Villa Carlina

We offer a range of opportunities, varying by season, in the beautiful Abruzzo countryside overlooked by the Apennine mountains and on the edge of the national parks. We try to accommodate 4 volunteers at a time, so there is plenty of opportunity to meet new people from different cultures and backgrounds. We are always happy to take volunteers walking in the mountains on their days off. Abruzzo is not a tourist destination, so what you encounter here is the genuine Italy. The way of life is a traditional one, with the summer sagras and festas being a genuine reflection of the local community.

We are Andrew and Amanda, British by origin but permanent residents in Italy. We are working to establish a Food Forest, based on permaculture principles, on the edge of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga national park. Much of the work will be centered around the food forest, but we also run a holiday property (villa Carlina) and at certain times of the year we will have jobs to do there.

We like to accommodate 4 volunteers at a time, with one being primarily in charge of cooking and cleaning (though we are more than happy for volunteers to organise themselves as they wish). Accommodation is in a dedicated cottage with 2 twin rooms, so the positions lend themselves particularly well to couples. Work tends to start around 9 and finish mid afternoon. When the weather permits a pool may be available for the afternoon/evening, and on days off.

We like to keep the work varied, though at certain times of year there are specific jobs that need to be done. However we try to make sure that even then that volunteers experience some variety.

There will be opportunities (again, depending on season) to learn about permaculture, gardening, forestry, food preservation techniques, construction, irrigation systems, painting/decorating, pool maintenance, running holiday accommodation, viniculture, orchard management, off-grid living and much more.

We will discuss with volunteers how they would like to spend their days off, and do whatever we can to accommodate. However we are always happy to take volunteers walking in the stunning local mountains as this is how we like to spend our free time! 😀