When many English speaking tourists visit Italy, they make the assumption that the only places you can use for accommodation are hotels, bed & breakfasts or even Airbnbs. And why not? Italy is famous for having some of the most luxurious, elegant and unique hotels and establishments in the whole world. Checking into one of this lands many five star hotels could see you treated to elaborately decorated accommodation, every facility you can imagine, 24 hour service to cater to your every whim and all the bells and whistles that you could possibly imagine. Sounds appealing right?
Well, this post aims to describe to you the one thing that you might not get when opting for a famous luxurious 5 star hotel: The heart and soul of real Italy.
Agriturismos are, amongst many other things such as mandarinetto or peperoni cruschi, one of Italy's best kept secrets and it's a great shame how many English speaking travellers have yet to discover these wonderful places. So what is an agriturismo I hear you ask? A touristic farm? Agricultural tourism? Something else?
'Agriturismo' is best described as a type of farm-based bed and breakfast that has some type of restaurant business attached to it. They offer rustic and traditional accommodation in some of Italy's most spell-bounding countryside locations and all of them are run by independent local families, who often have a history in agriculture or gastronomy. Some of the restaurants at agriturismos are open every day, some only open to their staying guests and some open most Sundays for the biggest Sunday lunch you could possibly begin to image - we're talking 4-5 hours of solid gastronomical delight.
The best part thing about an agriturismo is that the food you will eat there is organic, 0km/locally sourced and freshly prepared by some of the most accomplished traditional chefs in the whole country. Even better, the guarantee of organic quality is enshrined in law as all agriturismos have to produce the majority of the ingredients they sell and cook with. What this means is, in practice, is that those of you lucky enough to venture out to an agriturismo across the Italian countryside will be sure to eat some of the best cuisine in the world. You'll also be able to buy freshly made marmalades, jams, liquors, fruit and vegetables to take back with you.
Above all of this however, is the chance to stay with a local family and be treated like you're a part of that family. Ok, so your room might not be carved out of marble and you might not have uniformed bell boys and porters on hand at every moment, but what you will get is the heart and warmth of an Italian family who will be keen to let you taste their local specialities or share with you stories and history about their region. You'll get to wake up every morning and breath some of the cleanest, freshest air you could find in the world, all set against awe inspiring rolling hills, lush forests and abundant olive groves and fruit orchards - knowing that what awaits you next is a traditional Italian breakfast - made there at the farm.
Our agriturismo, Agriturismo L'assiolo, sits proudly alongside the great community of agriturismos that spread across the whole of Italy. Set amongst a WWF protected nature reserve and surrounded by our thousands of olive trees and orange trees, Agriturismo L'assiolo acts as the base for your experience of Basilicata during a La Lucana tour.
Alternatively, if you wish to stay at our agriturismo without the added benefits of translators, transport and activities - B&B based accommodation can be arrange, so do get in touch at info@lalucana.com
www.lalucana.com