Exploratorium – Slow Travel Festival

Exploratorium: slow travel arrives in Ortona

Exploratorium – Slow Travel Festival is the first event of its kind dedicated to slow travel and experiential tourism in Abruzzo. The inaugural edition will take place from July 31 to August 2, 2026, in the town of Ortona, in the province of Chieti, the northern gateway to the famous Costa dei Trabocchi. The event is conceived and organized by Vitamina Project, an organization that has been promoting travel as a tool for personal and collective growth since 2014, with the direct support of the City of Ortona and the High Patronage of the Abruzzo Region.

Three days between the historic center and the Costa dei Trabocchi

The festival unfolds within the historic center of Ortona and along the Costa dei Trabocchi, framed by the city's lighthouse and the narrow alleys overlooking the Adriatic Sea. The program alternates between thematic talks and round tables on travel, photography and creative writing workshops, excursions, literary walks, and social gatherings. The goal is to open the doors of experiential travel to the local community while bringing the world to Ortona through the firsthand accounts of those who have crossed continents at a slow pace.

Global travelers, reporters, and storytellers

The stars of Exploratorium are the travelers who arrive in Ortona from all over Italy to share their experiences and act as a bridge between the Abruzzo community and the many cultures encountered along their journeys. Announced guests include global travelers, writers, photojournalists, and content creators specializing in Latin America, Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Balkans, such as Raffaele Giordano, Stefano Cipollone, Dario Nisivoccia, Lorenzo Scaraggi, and Salvatore Marra.

A vision of sustainable tourism

Exploratorium was born to promote a conscious, slow, and respectful way of traveling, standing in stark contrast to hit-and-run tourism. The festival highlights the Abruzzo region and the Costa dei Trabocchi as a laboratory for experiential tourism, combining outreach, connection, and the slow discovery of places.

A festival part of the Estate Ortonese

The event is part of the Estate Ortonese 2026 program, promoted and sponsored by the Municipality of Ortona, which brings over eighty events in music, culture, sports, and traditions to the city from July to September. Exploratorium represents its soul dedicated to travel and sustainable tourism, a new addition that aims to make Ortona a reference point for those who love to discover the world with slowness.