It all began with an article published in a local online newspaper. The topic was a training course on literary tourism taught by Giovanni Capecchi, a professor of Italian literature at the University for Foreigners of Perugia. Inspired by this theme, the San Marcello Pistoiese Comprehensive Institute seized the opportunity to engage young people and foster their passion for reading. Thus, the fourth-year business school majoring in tourism seized the opportunity to promote a course on literary tourism in the area where they themselves study. Barbara Betti, a professor of French language and culture at the Comprehensive Institute, shared the idea with the principal and her assistant, Francesca Vogesi, and other teachers. Thus, a project shared with the students was launched.
Literary tourism is still a niche sector but slowly growing. It attracts an increasing number of enthusiasts who want to revisit the places beloved by authors, often cited in their works. Visiting the places lived or narrated by the writers allows us not only to see the spaces or environments they frequented, but also to bring back certain memories. A bit like Proust’s Madeleine, whose flavor takes the writer back to his childhood memories. This was the theme addressed in the first lesson taught at our school by Giovanni Capecchi, which was followed by further in-depth sessions. The students were immediately captivated and showed interest in what was being explained to them. They were able to discover important figures who had stayed in the Pistoia Mountains. The students began to think about how to create a literary itinerary, imagining the creation of brochures complete with images, captions, and various stops along the way. It was decided to involve teachers from other disciplines, such as Computer Science, English, Spanish, and Italian, as well as tourism and business, to create a truly interdisciplinary project.
Accompanied by Professor Capecchi, a visit to the city of Perugia was undertaken, following a beautiful literary itinerary. This experience proved to be quite formative. We were shown places cited by Dante in the “Divine Comedy” and read passages from St. Francis’s Canticle of the Creatures, while looking towards
Assisi.
Back in their classrooms, the students began working on the project, reading literary works, consulting critical studies, and conducting a series of site visits.
They identified places frequented by personalities such as Gabriele D’Annunzio, Eleonora Duse, Luigi Pirandello, Policarpo Petrocchi, Niccolò Tommaseo, and Giuseppe Arcangeli.
The next step was to create brochures in Italian, French, English, and Spanish, each accompanied by a QR code linking to a map of San Marcello with the various stops along the route, as well as to YouTube videos where the students illustrate each stop.
The brochure, titled “Literature in the Mountains,” also aimed to promote the entire area surrounding the town of San Marcello Pistoiese from a tourism perspective. It all concluded last May with a presentation in the council chamber of the San Marcello Pistoiese Town Hall, attended by Tourism Councilor Clio Cinotti. The routes were introduced on that occasion, with students acting as guides, ready to illustrate the various stages.
The day concluded with the distinguished presence of Irish professor Nicholas Havely, one of Europe’s leading scholars of the “Divine Comedy,” who explained and illustrated his literary guide, “Apennine Crossing: Travellers on
the Edge of Tuscany.”
The entire town and the Proloco (local tourist board) were enthusiastic, supporting the initiative, impressed by the students’ enthusiasm. It was all the result of teamwork: both inside and outside the school, synergies were established with the local community and the surrounding area.
This is a way to enhance the existing natural and environmental beauty, combining it with a particularly significant historical, cultural, economic, and social heritage.
Text by Barbara Betti and Francesca Vogesi
Photo by Lorenzo Marianeschi
