Via Francigena del Sud project enhances accessibility in Salento

The Italian Ministry of Tourism is completing a project to make the Via Francigena del Sud a model for accessibility. The initiative, titled ‘Per una Via Francigena del Sud accessibile a tutti’, focuses on a 120 km stretch between Lecce and Santa Maria di Leuca.

Led by the Municipality of Poggiardo in collaboration with the European Association of Via Francigena (AEVF) and the Associazione Mollare Mai, the project aims to accommodate motor, sensory, and cognitive disabilities, as well as needs related to age and nutrition. Key improvements include mapping critical points, georeferencing routes and services, maintenance work, and the implementation of augmented and virtual reality tools.

Infrastructure upgrades include rest areas equipped with first aid kits, solar-powered smart benches, and tactile QR codes. This project supports the national strategy to have the Italian Via Francigena recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.