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Vibrant international eco-community creating a sustainable future

5.0
(108 reviews)108

The experience

Honeydew is a pioneering eco-community, leading a movement to change how we live together. Our community in central Italy has been open for just a year, yet it has attracted global media coverage (The Guardian, ELLE, Forbes, Euronews, etc). At Honeydew you will meet other young people who dream of building a different world, based on creative & cooperative principles. We seek ecological consciousness, spiritual awakening, and artistic expression.

What you offer

25 hours of help per week

Kitchen Hand: Help prepare, finish and serve meals.

Cleaning: Help clean the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and common areas.

Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.

Farming: Plant crops, sow seeds and help in outside tasks.

Additional fee required

Amount: € 5 Per day

Fee pays for: Benefits for travelers and Materials for volunteer activities

Description: To cover expenses for meals, amenities, facilities (like the swimming pool and new yoga hall), and special group activities

What you get

2 days off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

Shared Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other travelers.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Discounts on Drinks: Get discounts for drinks and beverages from our bar.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Free Tours: We’ll take you on tours and rides around town. For free!

Free Hiking Tours: We’ll take you on excursions and hikes around town. For free!

Get free drinks or beverages.: Drink up! Get free and tasty drinks for yourself.

Free Parties: Get free entrance for the best parties in town.

Free Events: Get free entrance for the best events in town.

Pick Up: We will pick you up when you arrive, and take you to our property.

Yoga classes: Take free yoga classes at our place.

Dance classes: Take free dance classes at our place.

Language lessons: Take free language classes at our place.

Holistic Therapies: You can take part in any of our therapeutic activities for free.

Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.

Certificate: Get a certificate of completion after you finish your experience.

Fast Internet Access: High-speed internet for you to work remotely

Dedicated Workspace: Specific space for you to work remotely

Requirements

Intermediate English or Intermediate Italian

Over 18 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

The volunteer experience at Honeydew is like no other. A beautiful pool, jacuzzi, new yoga hall, massage room, daily language sharing (optional), a pizzeria with wood-burning oven, and outstanding Italian & international food. Volunteers get ensuite rooms (some with private balconies) and three tasty meals, along with the opportunity to meet creative individuals from around the world!

The property is large (12 acres) and at the altitude of 700 metres. About half the site is a wild wood, and we have ambitious plans for a forest school; already we have children living in the community. This area is rich in nature, with fantastic hiking and cycling. The 2024 Tour de France passed through the neighbouring town of San Leo, described as "the most beautiful in Italy" by Umberto Eco.

Activities & Shift

Volunteers contribute six hours per day, five days per week. The main work bloc is in the morning, while the afternoon is dedicated to creative pursuits. (The 'sixth hour' entails a project that nourishes you and enriches the community). After lunch, we offer optional dance and yoga classes, or language lessons (including Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Hebrew, and Farsi). This reflects our ethos: 'cosmopolitan in culture, local in nature'.

At Honeydew, we pursue a permaculture practice known as 'syntropic agriculture'. This biodiversity-friendly regenerative approach works with the land rather against it, and complements our aim of planting diverse crops to meet the community's various needs. We have 38 free-range chickens and two hives of bees, which produced 23 kilos of exquisite honey in the first year. We also have dogs & cats and welcome furry friends.