Vacation Like a European - Summer in Italy
August 8th, 2008 | Posted by Pauline
This month for the “Vacation Like a European” series, I have written about Summer in Italy, an agency based in Italy, run by Italians, but serving mostly English-speaking clients. Most of their rentals are in southern Italy, on the popular Amalfi Coast (Sorrento, Capri, Positano, Praiano, Amalfi) and further south on the less well known and less expensive Cilento Coast - perfect destinations for a fabulous seaside vacation. They serve other popular parts of Italy as well - Rome, Lazio, Tuscany, Umbria, Lake Como, Venice.
This is small, personal agency, who care about their clients and provide a range of beautiful vacation rentals from budget to luxury. I have known Luca Trotta, the General Manager, since he started the agency and I highly recommend them.
Summer in Italy (Spring, Fall and Winter too!)
The vacation rental agency Summer in Italy is a family affair, lead by Gioconda Trotta. Gioconda and her family started in the business almost by accident, renting out their summer home on the Cilento Coast, a beautiful “off the beaten track” area south of the Amalfi coast. Their century-old summer house originally belonged to her husband’s grandfather Pietro.
There was so much demand for their vacation rental that they started to work with other family members and friends to make their summer homes available to tourists. Many of these homes were left empty for much of the year, so everyone benefited by turning them into vacation rentals: extra income for the owners and lovely places to stay for the tourists. After a few years the Trotta family decided to take the next step and become a vacation rental agency. Summer in Italy was launched in 2001.
Now they have a staff of seven (many are in the Trotta family), offices in Italy (Salerno) and Switzerland (Lugano – near Lake Como in Italy), and over 500 properties throughout Italy. Summer in Italy is a good local vacation rental company that selects vacation rental properties carefully and offers personalized service.
Luca Trotta, Gioconda’s son, is the General Manager (see my interview with him at the end of this article). He is fluent in English and even understands our “American ways” because he spent a year in the US as an exchange student, living with an American family in the Washington D.C. area. “It was an incredible experience” says Luca, “and English is just a fraction of what I learnt during that year.” Now Luca is in his mid-thirties, married with a four year old and a new baby on the way.
Luca’s wife Mara maintains the property listings on the website, writing the descriptions and checking with the owners to be sure everything is accurately represented.
Valentina, Luca’s sister, covers the phones taking rental inquiries and talking to property owners. She has visited every vacation rental they have listed. It is Valentina’s cell number that clients are given to call any time of the day or night in case of emergency.
Andrea, Valentina’s husband’s brother, is called “Crazy Horse” because he likes to work long hours and goes online in the middle of the night to answer emails. So if you get a response in the late afternoon when you know everyone in Italy is asleep, it is Andrea burning the midnight oil. Andrea publishes a weekly booklet - Things to Do on the Amalfi Coast - that is distributed at Tourist Offices and hotels in the area.
Everyone at Summer in Italy speaks English and is used to dealing with American visitors. They have clients from 77 countries, from Albania to Zimbabwe, but the majority is from English-speaking countries: Americans (30%), Brits (20%), Australians (10%), Canadians (7%) and Irish (4%).
They Provide Concierge Services
Summer in Italy is a full service vacation rental agency. Phone them for trip planning tips or to arrange extra services (catering, babysitting, cooks, etc.). You can ask them to do grocery shopping for you, so that when you arrive there are some basic groceries at your vacation rental. Or get them to make your dinner reservations.
The booking office keeps longer hours (open until 10:00pm) to allow guests from North America to call. Luca tells me that even though they provide a toll-free number, most of the communication is done via email. When you book with Summer in Italy, you are staying in an independent apartment or house – there is no hotel front desk down the hall - but you get a special Help Center number that you can call day or night with questions or if any problems arise.
Before you leave on your trip they send you a package of information telling you what to expect and what not to expect, so that you arrive as an informed traveler.
Vacation Rentals in the Best Parts of Italy
Summer in Italy started out with vacation rentals on the popular Amalfi Coast and Sorrento Coast and the nearby Cilento Coast (Cilento National Park), all in the Campania region south of Rome. Now they also offer vacation rentals in Tuscany, Lake Como, Rome and Lazio, Umbria and even a few in Venice. You can book your whole Italy trip with them.
Summer in Italy staff visit every property that they represent. They only list properties that are up to their standards. They provide the owners with a handbook explaining what they need to provide and the standards that must be met. This ensures that the owners understand what is expected to offer a good vacation rental property. One of the most important factors for Summer in Italy is the attitude of the owners. They only work with owners who are welcoming to tourists, enjoy making their house available to visitors and are available immediately if any problems arise.
Another important factor is value for money. They make sure that the price matches the amenities. They offer a range of properties from budget to luxury, but they make sure that if you are paying for luxury, you get luxury. “The most authentic and characteristic Italian homes are not always high-end” Luca says. “If you want a true Italian experience you don’t have to spend a lot of money.”
Examples of Summer in Italy Vacation Rentals
Here are three 1bed/1bath vacation rentals - from budget to moderate to total luxury - on the Amalfi Coast, a desirable and expensive vacation area. The price per week ranges from $924 to $1316 to $5,765 (!!). You do not need a car for any of these rentals because the public transportation in this area is good. There is also an example of a larger villa.
Amalfi Coast, Praiano – Casa Chicca
Apartment in Praiano, a small town on the Amalfi Coast. This apartment is small, but has a large terrace and views of the sea.
Price for 1bed/1bath apartment (sleeps 2): week in July 590 euro ($924), week in September 525 euro ($822). $66 per person, per night. This is a well priced property. (link to property)
Amalfi Coast, Positano – Villino Supremo
Small cottage on the edge of Positano, just above the sea. This is a unique property with a small swimming pool and access to a private beach.
Price for 1bed/1bath apartment (sleeps 2): week in July 840 euro ($1316), week in September 700 euro ($1096). $94 per person, per night. This is a luxurious and unique property. (link to property)
Amalfi Coast, Positano – Suite Bellissima
Luxury apartment in historic section of Positano. This is a large apartment, more like a villa, with a terrace and views of the sea.
Price for 1bed/1bath apartment (sleeps 2): week in July 3,680 euro ($5,765), week in September 3,200 euro ($5,013). $411 per person, per night*. This is a large and luxurious property, in a prime location with an outstanding view – but I am left gasping at the price. :) (link to property)
*I double checked with Luca about this price because it is the highest I have ever seen for two people and he assured me that it is correct. This is a very high-end place in a perfect location. And, yes, people book it! Recently a young American couple stayed there for their honeymoon.
Amalfi Coast, Santa Maria di Castellabate – Villa Virginia
Large villa on the Cilento Coast (this area is less expensive than the Amalfi Coast).
Price for 7bed/7bath apartment (sleeps 14): week in July 4,725 euro ($7,306), week in September 3,675 euro ($5,682). $74 per person, per night. (link to property)
Villa Virginia was redesigned by Summer in Italy to be the perfect place for a group vacation. It has the character of a Mediterranean home (from the hand-made tiles to the pizza oven) and all the amenities that one wants in a holiday home.
The Summer in Italy Website
Luca and his team have put together a very good and informative website (www.summerinitaly.com). Luca tells me that many people book straight from the website without ever calling or emailing questions (but don’t hesitate to call or email them if you need help!). The properties are described in complete detail and have many photos. They have information about traveling in Italy and destination information. Their booking system is easy to use.
They are in the middle of a re-design of the website now, adding a new “quick search” box, better organization of the property descriptions and a new look for the home page (coming soon).
There is a new Travel Tips section covering everything from public transportation to what to order in the local restaurants. They are working on the What to Visit section with detailed travel information for all the areas in Italy that they cover. Travel recommendations from past guests are posted for each property. For example, check out Tourist points of interest for Villa Eunice.
An Interview with Luca Trotta
Why is the Cilento Coast a good travel destination?
There are some very nice sightseeing spots (including the outstanding Greek temples of Paestum), excellent beaches, great restaurants, nice and friendly people, it’s not overcrowded (except maybe in August, when the Italians jump in) and it is not overpriced (the low season rates are really cheap!). For a vacation featuring sun, sea, Italian culture and Italian cuisine, the Cilento Coast is an excellent destination.
What do American Tourists need to know about Italian vacation rentals?
There are a LOT of things … we speak Italian, our plumbing is poor and our showers are weak and small, our energy is limited, we don’t have screens on our windows, pest-control mostly relates to our children (mosquitoes, ants and lizards are a fact of life), we use matches to light our gas stoves (always lift that glass cover!), we don’t have clothes dryers (if there’s something that looks like a dryer in your kitchen, trust me, it’s the dishwasher). And that’s just the beginning.
Do Americans traveling to the Amalfi Coast and Tuscany need to speak Italian?
Not if they rent with us :-) We offer our guests a 24/7 help center where they can call in and have a bilingual staff translate for them over the phone. It works like a charm when sign language is not enough to make them understood by the sweet old mama who just wants to make sure that they have all they need.
In general, speaking Italian is not a requirement. A phrase book will get you by on most occasions, and often even reading a single word from a dictionary will be enough. For more delicate situations, where you need to communicate important information such as a food allergy or other medical requirements, we recommend that you get the important sentences translated in writing. We are happy to help you with that.
Any advice for Americans traveling to Italy?
Don’t overdo it! Take it easy, Italy deserves more than a pin on the map, and no one will blame you for coming back again and again to discover different areas. Remember, Venice is not a day trip from Amalfi!
This is a difficult time for Americans traveling to Europe because our dollar does not do well against the Euro, air fares are increasing and gas for rental cars is expensive. Do you have any money-saving tips?
1. Book an apartment rather than a hotel room. Hotels are usually more expensive and do not allow you to eat-in (see number 2).
2. Shop at local markets and eat in - this can bring huge savings! And shopping and cooking Italian-style are part of the experience of being in Italy.
3. If you plan to be out at lunchtime, buy ingredients at a supermarket and make your panini (sandwiches) at home before you leave. Buy cold drinks at alimentari (food shops) and not at bars. I was in Florence the other day and I saw an alimentari selling bottles of cold water for 80 cents; at a bar they cost 2.50 euro. For a family of four who buys one bottle each for a week the savings gives you a free pizza each in a countryside restaurant (see number 4).
4. City center or seaside restaurants are usually more expensive than countryside restaurants. Ask a local (hey, that’s us!) to name a few good-but-not-expensive restaurants in smaller villages and make an outing to visit a less touristy village with the added bonus of a cheaper dining experience :-)
5. Ask about the cost for a local cook to come in and make dinner for you. It’s an entertaining alternative to dining out, and probably won’t cost a fortune. I’m not speaking about a chef, but a local lady who is willing to come in and cook for you what she would normally cook at home. She might not speak English, but it will be fun all the same. Offer to help her and you will enjoy a down-to-earth Italian cooking class at no extra charge!
6. If you can, travel with another family or a group of friends. Larger villas and apartments are usually less $$$ per person.
7. Inquire about museum passes that will allow you to save on the cost of entrance tickets.
8. Do you really need a car? Public transportation is often comprehensive and cheap. Ask someone who is knowledgeable about the area (one of our staff, for example) if a car is really needed. If it isn’t, ask which is the best combination of train, buses and private transfers to get to your destination striking a balance between cost and comfort.
9. If you decide that you can’t do without a car, decide before booking your accommodations. In some areas parking costs a small fortune and some properties offer free parking on the premises. Knowing if you will have a car before you book your vacation rental will give you a chance to save on parking.
10. Last, but you might want to make it first, travel during the slow season to get the lower off-season prices on vacation rentals. But avoid the colder months because many vacation rentals charge for heating which, unfortunately, is really expensive.
Have you traveled to North America? What are your favorite places?
During my one-year stay in the US I visited some of the cities on the East Cost: Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. They were all incredible places. I’d love to rent a villa and a small office in Florida or California and spend the winter there for a change.
Do you travel in Italy and in Europe? What are your favorite places?
I travel frequently to the areas of Italy where we have villas, although not as frequently for leisure in other European countries (hey, one can only travel so much, right?). My favorite place, for obvious affection reasons and because the people are so warm and incredibly generous, is the Cilento National Park. Even strangers will bend backwards to give you a hand - which should not surprise anyone who travels in Italy.
Where are you going for your next trip?
My next trip across the border will be to Disneyland Paris. I have to keep a promise to a child. Some things remain the same on both sides of the ocean. :-)
Where do you see Summer in Italy in ten years?
In ten years I see offices open in other regions of Italy and maybe around 1500 - 2000 carefully selected villas and apartments. Not a big fantasy, I know, but we don’t have plans to conquer the world, just to keep offering the same reliable service to a growing base of guests, keeping it as personal as we can.
What would you like to say to the readers of this article?
I’d like to tell them not to be afraid to travel to Italy independently. A lot of first-time visitors to Europe and Italy are concerned about not being able to make it on their own and giving their families a miserable time. Don’t be. Invest some time in planning and make sure that you book the services you need (accommodations, transfers, trips) from reliable companies that will support you during the booking process and throughout your vacation.
Thank you to Luca and the Summer in Italy staff for taking the time to answer my endless questions for this article!
Tags: italy, vacation rentals
