The Concept
Our vision
Who we are
We are families and professionals who have chosen to put down roots in Sicily, in the province of Ragusa, to regenerate an ancient fortified farmhouse as a stable intentional community, inspired by Sicilian Slow Living.
A unique model in the Italian landscape
Baglio San Michele is the pilot project of the Borgo Ideale: a traditional intentional community, rooted in Christian faith and Sicilian culture, that transforms a 16th-century fortified masseria into a stable and self-sufficient residential settlement for selected families, oriented towards family cohesion, the transmission of values, food and craft autonomy, and Sicilian Slow Living.
This core, which envisages successive expansions and replicability in a network of villages, stands out clearly from tourist or temporary models because it focuses on permanent residence, mutual support among families and concrete territorial rootedness.
In a landscape dominated by public interventions with a tourist matrix or by isolated luxury restorations, Baglio San Michele represents an avant-garde: a stronghold of normality, beauty and faith in which Tradition is not folklore but a concrete and transmissible way of life. This unique positioning makes it particularly attractive for Italian families who desire not only a house in Sicily, but a place where they can put down stable roots, educate their children according to solid values and contribute to a replicable model of authentic and generative regeneration.
The project thus overcomes the recurring limits of other experiences – excessive dependence on public funds and seasonal tourism, lack of selection and community cohesion, absence of an integral life project – offering a concrete, sustainable alternative deeply rooted in the Iblean territory.
The founding values
Stability and continuity
We believe in a long-term residential model, where families can grow and age together without being forced to move continuously.
Authentic relationships
The community is small by choice: we want people to truly know each other, help one another and create lasting bonds.
Living tradition
We value Sicilian cultural, artisanal and spiritual heritage as a living resource to be transmitted, not as a museum artifact.
Shared responsibility
Every member contributes according to their abilities and skills, in a balance between individual freedom and the common good.
Respect for the land
Food self-sufficiency, soil care and the responsible use of resources are at the centre of our way of life.
Intergenerational transmission
Children and the elderly are active members of the community: the former learn, the latter pass on knowledge and wisdom.
These values guide every choice in our common life project.
The intentional community model
An intentional community is not simply a condominium or a tourist village. It is a group of people who consciously choose to live together according to shared values, clear rules and a common life project.
Our areas of focus
Architecture and construction
Philological restoration of the historic baglio, use of local materials and bioclimatic criteria. Every intervention is designed to last over time and respect the identity of the place.
Land and livestock
Vegetable garden, orchard, beekeeping and sustainable soil management. The goal is to achieve progressive food self-sufficiency and respect the natural cycle of the land.
Economy and governance
Clear agreements among members, common funds, periodic reporting and anti-speculative rules. Economic transparency is the foundation of mutual trust.
Crafts and supply chains
Work with wood, stone, iron and plaster. Mosaic art. Production of honey, jams and food processing. We value traditional trades and create job opportunities within the community.
Community and education
Participatory decision-making processes, intergenerational care, activities for children and the elderly. The community is a place of continuous learning and transmission of values.
Remote work and connectivity
Rural coworking spaces and quality connectivity. The project makes it possible to balance professional life and quality of life in a natural and community setting.