How many times have you wished you could just pack your bags and take off to Europe or somewhere exotic for a year? Immerse yourself in a different culture and lifestyle.

• Enjoy simple things like sitting at a Parisian café eating a warm croissant as you spend your afternoon people watching.
• Go to a local market and buy the ingredients for lunch, accompany it with a great glass of wine and lover, followed by an afternoon siesta.
• Get up and go for a stroll, having no idea where the day may take you.
• Relax in a park or on a beach with a great book, snacking on fresh cheese and breads.
• Experience the adrenaline rush that comes from jostling your way through the labyrinthine medina in Marrakech.
• Sit in a courtyard and make friends with local neighbours.

Part of the allure of travel is experiencing something different and what better way to do that than to experience it like a local. Stepping into another person’s world for a moment and enjoying it to its fullest. There are so many things an experience like this can provide for your soul, your heart and for your overall well-being, but if moving away is not an option 'for now' then how about renting a home for a week or two, or even a month in Paris, Tuscany or North Africa to take time away from the craziness of life to just unwind and relax.

Here are some properties that I think will knock your socks off:

Baudon deMauny in Languedoc-Roussillon, France, is managed by Alain, the owner.

— Alain: “Within two minutes of meeting our guests, my wife loves them. It puts them at ease and they feel a personal connection rather than the generic greeting people usually receive at most hotels.”







Dar Darma in Marrakech,Morocco, is managed by Laura, Marketing Manager.

— Laura: “The atmosphere is very informal and there are no specific times for breakfast or check-in and check-out. I’ve seen a lot of guests feeling like at home. It’s very unique.” 
Alemanys 5 in Girona, Spain, is managed by Juan Manuel, Business Consultant
Castello di Vicarello in Tuscany, Italy, is managed by Aurora, the Owner.

— Aurora: “We are who we are. We did this place because we fell in love with it. We put all our energy into it, our past life, our experiences.” 






Below is a list of the villa rental agents whom I consider best qualified to match my readers with the appropriate property:

Luxury properties in Morocco and abroad, ppaproperties.com
Properties in Europe and Argentina, hostedvillas.com
Properties in France, justfrance.com
Properties in Greece, fivestargreece.com
Properties in Hawaii, hawaiihideaways.com
Properties in Italy and England, villaeurope.com
Properties in Portugal, villaagency.co.uk
Properties in Spain, elsolvillas.com
Properties in St. Barts, stbarth.com
Properties in St. Martin, villasinparadise.com