While it is said that one cannot truly understand a country until one has lived there, the villa rental can, for the
short term, satisfy travel immersion, revealing a secret side of a country in its most remote pockets. Unlike stays
in even the finest hotels, the very point of renting a villa is to be transported to an inner world that is distinctly,
intimately idiosyncratic of a place. It is an ideal escape from the fussing and cosseting that a hotel ensures when
wishing to go local. Be it a seaside cabana in San Tropez, a sun-baked Provençal mas or a centuries-old, family-owned
Tuscan farmhouse, the private villa offers the outside visitor that peek into the private lives of homes less ordinary.
In my case, it was the peaceful, five-bedroom stone farmhouse,
Villa Monti, nestled into the rolling green hills of Umbria,
Tuscany’s “little sister” which remains relatively buffered from the ravages of tourism. Up a pebbled drive, a good six
kilometers off of any real roadway,
Villa Monti crowns a hillside with 360-degree panoramic views of what seems to be the
entire region, and a clear shot over the charming hill town of Todi (a favorite weekend escape of urbanite Romans and an
idyllic representation of Umbria’s historical melting pot of Etruscan, ancient Roman and Medieval influences that keeps this
“Green Heart of Italy” beating).
Yet
Villa Monti is just one of many villas dotting the Italian countryside from which to choose. In fact, such
idyllic accommodations require advance consideration, and while I freely admit to being swayed by romanticized notions
borrowed from a weepy E.M. Forster novel, an armchair tour is a must to weigh the pros and cons of the mind-numbing multitude
of agents available. Often word-of-mouth advice from experienced villa renters is the best opinion; but with some research,
one-of-a-kind places still inhabited much of the year by families who have owned them for years, or in some cases, centuries,
do await.
Specializing in private vacation villas and distinctive small hotels throughout Italy, France, Greece and the Caribbean, the West Indies Management Company (WIMCO) has been servicing discerning clients for the past 20 years. A team of well-traveled agents regularly visits and often stays in each of the 1,500 properties represented, and works with local management and concierge companies to ensure top-notch accommodations and on-site service. Even before departure, WIMCO made a point of sending a detailed packet about Villa Monti, complete with driving instructions and tips (when in Italy, pack a sense of humor and an iron stomach), emergency telephone contacts of grounds keepers and recommended local grocers, cafes and restaurants.
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