Wyndham Wisdom

After a Decade of Travels to Each of the 50 States, Connecticut Family Explores Italy - one nook at a time

A villa in the Tuscan Hills offers educators and their children the vacation of a lifetime

SHELTON, Conn. - At a hotel in Florida, a housekeeper was studying Connecticut teachers Paul and Penny Z. intently until they finally asked her why she was staring. The "Happy 50th" banners and balloons the couple put up in their room perplexed her since neither Paul nor Penny looked anywhere near 50 years old.

Come to find out, the couple was actually celebrating with their children, Adam, 14, and Alexis, 11, trips they had made in the last 10 years to each of the 50 states.

While Paul and Penny still joke and tease each other about who looks older, their story earned them free airfare and a seven-night stay at an Italian villa through a Budget Travel vacation contest, courtesy of Endless Vacation Rentals® (EVR), one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands.

"A completely different experience"

The family had made it their quest to see every corner of the United States, driving state to state in their 1998 green, Plymouth Grand Voyager minivan. Their trip to Italy marked their first European vacation and exposed the family of four and two friends to an entirely different culture and overall eye-opening experience.

"We were used to roughing it on our road trips - everything from camping in national parks to staying in various hotels along the way - so this vacation rental was a real treat for us," Penny said. "With the privacy that our villa offered and the relaxing and quiet setting of the property; we felt as though we were staying at a place of true nobility yet we were able to enjoy all the comforts of home."

The family's accommodations at the Ricci Ri in Pozzolatico, part of the Cuendet® family of European villa rentals, was a furnished apartment located in a restored ancient and harmonious hamlet dating back to the 14th century. The property is set in the enchanting Florentine hills, full of vineyards, olive groves and orchards all on a farming estate that also produces excellent red wine - a feature of the accommodation that, according to Penny, made her husband more than happy.

"Paul loves wine and makes his own at home so the on-site vineyards and authentic samples were truly highlights of his trip," she said. "We were lucky to have been taken on private, impromptu tours of the vineyards around the property and learned fascinating information on the fields, the grapes themselves, and the entire winery process."

The unit itself slept the six guests comfortably, with a living room and kitchen, and even offered some special nooks in the cellar that children Adam and Alexis discovered and subsequently turned into a secret fortress.

"It was so nice to be away from the hassles and distractions of everyday life," said Penny. "We were able to have some good, old-fashioned family fun with card games and on-site play areas. And, most of all, we were able to truly immerse ourselves in the beautiful surroundings and reconnect as a family."

After taking in the extraordinary views of the countryside and Tuscan hills over breakfast each morning on their private patio, the traveling team would venture off the beaten path into the local towns to explore the mom-and-pop shops and get a genuine taste of the local culture.

"We loved the fact that each day we could head into town and try another pastry shop or a true hole-in-the-wall grocery store and just detach ourselves from the normal tourist path."

Penny also confesses that they were no strangers to a wide assortment of Gelato flavors and at one point purchased a tub for the six of them to enjoy in the comfort of their villa.

"Goose bumps and getting around"

While they certainly took advantage of what could be found beneath the surface of typical site-seeing opportunities, they also made it a point to visit world-renowned historical landmarks. In daughter Alexis' fifth-grade class, she recently went through an exercise where she and her fellow classmates had to tape a piece of paper to the bottom of their desk and paint from that angle, just as Michelangelo had done with his work on the Sistine Chapel. Seeing the masterpiece in real life, however, brought about an entirely new appreciation for history - more than any book or classroom exercise could have done. The family also toured such cultural icons as the Roman Ruins; Michelangelo's David; and the Vatican.

"It was just incredible, to the point that I got goose bumps when I stood in front of the David," Penny said. "Each of us now appreciates history on a completely different level."

For their frequent travels to and from their villa, they had done their research in advance of their trip and were able to capitalize on the most economical and efficient modes of transportation. She recommends that any family planning a trip oversees do similar homework ahead of time.

"If I could offer advice to anyone planning a trip it would be to research various options ahead of time. Vacation rentals offer a cost-effective and flexible lodging option, and there are even more deals to be found when traveling and creative ways through which to enjoy it. You can certainly stretch your dollar far and find a vacation that fits you and your family perfectly. And if you plan to explore an area of a country off the beaten path like we did, we found it helpful to learn basic greetings and put our international conversation skills to the test."

Endless Vacation Rentals, one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN) provides access to one of the largest collection of global vacation rentals in the industry, allowing travelers to browse from more than 200,000 accommodations, including Cuendet® villa rentals. Cuendet®, a specialist in villa rentals in Italy since 1974, offers a collection of villa rentals in Italy, France, Spain and Croatia. The accommodations offered consist of castles, vacation villas with swimming pools, farm houses, cottages and apartments scattered throughout some of the most beautiful regions and popular destinations of southern Europe.

At www.EVRentals.com it's as easy and convenient to search for, view availability, and book vacation rentals as booking typical hotel accommodations online. For more information on Endless Vacation Rentals or to book a vacation rental, visit www.EVRentals.com or call 1-877-STAY-EVR (1-877-782-9387).

PENNY'S TIPS

Buy food at a local market: avoiding the high tourist areas saves money. Penny and her family shared a 3 euro tub of gelato that would have cost 2-3 euros if each of them had bought a single serving
 
Get a Pass: there are several types of passes you can purchase that save you both time and money and may let you skip long lines on many popular landmarks
Bring games: bringing cards and other travel-friendly entertainment allows for some great family time

Make the most use of your villa: cooking dinner in saves money and gives you some extra quality time with the family

Learn some basic greetings: please, thank you, hello, good afternoon, good evening and restroom, it will make your stay in a foreign country more pleasant