FAQ

1. How can I recognize a true holiday farm?
The agritourism (or holiday) farm is above all a farm; the official list of recognized holiday farms (National Agritourism Directory) is on this site. All the farms on the list have been vetted and approved by the different Regions of Italy. 

2. Why aren’t there any animals on the farm?
Farms have no obligation to breed animals; some farms raise livestock while others only cultivate vegetables, each with its own business plan. 

3. Can a farm only serve visitors it’s own products?
Each Region has its own regulations regarding the meals farms can serve, but they must all include a significant prevalence of the farm’s own products. The menu can be completed with other agricultural products typical of the local area.

4. Can I participate in agricultural work in exchange for my stay at the farm?
For tourists this is not possible. Many farms offer visitors the chance to participate in workshops where they can learn farming techniques, but generally they charge a fee. Anyone interested in farm work can contact one of the many organizations that arrange internships and stays in accordance with current legislation in Italy.

5. Can I sleep in a tent?
Many farms are authorized to accommodate a limited number of campers (agri-camping). Consult the directory to find them.

6. Can I stay at a farm in my camper?
Paid camper stays are covered in the holiday farm’s agri-camping authorization. Some farms voluntarily offer free camper parking for short stays.

7. What is the difference between a bed and breakfast and a holiday farm?
A holiday farm is a farm that offers tourist accommodations and/or restaurant services or carries out other related activities within a national legal framework and under specific regional regulations.

8. How can I find out the quality of an agritourism farm?
In almost all the regions of Italy the “classification” of farms into five classes is active. Consult the section of the site to learn more.

9. Have maximum prices been established?
Italian holiday farm prices are not set and are decided by the individual farms. They must, however, be communicated in advance to the authorities and are subject to inspections to prevent fraud and the deception of guests.

10. Do they allow pets?
Some farms don’t, in order to avoid problems between guests or with farm animals, but the great majority of farms do allow pets, stipulating some common sense rules. It is always advisable to check in advance, when making the reservation, whether a farm allows them.

11. What is the procedure on the website for booking a stay or a meal at an agritourism farm?
This is an institutional site containing the list of officially recognized agritourism farms; it is not a commercial website. Bookings can be made on the sites of individual farms or on the sites of national agritourism associations (Terranostra, Turismo Verde, Agriturist). The websites of travel agencies may also be utilized.

12. Does the “Agriturismo Italia” trademark designate farms that have chosen to associate themselves with it?
No, the trademark is granted to agritourism farms that regularly operate according to established rules and regulations, and are therefore officially recognized. 

13. What are the criteria by which a particular farm has obtained a certain number of sunflowers?
The criteria have nothing to do with luxury, but concern the level of comfort, the variety of services and the quality of the natural environment. 

14. On the website can I locate the holiday farms in one small area or near a certain city?
You can find farms even in individual municipalities or within a certain radius of a locality using the function “recognized farms” and then selecting “by subject, municipality or province” or “by distance from a municipality”.

15. Is it possible on the site to choose farms that have certain features, like a sales outlet, say, or a particular type of livestock?
Yes, by clicking “recognized farms”, ”, followed by “by type of service” or “by locations and agricultural activities”.

16. Is it possible via the website to get to know the area around a certain farm or learn the typical products of the area?
It’s possible by clicking “Italy through agritourism” where you can discover the characteristics of individual areas, and it will soon be possible to discover the food specialities typical of such areas as well.

17. In the “Italy through agritourism” section, why is Italy divided into areas different from the usual Regions?
It is preferable to identify historical areas that are not linked to administrative boundaries, areas with homogeneous characteristics in terms of types of products, rural architecture, and even the lifestyles of the residents.