I borghi più belli d'Italia (Italian: [i ˈborɡi pju bˈbɛlli diˈtaːlja]) is a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest. It 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. Its motto is Il fascino dell'Italia nascosta ("The charm of hidden Italy").
Participants in the group are small population centres which risk neglect and abandonment because they lie outside the main tourist circuits. Initially they comprised about a hundred villages, but had increased to 361 in 2023.
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.
Contents
Description
Admission criteria
The criteria for admission to the association are: 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.
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. The club promotes numerous initiatives on the international market. In 2016, the association signed a global agreement with ENIT, to promote tourism in the most beautiful villages in the world. In 2017, the club signed an agreement with Costa Cruises for the enhancement of some villages, which are offered to cruise passengers arriving in Italian ports aboard the operator's ships.
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)
Bard
Fontainemore
Étroubles
Emilia-Romagna (16)
Bagnara di Romagna
Bagno di Romagna
Bobbio
Brisighella
Castell'Arquato
Compiano
Dozza
Fiumalbo
Gualtieri
Montechiarugolo
Montefiore Conca
Montegridolfo
San Giovanni in Marignano
San Leo
Verucchio
Vigoleno
Friuli-Venezia Giulia (13)
Clauiano
Cordovado
Fagagna
Gradisca d'Isonzo
Palmanova
Poffabro
Polcenigo
Sappada
Sesto al Reghena
Central Italy
Abruzzo (26)
Abbateggio
Anversa degli Abruzzi
Bugnara
Campli
Caramanico Terme
Casoli
Castel del Monte
Castelli
Città Sant'Angelo
Civitella del Tronto
Crecchio
Guardiagrele
Navelli
Opi
Pacentro
Palena
Penne
Pescocostanzo
Pettorano sul Gizio
Pietracamela
Pretoro
Rocca San Giovanni
Santo Stefano di Sessanio
Scanno
Tagliacozzo
Villalago
Lazio (25)
Amatrice
Atina
Bassano in Teverina
Southern Italy
Apulia (14)
Alberobello
Alberona
Bovino
Cisternino
Locorotondo
Maruggio
Monte Sant'Angelo
Otranto
Pietramontecorvino
Presicce
Roseto Valfortore
Sammichele di Bari
Specchia
Vico del Gargano
Basilicata (9)
Acerenza
Castelmezzano
Guardia Perticara
Irsina
Maratea
Miglionico
Pietrapertosa
Venosa
Viggianello
Calabria (15)
Aieta
Altomonte
Badolato
Bova
Buonvicino
Caccuri