Baglio San Michele is a fortified sixteenth-century farmstead in the province of Ragusa, in the heart of the Iblean Sicily. The project turns this historic property into the first nucleus of a traditional intentional community, where selected families and young single men in formation live permanently according to the principles of Sicilian Slow Living, the Christian faith and self-sufficiency.

The project accommodates two complementary paths: families (parents ideally between 35 and 50, with one or more children) living in self-contained apartments, and young single men in formation living in individual cells and sharing generous common spaces. Both paths converge in the same traditional intentional community under the responsibility of the Chapter of the Wise. For more detail see Who we are looking for.

Baglio San Michele is not a resort, not a scattered hotel and not a seasonal tourism venture. It is a place of permanent residence all year round, inhabited by families and young people in formation who choose to make it their home and to abide by a shared internal rule.

Entry proceeds in stages: application, introductory interview, residential visit, trial period, formal entry. For the full detail see How to join.

Costs depend on the dwelling (an apartment in the historic Baglio, a cell or a farmhouse) and on the role taken up within the community. The model rests on transparency, anti-speculative clauses and the protection of the common good. Financial details are shared only after the application and the introductory interview.

Yes. Study rooms and a rural coworking space are planned, together with essential and regulated connectivity. Remote work is compatible with life at the Baglio, provided it does not compromise participation in common activities and in the life of the community.

The education of children is a pillar of the project. Alongside the local state school, the Baglio fosters the transmission of crafts, culture and values through the Archivum Artium and through an intergenerational common life. The aim is a stable and secure setting, rich in real relationships.

Yes. The dual model explicitly provides for young single men in formation, who live in plain individual cells and share generous common spaces (kitchen, refectory, laundry, sauna, gym, study rooms). At present the single section is reserved for young men; a parallel women's section may be considered in future on well-founded request. Selection remains rigorous and mutual. For more detail see Who we are looking for.

A transition mechanism is provided: a household living in a Phase 1 apartment may, as the family grows, return the unit and use its value towards the purchase of one of the Phase 2 rural buildings, according to the rules set by the Chapter of the Wise.

Phase 0 (September 2026 – March/April 2027): operational design — surveys, appraisals and expert advice (surveyors, architects, agronomists, permaculture, energy rationalisation) to move from hypothesis to executive design. Phase 1 (2027-2029): restoration of the historic Baglio with 14 units (family apartments and cells for young single men in formation). Phase 2 (after 2029): rebuilding of part of the East Wing (apartments 16–21) and three rural buildings in Iblean stone (135, 85 and 175 m²). Details on The place and The project.

Governance rests on a Chapter of the Wise of nine members with defined competences. More on Governance.

Governance provides clear rules, defined decision-making bodies and a path of mediation. Among the duties of the Chapter of the Wise are precisely the safeguarding of cohesion and the resolution of conflicts, according to the principles of reciprocity and shared responsibility.

Yes. Entry is not irrevocable. There are regulated exit procedures, protecting both the person who leaves and the community, and preventing speculation. The detail is set out in the internal rule.

The main rules concern respect for the privacy of others, participation in common activities, responsibility in the care of spaces and resources, and adherence to the founding values of the project. The full document is the internal rule, shared on entry.

The Christian spiritual dimension is a founding value of common life. The community is deliberately rooted in the traditional Christian faith and in Sicilian culture.

Self-sufficiency in food and livestock is a pillar of the model. See Food autonomy and Energy autonomy.

Skills in farming, livestock, food processing, crafts and restoration. See Professional roles and Archivum Artium.

Those who contribute hours of work or services accrue credits that can be spent on the farm's produce or on services offered by other members. More on Economy of reciprocity.

Life follows a slower, more deliberate rhythm. Each family has its own home; young single men in formation live in cells and share the common spaces. See Living here and Community life.

The Baglio works with craftsmen, farms and businesses of the Ragusa area. See The Baglio and its territory.

The project is in its preparatory phase. Visits will be organised in a structured way once Phase 1 is under way. Anyone interested may apply through the contact form.

Yes. The Baglio can be supported through a donation or by acquiring project tokens. See Donations.

Not at this stage. Donations are gifts, accounted for by PSPM Srls. Once the consortium and the cooperative are established, channels for tax-deductible donations will be opened as well. Details on Donations.

Yes. Dogs and cats are welcome, provided they do not disturb the neighbours. More on Pets.

It is possible with the authorisation of the Chapter of the Wise. Farmyard animals are allowed primarily in the Phase 2 units with a private plot. See Pets.