Five days to discover one of the most fascinating art cities in Emilia-Romagna, a place where UNESCO-listed mosaics, nature itineraries, cycling experiences, and landscapes that stretch all the way to the sea come together. But this time it isn’t an ordinary holiday: Ravenna is seeking 100 travelers ready to become explorers, living first-hand the region’s proposals and helping to make them more sustainable and accessible.
The Municipality has indeed opened applications for the second edition of the Footprints European project, which in 2027 will double the number of participants compared to the first trial. Those selected will be offered hospitality for a five-day stay, during which they can get to know the destination and share impressions and suggestions to improve the tourism experience, with a focus on sustainability.
How to apply to spend five days in Ravenna with hosted hospitality
There are 100 places available for the new edition of Footprints Explorers, the European project promoted by the City of Ravenna to test a new sustainable tourism model. After engaging 50 people in 2026 (25 Italians and 25 from other countries), the city has decided to double the participant count for 2027, thus expanding the pool of visitors invited to test the services and experiences the territory offers.
Applications are open until December 6, 2026 and can be submitted online via Ravenna’s official tourism site, in Italian and English. The selected participants will be guests of the city for five days and will have the opportunity to explore its diverse facets, contributing with their observations and experiences to improve the tourism offer. Hotel, meals, and 4 experiences are organized and provided by the project.
What the 100 explorers will do in Ravenna
It won’t be only a journey to discover the city’s beauty; it will also be a chance to experiment with new ways of experiencing a destination. During the five days, explorers will be able to engage in various activities, from birdwatching and cycling itineraries to exploring the famous mosaics, art, natural environments, and the coastline.
Their task will be to observe and test the overall tourism experience: from movements within the territory to the accessibility of information, from welcome and arrival to the enjoyment of cultural and outdoor activities. At the end of the experiences, they will be asked to share impressions, suggestions and any issues encountered during the visit.
The initiative is part of Footprints, the European project coordinated by the City of Ravenna and funded through the European Urban Initiative – Innovative Actions, running until May 2028. The aim is to make the city a sustainable destination, where environmentally friendly choices and respect for the local community are also the easiest for travelers to adopt.
Among the planned actions are the creation of three welcome hubs dedicated to hospitality and sustainable mobility, new routes and more accessible urban spaces, and a catalog of inclusive experiences. A digital platform with gamification and rewards mechanisms is also envisaged to encourage responsible behavior by visitors (following in the footsteps of Copenhagen with its CopenPay).
Ravenna’s objective, as the Italian Capital of the Sea 2026, is to better distribute tourist flows across different places and seasons, preventing concentrations in the most frequented areas. A model aimed at protecting cultural and natural heritage while improving the quality of the visit and the daily life of residents.
