Large Tuscan Vacation Rentals Now Available for Groups Traveling to Italy in 2020

Gathering with family and friends during the holidays often sparks group plans for the new year that lay just around the corner. Tuscan vacation rentals are perfect for couples, small family groups, destination weddings, and even large family reunions in Italy. When considering price, location, accommodations, and more, booking a Tuscan vacation rental is often a deal superior to staying at a hotel in Tuscany. 

Inspiring Villa Rentals for Groups in Tuscany

When it comes to dream vacations with the people you love, few destinations hold the enduring appeal of Tuscany. Staying in a villa that was once, and might still be, the home of family members that worked the surrounding land and tended to the grapes and olives of their vineyards is one of the most inimitable experiences Italy offers. Cooking with the local proprietors in the kitchens of these delightful and traditional villas while utilizing their agricultural assets is incomparable to any other culinary endeavor. Hearing the language flow from the mouths of the locals is an aural experience that creates a sense of romance, mystery, and excitement. You need not even comprehend what they are saying to arouse your own enthusiasm and passion.

These Tuscan villas offer close proximity to all the sights to see, classic stone architecture, charming tile work, and pergola views over sun-dappled vineyards. Tuscany will touch your soul and steal your heart. Now is the perfect time to secure a private Tuscan villa for a large family gathering or for a group of friends. These villas often start booking for the next year during fall and winter and fill up rather quickly in the new year.

Spotlight on a Tuscan Travel Group Vacation Rental Casa di Loggia, a Tuscan farmhouse in Monticiano

Casa di Loggia is a former 18th-century farmhouse that has been cherished and beautifully maintained by the owner. This Tuscan farmhouse has 9 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms and sleeps 18. The owner left the daily routine of life, bought this magnificent canvas and renovated every inch of the interiors, exteriors and grounds. From that hard work, Casa di Loggia was born and we want to share it with you. Only a five-minute walk from the Medieval town of Monticiano and a simple 35-minute day trip from Siena. This is a not-to-miss town with a not-to-miss villa. The common areas are spacious, airy and meticulously decorated, perfect for spending time with family over meals while sipping your morning cafe.

Casa di Loggia is also a sought after rustic chic wedding venue for romantic wedding celebrations and receptions. Also, only seven kilometers away, civil ceremonies take place at the airy and stunning Abbey of San Galgano while religious ceremonies can take place inside the adjacent, unique hilltop Chapel of Montesiepi with its unique ‘Sword in the rock’.

The Grounds

The main entrance of Casa di Loggia begins with an intimate outdoor terrace where one can greet their fellow guests with a welcome glass of wine or take your coffee outdoors in the morning hours. Adjacent to this inviting patio terrace is the common area loggia where you will find yourself enjoying breakfast, playing cards, joining with other guests or friends and finding reprieve from the hot summer sun. The grand canopy tree that sits between the villa and the living area farmhouse is another lovely spot to find respite. The pool, the hammocks and several other secluded peaceful retreats will give you the ideal interlude in life.

The Main Villa

The main villa offers a common space that is a luxurious setting where guests can spend time with friends. There is both a covered open-air salon and a sun-drenched terrace just off the breakfast meeting room. Adjacent to the common loggia area is their large and well-stocked kitchen where you can try your hand at the local dishes or have the chef cook for you and your guests.

The town of Monticiano is wonderfully nestled in the hills of Siena, Tuscany, in central Italy. The town is situated on the Colline Metallifere, surrounded by centuries-old forests and has quite the views.

Tuscan Travel Group also offers other apartments, homes, and other villa rentals for singles, couples, and smaller groups traveling to Tuscany as well as large groups. View all of their properties here!

About Tuscan Travel Group

Based in California, Brandy Stroh and Laura Kavanaugh are the founders of Tuscan Travel Group. They are friends who share a passion for travel and sharing their experiences with others. Tuscan Travel Group has been featured in Modern Luxury Silicon Valley Magazine and their portfolio is comprised of authentic and beautiful Italian homes and villas located amidst the rolling hills of Tuscany. They handpick each property based on the location, amenities, character and many other factors that make a vacation property special. They develop relationships with trusted owners of these Italian villas and have personally experienced the deep affection they have put into their properties. Their ever-expanding portfolio only includes homes that they would choose for their own friends’ and families’ vacation experiences. To learn more about Tuscan Travel, check out their Tuscan vacation rentals, Tuscan destinations, and their blog full of tips and stories of Tuscany, Italy.


Plan Your Trip to Tuscany

Take the work out of planning your vacation, and leave it to Tuscan Travel Group. They offer three forms of planning services (Included, Gold, and Platinum). They assist with payment processing for their Gold and Platinum clients, both for accommodations and itinerary planning. You can choose the service level that best suits you and your group.

How to find the right areas to invest

You would need to have a rich childless uncle to afford to jump on the property ladder in any of the blue chip Sydney suburbs.

But a thorough and creative dissection has found a number of affordable pockets in the sprawling NSW capital with strong growth potential, according to Starr Partners chief executive Douglas Driscoll.

The property expert has run his eyes over the data and come up with a top 10 list of suburbs possessing his three attributes for savvy investing: infrastructure and transport; gentrification; and the ripple effect from a nearby popular suburb.

Mr Driscoll has picked out the potential hot spots in Sydney but the tips can easily be transferable to whichever city you intend to splash your cash.

RIPPLE EFFECT OR OSMOSIS

The ship has sailed for bargain hunters in eastern suburbs Bondi, Bronte, Coogee and Randwick, but Mr Driscoll says to look at nearby spots Kensington and Pagewood for growth potential.

“What typically happens is you need to be in that general vicinity and you look at the next best option which is one of the neighbouring suburbs,” he told news.com.au.

He says the city’s continued population growth means the traditionally high-end areas will have to share market strength, as the line between premium and less fashionable will become blurred.

“If you look at what constitutes the eastern suburbs and what constitutes the inner west, all of these are slowly but surely being redefined,” Mr Driscoll said.

“Somewhere like Pagewood is technically the southeast along with the likes of Roseberry and Botany, but it’s becoming an extension of the eastern suburbs.

“And with that obviously becomes greater desirability and with that comes a positive impact on prices.”

The property expert says this ripple effect or osmosis from strong markets to weak has already occurred in Redfern and Newtown.

“Now look at them both, they’re inner city trendy hipster hot spots,” he said.

EXURBS

Kensington and Pagewood will benefit from the opening of the new tram, says Mr Driscoll, while infrastructure and transport projects will increase values in Crows Nest as well as outer Sydney suburbs Busby and Oran Park.

The property expert says the south west corridor should no longer be referenced by its distance to the CBD, such is its rapid rate of development.

“Go back 10 years, people would have had to commute back into the city for work but now they don’t have to,” he said.

“If you look at the likes of Oran Park, there’s a lot of employment opportunity in and around that area in its own right.”

Mr Driscoll said the construction of private hospitals and medical centres is proof of the creation of industry and jobs in this booming region.

“That whole southwest corridor is going to become a mini city in its own right, and I think that moving forward Liverpool might be its pseudo capital,” he said.

“Liverpool may actually become the new Parramatta, its growing exponentially. There’s a lot of demand for that area, a hell of a lot of demand.”

The Most Beautiful European Villas in Film

Hollywood has had a long love affair with the villa. And it's not just romance movies like Under the Tuscan Sun that revolve around villas. Nearly every genre, from action to comedy, has fallen under the spell of the European countryside. Many of these properties have histories just as interesting and dramatic as the movies they’re featured in, including some that have been used to hide mistresses and even a Mafia arsenal. From a minimalist house in Sweden to UNESCO world heritage sites in Italy, these villas have hosted spies, ballerinas, lovers, and even warriors from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Many of the villas can be rented, or now operate as hotels, so they could also be the backdrop to your next adventure.

Villa d’Este, Tivoli, Italy

Long before its cameos in Woody Allen’s To Rome with Love, Bruce Lee’s The Way of the Dragon, and The Lizzie McGuire Movie, the Villa d’Este was the palace of Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este. Designed by Pirro Ligorio, the palace and its spectacular Renaissance gardens were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

Villa Balbianello, Lake Como, Italy
Few locations can boast that they’ve hosted James Bond and Anakin Skywalker. Set on the Lavedo Peninsula in Lake Como, Villa Balbianello was built by Cardinal Durini in the late 18th century and was later the home of explorer Guido Monzino. The villa and its gardens were featured in Casino Royale and Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.

Villa Vignamaggio, Chianti, Italy
Settled by the Gherardini family—relatives of Mona Lisa Gherardini (yes, that Mona Lisa)—starting in the 14th century, Villa Vignamaggio is one of Tuscany’s oldest farming estates. Kenneth Branagh chose the location to serve as the backdrop to his 1993 adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.

Villa Malaparte, Capri, Italy

Adalberto Libera’s dramatic modernist design for Villa Malaparte on the island of Capri was destined for the big screen. Overlooking the Gulf of Salerno from its cliffside perch, the villa is still a private residence, but architecture lovers can catch a glimpse by watching Jean-Luc Godard’s 1963 film Contempt.

Villa Necchi Campiglio, Milan, Italy
It’s hard to steal a scene from Tilda Swinton, but Villa Necchi Campiglio came close. The opulent 1930s villa, which is located in the center of Milan, was the filming location of Luca Guadagnino’s 2010 film I Am Love. Designed by Piero Portaluppi, the villa was later remodeled in the 1950s by Tomaso Buzzi.

Villa Laura, Cortona, Italy
Villa Laura is a picturesque 17th-century property outside Cortona in Tuscany. Romance fans may know Villa Laura as Villa Bramasole, its name in the 2003 film Under the Tuscan Sun. The villa was completely remodeled in 2006 and now operates as a rental property.

Villa Malfitano Whitaker, Palermo, Italy

Built by Joseph Whitaker in the late 1880s, Villa Malfitano Whitaker was a hub of Sicilian high society during the Belle Époque. Today it is a museum displaying Whitaker’s collections of art and artifacts. In 1990, Francis Ford Coppola chose the villa as one of the filming locations for The Godfather III. And the villa has its own Mafia connection. In 2009, it was discovered that the Mafia was hiding an arsenal in a cave on the property with the help of the gardener.

Villa di Geggiano, Siena, Italy
Over the course of its history, Villa di Geggiano has gone from a country cottage to a grand villa. The property, which is also home to gardens, a theater, and a working vineyard, was named a Monumento Nazionale. Filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci chose the villa for his 1996 movie Stealing Beauty, starring Liv Tyler.

The best villas for multigenerational family holidays

Multigenerational holidays are booming, which means villa holidays are too. Peaceful surroundings, extra space, added privacy and the luxury of no one else around make rental properties an excellent bet for larger families wanting to spend quality time together.

The options are plentiful: from wood-beamed homes in Corsica to extra-modern villas in Costa Rica, baby-friendly spots in Menorca to ultra-luxe properties in Jamaica, we’ve found some of the best villas on the market to suit every taste and budget.

1 Borgo San Biagio, Italy

If staying in the remains of a thousand-year-old castle in the rolling hills of Tuscany appeals, suggest Borgo San Biagio. A hotspot for big families celebrating a special occasion, it’s made up of individual houses scattered across its very own hamlet, with wooden beams, stone walls and original fireplaces filling its casas, and an outdoor heated pool, large terrace and bubbling hot tub among its alfresco draws. Families can hire three of the six properties to sleep up to 10, or take over the whole place, which accommodates 20 people.

“The individual houses each have their own outside areas so guests can be ‘together’ but apart,” says CV Villas product manager Carolina de Capell Brooke. “It has a separate large kitchen for groups to dine together, and pizza evenings can be provided by the owners.”

Medieval hill towns, vineyards and truffle-hunting experiences are all within easy reach for those wanting to explore, but it’s just as acceptable to lie by the pool and bask in the serene, silent surrounds, where there’s no one  to interrupt the views.

2 Villa Elena, Menorca

If you have families travelling with babies and toddlers suggest James Villa Holidays’ new Baby & Toddler range, whose villas offer infant-friendly features including enclosed grounds, gated private pools and no steps.

Among its line-up of newly-added properties is Villa Elena in Menorca, a whitewashed, one-storey affair complete with private pool (with easy-access steps), covered shady terrace area and three bedrooms, sleeping up to six.

It’s handily located close to Cala Blanes – a family-friendly, wheelchair-accessible resort with a calm, shallow beach tucked into a cove – and Ciutadella, the former capital of Menorca, offering prehistoric sites and other intriguing spots for family members who want to add a splash of culture.

Sister property Villa Lucia is also just next door and has space for up to 12, making an ideal add-on for those wanting to bring the extended brood along.

3 Paleokastritsa Beach House, Corfu

For clients wanting to enjoy their breakfast over an ocean view, suggest this postcard-pretty villa, set on the water’s edge with steps down to the beach, and a five-minute walk from a cluster of local tavernas and shops.

There are two double bedrooms with en suites, plus an open-plan living room and kitchen with sofa bed, but the real draw is the two-level annexe at the back, which offers an extra double bedroom and kitchen-dining area that’s ideal for grandma and grandpa.

Decor is colourful and traditional, and though it doesn’t have its own pool, guests can pop next door to use the huge, family-friendly one at Akrotiri Beach, at no extra cost.

All guests also get a day’s complimentary boat hire, enabling them to hop around the remote caves and beaches that pepper the area and are accessible only by boat.

4 Villa A Pinarella, Corsica

The French island of Corsica might not be the first place you think of for a family holiday, which is exactly where its charm lies. Mountains, valleys, forests and beaches give this idyllic island appeal for every age, and a villa makes an ideal base from which to explore it all.

There are plenty of options, but for a really standout setting look to Villa A Pinarella, perched on a ridge in the village of Monticello, overlooking bottle-green mountains and vast, opal ocean.

It’s traditional with wood beams and old-world furnishings, and it’s spacious in size with five bedrooms (three twins and two doubles) spread across a main house and separate studio, which has its own kitchen, bathroom and terrace for extra privacy.

Staring out over the landscapes from those terraces is idyllic enough, but for those wanting to get out and explore first-hand, suggest heading into the Balagne Hills. Here hiking, pony trekking and other activities await families of every age.

5 Villa Mars, Turkey

Contemporary design, an abundance of space and two private pools overlooking the sea make this oceanfront property a hit for large, luxury-seeking families who value their privacy. It has four bedrooms sleeping up to eight, and a sizeable outdoor dining area complete with a built-in stone barbecue.

“It’s very spacious with fantastic sea views and it’s one of the ultra modern villas in Kalkan,” says Kathryn Coles, head of trade sales at Simpson Travel.

It’s a 10-minute stroll from laid-back resort Kalkan, where Ottoman houses, one-off boutiques and harbourside restaurants line narrow cobbled streets, and guests get a free hammam treatment and gulet boat trip at the nearby Kalkan Regency Hotel as an added bonus – not that they’ll need it with these views.

6 Championsgate Villas, Florida

Florida is family paradise, full-stop, and for families travelling with older generations who want to dip in and out of the parks without constantly being in the heart of it all, a villa is an excellent option.

Funway Holidays recommends ChampionsGate, a sprawling, palm-lined complex in Kissimmee, about a 15-minute drive from Walt Disney World Resort.

Platinum villas here span four to six bedrooms, and several properties can be booked next to one another for larger groups. “This flexibility means that a multigenerational family can have their own accommodation if they like but still be near each other,” says Malcolm Davies, Funway’s product destination manager.

“This might suit older people who want to have more independence on holiday.”

All villas have private pools, and as an extra sweetener, guests get access to amenities at the Omni Orlando Resort next door – including a huge spa, two Greg Norman-designed championship golf courses, five restaurants and a bigger family pool complete with lazy river and water slides, for the best of both worlds.

A Story Of Revival In Key West

Sometimes you arrive at a property whose grounds are so lush, colorful and quiet that you wish you weren't a guest, but rather living there in your own condo complex. I could totally live here, you think. And that’s before you’ve even seen your room.

The new and improved Parrot Key Hotel & Villas in Key West is just that place, with its five acres of interior garden space continually getting re-landscaped and spruced up since September, 2017 when Hurricane Irma barreled through the 125-mile-long Florida Keys.

Long before the Parrot Key reawakening, guests enjoyed the property’s position on the mangrove-lined saltwater channel that flows into the Gulf side of Key West. Which means on your visit that you're nicely tucked away from the hoopla of the bar zone on Duval Street and far removed from the big hotels that line the western end of the limestone island. But when you’re ready to get your groove on, you’re just minutes away from it all on the seven-square-mile island.

If your room happens to lie at the far end of the 148-room Parrot Key, it’s a distant jaunt to the reception, but a nicely welcome one wandering as you do through gardens filled with swaying palms, sculptures by local artists, and past four pools with apropos names such as the Sanctuary and the Grove.

You know you’re in for a pampered time when you discover a welcome letter in your waterfront villa that announces, “Now, let’s talk swag.” The swag, available when booking “The Waterfront Experience,” is a handsome straw bag with a parrot design on it in which you'll find complimentary Parrot Key branded flip flops, two versatile Turkish hammam towels and—because you know you forgot yours—sunscreen. (The bag itself is for purchase at reception.)

Whether a deluxe room, a one- or two-bedroom suite, or three-bedroom villa, your spacious, fresh and bright abode reflects a post-hurricane remake of the property in its local conch-style architecture. You'll appreciate L'Occitane brand toiletry amenities, while the sand pail and shovel in the closet will come in handy when you want to get up from your waterfront villa's private beach lounge chair for a little activity.

With a newly-added awning that covers most of its outdoor space, the poolside Grove Kitchen & Bar prepares all-day dining, with items such as Key West pink shrimp with an island spice and mango cocktail sauce or a Cuban sandwich which reflects the strong culinary and cultural connection of Key West to its neighbor ninety miles to the south.

When you've perhaps had your fill of lying on the hammock on the white sand in front of your room, head to the small activities shack on the property’s saltwater channel side. There, guests can enjoy kayaking and jet skiing excursions and sign up for all manner of water sports. 

Should you overdue the paddling and feel some wear and tear on your body and your sun-drenched skin needs some TLC, the Ocean Wellness Spa in a fine old house in the old town will meet all your massage needs, to go along with beauty and acupuncture treatments.

To get there, and anywhere such as popular Smathers Beach or to iconic Duval Street, a free shuttle takes you every two hours from the Parrot Key.

Sure, the town’s Conch Train Tour and the drivers' cheesy patter is touristy, but for newcomers it’s a great intro to Key West’s architecturally rich mini districts that are filed with antebellum homes and vernacular styles of pine timber houses, many with gingerbread accents. If you later ride a bike, as many locals do, you can investigate your favorite dwelllings up close and easily pop into the plethora of art galleries.

This tip of the Florida Keys is famously where the Ernest Hemingway Home on Whitehead Street stands, a mid-19th-century manor which the hirsute writer in the 1930s shared with his wife, Pauline, and their beloved six-toed cats. If the guided tours of the National Historic Landmark site look to be packed, it's best to tour on your own in order more tranquilly to see memorabilia, movie posters and Hemingway's writing space in the house's detached studio.

Also on Whitehead Street, the less-visited Audubon House & Tropical Gardens shows antiques and artifacts, as well as works by the seminal naturalist painter.

When it's time for lunch, Fisherman’s Café is not much more than a shack under a coconut tree on the old seaport. It's celebrated for its lobster enchilau (that’s not a typo) tacos in a garlic tomato sauce, among other savory seafood items. Across the street, you can dip into the famous Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe for dessert.

Come evening, it's time to visit an institution: In the old Casa Cayo Hueso cigar factory on the waterfront Mallory Square, El Mesón de Pepe Cuban restaurant has a menu that is as extensive as its space and patio are massive.

Or, for a classic sunset experience, jump onto the Sunset Watersports company’s catamaran for a a few hours of copious drinks and live music as you sail into the Gulf to enjoy a crepuscular show.

Back on shore, Key West has an insane number of bars per capita. On the main Duval Street drag, The Green Room stands out for its reclaimed wood interior and upcycled decor. Its brand new funky upstairs Tree House space has a live music stage and terrace for another kind of sunset view.

With so many sunset options in Key West—what to do? Well, you could always just camp out in front of your Parrot Key waterfront villa to take in sunset from your personal lounger. Your mini bar is stocked, after all, with free cocktail mixes that should last you well until the last rays have dipped below the Gulf waters.

CW Group on how to sell your Ibiza villa

We spoke to Christian Wolf of CW Group Ibiza who gives us his tips on how to sell your villa property on Ibiza, how to work with real estate agents and get a faster sale.

Why should you choose a real estate company to sell your villa?
"A good real estate agent helps the seller to determine a realistic selling price for their property, will understand the legal framework and routinely works with lawyers and banks. He or she also helps to solve problems that might arise between the buyer and the seller. All this helps to avoid any issues that might impact the sale. As well as connecting you to a large number of sellers, your property will be advertised via various media too."

How should you choose a real estate agent on Ibiza?
"The agent should have very good knowledge of the Ibiza market and understand the individual needs of each client. They should also be able to detail any additional costs, such as promotion clearly, so there are no surprises later on for the seller. Finally, the seller must be able to see that the agent will get the best deal for them."

Should you engage just one good agent?
"No, we always suggest to people wanting to sell a villa on Ibiza to work with various agents, often as many as six. This maximises the seller's ability to sell a property as each real estate agent will want a successful sale. It also multiplies the amount of promotion each property gets."

It's unusual to suggest working with a competitor though!
"Any good agent will work with other agents. In fact, we have made many sales by being open and working with other agencies. We work with a lot of the best top Ibiza ones, including Estela Exclusive homes, Ibiza Now, Luxury Estate Ibiza and many more. Our shared aim is to help the client sell."

How successful has that approach been?
"Very. In the past two years, we have sold over 50 villas. That's a lot and shows that an open approach of working with multiple real estate agents works."

How much does it cost to work with multiple agencies?
"For the seller nothing as the fee depends on the sale, That's between three and five per cent of the cost of the villa. It's a small sum to pay with the huge support you get in selling your villa and getting a good price."

Some real estate agencies say it's better to sell a property exclusively, what is your view?
"I would disagree with that as i don't think it helps the person selling the property, especially if they want a fast sale. The problem with selling a villa exclusively with one agency is that you don't reach the maximum amount of potential buyers, so we recommend that our customers use the big agencies to do just that. Rather than sell houses exclusively, we prefer to get the job done and find a buyer for the client's property as quickly as possible."