INTERNATIONAL PRESSItalian home from home hospitality: Alberghi Diffusi
Italian home from home hospitality: Alberghi Diffusi
Nicla Williams
You are probably aware by now that I am passionate about connecting travellers to authentic Italyand experience a deeper flavour of its culture. Therefore I have never been very impressed by soulless chain and touristy hotels and instead I have always craved to stay in accommodation that felt more like ‘a home from home’, where I could get a taste of local livng, live more like a local would, with all the comforts but none of the impersonal atmosphere of a hotel. And I think you can achieve this by staying at ‘alberghi diffusi’. Some of you may not know what they are and I would like to draw your attention to a blog post I wrote about this some time ago.
Once you have experienced them, you’ll understand exactly what I mean!
Looking at this photo, you can almost instantly be transported back in time and be left wondering exactly where your time machine landed you! This is the kind of Italy that most tourists will never get to experience or some don’t even know that it still exists. So how do you get to enjoy ‘local living’ in towns where time seems to have stood still?
Welcome to the wonderful concept of ‘Alberghi Diffusi’ or literally translated ‘scattered or spread out hotels’. It’s an innovative concept of hospitality, a kind of home from home that offers accommodation totally immersed in local Italian culture and daily living. Its creator, Mr Dall’Arawanted to find a sustainable way to save many historic towns and villages that had been abandoned or were in disrepair and that’s when he came up with the idea of the Albergo Diffuso.
The principle is that rooms are decorated in an authentic and local style, are scattered throughout different buildings within the town but overseen by one manager. A traditional breakfast might be served at a local cafe’ or in the kitchen of one of the local houses or even delivered to your room.
https://www.therunawayitalian.com/2017/01/23/italian-home-from-home-hospitality-alberghi-diffusi/