A Guide to Authentic Italian Living with Emma Villas
One of the joys of staying in our villas in Italy, is experiencing a different way of life in a new, beautiful and fascinating environment. Embracing the concept of ‘la dolce vita’, you can switch into holiday mode and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.
Compared to staying in hotels alongside other international guests or visiting Italy as part of a tour group visiting the usual sites, staying in a private home-from-home offers you a unique opportunity for enriching and authentic experiences of Italy, at your own pace.
How can a villa holiday foster an authentic Italian experience?
Your part of the Italian story
For many of our international, city-based guests, the villa experience is a welcome change from their everyday, fast-paced lifestyles. Treating your Italian villa as your home for a week or more is a delightful contrast to everyday life. Your holiday base could be a classic, converted farmhouse in rural Tuscany or a dramatic, coastal retreat overlooking the sea in Sardinia. Yet you are staying in someone’s home. It could be a prestigious ‘palazzo’ or castle owned by a family for generations or a modern retreat carefully designed for holidays in an area of outstanding natural beauty. There is always a story behind every villa we feature and an owner who has lovingly restored or furnished their house to be welcoming for their family and now for guests. Just as their story becomes a memorable part of your authentic Italian experience, you become part of the villa’s history.
Live like a local
If you are curious and open to it, you can feel like part of your local community while staying in one of our Italian villas. From chatting with a neighbour about the local olive or lemon harvest to shopping for the juiciest, freshly picked melons at your local market, or buying the catch of the day directly from a fisherman, your experience of Italy will be unique and entwined with the daily life of locals, beyond tourist hotspots.
As a visitor in Italy, you may look or sound different from residents, but you have a chance to maintain an unobtrusive, low profile as a villa guest. Moreover, by purchasing in local shops and dining out nearby, you are boosting the local economy which is beneficial for all. It feels welcome in a time of over-tourism, as we focus more on sustainability.
Slow food and al fresco dining
Choose to stay in an Italian villa and you have the chance to cook and dine together like locals, in the ‘slow food’ tradition. The villas in our exclusive collection are all equipped with kitchen facilities, allowing you to prepare meals using fresh, local ingredients sourced from nearby markets, village shops or even from your villa garden.
Although each villa you see on our website is unique, most have fabulous al fresco dining areas and some have outdoor kitchens, pizza ovens and barbecues. If you choose to book a villa with fruit trees and vegetables growing in the villa grounds, you can pick and eat your own fresh, seasonal produce. What better way to experience authentic Italy? It may even inspire you to explore traditional recipes and cooking techniques that you do not have the chance to try at home.
Alternatively, ask us about arranging for a local chef to cook a traditional dinner or lunch for you, in the privacy of your villa. It is a delightfully intimate way to celebrate a special occasion together with your family or friends and another way to sample authentic local cuisine.
Explore Off the Beaten Track
Many of our villas are situated in scenic, rural settings, providing blissful opportunities to explore lesser-known places and hidden gems. Discover charming villages, scenic landscapes and historic sites that may not be easily accessible from major tourist hubs.
Simple pleasures abound when you are off the tourist track. Seemingly insignificant discoveries to surprise and delight you will add to the charm of rural Italy. Many locations throughout Italy contain hidden, historic art treasures tucked away in village chapels or lesser-known galleries, revealing a host of heavenly discoveries for art lovers.
You may find yourselves as the only visitors in the village, sipping a glass of local wine on a convivial, sunny terrace of a nearby bar with a backdrop of unbelievable views across vineyards. Whatever the experience, it feels quintessentially Italian and a welcome contrast to life back home.
Insider tips from the Concierge
A welcoming concierge, villa managers and owners are often passionate about sharing their knowledge and love for their village and region, so you can gather useful insider tips for authentic experiences from them. From seasonal food festivals and ceremonies to hidden trattorias and beaches, their tips can lead you to experiences that are not always featured in travel guides.
Slow living
With the usual rhythm of work, school, or other routines left back home, your more relaxed holiday rhythm will inevitably take on a different form, particularly when you have glorious warm weather and an alluring outdoor pool to enjoy.
What about following the rhythms of locals to give you a taste of authentic Italian life? Why not head to the market early for the best produce to enjoy together for a leisurely lunch on your terrace? Indulge in a siesta? An invigorating early morning walk? A magical, sunset swim? Delicious aperitivi, a late dinner and a gelato, followed by an evening ‘passeggiata’ (stroll) along the ‘lungomare’ (seafront) or ‘centro storico’ (historic centre). It is all part of living ‘la dolce vita’.
Which Italian villa and region to choose?
Italy is an incredibly diverse country. Each region has its own distinct history, architecture, cuisine, landscapes, traditions and culture to explore. From the buzz, warmth and dramatic seascapes of the Amalfi Coast to the tranquillity and beauty of the Le Marche countryside, there is plenty to experience for curious guests. To tempt you, here are a few of our villas situated in different regions, each with their own unique style:
Villa Karin, Sicily
Villa Karin is set in an enviable, elevated position in Taormina and has an undeniable ‘wow factor’ due to its stunning location, infinity pool, sea views and contemporary style. One of the best things about the setting is that everything is accessible on foot from the villa. It is just minutes away from the historic centre and cable car to the beaches of Mazzarò and Isola Bella. A stroll away is the ancient Greek theatre of Taormina as well as the main street, Corso Umberto, with its restaurants and boutiques to explore. Head to Piazza IX Aprile, where you find the magnificent Church of St. Giuseppe and admire views from the extraordinary panoramic terrace overlooking the bay and the volcanic smoke trails of the impressive Mount Etna in the distance.
Casale The Place, Umbria
Casale The Place is set in a magical location overlooking olive groves, vineyards and fields of sunflowers in the tranquil Umbrian countryside, with sweeping views towards the historic hill town of Todi. Renovated with care, this impressive former farmhouse turned contemporary retreat makes an exceptional base for living like locals in a scenic setting. With its 15-metre, panoramic pool, designer interiors, chic outdoor living and dining areas, it is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy la dolce vita. Explore the countryside by bicycle and stroll through the dreamy, cobbled, medieval streets of Todi and Orvieto at sunset.
Villa de Cerchi, Tuscany
Villa de Cerchi is a sympathetically converted, elegant villa that is bursting with authentic, Italian, country house features. Wooden beamed and barrel-vaulted ceilings, terracotta tiled floors and antique furniture are carefully combined with contemporary comfort, making this villa a superb base for experiencing the beauty and history of Tuscany first-hand. Part of a pretty ‘borgo’ or hamlet, the timeless views over olive groves and cypresses from its lush gardens and pool area resemble the sublime landscapes featured in Renaissance paintings in the Uffizi gallery in Florence.
Villa Passo degli Aironi, Sicily
Villa Passo degli Aironi is a stylish, Sicilian villa situated by the vast Vendicari Nature Reserve, within easy reach of long, sandy beaches on the east coast of the island. Life’s simple pleasures here include secluded swims in its impressive 17-metre private pool, gathering for delicious, leisurely meals on the roof terrace, with its outdoor kitchen and admiring panoramic views to the sea over vineyards. You may even spot flamingos and storks. Visit the impressive, baroque town of Noto nearby or head to the charming fishing village of Marzamemi for aperitivi on the central square as the sun goes down, a magical experience.
Passo degli Aironi can comfortably house up to 12 guests but if more friends or family want to join you, why not rent twin villa Villa Majoli nearby too?
Villa Majoli was one of the first villas to be featured in the Emma Villas ICON project 2024, so have a look at our recent films and photos for our vision of the villa experience.
Villa Alba del Lario, Lombardy
Villa Alba del Lario is perched on the shores of iconic Lake Como. This elegant villa with a pool is a magnificent setting for an authentic Italian experience. Situated in the little village of Pianello del Lario, you have a couple of lakeside restaurants, a bakery, a bar and a local shop nearby so you can easily live like a local. The villa comes with its own private boat dock too so that you can set sail and discover the delights of Lake Como in your own way.
Live like an Italian in your own way
How you discover the authentic charm of Italy is up to you. Staying in our carefully selected private villas in an area that appeals to you will offer you a glimpse into the heart of Italian life. Furthermore, enriching experiences such as horseback riding, food and wine tasting, wellness activities and more, will soon be available to book online directly through Emma Villas, so watch this space. Peruse our extensive villa collection by clicking through to the Emma Villas website and contact us for more villa inspiration.
