What is an albergho diffuso? If you’re looking for a vacation experience with a difference then these accommodations in Italy might be just what you’re looking for.

Almost thirty years before Airbnb made famous its ‘live like a local’ concept and slogan, that’s exactly what was happening in some of the small, remote and sometimes abandoned towns and villages of Italy.

This was the brainchild of Giancarlo Dall’Ara who realised that these towns could no longer support their residents in the traditional ways but yet they were in areas of natural beauty and in most cases, well off the beaten track.

In other words, exactly what so many travellers were looking for.

Today, the  Albergo Diffuso are to be found in over forty locations. And although the ‘albergho’ part of the name implies that they are hotels, that’s not exactly right in the ay we have been brought up to understand the word.

The rooms of the hotel are scattered (which is where the ‘diffuso’ comes from – it means ‘scattered’) around the building of the town. It isn’t what we would think of as a hotel where all the bedrooms are in the same building.

There is no sign indicating that this is a hotel although normal hotel-like services will be available.

What’s important though is that the legislation governing these inns insists that the guests should be part of a lively and thriving local community. Guests can learn traditional local skills for example. Some residents have started small businesses in their town to cater for the guests in a way that is traditional to their community.

See more details in the video below from the BBC.

ARTICLE BY:

Jackie

Jackie

JJ is originally from the UK and has lived in South Florida since 1994. She is the founder and editor of JAQUO Magazine. You can connect with her using the social media icons below.

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