keep things short, but we recently did a feature on Italian beaches in the newsletter, and I couldn’t contain myself.
With 4,725 miles of coastline with beaches of every color, temperature, variety and backdrop, it’s impossible not to gush.
Since Roman times, the coasts of Italy have hosted vacations to stars and powerful political figures from around the world. But they're not just for the rich and famous, of course.
For the summer, Italians everywhere decamp to the coast, whether near, such as the lucky Ligurians and Puglians who really don't have very far to go, or far, like the Romans who head to glamorous Amalfi or Ponza, undiscovered by US market, or the well-heeled Milanese who like to spend their summers "roughing" it in Calabria or travel down to the heel to Puglia.
Here’s our guide to Italy’s best beaches on each coast of the boot: