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the top twenty farm-stay holidays in Italy
by Mariateresa Montaruli
Country museums deprived of their masterpieces; fragments of an age-old farming culture. Functional architecture based upon man's relationship with agriculture and the mountains around him.  Agriturismo has saved many Italian country homes from abandon and eventual ruin; from the inevitable incursion of weeds and brush, as the call of the metropolis claims more and more of the rural population. The term "agriturismo" stands for the opportunity to spend your holiday on an actual farm, in a country cottage or mountain cabin. It's the type of holiday which could only be compared, perhaps, to the "dude-ranches" in the American southwest, the farms of Vermont, the farm trails of California's central valley and so on.  Although the 7500 such establishments in Italy are distributed throughout the country, a full 50% of them are concentrated in the regions around Trentino Alto Adige. A further 15% are located between Umbria and Toscana, often housed in restored antique homesteads which have retained the aire of their agricultural pasts.  The
remainder of these unique inns are scattered throughout the land. Set amidst
grape vines and almond trees, orchards and alpine pastures, the agriturismo
farms continue to produce their own cheeses, jams and cold-pressed olive
oil. Their kitchens continue to cook traditional meals using locally produced
ingredients. The Agriturist organization (Reservations: Tel/fax +39-564-417418, or www.agriturist.it) comprises nearly all available facilities. Classifications have not been awarded stars, but rather regional symbols such as ears of corn, as is customary in Puglia or four-leaf-clovers in Lombardia. Agriturist aided our selection of the top twenty guest-houses, selecting one for each region. |
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