Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/920837
24 | WINTER 2018 fi reworks displays and lots of very pink trees — concentrated in West and East Potomac Park and along the Washington Monument grounds. AGRITOURISM AFICIONADOS "Agritourism" may sound like a new travel buzzword, but the concept has been big in Italy for decades. Particularly in those famous rolling countrysides steeped in local, agrarian tradition, like Umbria, Tuscany and — farther out — Sardinia, one of the country's most rustic corners. Unbeknownst to most Rome-to-Florence- to-Venice beeliners, hundreds of rural properties open their farmhouse doors to travelers craving an authentic taste of outer- Italian-isle-style farm life in all of its forms. Accommodations (in Sardinia, for example) can vary widely from simple farms in the Barbagia to Costa Smeralda agri-villas with vegetarian cuisine and relaxation classes. Signature dates include a free opening ceremony (March 24), Pink Tie Party (March 15), Blossom Kite Festival (March 31) and National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade (April 14). Agrarian activities also run the gamut: some farms off ering horseback tours and guided hikes; others operating more like moderately priced B&Bs. Few hosts expect that their guests will actually be interested in putting in a day's work on their vacation — the American dude ranch concept barely translating in the Italian countryside. One constant draw to any agritourism stay is food, which tends to be as hearty, authentic and homegrown as you'd expect from a farm hiding off the deep end of Italy. A handful of agritourism web sites — try Agriturismo and Agritour — list farms with links to homepages and online booking options all across the country's expansive breadbasket.