OMG, I want to rent this house: Radda in Chianti, Italy

vignalsole, Radda in Chianti, Italy (Vrbo): We don’t want to stereotype any destination, but there are certain things that inevitably come to mind – things a traveler hopes will come true – when planning a vacation in the Tuscan countryside. Olive groves, vineyards, historic cobbled towns and old stone houses are the keys. (We like to blame Under the Tuscan sun for those cliche expectations.) Luckily, all of those dreams can come true when it comes to Vignalsole. Not only does this home tick all of those boxes, but it offers so much more for any poor soul in dire need of a summer vacation.

We’re pretty sure these were the views Leonardo da Vinci enjoyed in his childhood which, if we may be so presumptuous, inspired the backdrops of his many fine ladies. These women may have had beautiful jewels, fancy dresses, and ermines, but only a modern Italian nobleman – or a traveler playing one – has the luxury of frolicking in this pool on a hot summer afternoon.

Vignalsole is just outside Radda in Chianti, seat of the Chianti wine region. The connection to the area’s famous wine should not be missed, as the village did when it decided to change its name from the simple but wineless ‘Radda’ in 1911.

If you’re like us, keep a running count of all the places to eat and drink outdoors when deciding which house to rent for your next vacation. We’re only on the fourth photo and it’s already counting to 2.

If you can’t see it in this picture, here is a real, 100% stone house. It’s a luxury generally found only in fine, old buildings, and one that Vignalsole takes to the extreme, with a rosemary-bushed stone wall also encircling the property.

May we introduce you to the third place where you can enjoy an aperitivo outdoors? Thanks to those tall cypress trees, this one offers some privacy and some shade, which still fits the very Tuscan theme. (Cypress trees are almost synonymous with Tuscany at this point.)

Imagine all the gorgeous pasta and buffalo mozzarella salads you’ll be making here—enough to convince you that you might just have a career as an Instagram food influencer. While even diva influencers have to clean up after themselves or risk their mamas chasing after them with a wooden spoon, it’s also worth noting that the house comes with a housekeeper to ensure things stay in tip-top shape.

Although this house is not as old as the region’s first settlers, who lived as early as 2,000 BC. landed in the area, it still holds much wisdom within its historic walls. It has recently undergone a modern restoration but the estate agent ensures that none of the ‘old features’ of the house have been altered.

Welcome to a place where you will dine to dramatic dinners when you want to pretend to rule your very own Ducato.

There are five bedrooms and four full baths in this home. What you do next will depend on whether you’re more of the “let’s all pack up” type or the “I have to go to the Italian countryside…alone” type. If the former is the case, you can rest assured that the house will sleep nine people comfortably. If the latter, welcome to your palace where you can sleep in a different room every night.

Not only does Vignalsole have all the delights of the Tuscan countryside within easy reach, but it is also only a short drive from Florence and Siena, and all the charming little towns in between that most tourists never get to visit. One of these is the medieval town of Radda in Chianti just down the road.

We’re all about the summer holidays right now, because this world needs a big break together. But if you’re in fall planning mode, you’ll be glad to know that vineyards effectively create a moat around this home, surrounding it with their beautiful vines that pop with color as the weather changes.

For centuries Radda in Chianti was caught between Florence and Siena, with both cities vying for supremacy. May we suggest you embrace this spirit and compete for control of the best lounger and bottle of local wine by the pool?

This area of ​​the country is all about the view, so rather than claiming the largest bedroom first in the house, run around to determine which room has the best scene out the window, then call dibs.

Vignalsole is basically the perfect Tuscan villa. It is nestled in the Chianti hills, surrounded by cypress trees, forests and the vineyards that produce some of the country’s finest wines. If that’s not a recipe for a vacation that’ll make it into the family history books, we don’t know what is.

Book your stay: Vignalsole, Radda in Chianti, Italy: $1,000/night via Vrbo