Secret gardens, castles and ancient traps: «Grand Tour» among ancient residences, works of art and noble parks. places that are worth a trip between culture, relaxation and wine tastings.
Castles, ancient palaces with wonderful frescoes, noble villas, parks and gardens with box hedges and labyrinths. And again: monasteries, oratories, cloistered convents, places of spirituality, silent tuna fisheries overlooking the Sicilian sea. An immense heritage that of historic homes, the profound and partly unknown portrait of our identity. A journey through the places of memory, what theAssociation of Italian Historic Houses (ADSI).
A new tourism, beyond the usual routes suffocated by overtourism, which rediscovers small villages that have remained intact over the centuries, a modern Grand Tour where you can get lost among alternative itineraries.
The map of hidden treasures to discover for free
FromCervara Abbey in Santa Margherita Ligure, to visit the only Italian garden in Liguria overlooking the sea, over a thousand hectares of vineyards, olive groves, pastures of the Montegiove Castlebetween Perugia and Orvieto, up to the fascinating Tonnara Foderà di Magazzinazzi in Alcamo.
The theme chosen for the day “Guardians of the future. A living heritage for a shared value” recalls the responsibility of taking care of assets which are not only to be preserved, but to be enhanced and made accessible within the communities of reference, so that they can continue to generate cultural, social and economic value. The mirror of a country to look at, understand, rediscover. In the last year over twenty thousand homes have held at least one event, welcoming more than 35 million visitorsof which over two million in internal areas.
And this is the great challenge of the Association which is about to turn fifty. «We represent the 46 thousand buildings listed by the State for historical and artistic interest (the restriction is established by Article 9 of the Constitution). In Europe we are the country that has the largest number of them”, explains the president Maria Pace Odescalchi. «The approach is to show the importance of these places, which symbolize the perfect collaboration between public and private, to relaunch a treasure that is not only beauty and prestige, ancient splendor and noble manors, but is capable of creating wealth, employment, development». Based on data from the Observatory on private cultural heritage, created by RiES Foundationin 2024 almost all of the interventions were self-financed by the owners, with an average expense exceeding fifty thousand euros per year for each individual asset. Overall, the total amount of restoration was 1.9 billion euros.
An economic engine for the internal areas of the country
Founded in 1977, the association has 4,500 members representing the 46 thousand historic homes which, present in all the Regions, constitute a significant component of cultural heritage. Much of this precious heritage is found above all in internal areas, thirty percent even in municipalities with fewer than five thousand inhabitants. Precisely this glorious past can help the present, becoming the driving force for areas that are often unknown and where it is difficult to reach. More than half carry out economic activities including tourism, hospitality, agriculture, wineries, concerts and literary meetings. The impact is also significant in terms of employment and the supply chain, involving artisans, agronomists, technicians and scholars for widespread, sustainable and seasonal tourism.
For example, in Panicale, Umbria, an American couple, George and Roxanne Millerbought the castle and created the largest puzzle museum in the world. Or the incredible story of Don Alessio Gerettiwho set up the rectory in Illegio, a town of 340 inhabitants in the province of Udine, organizing important international art exhibitions for over twenty years, with priceless loans from the Uffizi to the Vatican Museums, bringing 700 thousand visitors. Miracles exist.
The president continues: «Virtuous realities that create an impact for the territory. It’s not just beautiful to look at, but it’s much more. They are a precious economic resource of the country, which if supported by a medium-long term program for valorisation and promotion, can reactivate the economy of those internal areas whose future is much debated”. 35 percent of the homes are intended for rental, while seventeen percent carry out agricultural activities with a clear prevalence of viticulture. A third of Italian wineries belong to a historic residence. Maria Pace Odescalchi, the first woman to hold the position of president of the organization, continues: «Public and private collaboration, with the right support and careful planning, can bring hospitality, culture and art. A network that produces economy for the entire national territory, which must be designed and supported by the institutions. There is a spirit of passion that we have always had, but alone it is unthinkable to be able to carry it forward. This reality is like the backbone of the country. The owner is a custodian who passes on to new generations a genius loci that must not be distorted. The risk is that without real support we are increasingly moving towards abandonment.”
It is natural to ask what interventions could help such a treasure of history and beauty? “A’Unified VAT for restricted assets to encourage these realities. And it is a solution that would also benefit the public budget. In the wake of what was already successfully achieved last year for works of art. We must consider this sector as a source of economy and also of restart, creating quality jobs.”
