La struttura e la nostra famiglia

The term serendipity indicates the ability to make happy discoveries by pure chance and, also, finding something unsought and unexpected while looking for something else.

The term derives from Serendip, the ancient Persian name for Sri Lanka. The term was coined by the writer Horace Walpole, who used it on January 28, 1754, to explain an unexpected discovery, referring to a Persian fairy tale, “The Three Princes of Serendip.”

“Three Princes of Serendippo” tells the story of three protagonists who set out in search of gold but stumble upon tea leaves for the first time. The story describes the three princes’ discoveries as intuitions due to chance, but also to their sagacity, a quick wit, and their powers of observation.

Besides being described as a sensation, serendipity also indicates a typical element of scientific research. Very often, important discoveries occur while someone is researching something else. From the concept of serendipity/randomness of scientific discoveries, one can argue that every discovery, as in every aspect of real life, must contain some element of chance. If the researcher already knew exactly what he was looking for, he wouldn’t need to search for it; all he needed was confirmation of a reality he already knew existed.

We hope that by looking for a stay or a cultural visit, you can find yourself and perhaps a new friendship.