From June 10 to 12, 2025, Florence hosted an international educational event as part of the Erasmus+ project STAY, bringing together teachers and educators from Slovenia, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the Czech Republic. The event, organised by CIA Toscana, focused on the development and entrepreneurship in agrotourism, showcasing best practices, expert insights and hands-on learning experiences.
The event opened with a warm welcome from the hosts and a keynote on the importance of European cooperation in rural development. Jerneja Rozman from Biotechnical Centre Naklo introduced the STAY project and its educational modules, which participants had explored beforehand through the project’s online platform.
The program continued with a lecture by Silvia Scaramuzzi (University of Florence), who discussed the role of agrotourism in shaping rural regions, emphasising the value of local food routes and farmer collaboration. Experts Oriana Gava and Alessandro Bianchi then presented the European FADN tool, a practical system for monitoring farm finances and enhancing business planning.
The day included interactive workshops, where participants worked in groups to create SWOT analyses and design promotional offers for fictional farms. These activities bridged theory and practice, fostering creativity, teamwork and entrepreneurial thinking.
In the afternoon, Cecilia Piacenti (CIA Toscana) highlighted the important role of advisors in helping farmers enter the world of agribusiness and navigate administrative processes. Franco Masotti, president of the Vino Verde – CIA Toscana association, joined remotely to emphasise the power of farmer networks.
The day concluded with a presentation from Borgo Santinovo, where owners Frederico Taddei and his wife shared their experience in building a successful agritourism story rooted in local products, culture, and hospitality.
This first day provided an inspiring start to a learning event rich in content, connection and practical application.