A villa (or two) proved ideal - an increasingly popular option among families headed to Europe.
"We wanted this feeling of togetherness as a family," Corinne explains.
At the Buonvisi Estate, in the Tuscan hills of Lucca, the family always gathered for dinner in the large dining hall of the Villa Del Barbaro, one of two villas and an apartment that they rented for the week for $18,000. Families took turns cooking or hiring a chef.
"It makes a home," says Ellen Sinoff, an agent at Doorways Ltd. in Bryn Mawr, which specializes in villa vacations to Italy. "The kids can walk into the kitchen and get a bowl of cereal. You get so much more privacy, space, and convenience."
Villas can be impressive retreats, with a dozen ornate bedrooms (and as many or more marble bathrooms), home theaters, antique furnishings, and cooks for a price of $2,000 per person per week - cheaper than luxury hotels. More modest homes rent for as little as $500 per person per week.
Joseph and Gianna Dini, owners of the 344-acre property, welcomed the Cody clan with a lovely Italian meal of pasta, chicken, vegetables, and lots of wine, providing a touch of Old World charm.
"The history you were surrounded by was amazing," says daughter-in-law Judy Cody of Doylestown. The estate has remnants of a tower that dates to the 13th century, and it once housed a Roman Catholic cardinal. Lucca, known for its medieval double walls, is just 21/2 miles away.
After a day of exploring places such as Florence, Cinque Terre, Pisa, and Vinci (inventor Leonardo's home), the three generations gathered in the three-story white stucco Villa Del Barbaro, a five-bedroom, five-bathroom manse with two living rooms and two kitchens that dates to the 1700s. They would swap stories over pasta, bread and olive oil, and, of course, wine.
