Two unique ways to see Italy
Agriturismo
Italy has pioneered two refreshing concepts in travel. One is the agriturismo, which integrates hospitality, in the form of B&B rooms or self-catering apartments, with the regular workings of a farm. You can have a relaxing stay, enjoy incredible home-cooked food and maybe even pitch in with olive or grape harvests, pasta making or truffle hunting. The emergence of agriturismo has saved many families from being forced to sell and helped to revive the economy in rural areas.
Albergo Diffuso
The second concept, Albergo Diffuso (literally, “scattered hospitality”), is another ingenious response of Italy’s remote rural communities to the drift of the younger generation towards the big cities. All of a hotel’s normal rooms and services, including breakfast and dinner, are scattered throughout different buildings in a village, inviting you to walk around and get to know the locals. Residents and local producers all come together to create the experience, promoting the restoration and preservation of centuries-old culture, tradition and architecture. It’s an incredible way to feel a real part of the place you’re visiting.
Four reasons to love Italy
Scenery: Stunning natural beauty from the majestic Dolomites of Veneto or the Alps in Val d’Aosta to hillsides dotted with olive groves and topped with walled Medieval villages. Spectacular coastlines of white sands and rocky cliffs broken by clinging villages. Over 300 islands from north to south, many still maintaining their fishing village origins, with dazzling, crystal turquoise-emerald waters.
Food: The Italians’ favourite subject! You’ll find an incredible culinary variety of high quality, fresh, mostly organic foods. There’s a pride in growing local and each region has its own food identity, fiercely preserved and passionately discussed. You will not find the same shape pasta or accompanying topping from one place to the next. Local food events reinforce these differences and keep them alive from one generation to the next. For Italians, food isn’t just nourishment, it is life!
History & art: From Etruscan tombs, Roman temples and Renaissance palaces to Baroque churches all filled with the prolific artwork these periods produced. Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country in the world.
Lifestyle: Italians are envied for their seemingly carefree lifestyle and philosophy. Many visitors are left in awe at how closely they guard their free time, spending weekends and mealtimes with family. It’s a contagious way of life that leaves you wanting more than a holiday.