Q.Ne.ST DC2.5 Publications on Capitalized Best Practices and Routes

Q.ne.S.T. DC2.5 Publications on Capitalized best practices and routes: revised reports and informative sheets on the capitalization activities on best practices and routes. Puglia (Italy) _______________________ QNeST International Itineraries: Wine and Olive Oil Itinerary The theme of the Mediterranean Diet, with a particular focus on oil and wine, runs through all the countries of the EUSAIR area. The landscapes, characterised by olive groves and vineyards, bear witness to the common culture of the Euro-Mediterranean area, although each region has its own cultivars and production techniques. Oil and wine have always been used not just in food, but also in the rituals of the various belief systems practised on the shores of the Mediterranean. All the areas involved in the QNeST brand are crossed by routes linked to oil and wine. In Puglia, the greenways involving olive groves and vineyards are characterised by centuries-old monumental olive trees and olive oil mills, extensive vineyards and wineries. Along these routes in Xanthi, the olive trees stand out in all their majesty, while the wine route bears witness to the region's historic identity. The olive route in Epirus also highlights the bond between the centuries- old olive trees and the region. In the Marche region, the "Emotions without Borders" and "Experience the Region" routes allow you to discover the wealth of local heritage. The "Cycling through the Wineries" route allows you to enjoy the wineries in the Euganean Hills in Veneto in combination with the spas in the area. The vineyards and wineries of Montenegro are a constant theme of the "Historic and Natural treasure Route". Istria hosts routes in both Croatia and Slovenia; in the former on the themes of olive oil, wine and ham, a characteristic local product, and in the latter on stone, the coast and olive groves. Travellers, merchants and pilgrims The Mediterranean is a sea enclosed by land, since time immemorial connecting the various cultures that have evolved along its shores. Since ancient times, this sea has been crossed by peoples, merchants, pilgrims and travellers of all kinds, carrying with them cultural baggage and experiences that have shaped its regions, traditions, languages and cultures. The QNeST Brand promotes cultural activities via specific itineraries. The Via Francigena Greenway runs through the Salento peninsula in Puglia, offering "slow tourism" activities that allow the visitor to discover hidden treasures and ancient traditions between Brindisi and Otranto, following the routes of ancient travellers who embarked for the Orient. Closely connected to this theme is "The Way to Jerusalem" in the region of Xanthi, in Greece, while in Epirus, religious heritage routes highlight the Byzantine monasteries. In the Marches, the "Gira- Sole" project promotes cultural activities in the area of Pesaro. In Veneto, the "Literary Park of the Euganean Hills" hosts locations that have inspired poets and writers, while other routes allow the visitor to admire the splendid Venetian villas and castles along the River Brenta. In Montenegro the Virpazar and Skadar Lake National Park route includes landscapes, monuments and flavours around Skadar Lake Dry Stone Traditional dry-stone building techniques, recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage, are another shared feature of the regions surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The QNeST Brand promotes routes connected to this important theme: used to build boundary walls, small circular buildings of various kinds, retaining walls for agricultural terraces and underground places of worship, the stones tell the history of the locations where they are deployed. The Dry Stones Greenways in Puglia are based on the importance of stone and its use in boundary walls, buildings, underground oil mills, crypts and rock-cut settlements. In the region of Xanthi, "Myths and Culture" is a historical and cultural tourist route linked to the myth of Hercules. In Epirus, the Stone Route runs through the mountain villages of Pindos. In Istria, the Stone Walls route showcases the rural area of Vodnjan, where stone is a key element of the landscape. In Montenegro, the Njegusi village and Lovćen National Park route takes the visitor on a spectacular journey from Kotor, on the coast, to the mountains inland, with an opportunity to enjoy the distinctive flavours of the local food and wine of Njegusi. Water Water is something that the countries of the Adriatic-Ionian area all share. In terms of nature, it includes wetlands, springs, rivers and lakes both near the coasts and inland. In terms of human activity, it plays a role in religious rites, gastronomic traditions and even health, as seen in the use of thermal spring waters since ancient times. This is reflected in the proximity of places of worship, cisterns, canals and spas, evidence of the day-to-day link between water and the human population. Then there is the sea, which, in addition to forming a vast ecosystem and a shared asset for the various populations, over time has enabled them to communicate with each other thanks to the art of navigation. In Puglia there are water-themed greenways in the coastal area from the archaeological park of Egnatia to the Alimini Lakes near Otranto, characterised by a mosaic of wetlands, ancient archaeological sites and spas. In the Veneto region, the Euganean Hills and Spas Area Brand combines thermal spring waters with local food and wine. In the Marche region, a route starts from the coast near Fano, before heading inland along the Furlo Gorge to the "Grotta dei folletti" in Acqualagna. Montenegro proposes a boat trip to discover the natural and cultural heritage of Lake Skadar. Lastly, Epirus proposes the "National Parks of Epirus" network, rich in natural ecosystems and beautiful landscapes. QNeST Local Routes: Green Way Along Water Sites The proposal of the "Greenways along Water sites" is to rediscover the cultural heritage through ancient waterways and cultural and economic paths. The water route represents maritime life, the local habitat of fishing activity, the historical and archaeological routes already present. The rich cultural and natural heritage related to this issue has contributed to the evolution of extremely interesting landscapes, that can be driven and enjoyed through forms of slow tourism following real "Water ways". The route considers wetlands, protected areas and parks, the few local renaissance nymphaea (fountains), spas and wellness centres. It can develop new forms of tourism, not only linked to cultural heritage, historical sites and the spiritual or economic meaning associated with the visited regions, but also to local landscapes, food and local handicrafts. From the remains of ancient Egnazia, with its port partly submerged by the sea, to the Regional Park of Coastal Dunes with eel fishing, to the marine protected area of Torre Guaceto, to the marshes of the Bosco di Rauccio, to the Acquatina basin, to the Cesine State Nature Reserve, to the Alimini Lakes, passing through places of thermal well-being of yesterday and today (the Roman baths of Egnazia and Valesio, the nymphaeums of Lecce, the ancient baths of Santa Cesarea). Greenways Along Via Francigena The "Greenways along Via Francigena" develops on two routes, the Terrestrial and the Maritime. The ancient Via Traiana Calabra (Via Francigena in the Middle Ages) and its fascinating landscape represent the Terrestrial route, where it is possible to admire a precious cultural heritage. The Maritime route, on the other hand, is based on routes of pilgrims and merchants heading for the Holy Land and the countries of the Levant, connected to the Adriatic and Ionian ports. From the 14th century, Venice’s monopoly over commercial routes and pilgrimage journeys ensured that the northern Adriatic, by then practically a Venetian lake, was opened up to traffic heading for the Levant Countries. In the 14th and 15th Centuries pilgrims, goods and ideas spread towards the Orient from the "Venice Gulf", that is the Adriatic of the late Middle Ages, which served as an extraordinary crucible of cultural models, propagating common artistic and formative styles. Greenways Along Walls And Dry Stones The route of the "Streets of dry-stone" is based on the importance of stone and its functionality. The white stone landscape is the most popular expression of the sunny, Mediterranean countryside. The stones all have a story to tell, though adequate analytical methods and interpretative models are required in order to place them in their correct cultural and historical contexts. Most of all, they should not be seen as single artefacts, but as part of a larger territorial system. UNESCO recognized the art of dry-stone walls and the way they are built, which entails placing one stone upon the other using no other material except dry earth. The "stone" context also includes hypogeum oil mills, crypts and rock settlements. Promoting dry-stone rural heritage for tourism also means recognizing the value of peasant culture and the agricultural practices that have been handed down over the centuries. Noteworthy are the testimonies of the rupestrian churches from Monopoli to Carovigno, of the trulli, of the productive hypogeums and of the endless and articulated dry-stone walls, symbol of rural civilization still rooted in the territory. Greenways Of Oil And Wine The "Ways of oil and wine" involve the wine cellars and oil mills, heirs of an ancient productive heritage. It is not just about enhancing the product of the typical cultivar of "Negramaro", "Primitivo" or "Susumaniello" but also to rediscover the agricultural landscape, characterized by very long rows of vines and immense olive groves. Wines with full- bodied flavors, in an intense and pleasant bouquet, loved by the Apulians and now recognized all over the world, are the symbol of a centuries-old professionalism, today rewarded by several recognitions and by an ever wider clientele. Oil is also considered one of the best products of Puglia.

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