When setting off on holiday, travellers are increasingly looking for alternative destinations that offer not only rest and entertainment but also a life experience: the "Borghi sostenibili" project by the Regione Piemonte guides the responsible tourist towards choosing special places, above all from the point of view of environmental sustainability. Because choosing the right destination — not just for ourselves, but for the environment — is no small matter.

What it means to be sustainable villages

There is much talk of sustainable tourism, but what does it mean? A tourism activity is sustainable when it develops in such a way as to remain viable in a tourist area for an unlimited period of time, without altering the environment (natural, social and artistic) and without obstructing or inhibiting the development of other social and economic activities. This is the definition formulated in the celebrated Brundtland Report by the World Commission Environment and Development established by the UN in 1987, but what characteristics does a village that can claim the title of "sustainable" actually have?

The municipalities that currently form part of the network are located across the whole of the Piedmont region and present themselves to prospective visitors as a "host community": this is a new form of hospitality that involves granting the tourist a kind of "temporary citizenship", a privileged channel for accessing the more intimate life of the community, which entails a commitment to knowing and respecting its historical and environmental identity. To be, in other words, a fellow citizen — to live the community, to be part of it.

Piedmont, a sustainable itinerary

One region, many different landscapes: Piedmont currently boasts 24 sustainable villages, which can be visited in every season, offering ever-new experiences. The website borghisostenibili.it is precise and packed with information: for each village, routes, events and eco-sustainable features are listed. A possible itinerary covering much of the region starts at Vogogna, an ancient village surrounded by the Monte Rosa massif and part of the Val Grande National Park, nestled in the green of the Valle Ossola; here, for those who love walking, it is well worth following the mule track that leads from the castle to the mountain hamlet of Genestredo and to the Rocca. The second stop is Neive, in the Langhe, where on the banks of the river Tanaro a protected area with a series of ponds can be found, in which cormorants, the rare lesser spotted woodpecker and jays can be admired. For wine enthusiasts, a visit to the village in September, harvest time, is recommended — the perfect opportunity to taste nebbiolo, dolcetto, barbaresco…

Avigliana is a great starting point for visiting the Sacra di San Michele in the Val di Susa and cycling towards other small but striking towns such as Almese and Caselette. Still for cyclists, this time truly experienced ones, the legendary Tour dell'Assietta sets off from Pourrier, a hamlet of Usseau, along the military road that climbs from the Colle delle Finestre all the way up to Sestriere — one of the most thrilling cycling and hiking routes in the Val Chisone and Val di Susa.