Every now and then, you end up at a place so beautiful you think to yourself “Is this real?”
That’s how I felt when I had arrived at Cascina Caccia for the Armonia event. The villa is located
up in San Sebastian da Po with one of the most breathtaking views I have seen in Turin, but the
history of the property might even be more fascinating than the views.
The villa was once the home of the mafia family that murdered Bruno Caccia, a judge,
back in 1983. Bruno Caccia had been investigating the Mafia and as the Mafia felt threatened
Bruno was getting too close, and took action to stop him. The villa was later confiscated from the
Mafia and eventually given to Libera, an antimafia NGO. Libera, since then, has completely
restored the villa which was left damaged and in poor condition by the family. Cascina Caccia
houses 5 people who manage and maintain the farm. It is inspiring to see how the organization
was able to completely change the environment of the land. Throughout the year they plant
ornament trees, produce honey, and care for the animals on the property. They also hosts
workshops for the community and many events as well.
One annual event that Libera organizes is called Armonia which was the reason of our
visit to Cassina Caccia. For those who have never heard of Armonia, it is a three day
celebration with food , music, and art that remembers the work of Bruno Caccia in fighting the
mafia. This year Devlina, Mariana, and I were fortunate to work the event and learn its history.
Each day the event was filled different speakers who knew Bruno Caccia including his daughter,
Paola Caccia and Judge Giancarlo Caselli, followed by a musical performance. The  performances this year included Notte D’autore, Le Voci del Tempo and my personal favorite, The Sweet Life Society. Armonia happens annually in the month of June, and should not be missed. It is not often you get a chance to witness such beauty in terms of both the landscape and especially of such purpose.