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THE PROJECT

Wonder Grottole is an experimental project that involves and connects people and energies from all over the world, it is a social enterprise that works to rehabilitate the historic centre of the village of Grottole (30 km from Matera), thanks to the regeneration of abandoned houses and the creation of a new community.

Local and global, material and immaterial, past and future. Being comfortable together, inventing and imagining new ways of living in the community between free time and work.

A visionary project that has captured the attention of Airbnb, with which in 2019 we promoted the Italian Sabbatical project that has opened the doors of Grottole to the world. The project offers the opportunity to apply to live three summer months in the small village, becoming a volunteer for the revival of the historic centre and living closely with the inhabitants. The search for 5 volunteers quickly went around the world. More than 280,000 applications were received in a month and over 1500 articles in international press and hundreds of thousands of views on social networks.

Wonder Grottole is an experimental project that involves and connects people and energies from all over the world, it is a social enterprise that works to rehabilitate the historic centre of the village of Grottole (30 km from Matera), thanks to the regeneration of abandoned houses and the creation of a new community.

Local and global, material and immaterial, past and future. Being comfortable together, inventing and imagining new ways of living in the community between free time and work.

A visionary project that has captured the attention of Airbnb, with which in 2019 we promoted the Italian Sabbatical project that has opened the doors of Grottole to the world. The project offers the opportunity to apply to live three summer months in the small village, becoming a volunteer for the revival of the historic centre and living closely with the inhabitants. The search for 5 volunteers quickly went around the world. More than 280,000 applications were received in a month and over 1500 articles in international press and hundreds of thousands of views on social networks.

According to a report by Legambiente in 2016, there are about 2,500 depopulated Italian rural villages, some semi-abandoned and other ghost towns. These hill or mountain villages represent the essence of Italian history and the craft tradition of the country.

Grottole is a small town of 2,100 inhabitants at the top of the Lucanian hills in Basilicata, a region of southern Italy only 30 km from Matera. Crossed by the Via Appia, it was once a crossroads of people and economies from north to south. Today its historic centre has only 300 inhabitants ( which 60% of these are over 70 ) and has 629 abandoned houses. Inhabited since prehistoric times with a rich Roman and medieval history. However, during the last sixty years almost all the inhabitants of Grottole have gone in search of work in larger cities or abroad.

According to a report by Legambiente in 2016, there are about 2,500 depopulated Italian rural villages, some semi-abandoned and other ghost towns. These hill or mountain villages represent the essence of Italian history and the craft tradition of the country.

Grottole is a small town of 2,100 inhabitants at the top of the Lucanian hills in Basilicata, a region of southern Italy only 30 km from Matera. Crossed by the Via Appia, it was once a crossroads of people and economies from north to south. Today its historic centre has only 300 inhabitants ( which 60% of these are over 70 ) and has 629 abandoned houses. Inhabited since prehistoric times with a rich Roman and medieval history. However, during the last sixty years almost all the inhabitants of Grottole have gone in search of work in larger cities or abroad.

According to a report by Legambiente in 2016, there are about 2,500 depopulated Italian rural villages, some semi-abandoned and other ghost towns.

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Our project wants to experiment with a new tourism model called the 4.0 one. It is an evolution of previous projects because it is able to systematise the recovery of the territory that favours an urban regeneration and creates a new tourist market. The tourist no longer lives the territory passively, nor does he or she live by the simple experiences offered by the locals, but becomes a participant in change because he or she brings new ideas and exchanges skills and values with the territory, its resources and its inhabitants.

The impact of this type of tourism is very positive as it increases the quality of life as well as encouraging and generating new economies.

Wonder Grottole is designed as a space for conversation, being together, creating relationships, expressing creativity, generating new opportunities and experiencing new productivity. Residence, places of conviviality and exchange, laboratories. Wonder Grottole will connect existing, human and resource capital with new people, new ways of doing things, will look at new ideas to regenerate the old village and create opportunities. A wealth of culture, traditions, and stories to learn about, use, tell and pass on.

Our project wants to experiment with a new tourism model called the 4.0 one. It is an evolution of previous projects because it is able to systematise the recovery of the territory that favours an urban regeneration and creates a new tourist market. The tourist no longer lives the territory passively, nor does he or she live by the simple experiences offered by the locals, but becomes a participant in change because he or she brings new ideas and exchanges skills and values with the territory, its resources and its inhabitants.

The impact of this type of tourism is very positive as it increases the quality of life as well as encouraging and generating new economies.

Wonder Grottole is designed as a space for conversation, being together, creating relationships, expressing creativity, generating new opportunities and experiencing new productivity. Residence, places of conviviality and exchange, laboratories. Wonder Grottole will connect existing, human and resource capital with new people, new ways of doing things, will look at new ideas to regenerate the old village and create opportunities. A wealth of culture, traditions, and stories to learn about, use, tell and pass on.

The tourist no longer lives the territory passively, nor does he or she live by the simple experiences offered by the locals, but becomes a participant in change because he or she brings new ideas and exchanges skills and values with the territory, its resources and its inhabitants.

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We are:

Viviana Bassan — Founding Partner

Silvio Donadio — Founding Partner

Valentina La Terza — Founding Partner

Andrea Paoletti — President

John Thackara — Founding Partner