Responsible tourism

Efficient use of scarce resources

At Villa San Raffaello we have endeavoured to be as kind to the beautiful local environment as possible and to make sure that we use precious resources efficiently.

During the renovation process the building was thoroughly insulated to reduce winter fuel costs and to maintain pleasant year round ambient temperatures without the need for air conditioning. Absolutely all old materials were recycled; bricks, tiles and doors have been reused and wood that couldnt be reused became fuel.

A wood burning central heating system reduces gas usage by 80% using sustainable local wood sources. Water is supplied to the house from the mountains nearby and the Villa's own waste is filtered and excess water returns to the land. As there is no doorstep recycling service we have installed our own bins for plastic, paper, glass and tins. Wherever possible we have used energy efficient light bulbs for lighting.

Food Miles

For 2008, there will be an organic vegetable garden and guests are welcome to pick their own fruit and vegetables. It will be a few years before our vines start yielding the first Villa San Raffaello vintages.

There are no airmiles on most of the local food. Historically, Sarnano was a big market town and the tradition lives on with the local foodshops and the market. Most local vendors have strong links to the farms that supply them and know their produce well.

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