Wondering about vacation rentals in Europe? The advantages over staying on the bustling tourist track can be huge. However, we’ve got the low down on vacation rentals in Europe so that you can make an informed decision.
Maybe you’ve tried the weekend mini break, the city exploration and the all-inclusive – but have you tried a villa vacation?
Staying in vacation rentals in Europe is different from a lot of other trips that I have taken. You are staying in someone’s home and often removed from heavy tourist areas, but the biggest difference, and for many, the biggest advantage, is that your vacation becomes self-catered.
My husband and I recently rented a villa with my best friend and her husband on Mallorca (Majorca) in the Balearic Islands of Spain.
Villa Margareth was close to the town of Estellencs and was about a 45 minute drive from Palma. Villa vacations must be researched and planned out well in advance, especially for key markets such as Greece and Spain. I’ve complied a few tips and tricks I learned along the way about renting a villa abroad.
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I really enjoyed having our own space. I liked how we cooked every night and made our own agenda. Renting a villa or vacation home really boils down to one thing: your vacation is your accommodation.
Except for a few nearby jaunts and a day trip to the capital city of Palma, we found ourselves staying in, enjoying our villa rather than going out on the town or seeing the sights.
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We ended up finding the villa through the website villarenters.co.uk. I recommend a reputable vacation rental site such as vbro.com or Villa Renters because they provide support all along the way and only advertise thoroughly vetted properties.
Some sites also offer guarantees for their vacation rentals in Europe. Essentially if the villa was not as shown in the photos, Villa Renters will refund your money and find suitable accommodations for you in the meantime.
Another thing to figure out is the distance from the airport and nearest town. An appealing attribute for many villas is that they tend to be rural, rustic and far from the tourist action.
A car is usually essential, allowing you to come and go as you please. Taxis are not always available in smaller towns and can be quite difficult to call upon if you are staying in a remote location.
When selecting among vacation rentals in Europe keep in mind the distance from the nearest town and tourist attractions. As mentioned previously, many villas tend to be in small villages or remote locations. Finding a villa a short driving distance from town is key.
Small towns will almost always have a supermarket, pharmacy, restaurants and post office. Unfortunately, we forgot that the Spanish do enjoy a siesta during the afternoon and that if we needed groceries we would need to go all the way into Palma (largest city in Mallorca) since everything was closed every afternoon!
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I highly recommend a villa vacation for your next trip. Our holiday was perfect and even though it rained every single day I would not change a single thing. Renting a villa allowed us to create our own adventures. Our time with friends high up in the mountains of Mallorca will be remembered for many years to come.
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Villas are wonderful! GREAT for families!
What a stunning place, Cailin! I love renting villas too. It’s so relaxing and freeing to have a real home while away on vacation. 🙂
Great advice, Cailin! You’ve got me really wanting to follow in your footsteps on this one!