Vacation Rentals: a Tuscan and Umbrian Travel Planner
Planning to rent a house or apartment for a vacation in Tuscany or Umbria? Here are links to help you find that perfect place so you can spend time wandering towns and villages, savouring the wines, shopping for local delicacies at markets, learning more about art, and generally enjoying "la dolce vita". These agencies rent houses, apartments, and villas at various prices. I am emphasizing moderately priced accommodation. In addition to a source of rental houses, there are pictures of villages and countryside. More grist for the mill!
Usually when a property is listed as suitable for 2-4 persons, this means that there will be only one bedroom. The other couple would sleep in the sitting or living room.
Some agencies "sell" other agency properties; for example, Rent-A-Holiday advertises Cuendet properties. Some web sites have better search engines.
Abitare Lucca
The local agents our American company used.
Agritour: Farm Holidays in Italy
Agritour: Farm Holidays in Italy (same)
Attempts to be a "complete guide about Farm Holidays in Italy". Represents more than 1200 Italian farms and links to the home pages of 80 farms. Booking on line. Also has notice board for requests for accommodation.
Agriturismo in Toscana
A good search engine with mini map for each establishment. Some link to individual websites for each property. For self-contained units, look for the icons with the little house. Use the Guide button for help in navigating the web site.
Agriturismo and Ville in Affitto a Firenze, Siena e Grosseto
Recommended online by an Italian travel agent.
Agriturismo.net
Farmhouses and country inns in Italy.
Primitaly Agriturismi in Italia
Covers 1800 Italian farms.
Care Free Italy
Casaclub
Rentals in Tuscany, Umbria, Latium and the Amalfi coast. Browse listings or use search engine.
Classic Tuscan Homes
Near Cortona. A small number of nice homes. Prices in USD and British pounds.
Collichiari
Weekly rentals in Tuscany and Umbria. This company manages directly 150 rental units and also is partnered with other operators. Search engine options includes price range.
Cuendet
Well established agency with houses in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. At last check, the site was being redesigned for the 2000 season. They publish listings which can be ordered - information on the page.
CyberRentals
For rent by owners.
Directa Accommodation Online
"Information about every region...accommodation, catering, visits and guides, about nature, historic and religious itineraries, timetables and public and private services."
Links to all kinds of accommodation types as well as other restaurants and events. Prices in lira.
Domani
"Domani is the US booking agent for properties managed by several European agencies, as well as properties that are Domani exclusives, where we deal directly with the Italian owners."
Interesting apartments in the walled city of Lucca as well as country accommodation near Siena and elsewhere. Not many units listed however.
Drawbridge to Europe
We were happy with their service. It looks like they no longer list the apartment we used in San Gimignano.
European Home Rentals - Vacances Provencales A well-established Toronto-based agency with many houses in France, Italy and other European countries.
Holiday Bank
A list of tour operators offering self-catering holidays and vacations to Italy.
Holiday Home pages: the best starting point to finding your holiday home rental
A British Web site with lists of companies that rent holiday homes in Italy.
Holiday Rentals
Use Search button to finetune your search. Book directly with owners. Easy to use. Click to check availability. E-mail link.
Houses for Hire
Rentals. Also has information on how to choose a house and types of holiday accommodation for rent in Italy. Information about best areas in Tuscany. Only samples from their full list.
Newsgroup comment: "There are so many it's hard to reply. But I have personal knowledge of
www.housesforhire.com with villas, apartments and barges in both Italy and France. The staff have been incredibly helpful and warmhearted. Better hurry, the best buys go fast. I have used www.initaly.com for agritourism, and liked that, too."
In Italy’s Holiday Accommodation
Farm stays, historic residences, city apartments (Rome, Firenze, and Venice) and country villas, and convents and monasteries. Good information about the regions of Italy. Los Angeles agency so prices are in US dollars. Relatively expensive.
Newsgroup comment: "Some friends and I (4 people total) booked agriturismo Il Colle through http://www.initaly.com last fall. It was a terrific experience. We would all do it again. Our only problem was needing cleaning supplies that were not provided and that were useless to us when we flew back to the US. There are many places available at that site, at all price levels. There also client comments, both good and bad. The group are very up-front, honest and service is good."
Newsgroup comment: "Take a look at http://www.initaly.com -- In September 97 we rented an apartment they offer at the Villa Saulina (near Lastra a Signa, 12 km. from Florence). This farm is a working winery and the wines were very good. It is in a rural area, but close to major routes for touring the region."
Interhome
This Swiss agency lists over 20 000 homes in 14 European countries and Florida. Search by exact location or browse by region. Solemar / Casa Club is connected to this company.
In Tuscany
Rebecca was helpful when we booked with her and offered a higher priced substitute at the same price when the house we had booked needed minor repair and wouldn't be available.
Invitation to Tuscany
An agency that specializes in properties in west central Tuscany. Catalog available. Search by location or by size. Good descriptions.
Italian Tourist Web Guide
This is a directory of Web resources for tourists, not rental lists. To find rentals, use directory and links sections. You can also browse by geographic region and more.
Italian View
Browse through small database of listings by geographical area.
Italian Villas
Many properties are in Tuscany. Good information about them, including videos for some! First Web-based villa rental company. New York City-based agency.
Italy Farmhouses Rental
Includes some priced per day.
Knowitall.Know Tuscany
Villa rentals, hotels and vacation accommodation, holiday apartments, wineries, farm holidays, agritourism and other lodging.
LaCURE Luxury rentals worldwide. Specializes in villas and yacht voyages.
Lodging.It
Apartments in Florence, Rome, and Venice.
Villapolis
Find-a-home search engine. International.
Rentalo
A large site.
Rentals in Italy (and Elsewhere!)
Recommended in article in IE: Money magazine. Agents for Cuendet. Excellent search engine, advanced options. Register for more features (free). Prices in USD.
Slow Travelers
This website is a great resource for travelers interested in rental accommodation. Browse lists of agencies and personal comments or join (free) and participate in the community message board.
Toscana.Agriturismo.net
Chart and links to many farms. Price range indicated. Farm finder allows you to search the list by your preferences.
Tour-Web, Italian Travel Index Online
The travel directory with over 600 links. Click on Tour-Web to choose Farms or Rent-a-House and real estate. Links to many agencies and individual properties.
Travel-Italy.Com
This American firm offers 1200 Italian villas available for weekly rental. Also offers online hotel bookings, car rentals, maps for sale, etc. Search engine, prices and quality indicated. Printed catalog available.
Tuscan Enterprises Online Catalog
Homes in Tuscany and Umbria. Simple layout of listings.
Tuscany.net Includes a variety of accommodation types from hotels to farms.
Tuscany Now
Apartment complexes and privately owned villas, mostly large homes each with its own swimming pool. No prices - email for latest price on the accommodation of your choice.
Umbria Rentals
Untours
Includes triplogs by satisfied customers!
Vacanza Bella
American company specializes in short term rentals in Italy.
Vacation Rentals By Owners - VRBO
Recommended on some discussion groups.
Vacation Rental in Italy: Villas and Farms in Tuscany.
Choose from properties with a pool or without. Prices in USD and may be a little more expensive.
Welcome to Italy All kinds of accommodation including hotels. Other information as well. Arranged geographically.
Yahoo's directory
Move back along the search path for other regions.
Yahoo's general vacation rental list
Yahoo Italy's directory
Pagine Gialle On Line
Browse the Italian Yellow Pages selecting "Agriturismo" as "Categoria" and "Toscana" or "Umbria" as "Regione".
Castello Di Gargonza, Monte San Savino (tel 0575 847021)
A walled medival village with little houses under the tower of the castle itself. The houses are for rent. Extensive grounds, with a lovely private garden. (Which? Guide to Italy, 1992)
Newsgroup suggestion: "One place to consider is a cantina in chianti, near Greve, called Vignamaggio. It's a definitely working winery -- prize winning chianti -- and rents out about six (as I recall from four years ago) rooms, some with a minimal kitchen that's large enough to prepare a simple meal. In the middle of the zone of chianti classico, it's also accessible (slowly) to the Montalcino area so that you could visit and sample the wares of the Brunello producers."
Greve in Chianti
Newgroup comment: "The Castello di Uzzano is ideally located in the heart of Tuscany. 22km SE of Florence, 40km N of Siena. A 12th-century castle, six apartments facing the fortified courtyard have been incorporated into the walls of the castle. Loved our stay there last year."
Newgroup suggestion: "I have an idea for you. If you want to stay in Tuscany, stay in some place that tourists don't frequent. Say, some little town like
Asciano. You know what I think I'd do if I were you? I think I'd just
drive around until I found a spot I liked and then inquire about the
availability of rooms. You might find something on the road from Siena
to Grosseto, too."
General Italian Travel Links
Italian Government Tourist Board - North America
Go Tuscany
A great site for deciding on the areas of Tuscany to visit.
Welecome to Italy, by Massimo Tonelli
In Italy Online
Good comments about rentals from newsgroup participants.
In Italy Online - regions
Award-winning Web site.
Italian Tourist Web Guide
Italy for Visitors
Good directory of Web sites from About.Com.
The Travelzine
Visit the website of this non-commercial travel discussion group. Join the discussion group via Yahoo Groups. Most participants are independent travellers who use hotels but can be a source of other kinds of accommodation tips.
Travel Helpers
Vacation Rental discussion group on Yahoo Groups
Vacation Rentals discussion group
Advice about renting.
Accommodation exchange
Global Freeloaders
Get free accommodation while traveling in exchange for hosting another traveler. Haven't tried it myself but an interesting concept.
Home exchange links on Yahoo
Currency Converter
Universal Currency Converter
From lira to dollars or from euros to dollars, and more.
Maps
Tuscany - mappa sensibile
Interactive map.
Infotrafic Quattroruote
choose CARTINE for maps
choose AUTOSTRADE for traffic reports
choose TELECAMERE for quick-cam images on the highways
Weather
When to come: a guide to the seasons
Weather in Tuscany
Weather in Umbria
Washington Post - Historical Weather Data
For Florence.
News Groups
Use Google Groups
to browse or search the groups. Use Advanced search function to select the group to search. Register to post (free) or browse without registering.
Try these groups.
it.annunci.commerciali
it.hobby.viaggi
it.annunci.immobiliar
Online translators
Babelfish
Google's
Click here for more about Tuscan and Umbrian towns and villages and WINE!
Click here for reviews of the three houses we rented for one week each in October 2000.
My travelogues:
Interested in Haarlem, Bruges and Paris? See my travelogue and photos at
Travelogue 2002
Walking trip in France, May - June 2006: a trip report and photo albums
Walking in Black Perigord and Quercy
Frances West