What is an Agriturismo?
An agriturismo is first and foremost a fully-functioning commercial farm that also provides hospitality services for nature tourists, using its own buildings and products. The primary requisite is that it offers hospitality on the farm itself in renovated rural buildings readapted to carry out those activities.
In Italy, agritourism establishments started appearing in the eighties thanks to a desire to promote agriculture and integrate it more closely with tourism, artisan and local culture, and today it is a phenomenon that is expanding rapidly.
Not only in Tuscany
The agriturismo is now common throughout the Italian peninsula in each region. It exists in many different forms adapting hospitality to local architecture, uses and customs.
Rural Tourism
While an Agriturismo means hospitality within a commercial farm; rural tourism includes a more general style of country vacation and “ecological” tourism, which is the eco-compatible alternative to mass tourism.
Rural tourism includes agriturismo and bed&breakfast establishmentsas well as homes, room rentals, country hotels, country homes and all possible types of overnight structures outside urban centres and nearer to a rural lifestyle.
All said, hospitality in the country is an ancient tradition: just think of medieval travellers and the inns along the roads walked by religious pilgrims, or vacations in villas that gave rise to splendid architectural works that are common throughout the Italian countryside. Rural tourism has its own specific tradition and this is another reason why more and more people are getting interested in it.
Why it is successful
Why are more and more people, both in Italy and abroad, interested in passing a few days in contact with nature?
The main reasons are:
- A desire to "unwind" and rediscover a healthy and relaxing lifestyle;
- The high quality reception;
- The rich array of traditional food and wine products, which are frequently produced and sold on the farms;
- The possibility to adapt the vacation to fit all tastes making it great for: sports enthusiasts, families with children, lovers of fine food and fans of psychological-physical well-being, folks looking for something different and people who love local art and history;
- The ability of tourist operators to multiply and diversify the offer, who are able to providing cultural, recreational and entertainment services aimed at rediscovering the characteristic values of the rural Italian world.
Guide to using the site
On the Italia Agritur site, you will be best able to organize your "eco vacation": searching for the solution that satisfies you from the thousands that are included in the data base, which is constantly updated and extended! You will be able to search by geographical area or use the advanced search options, or even try our suggestions by consulting the themed lists that we have proposed.
From each establishment you will have a form available that contains all of the necessary practical information, an indication of the prices and services, a link to the website and e-mail of the company itself, one or more photos and a roadmap. On the site you will also find many tips and lots of info for your travels throughout the Italian countryside: you can get to know a variety of wines and foods in these regions, the traditional festivals, products and lots of other useful and interesting facts together with us.
Enjoy the site and we wish you a great vacation!
Guide to choosing
What is a bed & breakfast?
A Bed & Breakfast is literally self explanatory and it is used to describe hospitality offered in private homes that offer an overnight stay with breakfast in the morning. This form of hospitality is suited to those who are looking for an informal family-style environment and want to get in direct contact with the nature, people and the culture of the site.
What is a country house or a vacation house?
A country house is an accurately descriptive term that includes: historical farmhouses, an old country home or renovated outbuildings, an old noble home or even a castle in the country where it is possible to stay in rooms or apartments.
The fundamental difference between this and a vacation home is that the latter may also be found in a residential area that is not necessarily in the countryside.
What is agricamping?
Agricamping is a variation on the agriturismo theme dedicated to campers: some agritourism establishments make equipped service areas available for those who like to travel by camper and want to live nature, the farm tradition and open air activities in the best possible way.
What is a historic dwelling?
A historic dwelling is intended as a building with special architectural, historic or artistic interest that has been transformed into a tourist hospitality structure. Historical dwellings are furnished with antiques, artworks and artisan wares and they frequently belong to ancient noble families. A stay in a historic dwelling includes the enchantment of a unique atmosphere that makes the “rural” vacation even more pleasurable.
What is a country inn?
Just like the name says, a country inn is a hotel located in the countryside.
