Digital Detox in Borgomaro: how a Ligurian village cures digital addiction

Smartphones always connected, social networks, emails arriving continuously, unlimited access to information, endless messages on WhatsApp groups: digital technology and new technologies are now part of everyone’s daily life. If until a few years ago our ‘offline’ life was clearly separated from the activities we carried out online, the spread of smartphones has projected us into a spherical time that has neither a beginning nor an end, in which the boundaries between offline and online are blurred and continuously interconnected.

Without doubt, technology has brought numerous improvements to our lives, but it has also had a huge impact on its quality. Because the compulsive, unrestrained use of digital devices can create an addiction no less impactful than others such as addiction to alcohol, smoking, or drugs. And it can have negative implications on mental health. Loss of control, insomnia, mood alterations, social disorders are some of the inevitable consequences.

Moreover, this hyperconnectivity, which seemed as though it should make us freer and more efficient, has brought to light genuine pathologies: FOMO (acronym for Fear Of Missing Out), the fear of being excluded or missing something important; and so-called nomophobia, a neologism born from the blend of no-mobile-phone phobia, that is, the fear of not being reachable and not being able to use one’s smartphone. These pathologies didn’t exist twenty years ago and today they afflict millions of people around the world.

The digital detox

Certainly, it’s difficult to imagine life without technology. But there’s much to be gained by setting aside digital devices and tuning into life outside the screen. When we step away from technology, we rediscover things we had almost forgotten, such as the pleasure of a conversation without distractions, complete attention to what we’re doing in that moment, or simply the slower pace that allows us to notice details that would otherwise escape us.

The term digital detox refers precisely to ‘digital detoxification’: a period of time during which one decides to unplug from technological devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. Digital detox allows one to recover a proper balance between digital life and offline life, enabling those who practice it to regain a healthier and more functional mental well-being.

The benefits of digital detox are numerous and scientifically documented. The main ones are: reduction of stress and anxiety, increased concentration, improvement in sleep quality, strengthening of interpersonal bonds, stimulation of creativity, and improvement in attention quality. The benefits of digital detox are not limited to the disconnection period, but extend over time, creating new healthier habits and a more balanced relationship with technology.

How to do a digital detox? Completely detaching oneself from devices is not at all simple. It takes time and a good dose of patience. Once you’ve analyzed your digital habits and recognized the level of dependency, it’s necessary to define rules for device usage and specific times during which to unplug everything and dedicate yourself to real life. Since it is still an addiction, you can also start simply by establishing daily tech-free moments. Then you need to replace digital habits with healthier and more rewarding activities such as reading a paper book, exploring nature, or participating in a cooking class. The secret is to keep yourself busy to overcome the anxiety from the lack of digital devices.

Borgomaro: where disconnection is natural

Immersed in the greenery and tranquility of the western Ligurian hinterland, Borgomaro is the perfect place for a vacation or getaway centered on digital detox. Located in the heart of the Maro Valley, it is more than a village, it is a refuge for the modern soul, tired of digital noise. Here disconnection is not forced: it is natural. In Borgomaro, silence is not broken by notifications but only by the placid flow of the Maro stream, by birdsong and by church bells, and the only status update that matters is the color of the sky at sunset. Every stone tells of a time when life flowed at the rhythm of the seasons, when conversations had the intensity of a visual embrace, not the indifference of a blue checkmark. The area also offers numerous opportunities for activities that don’t require digital devices (hiking, tastings, walks among centuries-old olive groves, etc.).

At Relais del Maro, technology will be the last thing on your mind. The historic dwellings of the scattered hotel seem to create a protective barrier against the digital invasion of the modern world. You can wake up to birdsong, have breakfast admiring the Ligurian landscape, read a book by the pool without interruptions, chat with the village inhabitants. It’s the luxury of living in the present moment. There’s also no shortage of experience offerings. From cooking classes to tastings of local products, from horseback riding to bicycle tours, from cultural visits to golf courses, you’ll be spoiled for choice.