Costa Cruises is promoting tourism to 10 lesser-known
Italian towns and villages starting in mid-November.
The towns are all near ports visited by Costa ships.
Costa said it will offer walking tours in the towns "with
the active involvement of local communities."
The ten towns are Seborga and Montemarcello in Liguria;
Arqua Petrarca in Veneto; Orvieto in Umbria; Civita di Bagnoregio in Lazio;
Locorotondo in Puglia; Castiglione di Sicilia, Montalbano Elicona and Salemi in
Sicily; and Atrani in Campania.
Costa is partnering with Associazione de I Borghi piu belli
d'Italia, a group of villages, to organize the excursions.
Italy is making a push to spread tourist arrivals beyond crowded
destinations such as Venice, Florence and Cinque Terre, which at times are
overrun with visitors.
"This project has a truly innovative vision and fits
with our strategy of contributing to the long-term sustainable development of
the Italian regions," Costa president Neil Palomba said.