Air conditioning is a relatively new phenomenon in Italian homes. Italians enjoy the warm summer weather and have survived for millennia without it; their buildings are designed to stay reasonably cool in warm weather. But it is certainly a welcome feature on hot summer days. Here are some helpful notes on what to expect when it comes to air conditioning in your Italian vacation rental property.

• Check the green Details tab on our website to see if the property has air conditioning.
• Almost all properties with A/C have retrofitted it into existing, often ancient, structures. Central air is rare.
• Air conditioning is usually delivered room by room through split heat-pump technology for energy efficiency. Italy has stunningly high electrical costs so use the A/C only in the room you are currently occupying. Close off the other rooms to conserve energy. Turn it off when you go out. Otherwise you're likely to be faced with whopping extra charges if there is a system of shared utility expenses. In any case you might want to budget an extra €5 to €25 a day to cover the expense of air conditioning. It is your vacation, so the extra expense might be well worth your comfort!
• If an apartment has A/C it is probably only in the main living areas and bedrooms. If it is only in the bedrooms(s) our website information states this.
• Use the external shutters to keep rooms shady & cool, particularly in the heat of the afternoon.
• Villa properties rarely have A/C. We feature only one country property that has air conditioning in the bedrooms, Borgo Bucine.
• Check the green Locale tab on our property listings to see average historical daily temperatures to gauge how hot it will be. It's rare to need air conditioning before early June and often owners plan to get it operational for June.
• Watch your power usage. Italian homes are under-powered by US standards (by law), if you run the air conditioning with almost any other power-hungry appliance like the washer, microwave, or dishwasher you can expect that the circuit breaker will trip. At check-in be sure to ask the greeter how to reset the circuit breaker.
• The best way to cope during the summer is to do as the Italians do. Get out early, stay out of the sun midday, and enjoy a siesta, shades closed, to re-emerge in the evening for a stroll and dinner.