Amarcord: notizie dal Villaggio datate 1963


Yes, that is right, more than 40 years ago we were already news-worthy. “In the bungalows of Bibione, vacation at good prices”: in 1963, Franco Escoffier, chose this title for his article on the newspaper Gazzettino. In this article he described the “new village built between the sea and the pinewood”.

Reading this article you clearly understand that the Villaggio was built to respond to the new holidays’ demand of a period of true economical boom. Already in those times the village proved to be a proactive reality, capable of looking at the future with self assurance and determination.  

"Everything is in its beginning" so the article, describing the Bibione of the ‘40s as a happy island totally unaware of the real estate exploitation (“a common balance exists indeed: Bibione – up to now – has a construction concept that does not conceive skyscrapers!).

This does not mean that the Bibione of the ‘60s was not a locality experiencing a boom. And to this growth the Villaggio Turistico Internazionale offered its contribution, with the creation of an “autonomous community” - as its founder, the Treviso born Granzotto, likes to define it. In those years he had the vision that lead to build a whole village made of bungalows, offering in this way an alternative option in-between camping and the classical hotel. 

"Granzotto", so in the article by Escoffièr, "is 55 years old and is a true example of those men who we are used to identify as Lombardi, referring in this way to the frenetic productivity and the need of constant movement and change that characterize mainly the people from Milan".  
The idea of a Villaggio Turistico comes to the mind of Mr Granzotto because he wanted to create something price worthy and healthy “where especially the children could have the chance to spend their holidays at ease, close to nature and enjoying wide spaces”.
In 1963 the Villaggio covered 90 thousand square meters, with 155 small bungalows and, at that time, a vacation for 5 people cost between 5 and 600 Italian liras.

"It seems like another village” so the journalist of that time, a place where vacation stands for freedom and peaceful cohabitation. "It is indeed an idea with a huge potential impact”. After forty years we can affirm that the founder and the journalist had indeed the right insight.