Margherita and Nick, aka The Crowded Planet, are a couple of travel bloggers engaged by the European project CulTour Is Capital, together with Emiliano Bechi (videomaker), to test and document transformative tourism experiences through five past, present and candidate European Capitals of Culture.
From Burgos to Kosice, passing through Rijeka and Gelsenkirchen, the travellers had a step in Matera, hosted by the project partner Materahub.
THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT, BETWEEN GROTTOLE AND MATERA
Two days in the 2019 ECoC where, after the pandemic and still according to the rules and limits due to Covid-19, they had the opportunity to live immersive touristic experiences.
Visit to Grottole
On the first day, they visited Grottole, a high depopulation risk village with less than 2000 inhabitants near Matera, hosted by Wonder Grottole.
This is an experimental project that involves and connects people and energies from all over the world, working to rehabilitate the historic centre of the village thanks to the regeneration of abandoned houses and the creation of a new community.
During their stay, Margherita, Nick and Emiliano enjoyed all the authenticity of a whole day in a southern Italy village, experiencing original traditions of the place and meeting and entering the houses of the community of the village.
The Matera Experience
Back in Matera, they took part in the creative walk through the Sassi (the ancient city centre). The Silent City Experience is an interactive path that leads you to rewrite your travel story linked to the city of Matera. It is a creative derivation in a touristic key of the Silent City, an Opera written by the community and for the community. Originally produced for Matera 2019’s events panel, it has been now transformed into an immersive touristic experience, a perfect match between the cultural and creative industries and the tourism sectors.
MANY EXPERIENCES STILL TO BE DOCUMENTED
These are just two of the many experiences that will be documented by the three travellers in their long cultural trip on the next project platform.
By now, you can start following them on the CulTour Is Capital Facebook page or looking for #CulTourIsCapital.
