Bologna, November 5, 2024 - Cesarine, Italy’s oldest network of home cooks, and “The Borghi più Belli d’Italia” (The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy) the association that promotes the small historic towns of our country, are joining forces to highlight locations outside the traditional tourist paths. Through this partnership, travelers will have the opportunity to discover lesser-known villages—hidden treasures of our territory—and immerse themselves in the extraordinary local gastronomy, safeguarded by the Cesarine and Cesarini, many of whom live far from major cities and crowded tourist areas. These places, often overlooked by mainstream tourism, offer an invaluable cultural, artistic, and culinary heritage, and now, thanks to this collaboration, are being made accessible to a broader and more conscious audience.
The initiative aims to promote tourism with a focus on sustainability, encouraging visitors to explore lesser-visited destinations and experience direct contact with local communities. Travelers can participate in exclusive culinary experiences organized by the community on Cesarine.com, which serves as the custodian of Italian local gastronomic traditions. The agreement addresses the need to tackle the growing phenomenon of overtourism, which in recent years has placed significant strain on Italy’s major destinations. By promoting lesser-known villages, the initiative helps redistribute tourist flows, reducing pressure on large cities and supporting the local economies of small communities.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with ‘The Borghi più Belli d’Italia’ to shed light on the lesser-known but incredibly fascinating places in our country,” said Davide Maggi, CEO of Cesarine. “Personally, I’m in love with what are referred to as second, third, and even fourth-tier destinations, and I hope that, through this collaboration, visitors can discover charming villages and taste recipes that cannot be found in big cities.”
Fiorello Primi, president of “The Borghi più Belli d’Italia,” added: “This collaboration allows us to promote the beauty of our villages, many of which are true hidden gems. We are confident that, through the experiences offered by the Cesarine network, visitors will be able to fully discover and appreciate the richness of our gastronomic and cultural heritage."
The first step of this agreement involves organizing three weekends to explore Italian territories in the brand-new format “Weekend Fuorirotta,” promoted by the travel agency Borghi d’Italia Tour Network and documented by travel creator Jacopo Becchetti in collaboration with Cesarine and “The Borghi più Belli d’Italia”. All booking information is available at this link: https://cesarine.com/it/galleries/viaggi-borghi-italia-cesarine.
Participants will immerse themselves in the beauty of Italian villages and enjoy a weekend far from clichés, surrounded by stunning landscapes, timeless towns, traditional recipes, and authentic experiences.
- First Event: November 9–10, “Chestnuts and Foliage Weekend in Casentino,” to experience the magic of autumn in this valley rich in history and nature. Nestled between Tuscany and Romagna, visitors can explore one of Tuscany’s most scenic plateaus, immerse themselves in the village of Ortignano Raggiolo, and taste traditional recipes from the Casentino area.
- Second Event: November 30–December 1, exploring the secrets of Tuscia Viterbese, an authentic corner of Lazio in the province of Viterbo rich with hidden treasures. Visitors will explore villages carved from tuff rock by e-bike, visit Italy’s most “monstrous” park, the Sacro Bosco of Bomarzo, and get hands-on creating historical Tuscia recipes in a 17th-century historic residence.
- Third Event: December 14–15, “The Magic of Christmas,” savoring the Christmas atmosphere amidst the snowy peaks of Trentino. Visitors can experience one of Italy’s most beautiful Christmas markets in Rango and learn about customs and flavors that have united entire communities, such as the “ciuiga” sausage.
Cesarine.com is the first online platform in Italy for food experiences with a community of 1,500 amateur cooks who in 2023 opened the doors of their homes and territories to 50,000 guests, predominantly international (+65% compared to 2022) to offer cooking classes, dining experiences, and food, wine, market tours. Born in 2004 in Bologna as the Association for the Protection and Valorization of Typical Italian Culinary Gastronomic Heritage, in 2014 the community became a platform under the guidance of tech entrepreneur Davide Maggi - creator of some of Italy's first digital startups and executive director of the Digital Marketing & Communication Executive Program at Bologna Business School. Slow Food Community since 2019, at its 20th anniversary, Cesarine receives dozens of spontaneous applications every week. In the first quarter of 2024, Cesarine-branded food experiences recorded a 20% increase, with Bologna leading the travelers' choices for the first time, up 25% compared to 2023, and a notable increase in Sicily, with Palermo +60% and Messina +130% and the Cinque Terre doubling the presences compared to the same period in 2023.