Hunt for treasures with the Touring Club and Orange Flags

The wait is almost over, exactly one year after the similar event of 2024, which took place on Sunday 4 October: next Sunday, 5 October, will be the day of the annual 'Orange Treasure Hunt', organised by the Italian Touring Club and which we can define as the biggest treasure hunt in Italy, open to adults and children. It will take place in one hundred 'Orange Flag' villages, i.e. small towns where the quality of hospitality, environmental sustainability, and protection of the artistic and cultural heritage come together to provide an authentic travel experience. Small towns "studied" and "certified" by the Touring Club (complete list on bandierearancioni.it) that welcome travellers thanks to hospitable communities that are committed to keeping traditions alive, protecting the local heritage and animating the territories through the organisation of events and manifestations.

Today there are 295 Orange Flags and they represent 8% of the more than 3,500 applications analysed by Touring. Returning to the hunt for treasures (strictly plural!) next Sunday, it is, as Touring has structured it, a six-stage route to discover the deep and authentic identity of the territory and resident communities, to immerse oneself in the traditions, flavours and history of the places. Participation is very simple and those who have not yet registered can make up for it: just choose a name for your team and register it on tesori.bandierearancioni.it, to experience a different Sunday and discover fascinating and often little-known places. On the day of the hunt, the teams, on their arrival at the village, will receive the clues to start the game, which - the Touring Club emphasises and we gladly endorse - is not intended to be a competition "to the last clue", but a real game, for adults and children. Upon registration you will receive the "Ricettario del borgo" (Village Cookbook) as a gift in digital format, typical recipes from the Orange Flag villages to bring true Italian excellence to the table, a "journey into the journey" between authentic flavours and local traditions, with curiosities and stories that tell the link between cuisine and territory.

At the event, each village proposes its own themed itinerary, thus enriching the experience with original content: musical, to discover local sound traditions, food and wine, to taste typical flavours, in period costume, to re-enact history in a spectacular way and, two new features this year, active for those who like to explore the area in a more sporting and engaging way and a children's hunt. Lastly, there is no shortage of more classic routes to discover the main historical attractions in the area. In Portico and San Benedetto (province of Forlì-Cesena), for example, the treasure hunt will feature the town's band corps, which will liven up the day with music and tell anecdotes about the area and the band; in Valfornace (Macerata), it will be possible to learn about and taste some recipes and typical products, also participating in a workshop dedicated to the world of bees; in Sasso di Castalda (Potenza), various dynamic and outdoor experiences await participants, with creative activities and special clues for the little ones. For those departing from Milan, we recommend Gromo (Bergamo), a village in the Seriana valley of about 1,200 inhabitants, once known as the "steel of Milan" for its forges that produced iron weapons, later almost completely destroyed by a flood. The Touring project also involves Radio24, which yesterday started introducing the emotions of the Treasure Hunt and will continue today with dedicated in-depth reports in some programmes (www.radio24.it).