A THOUSAND WONDERS - Journey to discover Italy Biography / Geronimo Stilton

Italian Ambassador to Tanzania, Marco Lombardi, speaking to lecturers at Mzumbe University.

Geronimo Stilton is a fictional character protagonist of a series of children's books written by the homonymous author Elisabetta Dami. and set in the imaginary city of Topazia. Geronimo Stilton born in Topazia, the capital of the Isle of Mice, he graduated in Topology of Ractic Literature and in Comparative Archaeotopic Philosophy. He directs the Eco del Roditore, the most famous newspaper on the Isle of Mice, founded by his grandfather Torquato Travolgiratti. In his spare time, Geronimo collects ancient cheese rinds of the eighteenth century, but above all he loves writing books with exceptional success: published in 50 languages, they have sold 37 million copies in Italy alone, 170 million worldwide!

Sensational headline: Geronimo Stilton talks about his phenomenal adventure to discover the wonders of Italy! A project created for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with the aim of bringing girls and boys from all over the world closer to the many artistic and cultural beauties of Italy, even the less known ones.

CONTENT: Geronimo Stilton and his whole family decide to participate in the "Thousand Wonders", an amazing treasure hunt among cities, villages and beautiful landscapes. Stage after stage, from Rome to Venice, from the Apennines to the Alps, the Stilton team visits unique places in the world to discover Italy, its culture and its artistic, historical and natural beauties. In the end, the Stilton’s will discover that they have won the race by winning the first prize: another trip to Italy, another extraordinary adventure!

The first stop - Lazio region: the treasure hunt begins in Rome, where the Stilton’s discover the beauties of the Eternal City and in particular the headquarters of the Grand Priory of Malta, from which they observe the dome of St. Peter, then continue on to the Sacro Bosco di Bomarzo and the village of Civita di Bagnoregio.

Second stop - Campania region: in Naples through the streets of the historic center without giving up a short ride on the Metro to discover the mosaics of the Toledo, and then traveling again to the archaeological site of Paestum, Vesuvius and the Submerged Park of Baia, without giving up a break to taste Neapolitan pizza.

Third stop - Calabria region: a dip in the nature of the Pollino National Park, the ancient primordial beech forest of Cozzo Ferriero and the beaches of the Ionian coast, where the caretta turtles nest.

Fourth stop - Sicily region: an excursion to Ema, but also some gastronomic break to taste the arancini and the famous Sicilian granita, and then again on a journey to discover the necropolis of Pantalica, the Rocca di Cerere Geopark, Villa Romana del Casale and the Oriented Natural Reserve of the Saline of Trapani and Paceco.

Fifth stage - Basilicata region: a walk to the Sassi di Matera, among the ancient caves and rock churches, but also a bird's eye launch over the Lucanian Dolomites.

 

Sixth stop - Puglia region: from the dry stone walls to the fortress of Castel del Monte, built by Emperor Frederick II, with a journey through Time to discover the art of falconry, to conclude with a gastronomic stop in Bari, in the street of orecchiette.

Seventh stop - Molise region: a visit to the ancient village of Agnone to discover the secrets of the bells created by the Pontifical Marinelli Foundry.

Eighth stage - Abruzzo region: a journey on the Trans-Siberian of Italy, to admire the Majella National Park with its chamois, wolves and golden eagles from the train window, a stop at Rocca Calascio castle and to finish the stage a trip in canoeing along the Trino river.

Ninth stop - Umbria region: a bike rides to discover Castelluccio di Norcia, admiring the flowering of lentils, a visit to the Sources of the Clitunno River and the famous Tempietto del Clitunno, where many poets found inspiration, to then reach Spoleto and Assisi on the traces of San Francesco and Giotto.

Tenth stage — Marche region: from the Frasassi Caves to the Rocca di Gradara, an opportunity for a Journey through Time to discover Francesca da Rimini thanks to the work of Dante Alighieri, and finally an immersion in history by visiting the Ducal Palace of Urbino.

Eleventh stage - Emilia-Romagna region: after enjoying a good piadina in Rimini, a dip in the art with the mosaics of Ravenna and then ending up in Bologna to admire its famous arcades and also the famous Parmesan cheese.

Twelfth stop - Tuscany region: after a short stop in Florence, riding a bicycle to discover the Chianti hills, then continue in Val d'Orcia in Bagno Vignoni and finally some fun at the Tarot Garden in Capalbio.

Thirteenth stop - Sardinia region: a special visit starting from the mines of the Geomineral, historical and environmental park of Sardinia, continuing with the nuraghi of the archaeological area of Su Nuraxi and ending with a little relaxation on the wonderful beaches of Ogliastra.

Fourteenth stop — Liguria region: from gastronomic delights such as pesto and focaccia with Recco cheese to the beauties of the underwater world of the Acquariuo di Genova, but also a walk among the Palazzi dei Rolli in Genoa and on the Blue Path of the Cinque Terre.

Fifteenth stage - Piedmont region: from the Monviso tunnel directly to Turin, between the Cinema Museum, the Automobile Museum and Mole Antonelliana but also a bike ride along the river Po on VENTO, the cycle path that will have to connect Venice and Turin, to finish on a visit to the Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore.

Sixteenth stage - Valle d'Aosta region: from the wonderful village of Cogne to the discovery of the Gran Paradiso Natural Park, among marmots, ibex and chamois, and the Paradisia Alpine Botanical Garden to finish with the spectacle of the Rutorina waterfalls.

Seventeenth stop ~ Lombardy region: in Milan, the capital of fashion and design, a visit to Santa Maria delle Grazie to admire Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper and a stop in Piazza Duomo, to then go to the discovery city of Cremona and its violins, and finally in Val Camonica to see the rock engravings of the Camuni.

Eighteenth stop - Trentino-Alto Adige region: immersion in nature to admire the pyramids of Segnano, in Val di Cembra, with a pleasant gastronomic stop to taste the dumplings before continuing towards the Bletterbach Geopark, in the Dolomites, and the Latemar Labyrinth which inspired the famous writer Agatha Christie, and finally Bolzano for a visit to the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology where a 5300-year-old mummy is kept, called "Otzi”.

Nineteenth stop - Friuli-Venezia Giulia region: from Aquileia, with its marvelous mosaics, to Trieste to discover the wind called Bora but also to admire Piazza Unita d'Italia, one of the largest.

squares in Europe overlooking the sea, and also meet a Shipwright, a craftsman specializing in the construction of wooden boats. Twentieth and last stop - Veneto region: a visit to Verona to look out over Romeo and Juliet's

bacon but also to visit the Arena and attend the Giuseppe Verdi's Aida opera, then to Padova to discover Giotto's great masterpiece in the Scrovegni Chapel, and finally the charm of Venice, from

Piazza San Marco to the boat trip to the islands of Burano and Murano.