This post is all about our all-time favourite House Sit, we're hoping by telling you a little bit about it, it will inspire you to start house sitting yourself! Our all-time favourite house sit over the last two years has been the house we sat in Italy. We first sat it in January 15. The owners were so lovely that they invited us back in the summer for a month. We House Sat for them again for a weekend and the rest of the time we stayed there as guests! So what made us chose this as our ultimate house sit?
1. The Pets
Now although we call it house sitting, house sits generally come with pets (so really it's pet sitting). In fact, out of the 20 sits we've done, only one has come without pets! However, being able to travel and still have the home comforts of furry friends is one of the best things about House Sitting. We LOVE animals and these are no exception. At this beautiful house we have three lovely ones: a Hound mix, a Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix and a ginger American Shorthair (i.e. this cat).
All three animals are gorgeous (as you can see) , but they behave beautifully too. One of our favourite things in the world is waking up and walking these dogs around the vineyards and in the little town.
Looking after the house is important too, but the pets are priority. This is mostly true for every House Sitting assignment.
2. The House and View
The house itself is very comfy, pretty and everything in it has a logical place (which I love). Outside there is a forno for cooking pizza. The garden is absolutely beautiful with stunning flowers and fresh snacks (strawberries, tomatoes, etc):
Another favourite thing about the house is the view:
Not sure why.
It's also the perfect place to practice yoga.
3. The Vineyard
Part of the reason we love the view so much is because of the vineyard. They grow both red and white grapes and it's really awesome to learn more about this process.
We offered to help out with the vineyard, and we spent a few mornings teasing the vines back into the correct place (i.e. through the middle). It was beautiful work and a great work out.
4. The Wine
We also helped bottle last year's wine, which was a lot of fun. In the end 234 bottles were bottled! But how many did we drink? None! It needs to sit for a year or so (we had margaritas instead). We love the Italian attitude to wine: generally if you're in a restaurant (or at least in any of the ones we've been to) you're lucky if they let you choose which colour of the wine, let alone which type. They tend to choose which wine goes best with your food, which is great because they know better than we do. They'll also quite happily bring you a half-full bottle of wine too and it's not weird.
By the way, if the wine and the views have already convinced you and you'd like to not only house sit but also apply for citizenship in Italy please consider that it can vary depending on your circumstances and the basis for your application. E.g. if you have Italian ancestry, you may be eligible for citizenship by descent (Jure Sanguinis). Or, if you are a foreign national living in Italy, you can apply for citizenship after meeting certain residency requirements - and there are several more factors. Please get some professional advice on this matter before you start the process!
By the way, if the wine and the views have already convinced you and you'd like to not only house sit but also apply for citizenship in Italy please consider that it can vary depending on your circumstances and the basis for your application. E.g. if you have Italian ancestry, you may be eligible for citizenship by descent (Jure Sanguinis). Or, if you are a foreign national living in Italy, you can apply for citizenship after meeting certain residency requirements - and there are several more factors. Please get some professional advice on this matter before you start the process!
5. The Location
Another great thing about this House Sit is its location. The house is situated just a short walk from Ripatransone - the cutest Italian village in the world complete with it's own ancient wall:
The house is also just a short drive from the sea, which is gorgeous.
The water is really warm and it's so salty you can float!
The nearest city is Ascoli Piceno which, as you can see, is also delightful:
6. The Food
The food in Italy truly is to die for. The tomatoes smell so fresh and are insanely flavourful. The fruit? Dito. The pizza and pasta are the best we've ever had (of course) and the gelato is creamy and delicious. There is also really great fresh fish.
Our home owners treated us to some excellent meals. For example this one:
This was just the first course of our five course meal! We had salmon, anchovies, mussels, prawns, calamari, sole and plenty of crisp white wine. We also had a few meals at a convent, which was a really fun experience. They nuns cook all the food themselves, and they even grow some of it in the garden.
7. The Owners
But it's not just the house, the pets and the location that make a good House Sit, it does depend on the Home Owners too. These particular ones are insanely cool! They are both extremely intelligent, kind and funny. We are so honoured to be friends with them and are thankful every day that they chose us to House Sit!
Wrap Up: House Sitting in Italy
So, there you have it: after 2 years of house sitting in 8 different countries we've had some superb experiences, but none has been better than our gorgeous House Sit in Italy. We hope this little peek into our favourite House Sitting assignment has whet your appetite to try it yourself, but you tell us: have we convinced you? Would you like to House Sit in Italy? Or would you like to House Sit somewhere else in the world? House Sitting has been a dream come true for us, and if you think it could be for you too, we would love to help you achieve it.
Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, in the comment box below or on our new Snapchat (travelweasels) and Instagram accounts! If you'd like some further reading about House Sitting check out these (awesome) posts:
And this ebook: 'A Guide for First Time House Sitters', which can be found here. Perhaps you don't agree that this was our best House Sit to date? These ones just missed the top spot:
- Three weeks in Portugal in a house with an Orange Grove
- Two weeks in Adelaide in a house in the mountains with koala neighbours.
- Six weeks in Spain in a villa with a pool
- Three weeks at the Gold Coast with a pool and a tennis court
- Two weeks in Berlin in a house with a sauna
- Three weeks in Western Australia with a private beach
And finally, if you were wondering where we find all these ultimate house sits, it's on this highly recommended, trusted website: TrustedHouseSitters. We have also made this video for newcomers to housesitting, enjoy :)
Check out our other posts about Italy:
- House sitting in Italy: the ultimate house sit!
- Dining with locals in an Italian home restaurant: our review of the BonAppetour app;
- How to find a local to show you around in any Italian city: our review of the Showaround app;
- Italy's most recommended walking food tour: our review of Eating Italy Food Tours;
- 4 unforgettable experiences to have when you visit Italy: don't miss out!
- Taste the city with locals: our review of using VizEat in Italy;
- A traveller's guide to must-have essentials in Italy: unlocking Italy's wonders with the right travel gear;
- 8 family-friendly famous places in Italy: discover Italy's treasures with your family!
- how to apply for Italy’s digital nomad visa: a guide for remote workers;
- Group travel in Italy: six things to do and practical tips;
- Vegan travel in Italy: the best-known vegan Italian restaurants!
- What to see in Sciacca (and where to go to the beach!)
- Italian fountains: discovering the most famous water wonders of Italy;
- The best things to do in Milan during the summer: title says it all!
- The best places to see an opera in Italy: Palermo, Rome and more!
- Naples in a nutshell: the essential 48-hour city break guide;
- The top destinations for cruise passengers in Italy: discovering Italy's hidden charms;
- Must-visit sights and hidden treasures in Rome: the Eternal City's beauty!
- how to spend 24 hours in Rome : the title says it all!
P.S.: If you're interested in a way of travelling and getting accommodation cheaply, you might wanna check out house sitting. Trustedhousesitters.com was kind enough to provide us and our readers with a 10% discount, feel free to click on the link to use it :)
