I have a lovely villa in the hills above the Mediterranean. The views from the different levels of terraces sweep across the landscape down to the water and it never fails to relax me. Sunset is especially gorgeous from here, particularly with a glass of local rose’ in hand, as the sky turns the same color as the wine in the glass. This villa is a piece of paradise.
OK. It’s not *mine* but it feels like it as soon as I return. We’ve rented this place four times now, so it has a sweet “coming home” feeling, where we get to make ourselves immediately comfy; we unpack groceries and cook in the spacious kitchen, or we have a glass of wine on the terrazzo while contemplating where we’ll go for dinner, and we lounge by the pool…but without the hassles of home upkeep, repairs and cleaning.
Villa Gioconda sits on my very favorite piece of Italian seacoast, the Cilento. It is south of the more famous (and crowded) Amalfi Coast, but a world away, where towns aren’t yet overrun by tourists, where locals still parade in their evening passeggiata, where fishermen still make a living from the water. It’s a place where restaurants serve local fare without “ramping up” style or offerings to conform to international tastes but instead make things like Nonna did. And it’s a place where the beaches are more extensive and more easily accessible, without the hundreds of dizzying steps to a cove that gets shady early because of the cliffs blocking out the sun, like many places on the Amalfi Coast.
But the villa. I sigh just thinking about it; it is one of my “happy places” that I go to in my mind and immediately feel a sense of calm. It’s on a hill above Agropoli looking down at the glittery Baia di Trentova, where a “blue flag” beach arcs around the bay, where boats anchor to enjoy the calm water protected by the promontory, and where snorkeling, one of my favorite water pursuits, is easy and enjoyable. The house has several vast terraces, with enough space for everyone to pick their favorite, find a quiet corner to read; there are tables for dining, and plenty of lounge chairs to tan and enjoy the pool. We hear the sounds of crickets and birds instead of traffic and crowds. We rented the villa once in winter for a family Christmas, and enjoyed mild enough temps to have cappuccinos on the terrace watching the sun hit the water and the castle above Agropoli. In the evenings we lit the fireplace to lend warmth and atmosphere to family dinners in the kitchen.
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Upstairs, two of the bedrooms have balconies with sweeping views. Sunsets from there, as well as the main terraces, are incredible; we love watching as the splay of color spreads over the water, each evening show different and spectacular. We always make it a point to be home for sunset, because here, with this vantage point, it seems like an event in action. Then, the street lamps start to glint in Agropoli until the promontory becomes a softly lit thread of twinkle lights. (See why I sigh thinking about this place?)
The house is well-kept, and the caretaker is available for any problems or needs. She comes to clean every day, allowing us to just relax and enjoy. The booking site is easy to use, takes credit cards, and provides helpful customer service, along with loads of information on things to see and do in the area. We often stay in vacation rentals as our preferred travel accommodations, but this one…this one feels more like home to us than any of them.
If you want to make it your home for a week, book Villa Gioconda at the Summer in Italy website.
