The most beautiful villages in Italy (I Borghi più belli d'Italia), is an Association that notes small Italian towns of strong artistic and historical interest. It was founded in March 2001, upon the instigation of the ANCI (National Association of Italian Municipalities), with the intent of helping to preserve, maintain and revitalise small nuclei, which are common but sometimes even individual villages, which , being outside the main tourist routes, risk, despite the great value of being forgotten with consequent degradation, depopulation and abandonment.Initially the group included a hundred villages, later increased to 196 (November 2009).

Criteria for inclusion

Admission to the Association requires the meeting of the following requirements:

• integrity of the urban, architectural harmony
• quality of life of the village
• artistic and historical heritage for public construction and private services to citizens.

General activity

The association holds within the villages, initiatives within the villages, such as festivals, exhibitions, fetes, conferences and concerts that highlight the artistic and architectural heritage, the traditional cultural, historical, gastronomic, dialect, involving residents in the demonstrations and Local Authorities, municipalities, schools, cultural associations, local poets and musicians.