Who we are

The A.D.S.I. is a legally recognised, non-profit organisation. Since 1977 - the date of its foundation - its aim has been to facilitate the conservation, enhancement and management of privately-owned historic buildings.

All buildings of historic and artistic interest - declared as such under the Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape, approved by Legislative Decree no. 42/2004

As provided for by the current Statute, parks, gardens and environmental surrounds annexed to recognised historic buildings, built for residential use or subsequently used as residences, are also included.

It is an association of private owners of buildings defined as being of historic-artistic interest.

As a private association, the A.D.S.I. uses the membership fees paid by its members to achieve its institutional aims.

The A.D.S.I. interacts and maintains relations with the competent public bodies and works with Foundations, Universities and Schools to promote studies, research and initiatives aimed at achieving its objectives.

The A.D.S.I. is a member of the EHH (European Historic Houses), works with similar national associations (Associazione Ville Venete, Castelli del Ducato di Parma-Piacenza-Pontremoli, Istituto Italiano dei Castelli, Associazione Ville e Palazzi Lucchesi, Fondazione Ente Ville Vesuviane, Istituto Regionale Ville Tuscolane, Ville e Giardini di Puglia, Consorzio per la salvaguardia dei Castelli Storici del Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Associazione Parchi e Giardini d'Italia) abroad, internationally and in Europe, and can be a member of these.

As a member of the Club Italia ENIT (National Tourism Agency), the A.D.S.I. participates in fairs and workshops in the sector to promote the network of historic houses in its circuit in national and international contexts.

The A.D.S.I. is the only national association that represents all types of property recognised as being of historic and artistic interest: villas, castles, palaces, farms, fortresses, villages, former religious buildings, etc.). Unlike other associations in the sector, it is therefore the only one that identifies the heritage of private property as a whole, without, however, owning the properties represented.

The A.D.S.I. brings together all types of property recognised as being of historic and artistic interest, from palaces in large urban centres to Palladio villas, from ancient national manors to small medieval villages and fortified farms. It follows that the association's work of conservation, enhancement and management is extremely widespread and complex, precisely because of the different characteristics and peculiarities of each category of property represented.

The association currently has around 45020 members, 85% of whom are owners of historic-artistic properties. The current patrimony of more than 3800 residences is made up of about 1900 palaces, 1200 villas and 400 castles, with the others divided between the various recognised types. Of these properties, only 40% are located in towns and cities, so a large proportion are in small towns or in any case outside large urban centres.

Not all the residences on our circuit are open to the public as this is decided on by the owner according to what is established in each case by specific agreements with the Ministry.

The A.D.S.I. residences listed on the tourist-accommodation website www.dimorestoricheitaliane.it can be visited and are available for stays and/or the organisation of events, depending on the type of activity carried out and in accordance with the procedures indicated on the page dedicated to each property within the portal.

The association organises events to promote the privately owned historic and artistic heritage, both at a national and regional level. Hundreds of historic houses and/or specific appurtenances (courtyards, gardens, etc.) are opened to the public free of charge on the National Day - which takes place every year in spring. This is the association’s most important event of its kind, intended precisely for people to find out about and enjoy this significant part of our country’s cultural heritage.

The A.D.S.I. edits and publishes at both a national and regional level and may offer support, subject to the assessment of the Scientific Committee, for third party works, always related to the management, enhancement and promotion of the historic and artistic heritage.

The association is not involved in this type of activity

The A.D.S.I. does not manage historic houses, but facilitates legal, administrative, tax and technical advice and assistance, and at the same time carries out informative activities for its members, aimed not only at the safeguard, conservation and enhancement of these properties, but also their correct management.

On the platform reserved for A.D.S.I. members we facilitate contact between owners and suppliers, who are first assessed by the association and then by the individual members, according to criteria designed to establish their expertise and reliability, which are constantly monitored and updated over time.

By applying to the regional headquarters where your business is based. Trade associations can also apply for membership for their partners by contacting the head office in the case of national associations or the regional office in the case of local associations.

In order to achieve its institutional aims, the association relies on the contribution of its Members, Honorary Members and others as indicated in the current Statute (Supporters, Friends of historic houses) through the payment of the annual membership fee, which is set by the Assembly of Members.

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Applications for admission as a Member and Patron Member must be submitted electronically in accordance with the procedures set out on the website and, subsequently, to the Regional Section in whose area the historic house is located. They must be accompanied by information on the house subject to historic-artistic constraint and a description of it.

Applications for admission as a Friend of the Historic Houses may be submitted to the Regional Section in which the candidate has his/her residence and/or domicile.

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The first category is reserved for individuals and/or legal entities who, while not being owners and/or holders of other property rights to a listed building, are nevertheless interested in the association achieving its aims; the second category includes individuals, legal entities and/or associations that make a significant contribution through special donations.

The annual fees paid by Members, Patron Members and other associates are the economic resources for financing all the A.D.S.I.’s institutional activities, including its ordinary management costs.

All members who are up to date with their annual membership fees can take advantage of the special services and discounts established in the agreements made by the association.

The A.D.S.I. may call on the help of volunteers in running various events for the promotion and enjoyment of the historic houses.

Write to: segreteria@adsi.it 

Yes, the A.D.S.I. is one of the non-profit associations to which it is possible to donate the 5x1000 and 2x1000 annually.

Support the private historic-artistic architectural heritage

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All individuals and/or legal entities, owners and/or holders of other rights to a recognised historic-artistic property, or in any case interested in the institution’s aims, may apply to become an A.D.S.I. member.  

 
CLICK HERE TO JOIN

Applications for admission as a Member and Patron Member must be submitted electronically in accordance with the procedures set out on the website and, subsequently, to the Regional Section in whose area the historic house is located. They must be accompanied by information on the house subject to historic-artistic constraint and a description of it.

Applications for admission as a Friend of the Historic Houses may be submitted to the Regional Section in which the candidate has his/her residence and/or domicile.

CLICK HERE TO ENROL

A manager of a historic building may apply for membership of the A.D.S.I., subject to the authorisation and consent of the building’s owner.

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Application for A.D.S.I. registration may be made for unlisted properties. In this case, the association may request additional documentation (historic-artistic report, photos of interiors/exteriors) in order to assess its suitability.

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By contacting the competent institutions directly; in this case the constraints office of the Regional Superintendency.

A copy of the constraint decree can be requested from the Regional Superintendency where the house is located.

Yes, as it is a non-profit association, the economic resources for financing its institutional activities are mainly made up of the annual fees paid by members and other associates.

The amounts are established by the Assembly of Members and are as follows:

Members: € 160.00

Patron Members: € 500.00 - € 1,000.00 - € 3,000.00

Members under 35: € 50.00

Friends of historic houses: € 71.00 euros

Supporters: € 500.00 - € 1,000.00 - € 3,000.00

There is no difference between Members and Patron Members at a statutory level; the latter are Members who make a significant contribution, by means of special donations or in some other way, to the achievement of the A.D.S.I.’s aims

Yes; according to the Statute, a spouse, relative or relative-in-law up to the third degree of kinship of the owner of a historic residence may also be admitted as a Member, subject to his/her consent.

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Yes; the association facilitates legal, administrative, fiscal and technical advice and assistance, and carries out information activities for its members with a view to safeguarding, conserving, enhancing and managing historic houses.

Yes, ADSI Consulenze e Servizi Srl (a sole proprietorship company owned by the A.D.S.I.) has drawn up agreements with various companies in the sector in the fields of insurance, maintenance, advertising concessions in the maxi-poster market and the assessment and certification of accommodation facilities, in order to offer A.D.S.I. members subsidised services aimed at the preservation, enhancement and management of historic houses.

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Yes, the A.D.S.I. has signed specific national and regional agreements with members who carry out tourist/accommodation activities in their homes and with public bodies (municipalities, provincial administrations, etc.) for discounts on the purchase of goods and services (hospitality, entrance tickets to public/private museums).

The A.D.S.I. is committed to transverse actions aimed at raising public and institutional awareness of the social, cultural and economic role of historic houses.

From the point of view of tourism promotion, it works in close synergy with organisations, institutions, the media and tour operators to create strategies aimed at making the “historic houses” asset a single supporting structure for the development of quality tourism in the coming years.

A.D.S.I. members are given the chance to:

• be represented at the most important international fairs in the sector (the A.D.S.I. is a member of Enit's Club Italia).
• join the www.dimorestoricheitaliane.it portal
• be part of the promotions on social channels
• be mentioned in important publications and TV programmes
• take advantage of consultancy services

No, the A.D.S.I. does not manage houses, but helps owners to manage them through its consultancy and promotion services.

If you are already an A.D.S.I. member, simply apply to: info@dimorestoricheitaliane.it and you will receive a form to fill in with information about your home; the annual cost is 100 euros + VAT, which will be added to your membership fee.

If you are not yet a member, you can apply by filling in the form at this link JOIN UP.

The request will then be examined by the Regional Section, which will reply as soon as possible.

As soon as the registration with A.D.S.I. is formalised, it will be possible to join the site

No, membership of the A.D.S.I. does not entail automatic inclusion in the commercial portal.

The Associazione Dimore Storiche Italiane (A.D.S.I.) is a non-profit, charitable organisation that, since 1977, has aimed to facilitate the conservation, enhancement and management of privately-owned historic houses.

Dimore storiche italiane is the portal dedicated to houses involved in tourist-reception activities, a project of ADSI Consulenze e Servizi SRL (a single proprietorship company owned by the A.D.S.I.), which is the national circuit for historic monumental buildings open to the public for visits, events and other forms of hospitality.

All the houses registered on the commercial site are already members of the A.D.S.I., and have therefore been assessed and approved by the Regional Sections.

No, however exclusive visits and tours are organised for A.D.S.I. members.

The Dimore Storiche Italiane offer a wide range of possibilities. In our houses you can stay and experience culture, history, art, traditional food and wine, sport, well-being and much more. You can also celebrate unforgettable events in the houses.

Discover our offer:

Historic tourist residences

Charming Hotels

Farm stays

Restaurants

Historic wineries

Wedding locations

Private, cultural and corporate event locations

Film sets

Themed tourist/holiday experiences

No, the A.D.S.I. guarantees compliance with historic and architectural requirements.

There are various types of visits to the historic houses, but if you have specific needs we recommend writing to info@dimorestoricheitaliane.it - if your visit request concerns a particular house, simply go to its page on the www.dimorestoricheitaliane.it portal and fill in the “contact the house” form; your message will be forwarded directly to the owner.

For educational visits you can receive information by writing to: info@adsi.it

Yes, we work closely with a leading Italian tour operator and operate both B2B and B2C - for more information write to info@dimorestoricheitaliane.it

Yes, contact us on info@dimorestoricheitaliane.it and we will build an exclusive experience based on your needs.

Contact us on info@dimorestoricheitaliane.it and we will try to guide you in making the best choice for your needs.

A.D.S.I. members have access to a reserved area of the platform where they can find contracted suppliers.

Yes, among the Italian Historic Houses there are:

Farms 
Historic wineries

A.D.S.I. members can buy products and benefit from discounts through the platform reserved for them.

You can find the most suitable house on the www.dimorestoricheitaliane.it website and, by filling in the “contact the house” form, your request will be sent directly to the owner who will reply as soon as possible.

Historic houses can be rented for short or long periods depending on availability. You can find the most suitable house on the www.dimorestoricheitaliane.it website and by filling in the “contact the house” form. Your request will be sent directly to the owner who will reply as soon as possible.

It is possible to send booking requests and information directly to the owners through the www.dimorestoricheitaliane.it site, filling in the “contact the house” form; the request through the site is not binding and the payment methods will be agreed directly with the owner.

The historic houses on our circuit are all subject to restrictions by the Cultural Heritage Superintendency; any work to facilitate access for the disabled must be approved by the Superintendency.

Many residences have only recently opened to the public and still are in the process of being adapted to ensure access for all. To find out which places are able to guarantee adequate access, simply go to the www.dimorestoricheitaliane.it portal, click on the “search the site/advanced search” button and tick the box “accessibility for the disabled”.

The owners of the historic houses are animal lovers! However, it is not always possible to bring your four-legged friends with you. To find out, simply go to www.dimorestoricheitaliane.it and click on the “search the site/advanced search” button and tick the “pets allowed” box.

We always recommend specifying the requirement at the time of booking. In order to facilitate this service, the A.D.S.I. has signed an agreement with BAU ADVISOR, which allows owners of pet dogs - who intend visiting a historic residence owned by an A.D.S.I. member - to take these with them to the entrance of the house and entrust it there, at the agreed date and time, to the dog handlers until the end of the visit, so as not to be separated from their dog, leave it alone at home or in a hotel room.