UCRCA - Underwater cultural routes in classical antiquity. An European project for the promotion of the underwater archaeological tourism

UCRCA - Underwater Cultural Routes in Classical Antiquity" is an eu project financed through the easme-emff fund in order to promote the creation of touristic thematic itineraries linked to the underwater archaeological heritage. It aims to enhance the sustainability of the touristic sector in coastal and maritime areas through the broadening of the cultural tourism offer, thanks to the creation of underwater itineraries for recreational diving activities. Four pilot sites bearing specific characteristics have been chosen to create and launch a new touristic product, two in Greece and two in Southern Italy. Alonissos Island (Sporades), Methoni (Peloponnese), San Pietro in Bevagna (Puglia) and Crotone (Calabria) are four popular holiday destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, whose archaeological underwater sites are still unnoticed by the greater audience. Before creating archaeological underwater itineraries, the Italian Institute for the Conservation and Restoration (MiBAC-iscr) and the Department of Mechanical and Management Engineering of the Calabria University (dimeg-unical) carried out several years of activities linked to the research and test of new methods and technologies for the in situ conservation of the underwater artifacts.