How To Vacation Like A True Italian This Summer

“Villeggiatura is not simply the Italian word for holiday – it’s a cultural ritual rooted in place, memory, and season,” shares Tuscany Now & More’s Jasmine Boni-Ball. “It describes the annual summer retreat from routine into something slower, more elemental: time spent outdoors, unhurried meals, the same streets walked again and again until they feel like part of you.

“In Italy, we honor summer not through spectacle but by returning to a familiar rhythm,” she continues. “For some, it’s the coast – a house by the sea, where days stretch between beach and terrace. For others, it’s the hills or countryside, where cicale (cicadas) drone in the afternoon heat and dinner is eaten under fig trees.”

1. “A long stay – long enough to build a routine.”

2. “Minimal plans, and a willingness to let time unfold naturally.”

3. “Outdoor living: eating outside, swimming, walking, reading in the shade.”

4. “A strong sense of place – somewhere you can connect to emotionally, not just physically.”

5. “A house that allows life to flow slowly and without interruption.”

“Villeggiatura is not about escape; it’s about reconnection – with nature, but also with yourself, with others, and with that quieter, slower version of time that so often gets lost in modern life. In a world that rarely pauses, villeggiatura gives us permission to stop measuring time by productivity. There’s no pressure to do anything – just the freedom to be. To cook without rush. To rest without guilt. To return to a more human rhythm.”

“The beauty lies in the simplicity: coffee at sunrise, cards after dinner, books half-read on the veranda, and the gentle accumulation of shared, unplanned moments that become lifelong memories. Stay long enough to lose the impulse to check your phone. Cook with what you find locally. Eat outside. Travel with people who make you feel most like yourself. Leave space in your days for doing nothing at all. That’s where the magic lives – in the quiet between plans.”

“Choose a place worth staying in – somewhere you can settle and sink in. The ideal destination is one that encourages a slower pace, somewhere beautiful, but also grounded and alive with local rhythm. It might be in the hills of Tuscany, by the sea in Costiera (the Amalfi Coast), or tucked away in the wilds of Umbria. What matters is how it makes you feel.

“Private villas are the natural setting for villeggiatura because they offer space, privacy, and freedom. There’s no schedule. You wake when you like. Eat where you like. Wander barefoot from one room to the next. You live as if the home were your own – which is exactly the point.”

Here are eight standout villas that embody the spirit of villeggiatura – each offering a uniquely Italian invitation to slow down, settle in, and savor summer…

“Villa Cieli sits high above the Versilia coastline, surrounded by sea breezes and a garden that feels almost untamed, layered with flowers, fruit trees, and shifting light. There’s a quiet grandeur to the house, but nothing showy: wide sun-filled rooms, high ceilings, and a layout that invites you to live as much outdoors as in. The sea feels close – just a short drive away – but up here, you’re wrapped in peace. It’s a home for families to spread out, follow their own rhythms, and gather again at the end of the day, with the evening light pouring through open windows.”

“Originally built as a Renaissance hunting lodge, Ca’ di Lista was where the Venetian aristocracy came to breathe – away from the lagoon, into the hills. Its frescoed halls, vaulted cellars, and walled gardens speak of long, languid summers filled with books, conversation, and wine from the surrounding vineyards. The same family still owns it, and their love of place is felt in every room. This is villeggiatura in its purest form – a home of memory, rhythm, and rest.”