We have already told you about our philosophy of understanding travel as a slow, immersive experience, respectful of the territory and its peculiarities. Slow tourism as a sustainable practice, but also a profitable one because it allows one to savour every facet of an area, even the lesser-known ones, following a route little travelled by the large flows of summer holidaymakers.
Autumn is the perfect time to experience a slow holiday, especially here in Gallipoli where the days remain mild until the arrival of winter, already dotted with countless traditions and opportunities to be seized to read the tale of the Città Bella according to a new, perhaps unexpected, key.
If you are ready to set sail on a new adventure into the seafaring tradition and the poetic soul that nourishes the people of the sea, in this short article we will tell you about the beauty of discovering two of the most fascinating faces of the old town and the link between the Città Bella and its sea: the ancient craft of shipwrights and the tradition of gozzo boats and the Gallipoli in Poesia festival!
What is Gozzo?
Let us start with the Gozzo which, more than a mere vessel for transporting people and goods, is a true artefact made on land to explore the seas, but also a symbol of the meeting and confrontation between peoples and their bond with the Mediterranean. It is the fruit of centuries of precious contamination, to be cultivated and preserved, which becomes the expression of an inexhaustible love between man and the sea. A sea in which the peoples of such a vast basin know how, with their peculiarities, to recognise themselves and find a common matrix.
Learning about the history of ancient crafts
A tour of the old town and a chat with local craftsmen are the right occasions to probe the secrets of a seafaring past not recounted in the great history books. Alongside the history of the great naval ships, the narrative of the smaller vessels is preserved in the tales of old mariners and skilful shipwrights. For centuries, it is they who have orally handed down to the younger generations the history, techniques and construction characteristics of the goiter, which still owes its morphology to the environment in which it was born.
It is in fact a vessel with structural characteristics suited to sailing in the conditions imposed by the Mediterranean Sea, its winds, its currents. Constructed in wood, with an equal stern and bow to facilitate navigation and manoeuvring in each direction, the gozzo is veiled and remains to mark the furrow of traditional seafaring craftsmanship, beyond the borders that separate a single people, the people overlooking the Mare Nostrum.
Gozzo International Festival
This same tradition is the protagonist of an autumn event that is intended as an opportunity for enthusiasts and laymen alike to rediscover the history, customs and traditions of each locality in relation to a knowledge that must be preserved and allowed to navigate towards ever new horizons. So get ready to head to beautiful Gallipoli: this year, the 9th edition of the Gozzo International Festival takes off!
The Caroli Hotels Trophy dedicated to historic sailing and rowing gozzi and lances returns in 2023 to bring together enthusiasts, shipwrights and the simply curious and retrace with them the route of an ancient tradition, an experience enriched with innovation.
A four-day event organised by the Club Velico Ecoresort Le Sirene and featuring regattas, sailing, happy hours overlooking the sea, artistic performances and much more awaits lovers of slow tourism in Gallipoli from 12 to 15 October 2023!
Gallipoli in Poesia
People of sailors… and poets! On the other hand, when one is born by the sea and this magical presence punctuates people’s times, moods and languages, it is impossible not to rediscover a more or less hidden poetic vein.
This same vocation is the protagonist of the Gallipoli in Poetry Festival, organised by the municipal administration and Zero Meccanico Teatro, which this year reaches its 6th edition to bring ‘the other side of poetry’ to some of the city’s iconic locations.
Guided tours, meetings with authors, workshops for young and old, theatrical performances, poetry walks and reading groups take place against the backdrop of, among others, the historic Garibaldi Theatre and the Sant’Angelo Municipal Library, two jewels of the old town.
From 7 to 15 October, the atmosphere in Gallipoli becomes poetic!
Don’t miss out on the art of language and drama, a traditional tale of the sea to discover what motives lie at the heart of a people inextricably linked to their sea. Now is the right time for a last-minute, slow-discovery getaway!
Palazzo Zacà awaits you in October, in a Gallipoli that sees its most secret traditions flourish again!