We stayed in 3 Airbnb’s on our recent trip to Italy (not sponsored but all linked below) and I had to share some of the little differences between those homes and what I’ve become accustomed to in Australia and America.
If you’re planning a European Summer for 2025 here’s 9 features you might find throughout your trip.
1. Wicket Doors
The first Airbnb we stayed in had my favourite entryway. Off a small side street was a heavy, dark wood door. It was probably double the height of an average door and covered in ornate carvings with cast iron details. Within the large frame was a smaller, pedestrian door.
From my research I believe this is called a Wicket door. It provides all the grandeur you could want without any of the inconvenience of maneuvering a large heavy door every time you need to enter or exit your home. It felt like a secret door and made the home feel private and magical.
2. Ceiling Storage
We stayed in 2 older and 1 very modern Airbnb. Every older home I’ve ever lived in has had low ceilings. I associated high ceilings with new build homes. So I was surprised when all 3 of our Airbnb’s had ceilings above 10 feet. And it wasn’t just in the entryway or the living room as is common in Australian and American homes. The bedrooms and even the bathroom had soaring ceilings that made the whole house feel spacious and airy.
What I loved even more about the ceiling height is that it wasn’t just used for aesthetics. The space was made functional by adding alcoves for additional storage. Because the room was so open I didn’t even notice parts where the ceiling had been lowered to house personal items.
3. Casement Windows
If you’ve read any of my other work you’ll know I value well thought out windows more than the average person. The style, the amount, the height. It can make or break a house, I promise. Casement windows are some of my absolute favourites and they are a well-used feature in Italian homes. Paired with the tall ceilings, they make any room look absolutely stunning and provide incredible airflow.
Every evening before dinner we’d just lounge by the window, watch the sky change colours and enjoy the fresh air and sounds below. When have you ever done that in your own home?
4. Maze Like Layouts
Do you remember the Grand Staircase in the Harry Potter movies that would move and cause confusion? That is exactly how I felt in all 3 of our Airbnb’s.
Our first Airbnb had a beautiful stone, twisting staircase to reach the front door. It was enjoyable going down but not so fun climbing up after a long day of walking. In our second Airbnb the interior staircase had landings, half-landings and every single one was built as a ‘T’ intersection with stairs leading in all 4 directions. The hardest part was the hallways all looked the same and I did in fact get lost many times.
Once you actually got inside these apartments we found seemingly random step ups throughout the home – 2 tall steps to get into the bathroom or 3 steps down into the bedroom. I would love to see the building plans to know how all these apartments work in together with so many different elevations throughout. It made the homes whimsical but also not practical or accessible for elderly and kids etc.
5. Hidden Drying Racks
This feature was the inspiration for this article because it’s so simple yet so innovative at the same time. In all 3 of our Airbnb’s the kitchen cabinets above the sink had a sliding wire rack. The idea is you wash your dishes and then stack them into the floating drying rack.
A typical drying rack takes up valuable counter space, can become mouldy and looks messy on the bench. Instead I could close the cupboard, hide the clutter and allow the dishes to drip dry directly into the sink. Clever and aesthetic. I can’t believe Westerners haven’t stolen this idea yet.
6. Urinals
I wish I knew why Australia and America have such simple toileting features compared to other cultures. Asia is known for the bidet and our Italian Airbnb’s each had a urinal in every bathroom.
Google claims the reason for private urinals being so popular is “water conservation” and “space efficiency”. Water conservation makes sense because urinals do use less water than a flushing toilet. Although only half the population uses one. And space efficiency doesn’t make sense because each bathroom also needed to have a toilet regardless. Now instead of 1 large fixture there are 2 so I still don’t know the answer.
7. Mismatched Beauty
I don’t want to generalise the entirety of Italy with this one. But 2 of the Airbnb’s we stayed in were obviously once someone’s home (the 3rd was purpose built for holiday stays) and had a lived-in quality that made it feel cozy.
I know in Italy it can be extremely difficult to renovate – the apartments are hard to access, they can be fragile and workers are in high demand. Airbnb’s are also high traffic areas expected to get a little extra wear and tear.
I didn’t realise how much Western culture is obsessed with fixing everything until now. If something breaks at home or is out of place I’m so laser focused on the issue until it’s repaired. But having mismatched shower tiles or scuffed wooden floors didn’t take away from the joy of our trip. The imperfections actually felt like a shared human connection. What family made memories here before mine?
8. Squishy Walls
Features walls can be decorated with paint or wallpaper but have you ever seen soft fabric walls? In our 3rd Airbnb every single wall was wrapped in a padded, textured fabric. Kind of like your grandmother’s cushions.
It was an almost unsettling feeling to be walking down the staircase and have my hand sink into the wall as I tried to steady myself. It’s great for kid safety, no baby head injuries possible when you live in a literal mattress. I think the reason for the fabric wall coverings is to assist with soundproofing but it was certainly a unique visual feature.
9. Lifestyle Locations
If I never had to step foot in a car again I wouldn’t. Almost nothing is too far to walk for me. And everywhere we stayed in Italy was a walkable city.
There’s courtyards/squares/plazas everywhere. A short walk down the street and you’ll most likely reach a small grocery store with everything you need for dinner. All of our Airbnb’s were also close to historic churches, fountains, statues and even free sparkling water taps (an essential in Summer!).
Did I miss any? Let me know what your biggest culture shock was while travelling. And if you want to check out the Airbnb’s we stayed at they’re all linked here: