Roots Journey
The project “Within Culture – Roots Tourism” is a pilot initiative designed to strengthen the bond between Italians abroad and the ancestral territories of their families. In this initial phase, the project focuses on the Basso Lazio region — an area not only marked by a strong history of emigration, but also rich in millennia of history, art, contemplation, traditions, and natural beauty. The goal is to offer Italian descendants an authentic and engaging experience in the places from which their ancestors once departed — what Dante called “the Beautiful Country divided by the Apennines”, and Goethe described as “a marvelous piece of creation.”
“RE-ITALIA”: A Cultural Roots Travel Experience
RE-ITALIA is a cultural travel product specifically designed for Italians abroad and/or people of Italian descent. It draws inspiration from the Grand Tour of past centuries — the journey once undertaken by European poets, writers, nobles, and intellectuals, who visited Italy as the ultimate cultural destination. In this same spirit, RE-ITALIA aspires to become a meaningful, sought-after experience for Italian descendants worldwide: a true “roots journey” to rediscover Italy.
A Journey of Return, Discovery, and Identity
A roots journey is more than just a trip — it is a return, a living presence, and a personal rediscovery. It’s a deep exploration of one’s identity, the awakening of a sense of belonging, and a connection to family history — in the very places where it all began. This experience is woven into a well-rounded tour that also includes leisure, culture, knowledge, fine food, and comfortable stays in the land of one’s origin.
Because Italy’s culture has many roots, not only familial but also artistic and historical, this journey offers a wide range of insights and opportunities: a destination where nature’s wonders, village and city architecture, monuments, and masterpieces all express the greatness and identity of Italy.
What the Program Includes
The program provides full organization of travel and accommodation, including a variety of carefully curated experiences:
- Cultural activities
- Food and wine tastings
- Spiritual and contemplative experiences
- Nature-based excursions
All designed to help participants rediscover their roots and fully experience Italian identity in all its richness.
Travel and Accommodation Organization
A roots journey into Italian culture, art, and traditions, just like the Grand Tour travelers once sought — but with an even greater ambition:
to combine this return tourism experience with other types of tourism such as wellness and health, food and wine, weddings, nature, religion, and even business.
The “Re-Italia” Program
To be carried out over a minimum two-week stay, the program includes the following experiences and itineraries:
- Guided tours of ancient villages, cobblestone streets, narrow alleys, churches, and cultural sites — both in town and in the surrounding areas.
Excursions include Lake Fondi, the beaches and islands of Ponza or Ventotene, San Felice Circeo, Sperlonga, Gaeta, and monuments in Rome. - Visits and pilgrimages to renowned sanctuaries often mentioned by travelers’ ancestors, such as:
Madonna della Civita, Madonna del Colle, Madonna della Rocca, and the Monastery of San Magno, tied to the earliest Christian martyrs. - Gastronomic dinners featuring traditional local dishes and specialties, including:
a short cooking class, visits to workshops and artisan producers: olive oil mills, wineries, bakeries, buffalo mozzarella, ricotta, and regional cheeses. - Conferences and exhibits on local dialects and traditions, including artistic and cultural displays from the area.
Visits to workshops of ancient crafts and traditional tailoring. - Trekking routes in the natural and rural landscapes, including trails in the Ausoni Mountains and around Lake Fondi, supported by the local Nature Park Authority.
When available, thermal baths and spas are included for wellness and health. - Live performances of local folk music, dance, theater, and also nationally inspired shows.
- Thematic exhibitions focused on the history of these lands — their discreet yet powerful charm, seemingly suspended in time — and the ancient and modern itineraries leading to major abbeys, sanctuaries, and archaeological sites.
- Business connections: Upon request, we can facilitate contact with local enterprises to foster economic relationships between Italy and Italian descendants abroad, promoting international cooperation between communities across borders.
