The Origins of “Rapone, the Village of Fairy Tales”
Once upon a time, there was a small village where fairy tales were passed down orally, around the warmth of the fireplace...
The village was nestled in the heart of inland Basilicata, on the slopes of a mountain and overlooking the Ofanto Valley.
In Rapone, that’s the name of our village, folk tales, legends, and fairy tales have always been part of daily life, interwoven with local traditions, language, food, and the cycle of the seasons.
But modern life is fast-paced and these tales were at risk of being forgotten. From this awareness the project “Rapone, the Village of Fairy Tales” was born—a journey to rediscover, preserve, and share our collective memory.
In time this project has become a community-wide endeavor, a narrative thread that expresses our identity and weaves our future.
Since 2010, our fairy tales, traditions, memories and emotions have been collected from people’s voices and shared, so that they could become part of our contemporary culture and a source of inspiration.
This project — blending anthropological research, cultural heritage, art, tourism, and education — has been strongly supported by the Municipality and has been recognized and praised on a national level.
It all began in 2010, when we took part in a project for integrated tourism (PIOT) promoted by the Basilicata Region, focusing on one single theme: Rapone, the Village of Fairy Tales.
Since then, festivals, museums, contests, marathons, and countless events have sprung to life, with growing success and ever-increasing enthusiasm.
Mayor, Felicetta Lorenzo