How to Respect the Borghi You Visit: A Short Guide to Being a Thoughtful Guest

When you visit a borgo of a hundred inhabitants, you are a guest in someone's home. Not in a metaphorical sense: in a literal one. Those windows you're photographing have someone behind them. That alleyway you're walking through is the neighbours' courtyard. That silence you find so appealing is the daily life of the people who live there.

The first principle: don't treat the borgo as a film set. Photos are fine, but ask yourself whether you're photographing a place or invading a privacy. A closed door, a curtained window, a vegetable garden behind a house: these are not tourist attractions, they are private spaces. Photograph the architecture, the landscape, the main square. Leave the laundry on the line in peace.

Noise is the second issue. In a quiet borgo, a loud conversation becomes a disruption. A group laughing and chatting at eleven at night under open windows is a nightmare for someone who gets up at five to work the fields. Speak at a normal volume, turn off music playing from your phone, walk without stomping.

Park outside the centre. The lanes of a borgo were not designed for cars: they are narrow, delicate, often steeply sloped. A car forcing its way into a medieval alley is a danger to both people and stonework. Leave your car in the car park at the village entrance — there's almost always one — and continue on foot.

Buy local. If there's a bar, have your coffee there. If there's a grocery shop, buy your bread there. If there's a trattoria, eat there at least once. Every euro spent in a small centre is a contribution to its survival. Bringing your own sandwiches from home and eating them in the square without leaving anything behind is perfectly legitimate — but it's not what a guest does.

Leave no rubbish. It seems obvious, but it isn't. Small borghi have limited waste collection services: a bag of litter left in the wrong place is a real problem. Take your rubbish away or ask at the bar where to put it.

Respect dogs and cats. In borghi, animals are often free to roam and are part of the community. Don't feed strays if residents ask you not to — they have their reasons. Don't startle animals to get a photograph.

If somewhere is closed or inaccessible, don't force it. The churches of borghi are often locked: ask at the bar or the woman next door whether they have the key. They usually do and are happy to open up. But if the answer is no, it's no.

Talk to people. A "buongiorno" as you arrive, a "very good" at the bar after your coffee, a "it's beautiful here" to someone you pass on the street. These are small gestures that make residents feel seen and respected rather than overrun.

And finally, tell people about it. When you get home, talk about the borgo. Write a positive review. Recommend it to friends who will know how to appreciate it. The best way to thank a place that has welcomed you is to send it more thoughtful guests.