About us
Extraordinary Villas
Lifelong Memories
Life is fleeting and time is precious, that’s why we believe in the importance of creating lifelong memories - with family, with friends, with those who matter most. Memories that are priceless, that evoke joy, deepen connections, and give us meaning.
The best villa holidays are the ones where nothing is too much trouble - where you arrive somewhere truly exceptional and step into a world of unhurried luxury, where time is completely your own and you can surrender to the here and now. At The Thinking Traveller, our passion is to provide an extraordinary villa experience, leaving you to create lifelong memories with loved ones.
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Created and Run by Locals
Originating over 20 years ago, our founders began with a simple idea: to share their deep love and intimate knowledge of their homelands through a collection of exceptional homes and unique experiences, giving discerning travellers the opportunity to live like a local.
24 years on, The Thinking Traveller continues to curate a collection of exceptional homes and villas in the Mediterranean that are exclusively available with us, giving a stamp of quality that you can trust. We don’t aspire to have the biggest collection of villas, because we still personally and regularly visit every one of our homes, only villas imbued with heart, soul and an inimitable sense of local magic make it into The Thinking Traveller family.
The Thinking Traveller Story
2002
Our Beginning in Sicily
Inspired during a night on Stromboli, Huw and Rossella Beaugié founded what would become The Thinking Traveller, launching with seven exclusive Sicilian villas and pioneering our "quality through exclusivity" philosophy.
2009
Discovering Puglia
In response to loyal clients asking us to expand beyond Sicily, we launched our collection of Puglian villas, serendipitously timing our entry as travellers were discovering the heel of Italy's boot but finding no high-quality villa experiences available.
2011
First Global Accolade
Readers of Condé Nast Traveller voted us 'Best Villa Rental company in the world ' for the first time.
2013
Across the Greek Islands
Captivated by the beauty of Greece, we crossed the Ionian Sea to start Think Ionian in Lefkada and Meganissi. Corfu, Paxos and Antiparos then followed.
2014
The Thinking Traveller
As our presence flourished throughout the Mediterranean, we united our regional collections under one distinguished name, The Thinking Traveller and launched online booking.
2016
Setting a New Standard
We add a range of villas in the Greek Sporades Islands and are named Best Villa Rental Company for a second time.
2017
Bonjour Corsica
We introduced our carefully selected Corsican collection, bringing our signature standard of excellence to this unspoiled Mediterranean treasure. We were voted Best Villa Rental Company in the World for the third time.
2021
A Powerful Partnership
We Joined forces with White Key Villas, founded by Dimitris and Anna and significantly expanded our Greek portfolio with with villas in the Cyclades, Saronic and more, and an office in Athens. We also earnt our sixth world-class accolade.
2023
B Corp Certification
Achieving B Corp status affirmed our unwavering commitment to sustainability and safeguarding the exceptional destinations we curate, principles embedded in our foundation from inception.
2023
Ninth World Title
We celebrated our ninth Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Award for Best Villa Rental Company in the World, reaffirming our clients' trust.
2024
The Tuscan Coast Unveiled
We launched our Tuscan coastline collection, revealing this storied region from an entirely fresh perspective, ready for the 2025 season and claimed our tenth world title of Best Villa Rental Company in the World.
Industry Recognition
We are proud to have been voted ‘Best Villa Rental Company in the World’ for a 10th time this year at Condé Nast Traveller's Readers’ Choice Awards.
Thoughtful service to create memorable trips
Our local teams craft experiences that open secret doors into the soul of each region: whether wandering through sun-drenched vineyards, sailing into the horizon on a private boat, or rising above it all in a helicopter. You might master the local cuisine with a cooking class, view an under the radar exhibition or snorkel in crystalline waters.
Responsible Business
We believe in travelling thoughtfully and sustainably. We’re a proud B Corp company and through our work with organisations such as the Conservation Collective we continue to support vital environmental projects across our regions.
Browse our Exclusive Villas
With every extraordinary villa and meticulously crafted experience, we invite you to step beyond the ordinary - where the Mediterranean is not just seen, but truly lived in the most memorable way, just as our founders intended.
Villa Matchmaking service
Because our local experts have personally visited each of our destinations, we know exactly what makes them special. Tell us what your ultimate villa holiday looks like, and allow us take care of the rest
