About us
Plinius® is a curated platform and creative studio dedicated to Italy’s most soulful homes. Inspired by Pliny the Younger — the Roman senator and writer who captured the beauty of Italian life in his letters — we uncover the essence of travel today: slowing down, observing, and truly connecting with place.
Our collection of villas, palazzi, and “Little Gems” are hand-picked for their story, character, and charm. Every stay is more than a place to sleep; it’s a way to connect with the home, the host, and the surrounding culture. Through our editorial content, mini guides, and local recommendations, we help travelers experience Italy beyond the obvious — discovering its people, food, and landscapes in a thoughtful, immersive way.
The Plinius Story
Founded by Shari Wijnhoud, Bodo Groen, and Ellen Grandjean, Plinius® was born from a shared appreciation of Italy — its landscapes, its architecture, and its way of life.
The name Plinius is inspired by Pliny the Younger (ca. 62–113 AD), the Roman senator and writer. He is best known for his letters to friends, in which he vividly described his villas along the coast near Rome and in Umbria — their gardens, art, landscapes, and the journeys to reach them. His writings capture the rhythms of daily life and the longing for peace and space amid work and duty. In choosing his name, Plinius follows in his footsteps, uncovering — in a contemporary, digital form — the same joy in slowing down, observing, and truly connecting with place.
A Curated Collection
Plinius is a curated platform and creative studio dedicated to Italy’s most soulful homes. Our hand-picked collection of villas, palazzi, and hideaways each has a story to tell — shaped by history, architecture, design, or the personality of the people who brought it to life.
Every stay is more than just a place to sleep; it’s a way to connect — to the home, to the hosts, and to the culture that surrounds it. We believe that travel becomes meaningful when you understand the story behind where you are.
A Sense of Place
At the heart of Plinius lies a deep connection to community, culture and landscape. We inspire travelers to discover Italy as it truly is: through its people, its markets, its family-run trattorie, and its timeless rituals. To shop at the village market instead of the supermarket, to share a meal at a Slow Food restaurant rather than a polished tourist spot, to visit lesser known places.
We believe the quickest way to understand a culture is through its food — and the most lasting way to experience it is through genuine human connection.
The Little Gems
Alongside our collection of villas, Plinius also presents “Little Gems” — smaller, one-of-a-kind places with a truly personal character. Some are chic and refined, others humble and simple, yet all share the same sense of authenticity, thoughtful design, and love for their surroundings.
Each is owned by passionate, independent hosts — and every booking is made directly with them. Whether it’s a restored trullo in Puglia, a mountain cabin in the Dolomites, or a seaside hideaway in Sicily, these Little Gems capture the essence of Italy’s slow and soulful way of living.
What Makes Plinius Different
Plinius is deliberately small and curated — we do not offer an endless list of properties. Every villa in our collection is chosen with care, ensuring that both homeowners and guests experience a personal, meaningful connection. This approach allows us to focus on quality over quantity, highlighting homes that are truly special and full of character.
We champion a thoughtful, immersive way of traveling. Rather than “taking” from a place, we aim to inspire travelers to be inspired by it — to move at a human pace, notice the details, and form a genuine connection with the landscape, the culture, and the people.
Through our mini guides, stories, and insider articles, we offer local knowledge that goes beyond the obvious: the village market instead of the supermarket, a family-run trattoria instead of a polished tourist restaurant, hidden corners and overlooked experiences that reveal the soul of a place. Every recommendation, every story, is a way to travel with awareness, curiosity, and respect — discovering Italy in a way that feels both personal and timeless.
Slowcations
Plinius celebrates a way of traveling that is slower, more mindful, and rooted in real experiences. Through our recommendations, we hope to inspire guests to explore unpolished, authentic places — appreciating them for their perfect imperfections, rather than seeing them through a filtered lens.
More Than a Platform
Plinius is both a collection and a creative studio. Beyond showcasing homes, we tell their stories through photography, editorial content, and visual storytelling. We aim to connect travelers not just with places, but with the feeling of being there — that timeless, quiet beauty that Italy has inspired for centuries.
Get in touch at: info@plinius-homes.com / ellen@plinius.homes / shari@plinius.homes
P.S. We sometimes work from hilltop villages or countryside kitchens — so if our reply takes a moment, know we’re somewhere beautiful, and we’ll get back to you very soon.
The team
Shari Wijnhoud
Founder, Booking & Content Manager
IG: @shariwijnhoud
Favorite Region: Piemonte! A stunning area in the north, with its antique market in Turin, Slow Food culture, and Barolo wines.
Dish: A Neapolitan pizza is always welcome—especially a pizza bianca with plenty of cheese!
Drink: Negroni.
Italian Habit: Aperitivo hour—unwinding with a drink and chatting about the day.
Ellen Grandjean
Founder, Booking & Content Manager
IG: @centifoliaprovence
Favorite Region: Sicily. Love the island’s rich history, cuisine, and easy island life!
Dish: Vitello Tonnato, a true classic.
Drink: Nero d’Avola, a bold, full-bodied Italian red wine. You could always wake me up for it!
Italian Habit: La passeggiata, the evening stroll through town, just like the locals.
Bodo Groen
Founder
IG: @huize_frankendael / @podere_invidia
Favorite Region: Tuscany, hands down my top choice. It’s where our journey with Plinius began with our first house, Podere Invidia.
Dish: Risotto.
Drink: A fine glass of Brunello from Montalcino.
Italian Habit: Enjoy a freshly brewed espresso right at the bar! And, of course, a limoncello after dinner.
Brian Sahertian
Website builder - together with the Clicksmash team
Website: Clicksmash
Region: Trentino | South Tyrol, and ideally during the warmer hiking seasons. It’s the perfect contrast—wandering through breathtaking nature, embracing the slow-living lifestyle, and leaving the digital world behind for a while.
Dish: Italian dishes with a Portuguese twist, just like we enjoy at my mother-in-law's. The best of the Mediterranean!
Drink: Nero d'Avola from Sicily and homemade Limoncello, just like my father makes it.
Italian Custom: Cappuccino in the morning.
Emma Peijnenburg
Photographer
IG: @emmapeijnenburg
Favorite Region: Recently discovered Liguria, where beach vibes meet rolling green hills—a photographer’s dream!
Dish: An authentic lasagna.
Drink: A classic Martini with an olive!
Italian Habit: A fresh cappuccino every morning (and yes, only before 11:00 am!).
Marjolein Meulendijk
Creative Consultant & Designer
IG: @cremedelamar / @stylenootnl
Favorite Region: Tuscany for its stunning sunsets and landscapes, but recently, Puglia has captured my heart with its orchards, whitewashed homes, and relaxed way of life.
Dish: Spaghetti alle vongole.
Drink: Negroni!
Italian Habit: Scarpetta! Use bread to mop up any leftover sauce.
Plinius Partners
Sabine and her team from Over the Moon Weddings
Founder and wedding planner
IG:@otmweddings
Favorite Region: Too many options! But for weddings, we'd say Tuscany or Puglia, depending on the vibe you want.
Dish: So hard to choose one thing but I love it when a meal or dish is just really simple, only a few ingredients, but the taste is amazing
Drink: Love a good Prosecco while enjoying a beautiful view
Italian Habit: Starting the day with a coffee and a “cornetto”
Maartje and Patrick from Ajen
Founders Ajen
IG:@ajen.care
Favorite Region: Trentino-South Tyrol, especially around Bozen. Perfect for wandering through vineyards and embracing slow living during the warmer days, but just as magical in winter.
Dish: Pasta carbonara. The best I’ve had so far was at Casa Newton, where we spent time last autumn.
Drink: Black tea, always, no matter where I am
Italian Habit: This year, I tried truffle hunting for the first time, a special experience. Being out in nature with the dogs, searching for hidden treasures, was a beautiful reminder of how rewarding simple pleasures can be.
Who was Plinius?
“Let me into the secrets you would prefer no one to know.” ~ Plinius the Younger
PLINIUS the Younger (62– c.113) was a Roman politician, philosopher, and writer. He described the Tuscan countryside to his friends in his famous writing “Letters on the Tuscan Villa”. In his vivid descriptions of country estates, including the gardens, art, and surroundings. He also tried to improve the balance between man and nature. In one of his letters, Plinius describes “the perfect day” in Tuscany. Interestingly, his perfect day (1st century AD) has not much changed from our perfect day.
We aim to continue Plinius’ journey and follow in his footsteps by sharing his love for beautiful places, slow living, nature, art, and culture. Plinius shared his findings through letters and we use a more digital form to communicate and let you into the secrets you would prefer no one else to know. Plinius stands for sharing the most beautiful places in Italy in a more sustainable way. The places we selected are the result of this ambition.