Viaggi naturali by Andrea Ferraretto

Sustainable travel, at a relaxed pace, where you've got time to really appreciate the beauty of the Italian countryside and architecture. With his book titled 'Viaggi naturali' (natural travels), Andrea Ferraretto takes us on a discovery tour of a real wonderland.



Italy is a very popular destination for tourists from all over the world, mainly known for its cities of art but also for its myriad of natural and architectural treasures, many of which are unfortunately off the beaten track and often not even known to Italians.





To describe certain wonders, you need to get to know them personally and Andrea Ferraretto, author of the book 'Viaggi naturali' - a collection of articles that he originally published on the blog Quattro Passi nei Parchi (a short stroll around the parks) in the Tuttogreen section of the La Stampa newspaper - reall does know them. 



You can tell just by the way he talks about them, making you want to hop onto the next local train, grab a bike or hiking books and follow him. At a calm pace, taking all the time you need to really take in the views, the scents, the local dishes and come into contact with people.
There's even two destinations not in Italy - Berlin and Ljiubljana - again visited with a view towards sustainable travelling.



The articles are prefaced by Fulco Pratesi, architect, journalist and founder of WWF Italia in 1966, and they include links to websites of the destinations proposed in addition to drawings and a parallel story by Massimo Paradiso, “Il volo del fenicottero” (the flight of the flamingo). A story spread through the book that ends with a dialogue between Francesco Izzo and German landscape architect Andreas Kipar, ranging from the paradox of speed to the right to make mistakes.



Viaggi Naturali by Andrea Ferraretto is an invitation to rethink the way we travel and move about, and while waiting to do just that why not read and daydream about the Cinque Terre, the Maiella or the Appian way, just to mention a few of the places described.

Christiane Bürklein
 
Viaggi naturali by Andrea Ferraretto
Depackaging Edition di Nomos Ricerche srl, Roma
Link: www.viagginaturali.it
Images: courtesy of Andrea Ferraretto