I PARCHI LETTERARI "IN THE DIMENSION OF THE JOURNEY" - PRESENTATION

Acknowledgements:
Dr. Angelantonio Palillo, especially for his valuable research work on Travellers to the Province of Agrigento. Dr Mauro Hamel for his esteemed collaboration.

The project “Discovery Magna Grecia” (DIMA), also known as “Discovering Magna Grecia”, financed by the European Community through the Interreg IIIB “Archimed” Programme, is promoted by the Project Leader, The Region of Calabria and its Italian and Greek partners: The Regional Province of Agrigento, The Regional Province of Cosenza, The Region of East Macedonia and Thrace and the Prefecture of Rethymno.

The main elements and objectives include the creation of a network of local and trans-national Parchi Letterari® for the development of activities involving sustainable tourism. It is intended to be a sort of “cultural district” that is able to propose the most authentic values of the territory to visitors, starting with the most ancient origins, those precious roots of Magna Grecia, up to the present day, through that phenomenal interpretative code that is literature.
Specifically, the Regional Province of Agrigento has developed the organisation of the provincial network of I Parchi Letterari® of the Ippolito Nievo Foundation, through the theme of “In the Dimension of the Journey”, which takes its name from the publication by Angelantonio Palillo on the subject of Travellers to the Province of Agrigento.

Throughout the centuries, Sicily has been a point of reference for encounters and confrontations among diverse cultures and identities. From the era of Magna Grecia up until the present day, it has been considered to be the heart of the Mediterranean. And it is exactly in the Province of Agrigento where the vestiges of the classical period are concentrated, as well as the origins of this long history and the most representative authors of Italian literature, both in number and quality.
Therefore, this land must be considered the fulcrum of a unified project, in which excellent and noble literature can become the interpretive code for a memory which today as never before represents a reason to be proud, as well as an opportunity for an economic development which has profound and dignified roots.

The following publication is intended to capture the attention of modern-day travellers and renew the desire to experience the unique and enjoyable sensations that the territory of Agrigento has to offer.
With its beautiful and suggestive coastline, and the two jewels that are the splendid beaches of Sciacca and the white sea cliffs of Realmonte, the inland territory of the province features hilly areas and magnificent valleys dotted with lovely rural towns. The Pelagie Islands and a number of nature reserves add to its environmental beauty. A land of historic traditions, Agrigento’s moment of splendour occurred during the Greek-Roman colonisation, of which some imposing vestiges remain – the Valley of the Temples of Agrigento and the site of Eraclea Minoa – which are famous the world over. This territory features an enormous artistic heritage that includes churches, castles and some of the most beautiful noble buildings in all of Sicily, which are found in cities of rare beauty such as Palma di Montechiaro, Licata, Naro, Canicattì, and Sciacca.

The province is also known for its artisan crafts, including ceramics, terra cotta and wrought iron, and for the manufacture of refined lacework and embroidery; last but not least, another important element of the economy is agriculture, which includes the cultivation of citrus fruits, olives, grapes, strawberries and almonds, the symbol of Agrigento, which is celebrated each spring with the legendary “Festival of the Almond Tree in Bloom”, and is moreover the main ingredient in a number of celebrated desserts. This area is also home to some illustrious native sons, such as the philosopher Empedocle but even more importantly those belonging to the great literary period of the 20th century: from the Nobel Prize winner Luigi Pirandello, to Tomasi di Lampedusa and Leonardo Sciascia.
However, all that is contained in this precious treasure chest cannot be recounted here; this is just a starting point for the emotions that are aroused by these places. And for this purpose, as always occurs with I Parchi Letterari®, the traveller will be guided by the pages of literary masterpieces that have been written by authors who were inspired by the places they visited.
These are the images and the literature that will introduce us to the emotions experienced by the travellers of the Grand Tour, at least following the journey that was experienced by Riedesel in 1767, throughout the destinations of fundamental importance on a tour of the areas surrounding Agrigento.

MAURO HAMEL - Director of Community Policies Department – The Regional Province of Agrigento

I Parchi Letterari® is the name of the national project for cultural tourism, created by Stansislao Nievo and managed by the Ippolito Nievo Foundation. I Parchi Letterari® are places that have inspired many of the great authors of Italian literature, places that still exist and can be visited today. In fact, the reinterpretation of a territory, through the works of poets and writers, allows for the discovery of genuine cultural itineraries to be preserved and promoted.
There are a number of different initiatives that animate I Parchi Letterari®. The common denominator is an interest in rediscovering the identity of these places and their deep roots that unite diverse human activities not only with art and artisan craftsmanship but also in agriculture and commerce.

Creating a Literary Park® means interpreting the territory in a transversal manner, ideally uniting history and stories, customs and traditions, environment, art, music, food and local legends, proposing itineraries that are far from the beaten path which has been followed by traditional tourism, while also keeping in mind the radical change that has taken place in tourism with regard to the supply-demand ratio: the visitor is no longer a passive subject, but wants to play a starring role with regard to the realization of a quality offering; and I Parchi Letterari® also respond to this requirement.

The novelty of the itineraries that we propose lies mainly in their ability to arouse emotions in the participant on a wave of stupor and curiosity which involves all five senses. The modern traveller is seduced and transported to other dimensions of space and time…. In the end, the “traveller” may discover that he has actually taken a journey within himself, finding those lost echoes, and reawakening ancient and comforting memories.