Workshop Active Leisure - La Spezia and Terre dei Poeti 16th – 20th October 2019 Active and Experiential Tourism between La Sp ezia, 5 Terre, Portovenere, Riccò del Golfo and Lunigiana
One territory, thousand experiences: La Spezia, 5 Terre, Portovenere, Riccò del Golfo, Lunigiana will host, from 16th to 20th October, a large group of foreign buyers to live an onsite experience and touch the different outdoor activities that the area can offer even out of season thanks to a favorable climate. The statistical data confirm the growth of the demand for holidays in which the living experience represents the added value of the tourist package linked to nature, sport, well-being, food&wine, culture, slow tourism, adventure, to the territory, to the demonstrations, to the folklore etc. The province of La Spezia and Lunigiana, between the sea and the hinterland, between water activities and walks in the countryside to discover villages and castles, represent an ideal mix for those who focus on experiential tourism.
The Active Leisure Workshop - La Spezia and Terre dei Poeti (October 16th to 20th) is organized by the Travel Group, which with the events division has been signing Travel Open Days since 2010. The leader of the initiative is the Tourism Councilorship of La Spezia. "Our offer is complete and structured - explains the Tourism Councilor, Mr. Paolo Asti - ideal even out of the high season, especially for those tourists coming from the countries where winter grants very few possibilities for outdoor activities". The scheduled event includes a workshop day (October 17 th) on the Costa Fortuna moored in the port of La Spezia. Thanks to the hospitality of Costa Crociere, foreign buyers will be able to meet the many local sellers who will present the territory and the wide range of indoor activities during B2B appointments. The other two days (18th and 19th October) will be dedicated to discover the territory: the operators gathered in the various trade associations (Confcommercio, Confesercenti, Confindustria Turismo, CNA, Confartigianato) will propose to buyers specific tours to know the different activities available in the area. "From La Spezia to Lunigiana, from Riccò del Golfo to Portovenere, up to the Cinque Terre National Park: with the two days educational tour - Councilor Asti adds - our experiential offer will be able to excite the buyers".
La Spezia, which overlooks a beautiful natural gulf (nicknamed the Gulf of Poets by the playwright Sem Benelli), experienced its greatest development in the second half of the 19 th century, but has an ancient history, where the Genoese influence is still evident. Excursions on foot, by bike, by Vespa scooter are ideal to discover the historic centre, the beautiful promenade with gardens and surroundings. The Gulf is also known thanks to the presence of characteristic inhabited centres overlooking the sea: in addition to La Spezia, the Porto Venere villages, with its three islands that are part of the Natural Park of Porto Venere. The Park contains in its 400 hectares places of great environmental, historical and cultural value. The ancient village, the islands Palmaria, Tino, Tinetto and the Marine Protected Area are precious testimonies of a harmonious relationship between man and nature. A partnership built and consolidated over time that has been recognized by UNESCO.
If you continue by sea towards Genoa you will meet the 5 Terre, five small jewels between the sea, rocks and vineyards: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. Well known all around the world, the 5 Terre Park (National Park since 1999) is an example of how man has managed to "tame" such an impervious area: the houses and the vineyards are literally clinging to the "terraces" and therefore fascinating but difficult to preserve. A few kilometers from the Cinque Terre and La Spezia, Riccò del Golfo enchants for its woods but also for small villages. Among these, the medieval village of Codeglia, recently restored thanks to the intervention of the Municipality and the financing of the European Community, is today a Widespread Hotel: the old houses welcome tourists in a timeless context. And behind the village begins the forest from which different paths start for lovers of trekking or mountain biking, but also for those who just want to walk surrounded by nature. One of these paths leads directly to the 5 Terre. Lunigiana takes its name from the Roman colony of Luni, founded by the Romans in 177 BC at the mouth of the Magra river, so rich in marbles that the Normans thought it was Rome. The Lunigiana is identified today with the valley of the Magra and that of its tributaries, while its historical boundaries are much wider. Located between Tuscany and Liguria, this is a small region, rich in history and traditions, a treasure chest that opens up between the Apuan peaks and the Apennine meadows, a mosaic of small villages, castles, museums and typical restaurants.
PROGRAM 1st day: Wednesday 16th October - arrival of buyers at Pisa or Genoa airport (preferably in the afternoon, after 3 pm) - transfer from the airport to the diffused hotel - around 6.00 pm transfer from the hotel to the LIA Museum; guided tour of the museum; after the visit, dinner / cocktail reinforced (Enoteca Regionale) with the presence of the authorities and the representatives of the institutions involved in the project (for a total of up to 45 people); official greetings - after dinner, transfer to the hotel - overnight 2nd day: Thursday 17th October - after breakfast, transfer of the buyers to La Spezia port for the boarding to Costa Fortuna where the workshop will take place (departure around 08.30) - expected start of the workshop at 09.30 - lunch break (approx. 1 pm to 2.30pm) on board - end of work scheduled for 5 pm - after the end of the workshop, transfer to the hotel; dinner with typical products - overnight stay
3rd and 4th day: Friday 18th and Saturday 19th October - two days dedicated to the famtrip to discover the beauty of the territory; the participant will have the possibility to chose different activities (like cooking lessons, bike tours, speleo-adventure, ecc) 5th day: Sunday 20th October - after breakfast, transfer to the airport