Agritourism started off several years ago on the initiative of some peasants who wanted to introduce to visitors and to tourists, the genuine products of their fields and their breedings, besides their hospitality in their farmhouses.

In this way many people came to know that kind of life style and to appreciate its characteristics. Moreover they had the possibility to taste the local wine and some real culinary specialties in all their genuineness! But it was only during the years 60's that farm holidays began to be known. Meetings were organized and articles were published in newspapers in order to introduce this new way of spending a holiday with nature, therefore foundations were laid for a new kind of development for large and small farms.

Towards the end of 1960 it was organized in Florence a special meeting where the main subject was about the country as being an ideal place for tourism and a place to flee to and not from, as at that time, many peasants were going to the cities for a better gain, leaving behind empty farms or farmhouses.

So Agritourism became a way of saving the country from desolation. Properties were gradually being restored to their original state or better, in order to be rented out to tourists or sold to those who could or wanted to set up a farm holidays business.

It is also good to remember that most of todays agritourist structures unite the fascination of country life style to the modern comforts and are equipped of all the necessities for one's relax. In many of these farmhouses, it is possible to have a swimming pool, mountain bikes and also horse riding-grounds.

A very good example of an interesting farmhouse in Tuscany, close to Pisa, is Podere i Gobbi. With its charming and homely atmosphere, it is situated in the country between the medieval town of Montopoli in Val d' Arno and Palaia. http://www.podereigobbi.it

Article by Ailin Chung-Gon - Florence - Italy

Web site designer and very fond of tuscan country sides. Her historical family web site, listed in the National Library of Australia, is http://www.chung-gon.com/