Have you ever wondered when we stopped waiting for Christmas and started choosing how and where to spend it?
(ndr: question by the fireplace with a glass of red wine in hand, I know).
Every year I find myself thinking about it.
But Christmas, the real Christmas, is not about frenzy, but mainly about time to devote to yourself and your loved ones. Slow days, silences that become home, tables filled with people and aromas.
This year, I have decided not to rush but to savor, not to be swept up in the whirlwind of complex organization, but to abandon myself to the skilled hands of those who select each location with care and knowledge of the area.
I have chosen care and authenticity: at Christmas, my family and I will be guests at an Italian villa, courtesy of Emma Villas.
Italy of a thousand Christmases
There is an Italy that dresses itself in light in December, but not to be noticed: to remember who it is.
It is an Italy made up of details: of lit fireplaces behind ancient windows, of silver olive trees in the morning, of scents that change every hundred kilometers.
And every Emma Villas villa is a small fragment of this mosaic, a setting that tells a different way of experiencing Christmas.
Tuscany, the beating heart at the center
Tuscany is the center of my Christmas imagination, and also of my country. It is a region that combines elegance and warmth, art and rurality.
Here, the hills resemble soft waves, the villages are stone nativity scenes, and the fireplaces not only heat the houses but also warm relationships, providing a suspended space in which to come together.
In a Tuscan villa, Christmas smells of new oil and wine breathing in barrels.
(ndr: and yes, also of cantucci left on the table “for later,” which is always “right away”).
Villas in Tuscany become homes of contemporary memory: large living rooms, exposed beams, kitchens where laughter mingles with toasts.
It is the heart of Emma Villas, its parent company, and perhaps this is why every experience here seems tailor-made.
Le ville scelte dal nostro team
Villa Irma stands among the rolling hills of Siena, with an elegance that exudes tradition and homeliness. Large, bright spaces, exposed beams, lit fireplaces, and a garden overlooking endless vineyards: here, every detail speaks of comfort and authenticity.
Higher up, Pieve di San Giovanni It embodies the most elegant side of Tuscany: an ancient rural church transformed into an exclusive residence; refined rooms, a private spa, designer furnishings, and an atmosphere suspended between history and modernity.
(ndr: Tuscany is a manifesto for Emma Villas: it is the land where it all began, where the concept of “tailor-made” hospitality finds its purest form.)
Central Italy: balance and harmony
From the heart of Tuscany, it takes very little to cross over into Umbria, Marche, or rural Lazio: a quiet and sincere Italy, where life still follows the rhythms of the land. It is here that Christmas reclaims its time: a lunch that lasts for hours, a stroll through the village, a midnight mass that smells of mulled wine and candles.
Emma Villas becomes a bridge between tradition and contemporary comfort.
The residences in Umbria and Marche are authentic oases of tranquility: stone walls, private spas, fireplaces that seem to tell stories.
(ndr: the truth is that you may not want to go out anymore, not even for the midnight toast).
Le ville scelte dal nostro team
Contessa Matilde dominates the Umbrian countryside with the charm of large stone residences. Inside, elegant and well-kept spaces, a private wellness area, professional kitchen, and a porch that invites you to enjoy leisurely dinners with a view of the hills. The central fireplace becomes the heart of the home, while the winter garden offers moments of absolute peace.
(ndr: Umbria is the silent soul of our story, and also my home. It is the land that teaches us to slow down, to listen, to feel time as part of the experience. Every villa here preserves its voice.)
Tenuta Esdra is a charming villa nestled in the Lazio countryside, where nature meets wellness. Featuring an exclusive natural thermal spa, it offers refined interiors, spacious rooms, and an indoor pool that exudes tranquility and discreet luxury. It is the perfect choice for those seeking regeneration and intimacy.
(ndr: this is one of the villas that best expresses the new language of Emma Villas: wellness, exclusivity, authenticity; three words that describe our idea of Italian hospitality.)
The North: reflections of winter
Then there is the North, with its discreet elegance.
Lake Como reflecting pearl-colored skies, Lake Garda offering clear mornings and copper-colored sunsets, Piedmont smelling of truffles, woods, and fine wines.
Here, Christmas has a cinematic beauty: fewer words, more atmosphere.
The Emma Villas in the North are designer retreats, places where simplicity becomes luxury and silence is measured in heartbeats.
(ndr: if you love Guadagnino’s films, you’ll find the right soundtrack here.).
The villas chosen by our team
In Piedmont, Villa Boemia welcomes you with wood, stone, and views that smell of wine and forests: a warm and charming residence with large living spaces and a private pool.
On Lake Como, Tenuta di Eupilio it presents itself as an authentic designer retreat, set between a centuries-old park and period interiors, where light filters through the large windows overlooking the lake.
On Lake Garda, Villa Viù – part of the Domus Rental portfolio, now part of Emma Villas – combines modern lines and breathtaking views with fluid spaces and a contemporary soul designed for an international audience.
(ndr: In the North, luxury becomes atmosphere. It is not a question of shapes or materials, but of sensations: the reflection of the lake, the smell of wood, the calm. Our villas here are the most sincere expression of this.)
The South: light that endures
And then there is the South, where Christmas has a different pace, a different light.
In Puglia, the days still feel sunny, the trulli light up like lanterns, and the tables are filled with dishes that tell stories.
On the islands, the festivities open up to the sea: in Sicily, the nativity scene is a theater of baroque and citrus fruits, while in Sardinia, the tradition smells of wood and myrtle.
(ndr: spoiler – the magic is not in the gifts, but in the places that welcome them).
The villas chosen by our team
Tenuta Scialandre It is a place where white stone meets green olive trees. A scenic swimming pool, spacious porches, and a living area that smells of the Mediterranean: ideal for a Christmas under the sun.
White Stone House it reflects contemporary Puglia: clean design, total comfort, and a perfect balance between minimalist interiors and domestic warmth.
At Villa Passo degli Aironi, in Sicily, beauty is theatrical: wide open spaces, terraces overlooking the sea, and a garden that smells of citrus fruits and salty wind.
At Casa Moros, Sardinia reveals itself in an intimate way: wooden beams, handcrafted details, a view that embraces the horizon.
(ndr: For us, the South is light, hospitality, and a slow pace of life. It is a place where hospitality comes naturally, where every villa reflects the unadulterated beauty of the Mediterranean. Here, the brand rediscovers its most instinctive and authentic side.)
Here, Emma Villas accompanies those seeking a bright, authentic, Mediterranean Christmas. White villas, exposed stone, terraces overlooking the horizon: places where December is not cold, but intense.
So yes, perhaps Italy doesn’t have just one Christmas, but a thousand. Each with its own accent, its own light, its own rhythm. And Emma Villas are the best way to choose one without giving up the others… Like a slow journey through a country that, in December, returns to whispering its story.
Villas open for Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Some dream of snow on the lake, while others imagine the golden light of a sunset in the countryside.
Some want the silence of an isolated villa, while others seek the warmth of a large hall filled with voices.
The truth? With Emma Villas, you can choose all of this.
During the holidays, our villas remain open: charming residences nestled among olive groves, overlooking the most beautiful villages or suspended among the reflections of the northern lakes.
You can explore them all here 👉 Villas open for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Each property is an invitation to experience Italy not as a tourist, but as a privileged guest.
Heated pools, private spas, fireplaces, fully equipped kitchens, and rooms that seem designed for conviviality.
It is the luxury of time, freedom, and choice.
(ndr: yes, even having breakfast at noon with loud music playing.).
With Emma Villas, your Christmas begins when you decide.
Whether it’s a romantic getaway, a family reunion, or New Year’s Eve with friends, every villa becomes your temporary home.
And the best part is that everything from the first click to the key in your hand speaks the language of Italian hospitality.
Experiences in the villa (and outside the villa)
There is a moment during every vacation when a simple “getaway” becomes an experience.
That moment when you want to live the territory, not just look at it.
This is where Emma Villas Experiences comes in, a world of selected and curated activities, designed for those seeking a tailor-made stay.
You can purchase experiences directly from the website or rely on our team of Experience Specialists. 👉 Discover Here.
Cooking classes with local chefs, winery tours, massages in the villa, sunrise yoga, wine tastings, boat trips, or candlelit dinners under a pergola.
(ndr: i chose a Tuscan cooking class, and yes, it always ends with an impromptu toast and a Christmas playlist playing in the background.).
Each proposal is designed to enhance your stay, without ever distorting it.
Would you like to stay at the villa and be pampered? Someone will cook for you.
Would you like to explore the surrounding area? We will accompany you.
Would you like something unique? We will create it together, tailor-made for you.
Con Emma Villas, il viaggio non è mai standard: è un progetto d’emozione, cucito addosso come un abito sartoriale.
The dinner with a dedicated chef
That moment always arrives: the anticipation of the dinner.
The moment when everyone sits down, raises a toast, and time finally—slows down.
At Emma Villas, that moment becomes a ritual of beauty and contemporary conviviality.
Imagine: the private chef enters your kitchen, arranges the ingredients, turns on the oven, and begins to create. You are there, enjoying a glass of wine and a chat, while the aroma of truffles or fresh fish fills the house. It is an experience that speaks the language of the most authentic Italy: that of flavors, of hands cooking, of time shared.
And no, it is not a luxury for the few, but a way to restore meaning to conviviality.
(ndr: spoiler – we will discuss this in more detail in a dedicated article, because it is one of those experiences that stays with you like a perfume).
A dinner with a dedicated chef is the art of celebrating without worrying about a thing.
You enjoy the moment, Emma Villas takes care of the rest.
A Christmas that resembles you
There are trips you take to see things, and others you take to feel things.
Christmas in a villa is one of the latter.
No need to look far: just open a window and rediscover time.
It is the sound of footsteps in the courtyard, the light filtering through the wooden beams, the aroma of simmering sauce, the snow or the sea becoming part of the scenery.
(ndr: and that Christmas playlist that always starts playing when you least expect it).
With Emma Villas, you don’t just book a villa, you choose a way of life.
Your own time, your own Italy, a Christmas that suits you.
Far from the noise, close to the people who matter.
Perhaps the magic of Christmas is not something to be sought.
You just have to choose it.
👉 Discover the villa where Christmas takes time again.
Emma Villas – Natale in villa
(ndr: final spoiler… Yes, even Santa Claus would have already clicked).
