The Valley of The Elves

an unforgettable journey

By Ellie Pritts

January 13^th, 2014

it happened by chance

In November 2010, my best friend and I found ourselves nearing the end of an impromptu and underfunded trip to Europe. With just €80 to our names in Florence, we relied on a network of friends of acquaintances to secure lodging for a long weekend before we moved on to Athens. We had only a vague understanding of where we were going to spending the next few days. All we really knew was that we were going to be staying in a non-traditional community in the mountains northeast of us. The author J.R.R Tolkien and “elves” were mentioned, but we weren’t sure how much of what was being told to us was simply lost in translation.

We boarded a train, a bus, a Jeep and finally walked on foot to reach our destination. It was breathtaking. We were greeted by a herd of cattle wandering the valley as we made our way to the dwellings. We learned that the community was nearly entirely self-sufficient; all their food was grown there. There were many cows, goats and chickens being raised as well. We also learned the name of the community, which translates to the Valley of The Elves in English.

Above: Cooking pizzas in the outdoor wood-burning oven. Pizzas are one of the culinary specialties of the community.

We quickly realized that we had stumbled across a community that most people would never think was possible these days. The people here were independent of the outside influences we all encounter in our daily “normal” lives. They refused to be caught up in consumerism and materialism. They lived off the land and governed themselves. After a few days there, we could see ourselves staying indefinitely. Being truly unplugged from technology and media was incredibly liberating.

The village was sprawled across the scenic mountainside. The dwellings ranged from modified huts built into the hillside to several beautiful cabins all constructed on site by the community. As far as we could tell, only one house had access to electricity via several solar panels. Running water was scarce but there was a spring fed pool filled with crystal clear water to drink from. There were no televisions, computers or telephones. Most cell phones did not get service and there was no internet access.

The people here were from all over the world. Some of the members were born and raised in the valley. There was a school house where the youngest children were educated by the adults until they eventually continued their schooling in the village at the bottom of the mountain. Watching these children live and play without televisions, computers or game systems was really eye opening. It made me reflect a lot about how I might raise my children one day. I don’t think I’ve met happier children than the ones I befriended here.

We never quite got the full story on how this community came to be known as the Valley of the Elves, or what Tolkien had to do with all of it. Over the years I’ve scoured the internet for more information on this magical place. There isn’t a lot out there, but I did find a pretty insightful interview with one of the founding members. It’s in Italian and can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/KfCD1l

It’s been almost 4 years since our stay in the Valley of the Elves. We promised that we would return one day, and I sincerely hope that I make the time to do so. I’ll never forget the people I met and the experience of living amongst such a vibrant and unique community.