‘Just enjoy the moment on a villa holiday’

From remote cottages in Sicily to farmhouses in Chianti, Nick Trend picks properties that feel like home but help you escape the humdrum

That dreamy view from the terrace, over the pool to the hills in the heat haze beyond. Those warm, wine-infused evenings lulled by the cicadas. All the pleasures of your own home without the day-today stresses – and in the most idyllic of settings. Two weeks when shopping becomes a joy not a chore, when breakfast lasts all morning and then merges into lunch, and when it doesn’t really matter if you go sightseeing in the afternoon or just read a book by the pool. In fact, when nothing really matters except enjoying the moment. Those, for me, are the pleasures of a villa holiday.

And there is nowhere better to enjoy such an escape than in Italy. So we have surveyed the top 20 agents and operators and reported back on what is on offer this summer, whether you are looking for a classic farmhouse in Chianti, a masseria in Puglia or a remote cottage in Sicily.

The good news is that prices have remained relatively stable over the past year, as owners, many of whom lost out heavily in 2020, have been nervous that hikes might suppress demand. For example, To Tuscany, the largest specialist in the area, says that all its prices are unchanged for 2021.

However, at least for peak season, availability may become an issue if you delay booking for too long. Some operators (Oliver’s Travels, for example) say they have fewer properties on their books because some owners have withdrawn from the market. A few have done so due to concerns over Covid-19 safety, others for financial reasons and some because they have given up doing holiday lets and moved to their second homes on a permanent basis – having appreciated them more when they moved in to escape the city in 2020.

There is also an issue with large numbers of holidays being held over from last year. For example, CV Villas says 60 per cent of its 2020 bookings have been rebooked for 2021, Vintage Travel cites 50 per cent, while Just Sicily and Sardinia

Shopping becomes a pleasure not a chore and nothing matters except enjoying the moment

says its figure is 75 per cent. Many of these are likely to be in the first part of the summer, however – from May to July. As operator Scott Williams points out, August and September were less affected by cancellations and postponements because most holidays took place, and Italy was only removed from the travel corridor list in mid-October.

Prices quoted here are for the whole villa per week, rental only unless stated otherwise, and are the base prices for the season – usually in May. August prices are substantially higher.