Starfinancer

The depopulation of ancient villages, especially if hidden in inaccessible or inaccessible places, is unfortunately a characteristic of the Italian hinterland, a phenomenon that in recent years has left wonderful squares deserted and historical activities closed but which has also given rise to new forms of economy and tourism, with suggestive operations to relaunch territories based on widespread hospitality and the recovery of rural traditions.

An emblematic case is that of the Scottish businessman Cesidio Di Ciacca, born in a fishing village near Edinburgh, Cockenzie, but strongly linked to our country due to his Ciociarian origins. Not content with buying a single house, Di Ciacca has in fact decided to buy an entire village – now almost uninhabited – precisely with the aim of bringing it back to life.

Born into a family where all 8 children had an English name, when the mother had to choose his own she decided to break the rule and call it with that of her grandfather. A coincidence that perhaps even then preserved the deep bond between the Scottish lawyer and Italy, the country of origin of the grandparents, who came from Ciacca, in the Municipality of Picinisco (FR), within the Lazio side of the National Park of ‘Abruzzo.

From this village of 1500 Cesidio and Marietta left a century ago in search of fortune for Scotland and just in Ciacca, for a carom of fate, this story begins.

The childhood of the Scottish lawyer was in fact marked by many holidays in Italy in the land of his grandparents. Summer after summer the grandchildren were brought to Ciociaria to discover the origins of the family, one at a time to save on the trip, but despite the modest economic resources, Italy was not given up.

Fifteen years ago, driven by nostalgia and respect for their origins, Cesidio and his wife decided to buy a house in the historic center of Ciacca, finding themselves in a short time to renovate an entire dilapidated building to transform it into an elegant hotel. widespread, even awarded by the Touring Club Italia Stanze d’Italia.

A first step that lights the fuse: why not revive the whole country? Among other things, the area seemed perfect for the production of wine and therefore there were all the conditions to create a thriving economic activity able to feed and support itself.

“Nostalgia”, “Sotto le Stelle” and “Matrimonio” are the names of the three wines which, by recovering ancient local vines, today the Scottish entrepreneur and his wife produce in this area and the village of Ciacca has been, house after house, renovation after renovation, bought by them and brought back to life in the name of widespread hospitality. Proof of the fact that, when the entrepreneurial spirit meets authentic love for the territory, everything becomes possible.