OMG, I Want to Rent That House: Radda in Chianti, Italy
Vignalsole, Radda in Chianti, Italy (Vrbo): We don’t like to stereotype any destination, but there are certain things that inevitably come to mind—things a traveler hopes will come true—when planning a holiday in the Tuscan countryside. Olive groves, vineyards, historic towns paved with cobblestones, and old stone houses are key among them. (We like to blame Under the Tuscan Sun for these clichéd expectations.) Luckily for us, when it comes to Vignalsole, all of these dreams can come true. This home not only ticks off every one of those boxes, but it also offers much more for any poor soul desperately in need of a summer vacation.
We’re pretty sure these are the views Leonardo da Vinci enjoyed in his childhood, ones that, if we may be so presumptuous, inspired the backdrops of his many fine ladies. Those women may have had gorgeous jewels, fancy frocks, and ermines, but only a modern Italian noble—or a traveler playing one—gets the luxury of frolicking in this pool during a hot summer afternoon.
Vignalsole is located just outside of Radda in Chianti, the seat of the Chianti wine region. Connection to the area’s renowned vino is one you should definitely exploit, just as the village did when it decided to change its name in 1911 from the simple, but wine-less “Radda.”