A former abandoned village in Tuscany is providing one of the more unusual camping experiences available to tourists visiting Italy – it is actually high in a tree! This is camping with a difference for it is more than just a place to stay, but an opportunity to immerse yourself in the local way of life.
It all began back in 2014, when four Dutch travelers discovered the village of Borgo di Gello nestled high in the Casentino hills. Owned by a local guy, Stefano, the village was a mass of unused buildings in an extremely beautiful setting. He comments, “the village is more than 1,000 years old. When I arrived in the place I fell in love – the nature, the skies, the forest, of course, wild animals, it was ‘a little paradise’. Then these crazy Dutch men arrived and brought the place back to life. It’s crazy how they transformed it. The visitors – they love it, they recognize something authentic, and how seamless life can be. It is isolated but with a little luxury, and is having a complete revival. The entire valley holds an opportunity, the farms, the livestock, it could be a valley of the senses.”
Enthralled by what they found, the four Dutchmen – Igor, Jeroen, Leonard and Mart – persuaded Stefano to agree to them opening a pop-up hotel for 90 days. It proved immensely popular and soon the hotel became permanent. Now the quartet are slowly creating a unique all year round, accommodation concept within the village.
Amy Carr from Noventa explains, “We are open for the main holiday seasons of Spring, Summer and Autumn for families, which is where it all started. Alongside that we have various events running throughout the year such as Yoga retreats, Cooking courses etc., – and develop more each year. Then you can also “Rent the Village” for your own event, be it a wedding or family group, Incentive Business trips, Reunions etc., – the possibilities are pretty endless, and we tailor the program around the group.”
From the beginning, there was a move towards providing outdoor eco-friendly, natural accommodation, which would allow visitors to sleep out under the stars. Visitors can opt for the Skylodge, Treehouse or the Tensile Tent – all of which are situated high in the trees beside the village.
A treehouse accommodation that sleeps 2, two double beds, towels provided, terrace, table & chairs, outdoor shower/toilet facility. [Photo: Host Unusual]
The Skylodge has its own four poster king size bed with a Perspex roof so that visitors can sleep under the stars no matter what the weather. There is also a 360 degree wooden terrace plus outdoor bathroom. The secluded Treehouse has been specially built in a 200 year old oak tree although the bathroom is a little further on. The Tensile tent floats among the branches of three huge trees. All were created by Mart, who acts as the tech guy around the village.
“They were introduced as an alternative way to experience our glorious village – and a great fun project to design and build! A lot of our guests are looking for a submersive nature experience, but with the safety and security of 4 walls around them. There are others however who are keen to go full on – listen to the wild board under their feet at night, take a shower in the trees and to see the stars and the sunrise while lying in bed. We even have fireflies throughout May and June which are simply a marvel to experience,” says Amy.
“Tentsile is a very cool company creating amazing alternatives to traditional ground tents, and we thought they would be perfect for our village. Whereas the treehouse and skylodge are very much glamping style accommodation, the tents offer a wonderful and unique way to sleep under the stars. We put them up in different spots in the village each year, and guests can rent them for a night. They are incredibly comfortable to sleep on as you are suspended in mid air between the trees, lovely and cool but totally protected.”
More tree houses and tents are likely to be introduced in due course. “The possibilities are endless. We have rather a lot of space, and our team is full of budding designers and eager craftsmen. They’re all fighting over who gets to build the next one! Important on our list too is the renovation and protection of our crumbling buildings. Our passion is to rebuild the village and community around it, and so we are equally keen to use the beautiful ancient houses we have at our fingertips,” says Amy.
Noventa are determined to create something really special within the village of Borgo de Gello. It is not enough just to provide accommodation to bring visitors into the area, instead Noventa want to encourage visitors to stay and explore the countryside, interact with local people and really experience local culture rather than regarding it as a base from which to spend an entire holiday traveling further afield to places like Florence and Pisa.
It is, in fact, an opportunity to become part of the local community albeit for a short time. Guests are encouraged to go for guided walks through the forest to visit the local monastery of Santuario Francescano, or enjoy wine tasting at the local organic vineyard with its owner Marco. There is an option to take a mountain walk to the home of the local butcher Fabrizio and his wife Meri where you can relax with a traditional al-fresco lunch is served en-famille. Alternatively, Fabrizio’s mother will show how to make pasta Italian style or you can go on a foraging trip into the mountains for truffles or mushrooms. Relax with a picnic at the river or learn to speak some Italian.
Borgo di Gello is coming back to life, with people living there all year round as well as guests arriving for short stays. Amy and her colleagues are determined to continue the momentum they have achieved to date, and grow the village still further.
She says, “Our concept is constantly changing and developing – but one point is key: We hope to restore the community in our valley to its former glory. The village once held a bustling community of 300 people living completely from the land – with a school, church, guesthouses, umpteen productive farms and generations of families; we want it back! The Casentino Valley (between Florence and Arezzo) is a quiet and sleepy place and we would love to be able to support the local community by working with the talents, techniques and traditions of the people here; using their knowledge of the environment, the seasons, the land …. Not to mention each other! In turn, creating an organic and authentic environment for our guests to experience, engage and enjoy.
Stefano lent us the village in 2014, now we are renting and gradually buying buildings from him whilst we make the renovations; then we hope to own the whole village in a few years time. We have a program of micro-investors, and in fact, we are crowdfunding the purchase of the whole village.
It’s exciting and scary in most equal measures. The sense of pride we get when we see the village bustling with life and energy – our friends and neighbors helping us in the kitchen, in the fields, or even better sitting at the table with us and our guests with a glass of red in hand – is magic, concludes Amy.