Travel should be an experience within everyone’s reach, and yet for millions of people even a simple visit to a historic village can turn into an obstacle course. Stairs, hard-to-navigate streets, inaccessible transport, and inadequate services still represent barriers for those living with a disability. On the occasion of World Kindness Day, November 13, Italy seeks to change its perspective with an initiative that places the right to explore the territory without barriers at its center.
Its name is “Villages in a Carriage. On the Road to Kindness”, the new project that will traverse all 20 Italian regions, involving 40 villages in a journey dedicated to accessibility and hospitality. It is promoted by Danilo Ragona and Luca Paiardi, two documentary filmmakers who use wheelchairs and who for years have shared their experiences around the world through the project “Travelers in a Carriage.” An adventure that starts in Rome and aims to demonstrate how even small towns can become protagonists of a more inclusive tourism.
Villages in a Carriage, the journey through 40 Italian villages
The starting point is Piazza Montecitorio, in Rome, from which an itinerary will begin that will touch 40 villages spread across the 20 Italian regions. It will not be merely a voyage to discover landscapes, traditions, and small historic centers rich in history, but above all an opportunity to observe how truly accessible these places are.
Danilo Ragona and Luca Paiardi will meet local administrations, residents, and tourism operators to collect testimonies, highlight existing good practices, and identify the obstacles that still prevent everyone from fully enjoying a travel experience. The project is born with the aim of moving beyond the idea that accessibility concerns exclusively people with disabilities. More navigable routes, efficient services, and inclusive infrastructures can improve the experience for families with strollers, older people, and travelers with diverse needs.
The stops will be documented through video, reports, and community stories, with the aim of highlighting virtuous realities and encouraging other regions to follow their example. The initiative, supported by the Italian Movement for Kindness (MIG), also involves the B-free – Travelers in a Carriage association, The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy, ASI, and other partners.
Moreover, what makes this journey even more special is the vehicle chosen by the two protagonists: a 1976 Lancia Fulvia adapted with manual controls, thanks to the “Classica & Accessible” project promoted by the Italian Historic Automobile Club (ASI) through ASI Solidale. Fueled with biofuel and renamed the “Car of Kindness,” the car will accompany Danilo and Luca along the entire itinerary, turning into a true travel diary. During the stops, the villagers can leave signatures, dedications, and messages directly on its bodywork, making the car an itinerant symbol of inclusion and hospitality. The start took place precisely on November 13 from Piazza Montecitorio, in Rome, on the occasion of World Kindness Day.
Accessible Tourism in Italy, the new dossier
The project arrives at a moment when accessible tourism in Italy represents an important resource, but it still has to grapple with numerous challenges. The first dossier of the Italian Observatory of Kindness and Behaviors provides a snapshot of the situation, published on the occasion of November 13.
According to the data collected, inclusive tourism generates about 8.8 million arrivals and 38.4 million overnight stays, equivalent to 8.2% of the national total, with a direct economic impact estimated at 5.3 billion euros. Despite these figures, the infrastructures remain often insufficient.
In Italy, 678 railway stations are made accessible, but only 457 can be used completely autonomously. The biggest difficulties concern mainly the smaller stations, essential for reaching villages and destinations far from the large centers. On the urban front, there is still much to do: only 36.4% of Italian provincial capitals have approved a Plan for the elimination of architectural barriers.
