I Borghi più belli d'Italia[a] (Italian: [i ˈborɡi pju bˈbɛlli diˈtaːlja]) is a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest,[2] that was founded in March 2001 on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities, with the aim of preserving and maintaining villages of quality heritage.[3] Its motto is Il fascino dell'Italia nascosta ("The charm of hidden Italy").[4]
The most beautiful villages of Italy | |
Formation | 2001 |
---|---|
Type | Non-profit association |
Purpose | promotion and enhancement of history, landscape, culture and tourism |
Location | |
Region served | Italy |
Membership | 361 (2023)[1] |
Official language | Italian |
President | Fiorello Primi |
Affiliations | The Most Beautiful Villages in the World |
Website | borghipiubelliditalia |
Founded to contribute to safeguarding, conserving and revitalizing small villages and municipalities, but sometimes even individual hamlets, which, being outside the main tourist circuits, they risk, despite their great value, being forgotten with consequent degradation, depopulation and abandonment.[5] Initially the group included about a hundred villages, which subsequently grew up to 361 in 2023.[1]
In 2012, the Italian association was one of the founding members of the international association The Most Beautiful Villages in the World, a private organization that brings together various territorial associations promoting small inhabited centres of particular historical and landscape interest.[6]
Description
Admission criteria
The criteria for admission to the association meet the following requirements: integrity of the urban fabric, architectural harmony, livability of the village, artistic-historical quality of the public and private building heritage, services to the citizen as well as the payment of an annual membership fee.[7]
Initiatives
The association organizes initiatives within the villages, such as festivals, exhibitions, fetes, conferences and concerts that highlight the cultural, historical, gastronomic and linguistic heritage, involving residents, schools, and local artists.[8] The club promotes numerous initiatives on the international market.[9][10][11][12][13][14] In 2016, the association signed a global agreement with ENIT,[15] to promote tourism in the most beautiful villages in the world.[16] In 2017, the club signed an agreement with Costa Cruises[17] for the enhancement of some villages, which are offered to cruise passengers arriving in Italian ports aboard the operator's ships.[18]
Regional subdivision
The regional subdivision of the villages members of the association is as follows: 31 in Marche and Umbria, 29 in Tuscany, 27 in Liguria, 26 in Abruzzo and Lombardy, 25 in Lazio, 24 in Sicily, 20 in Piedmont, 16 in Emilia-Romagna and Trentino-Alto Adige, 15 in Calabria, 14 in Apulia, 13 in Friuli Venezia Giulia, 11 in Veneto and Campania, 9 in Sardinia and Basilicata, 4 in Molise and 3 in Aosta Valley.
Villages
Northern Italy
- Aosta Valley (3)[19]
- Emilia-Romagna (16)[20]
- Friuli Venezia Giulia (13)[21]
- Liguria (27)[22]
- Lombardy (26)[23]
- Piedmont (20)[24]
- Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (16)[25]
- Veneto (11)[26]
Central Italy
- Abruzzo (26)[27]
- Lazio (25)[28]
- Marche (31)[29]
- Arcevia
- Cingoli
- Corinaldo
- Esanatoglia
- Fiorenzuola di Focara
- Frontino
- Gradara
- Grottammare
- Macerata Feltria
- Mercatello sul Metauro
- Mondavio
- Mondolfo
- Monte Grimano
- Montecassiano
- Montecosaro
- Montefabbri
- Montefiore dell'Aso
- Montelupone
- Monteprandone
- Moresco
- Morro d'Alba
- Offagna
- Offida
- Pergola
- Petritoli
- San Ginesio
- Sarnano
- Sassoferrato
- Servigliano
- Treia
- Visso
- Molise (4)[30]
- Tuscany (29)[31]
- Anghiari
- Barga
- Buonconvento
- Campiglia Marittima
- Capalbio
- Casale Marittimo
- Castelfranco di Sopra
- Castiglione di Garfagnana
- Cetona
- Coreglia Antelminelli
- Giglio Castello
- Loro Ciuffenna
- Lucignano
- Montaione
- Montefioralle
- Montemerano
- Montescudaio
- Ortignano Raggiolo
- Palazzuolo sul Senio
- Pitigliano
- Poppi
- Populonia
- Porto Ercole
- San Casciano dei Bagni
- San Donato in Poggio
- Santa Fiora
- Scarperia e San Piero
- Sovana
- Suvereto
- Umbria (31)[32]
- Acquasparta
- Allerona
- Arrone
- Bettona
- Bevagna
- Castiglione del Lago
- Citerna
- Corciano
- Deruta
- Giano dell'Umbria
- Lugnano in Teverina
- Massa Martana
- Monte Castello di Vibio
- Montecchio
- Montefalco
- Monteleone d'Orvieto
- Monteleone di Spoleto
- Montone
- Nocera Umbra
- Norcia
- Paciano
- Panicale
- Passignano sul Trasimeno
- Preci
- San Gemini
- Sellano
- Spello
- Stroncone
- Torgiano
- Trevi
- Vallo di Nera