The travel industry dictionary describes Intellectual Tourism as recreational travel undertaken solely or primarily for educational purposes.intellectual tourism. To provide this type of experience, there are several important aspects. First, the presenters must be experts or scholars in their fields. Second, the experience must go far beyond the norm.
At Via Nissa we focus on intellectual travel. Let us give you an example of how that works. One of the most visited places on the French Riviera is the Chapel Notre Dame des Fontaines in La Brigue. Known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Alpes”, this fifteenth century chapel is an amazing example of the artwork of the region.
We think of visited it in three ways. First, the view of the art historian whose primary focus is on the artist, their style, the influences and those influenced. There may also be a description of the monument. Second, is the view of the historian. Here, the focus is on how the people of the period would have felt entering the chapel. So it would be an attempt to bring you in touch with the experience. The third way would be to be exposed by an expert to the symbolism in the chapel, specifically the anti-Semitic symbols hidden in the artwork.
This is what we think makes the visit one of intellectual tourism.