In 1995 I lived my first real Italian experience in a charming apartment in Turin in northern Italy. At that time I was a student and was intrigued by the way the Italians live; the old palazzi fascinated me with their high ceilings, as did the characteristic housekeepers, the loud television sounds from every window and the smell of cooking floating up from the courtyards.
In 1997, out of this growing passion for Italy, I established a wine import company with a friend of mine, importing quality Italian wines and selling them throughout Europe and abroad. This gave me the chance to visit magnificent country houses and wine estates throughout Italy. In many cases the wine producers offered apartments rentals within their estate. It was then that I realized that the ‘Italian way of living’ I was learning to love was probably of interest to many people, if they could just be exposed to it.
Not many countries have the luck to have both a complex of grand cities like Rome, Venice, Florence and sport fabulous coastal areas like the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre all under one flag. This makes Italy truly unique. As I spent more and more time there, I discovered just how much I wanted others to be able to enjoy this uniqueness just as I did.
The year 2004 marked my permanent move to Italy, alternating between living in central Rome and Positano on the Amalfi Coast. As a temporary job I started to work for a short-term rental company. This is when I realized the impact vacation rental businesses have in Italy and how much work there was still to be done. I decided I would improve the vacation rental business to give clients better opportunities for the most enjoyable Italy experience possible. My extensive network of family and friends made it possible for me to get in direct touch with a many considerate and kind Italian people looking to rent out their second homes and apartments. As my contacts grew, it became impossible to represent all the proprietors on a freelance basis. Therefore, Italy-Unique was born out of the necessity to create a proper identity that reflects our own philosophy: representing unique, quality Italian vacation apartments and villas and making the Italian experience available for a variety of budgets and interests.
As you can see from our website, we offer detailed room descriptions and pictures to help you to find the perfect villa. Each apartment is researched thoroughly, and each photograph represents something we know intimately. In fact, as my former wine-export colleague, Teo Krijgsman, happens to be a fantastic photographer and shares my passion for Italy, we started working together again. He’s responsible for the beautiful images you find on this site, trying to capture the beauty and authenticity of Italian getaways and their stunning surroundings.
Italy-Unique provides everything from comfortable basic accommodations to top luxury properties with great historical value for the most exigent traveler. Our goal is to provide you with honest information. We work in extremely close contact with all property owners to ensure that each apartment meets exceptional quality and location standards and that you will feel truly “at home” in our Italy accommodations. Moreover, if something isn’t clear or you simply want more information, just write us and we’ll be happy to give you all the information you need. All inquiries will be answered within 24 hours, guaranteed. In addition, we’re happy to assist you with private car services, excursions and boat trips whenever possible.
We will do our utmost to help you enjoy a truly unique vacation experience. Buon viaggio!!!!
Sincerely,
Pascal van Duijnhoven
Director of Italy-Unique