Last week I wrote Finding Your Perfect Vacation Rental, describing the process I go through when selecting a vacation rental in Italy. This week’s blog article talks about Italian vacation rentals and what to expect.
When You Arrive at Your Vacation Rental
When you arrive ask if there is a “house book”. Many vacation rentals have them – complete instructions for using the house. If not, ask the key-keeper or owner for some house instructions.
Some things to pay attention to:
Some things to pay attention to:
- If a fuse blows, where is the switch box? Storms or using more than one appliance at the same time can blow a fuse.
- How do you light the stove? Sometimes it is not obvious how this is done.
- Where do you put the garbage? Most regions have large garbage bins along the roads, but ask what is done where you are staying.
- If you are staying off season ask about heating. Some areas regulate the months that heating systems can be used.
Shopping for Your Supplies
Many Italian vacation rentals do not supply household basics, like food items and paper products (toilet paper). You may walk into your Italian vacation rental and find a basket of local foods, supplies for breakfast and a stack of toilet paper. If you do, give your host a big “thank you”. If the cupboards are bare, make a list and head out to the shops.
THIS IS IMPORTANT – when staying in the Tuscan countryside, do not assume you will find food shops open on Sunday. Most shops are closed on Sunday. Some of the large supermarkets may be open, but there are only a few of them in Tuscany. Shops also close for several hours mid-day, usually from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.
Try to check in to your vacation rental at the start of the check-in time (usually 4:00pm – 7:00pm), see what supplies you need, then go out to the village shops before they close at 7:30pm.
Most shops display their opening hours, as shown in the photo above. This shop opens at 9:15am and closes at 12:50pm, reopens at 5:00pm and closes at 7:30pm. They are closed Wednesday afternoon and, although it is not listed because everyone knows, they are closed on Sunday.
THIS IS IMPORTANT – when staying in the Tuscan countryside, do not assume you will find food shops open on Sunday. Most shops are closed on Sunday. Some of the large supermarkets may be open, but there are only a few of them in Tuscany. Shops also close for several hours mid-day, usually from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.
Try to check in to your vacation rental at the start of the check-in time (usually 4:00pm – 7:00pm), see what supplies you need, then go out to the village shops before they close at 7:30pm.
Most shops display their opening hours, as shown in the photo above. This shop opens at 9:15am and closes at 12:50pm, reopens at 5:00pm and closes at 7:30pm. They are closed Wednesday afternoon and, although it is not listed because everyone knows, they are closed on Sunday.
When You Leave Your Vacation Rental
You don’t have to clean before you leave, but it is good practice to leave the place tidy. Put out your garbage and recycling, leave your dirty towels and sheets in a pile, clean out the fridge (I usually put good food things that I am leaving behind in a bag in the fridge), if you moved furniture about put it back where it was. It is not customary to tip the house cleaner.
Why the Houses in Italy are Different
Three factors make vacation rentals in Italy different from our houses in North America.
These are historic buildings: Many vacation rentals are in historic buildings: old stone villas divided into apartments, converted farm outbuildings, old farmhouses that were built before indoor plumbing was the custom. When the building was renovated to become a modern living space, compromises were made to keep the historic features intact. There may be steps where you don’t expect them to be, you may have to walk through one bedroom to get to the other bedroom, the rooms may not be logically arranged, the bathrooms may be small. It takes a bit of getting used to, but is worth it to stay in these beautiful old, stone buildings.
Electricity is expensive: The high cost of electricity in Italy affects everything from the low wattage bulbs that you can barely read with to the lack of air conditioning and the absence of a dryer.
Daily Life is different: No toaster in the kitchen? The typical Italian breakfast is taken at the local café – espresso and a pastry. Bar sized fridge? In the countryside and villages, people shop each day for groceries so do not need a large storage space. Daily life style affects how a house is equipped.
These are historic buildings: Many vacation rentals are in historic buildings: old stone villas divided into apartments, converted farm outbuildings, old farmhouses that were built before indoor plumbing was the custom. When the building was renovated to become a modern living space, compromises were made to keep the historic features intact. There may be steps where you don’t expect them to be, you may have to walk through one bedroom to get to the other bedroom, the rooms may not be logically arranged, the bathrooms may be small. It takes a bit of getting used to, but is worth it to stay in these beautiful old, stone buildings.
Electricity is expensive: The high cost of electricity in Italy affects everything from the low wattage bulbs that you can barely read with to the lack of air conditioning and the absence of a dryer.
Daily Life is different: No toaster in the kitchen? The typical Italian breakfast is taken at the local café – espresso and a pastry. Bar sized fridge? In the countryside and villages, people shop each day for groceries so do not need a large storage space. Daily life style affects how a house is equipped.
The Italian House
Heating/Cooling: Air conditioning in a country home in Italy is rare, but their buildings are built to provide natural cooling (the way our houses used to be built in North America). The thick stone walls keep the house cool during the day and warm at night. The windows have shutters to help control internal temperature. During the day, keep the shutters closed to keep the sun and warm air out of the house. Open them up in the evening to let the cooler air in.
Many houses will not have screens on the windows, even if in an area where there are mosquitoes and other bugs. This one I don’t understand, but there is probably a good explanation.
Keep the windows and shutters closed at night to keep the bugs outside. Some people use a mosquito coil in the room, but I don’t like this because of the toxic chemicals produced.
Living Room: You many not find strong reading lights in the living room. This is easily solved by moving around the lights to create a good bright place to read. Because many properties are set up with the focus on the dining room, there may not be a large living room with chairs for everyone in your group. Instead everyone gathers around the dining table or out on the terrace.
Many vacation rentals do not have phones. Cell phones that you can use in Italy are readily available now, either purchased in North America before you leave or in Italy. Not many places offer Internet access (broadband). You don’t always find satellite TV, so you may get only Italian-language TV channels, but don’t underestimate how much fun it is to watch Italian TV.
Kitchen: Kitchens are usually well equipped with pots and pans, cutlery and dishes, but I travel with my own vegetable knife because I don’t depend on their being good knives in any rental.
Some vacation rentals have very small kitchens, called a “kitchenette” or “kitchen corner”. These are small but are very usable. The photo below shows a kitchen corner we had in a nice vacation rental on a farm in Chianti. It is small, but there is a good sink, counter area, 4 burner gas stove, and a fridge. See the plate drainer above the sink? Isn’t that a great design? The wet dishes go on racks that drip down into the sink.
Many houses will not have screens on the windows, even if in an area where there are mosquitoes and other bugs. This one I don’t understand, but there is probably a good explanation.
Keep the windows and shutters closed at night to keep the bugs outside. Some people use a mosquito coil in the room, but I don’t like this because of the toxic chemicals produced.
Living Room: You many not find strong reading lights in the living room. This is easily solved by moving around the lights to create a good bright place to read. Because many properties are set up with the focus on the dining room, there may not be a large living room with chairs for everyone in your group. Instead everyone gathers around the dining table or out on the terrace.
Many vacation rentals do not have phones. Cell phones that you can use in Italy are readily available now, either purchased in North America before you leave or in Italy. Not many places offer Internet access (broadband). You don’t always find satellite TV, so you may get only Italian-language TV channels, but don’t underestimate how much fun it is to watch Italian TV.
Kitchen: Kitchens are usually well equipped with pots and pans, cutlery and dishes, but I travel with my own vegetable knife because I don’t depend on their being good knives in any rental.
Some vacation rentals have very small kitchens, called a “kitchenette” or “kitchen corner”. These are small but are very usable. The photo below shows a kitchen corner we had in a nice vacation rental on a farm in Chianti. It is small, but there is a good sink, counter area, 4 burner gas stove, and a fridge. See the plate drainer above the sink? Isn’t that a great design? The wet dishes go on racks that drip down into the sink.
The fridge may be what we call a “bar fridge” – half sized and under the counter (as in the photo above) – but the size works out fine when you don’t do a week’s shopping at one time and you eat out once a day. These small fridges don’t always have a freezer. Even if you do have a freezer, you won’t find an automatic ice cube dispenser or a lot of ice cube trays. Ice in drinks is not as popular in Italy as in North America.
Many vacation rental kitchens have a stovetop (also called a “hob”), but do not have an oven. You don’t often find other small appliances we are used to: microwave, toaster, tea kettle, blender.
No Mr. Coffee, instead there is a stove-top espresso maker (moka pot). Put water in the bottom, coffee in a basket that sits over the water, screw on the pot-like top, put it on the stove and the water steams up through the coffee into the top.
Bedroom: That large double bed may be two twins pushed together. European beds are not as thick as ones we are used to and are usually a mattress on a platform (no separate box spring). Don’t expect bedside reading lamps. These are getting more common, but you still find places without them. And I have never seen a TV in the bedroom, like you see in North American vacation rentals.
Bathroom: Bathrooms may be small and may not be ensuite. You might find a tub with only a hand shower, or a shower with no curtain or partition. A vigorous shower can result in water flooding the floor. The “boy scout shower” style works well when there is no shower curtain – turn on water, rinse, turn off water, soap, turn on water, rinse.
And what about that bidet that you find in every house? You can ignore it, you can wash your clothes in it, you can soak your feet in it, or you can use it as it is intended – to get a sparkling clean backside!
Washing Clothes: You may have a washing machine, but you won’t have a dryer. Why pay for electricity when the sun dries your clothes quickly and for free? There will be a clothes rack or a line to hang your wash on and clothes really do dry quickly. European washers take a long time to run, sometimes up to two hours to do a load.
Have fun staying in your Italian vacation rental!
Coming Next Week: Recommended Day Trips from Your Tuscany Vacation Rental
Many vacation rental kitchens have a stovetop (also called a “hob”), but do not have an oven. You don’t often find other small appliances we are used to: microwave, toaster, tea kettle, blender.
No Mr. Coffee, instead there is a stove-top espresso maker (moka pot). Put water in the bottom, coffee in a basket that sits over the water, screw on the pot-like top, put it on the stove and the water steams up through the coffee into the top.
Bedroom: That large double bed may be two twins pushed together. European beds are not as thick as ones we are used to and are usually a mattress on a platform (no separate box spring). Don’t expect bedside reading lamps. These are getting more common, but you still find places without them. And I have never seen a TV in the bedroom, like you see in North American vacation rentals.
Bathroom: Bathrooms may be small and may not be ensuite. You might find a tub with only a hand shower, or a shower with no curtain or partition. A vigorous shower can result in water flooding the floor. The “boy scout shower” style works well when there is no shower curtain – turn on water, rinse, turn off water, soap, turn on water, rinse.
And what about that bidet that you find in every house? You can ignore it, you can wash your clothes in it, you can soak your feet in it, or you can use it as it is intended – to get a sparkling clean backside!
Washing Clothes: You may have a washing machine, but you won’t have a dryer. Why pay for electricity when the sun dries your clothes quickly and for free? There will be a clothes rack or a line to hang your wash on and clothes really do dry quickly. European washers take a long time to run, sometimes up to two hours to do a load.
Have fun staying in your Italian vacation rental!
Coming Next Week: Recommended Day Trips from Your Tuscany Vacation Rental
