Story: When hospitality meets solidarity
Near Meride, in the Mendrisiotto region, a project focusing on social responsibility and sustainability was born.
On the slopes of Monte San Giorgio, a campsite and a social enterprise surrounded by greenery focus on sustainability, comfort and solidarity. The watchword? Respect: for nature, animals and the rich history of the local area.
Nadia Bernasconi, Director of Camping Monte San Giorgio and Ca.Stella FARM
Here you have the chance to come into close contact with nature.
It is a unique campsite because it’s located in a special habitat within the UNESCO site of Monte San Giorgio, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2023. One of the first fossils discovered in this area was found right here at Ca.Stella. And then there’s the beautiful village of Meride to discover, one of the most picturesque villages in the Mendrisiotto and a settlement of national importance.
With a master’s degree in Social Enterprise Management, Nadia has worked extensively on humanitarian aid projects in the field of education in different parts of the world. Since 2020, she’s been in charge of the two facilities, Camping Monte San Giorgio and Ca.Stella FARM, created at the behest of Carlo Crocco, chair of the “Main dans la Main” foundation and generous promoter of child protection initiatives.
The Camping and Ca.Stella FARM are two facilities that form a single major project. As Nadia explains, Carlo fell in love with this strip of land and decided to turn it into a social enterprise. After years of work, Ca.Stella FARM opened its doors in 2021: farmland, a house with 24 beds and lots of animals for pet therapy. All targeted at associations, organisations, foundations and schools dealing with young people.
The result of so much effort is now clear to see: the campsite embraces respect for nature and is oriented towards a green, environmentally aware and sensitive tourism. In addition to a modern swimming pool, the accommodation also offers the possibility of an original experience by staying in a tepee or inside a glamping tent that meets every need.
This fashionable offering is very popular, and not just with tourists. Local families from Ticino also often book the tepees for the weekend to offer their children a different experience.
The Mendrisiotto is also known as a land of cycling. To offer cycling lovers the possibility of a stay without sacrificing comfort, the glamping tents are equipped with bike racks, while the pitch with the pillars allows e-bikes to be recharged.
The campsite is a real natural observatory: in the morning you can hear the green woodpeckers, during the day you can see blue dragonflies and in the evening the pond lights up with fireflies.
Another activity reserved for campsite guests is alpaca trekking. It offers tourists the chance to discover the surrounding area and also see what happens in a social enterprise. The alpacas live on the farm with the other animals used for pet therapy.
These walks with guides along the trails in the area can be organised, upon prior request, during the week.
The culinary offering is varied and focused on families’ needs. “We want to offer a cuisine that respects the territory and the seasons, working with local suppliers and using, where possible, farm-to-table products grown in the Ca.Stella FARM vegetable garden.
"The uniqueness of the campsite is its location inside the Monte San Giorgio park – a UNESCO World Heritage site."
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