SALVATICO

Camilla, your Host at SALVATICO

I was born in Bologna in 1984, but my heart has belonged to Vidiciatico since I was just one month old. Although my family is not originally from the village, this house has been our beloved sanctuary for sixty years—first for my grandparents, then my parents, and finally for my friends and me.
After my father Giuseppe passed away in 2019, he left the property to my mother Fiorella, my brother Nicolò, and myself. Since then, we have poured our hearts and efforts into renovating and maintaining it, determined to keep his legacy alive.

I was fortunate enough to study at university in Bologna and later travel, living for several months in magnificent cities like San Francisco and Melbourne under the guise of learning languages. Yet, despite their vibrancy, I never quite found my footing in those sprawling metropolises. I realised I needed to carve out a personal path in a smaller, less chaotic setting.

The turning point came in 2023, when the opportunity arose to participate in a national tender for the regeneration of mountain villages (Bando Imprese Borghi), supported by European PNRR funds. This allowed me to begin significant renovations and spend more time in Vidiciatico, until I finally left city life behind to move here permanently in 2024.

This project was born from a desire to live in a home filled with happy memories, surrounded by nature that is still truly wild — a stark contrast to city life. I feel that, in many ways, I am “saving” this place, just as it is “saving” me. This sentiment inspired the name SALVATICO. It comes from a collection by a dear poet friend, Mino Petazzini, who was himself inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s phrase: “Salvatico è quel che si salva” (“Savage is who / what is saved“). In Italian, it is a play on words linking selvàtico (wild) with salvàre (to save) — a perfect reflection of my new life here.

To those choosing this destination for their holiday: prepare for a stay defined by tranquillity, relaxation and simple beauty. Of course, I’m not impartial: my love for this place is infinite. It is a real honour to turn my family’s history of conviviality and hospitality — something they always practised naturally — into my true profession. I am deeply grateful to all those who wish to share in this beauty and this unique “salvaticità“.