If you’re looking for an ecotourism destination in Italy, Salento is an ideal spot. There are many local wine, honey, olive oil, cheese producers and more where you can discover the region through its food. National parks and reserves like Porto Selvaggio, Frascone, the Cesine Nature Reserve or Woods and Marshes Rauccio Park are a great place to discover the local flora and fauna and spend an enjoyable morning hiking amongst the aromas of the Mediterranean landscape. Yet another great way to discover the region is with a Farm Stay in Southern Italy.

The Aia is a sustainable farm stay in Southern Italy, also known as  an “Agriturismo” in the heart of Salento. An important element of farm stays is that they are a sustainable form of tourism. You can stay in a place that seeks to be relatively self-sufficient in terms of food and waste, while at the same time learning about the local food and culture and supporting the local economy.

At the Aia has many things that make it a sustainable tourism alternative. For starters, they use a dry compost where all the food scraps that are produced are then turned into fertilizer for the garden and olive groves. The vegetable garden may be modest at the moment but nothing is more satisfying than cutting up some freshly picked cherry tomatoes with sun-kissed basil, on top of a recently baked  frisella. In the future, a larger garden is being planted in the nearby land, which will hopefully be enough to sustain the Aia.

A new addition to the Aia’s family is the hens who will not only eat the food scraps but also give the joy of freshly laid eggs for breakfast. 

Finally a reverse irrigation system is being created using the water produced from the washing machine to irrigate the land. Of course this means that they also produce their own sustainable eco-friendly detergent for the washing machine, made up of Epsom salts, Citric acid or vinegar, baking soda and other secret ingredients. Sit down over a glass of wine with Giulia, the Aia’s owner and have a chat about the sustainable living tips from At the Aia. 

If you’re looking for a sustainable vacation in Puglia, then book your farm stay in Southern Italy At the Aia now.