SEA and YOU and Musical Tourism. Is it just a tourist attraction?

If, like me, when you travel, you can’t wait to listen to the local songs, then you are a victim of musical tourism!

It is undeniable that tourism is changing. It is no longer just the hit-and-run tourism that we encountered for a decade from the beginning of the ’10s. Now, we witness a more conscious, more intelligent type of tourism, made up of tourists who know exactly what they want. This is where musical tourism comes into play.

One of the most important aspects of this new type of tourism is the search for the history of a place, through its traditions, rituals, and memories.

This is why the fusion of tourism and traditional music, the so-called musical tourism, makes a difference in today’s cultural tourism debate.

Music can be a powerful vehicle for emotions but also for history. Thanks to traditional songs, we can understand not only the historical events of a people but also how they think!

This is the most fascinating aspect of musical tourism.

But why is musical tourism so important?

We don’t have a precise definition of musical tourism, but we can say that it is a type of cultural tourism that leads travelers to be interested in the way people dance and sing.

It is an unforgettable experience to discover the popular dances and songs of various countries. Everyone, indiscriminately.

There are so many styles of traditional music (we have analyzed some here) that a person could never travel the world and discover them all.

But why is musical tourism so important?

Because music makes us experience true and authentic emotions, and that’s exactly what we seek in a journey, right?

Because the sense of freedom that music gives us is priceless, almost as much as what we feel when we travel.

Because the beauty of a people’s tradition keeps the memory of a whole place alive.

One of the most intriguing aspects of musical tourism is the search for ancient values and preserved memories.

Over the years, musical tourism has proven successful for several reasons:

– Music is one of the most romantic aspects of a people’s culture.

– A tourist can listen to a song in their own country and then search for it in its place of origin.

– Music can convey the feelings of an entire city.

– Music engages the senses like no other form of art can.

Today, investing in musical tourism means creating the necessary conditions to develop places, such as concert halls and theaters, that want to keep the musical tradition alive.

Musical Tourism in Naples. The example of Napulitanata

Musical tourism in Italy plays an extremely important role.

With its impressive cultural diversity and a musical and cultural history that makes it perfect for musical tourism, Italy has immediately intercepted the potential of musical tourism.

Examples include the Ravello Festival, which attracts hundreds of classical music enthusiasts every year, or the performances in lyric theaters scattered throughout the country, from Naples’ San Carlo to Milan’s La Scala, which record a very high number of fans from around the world after each show.

But if we consider musical tourism as the type of cultural tourism that immerses visitors in local music, then it is in traditional music events that we must look, and some cities lead in this tourist scenario.

This is the case in Naples with Classical Neapolitan Song. Some have wondered if Neapolitans still wanted to listen to classical Neapolitan songs, or if it had become a tourist attraction.

Undoubtedly, when Napulitanata opened, it did not have in mind that it would become the main hub of musical tourism in Naples.

Evidence of this is the presence of tourists from all over the world to listen to immortal and famous songs, such as ‘O surdato ‘nnammurato or ‘O Sole mio, but also more refined and popular songs, such as ‘A nuvella.

Strangely, what is missing is the presence of Neapolitans. The debate is still open, but we can say one thing.

Neapolitans have the magic of Neapolitan song within them, and we are sure that with each note, they manage to recognize themselves in that spirit.

And it is a pleasure if even people coming from afar can get to know classical Neapolitan song thanks to musical tourism.

Spanish Tablaos. The Heart of Musical Tourism in Granada

Can you ever go to Naples and not listen to Classical Neapolitan Song? Or go to Granada and not visit its magnificent Tablaos to listen to Flamenco?

Impossible! This is precisely what musical tourism is for.

It is difficult today to travel without wanting to know the musical traditions of a place.

Granada offers the extraordinary opportunity to experience an experience beyond any limit.

Its famous Tablaos (click here for our in-depth analysis) are intimate and welcoming places, where you can breathe the true essence of Flamenco.

An experience of conviviality, starting from food but reaching the most famous dance and song show in Spain.

It is, therefore, an important place for musical tourism in Granada, offering an immersive experience to tourists who visit the Andalusian city every year, also for these splendid places where music and food make you understand the true beauty of the Spanish region.

Fado Houses in Porto. Ideal Fado’s Approach to Musical Tourism

Fado music is the very heart of Portugal. Anyone who has traveled, or wants to travel, to this beautiful land must absolutely make a stop at a Fado house (here is our in-depth analysis where we tell you what Fado houses are and why they are so important).

Ideal Clube de Fado is a beacon throughout the city of Porto, for tourists and locals alike.

A small, cozy, tight, intimate place, like Spanish Tablaos or Napulitanata, where Fado can live in all its beauty.

Ideal Clube de Fado’s choice not to serve food at the tables like a classic Fado House indicates its entirely musical vocation, becoming a perfect place for musical tourism.

These places are real treasure troves, where Fado, Flamenco, and Classical Neapolitan Song can express themselves in all their splendor.

Napulitanata, Ideal Clube de Fado, and CajaGranadaFundacion over the years have not only promoted musical tourism in their cities but now, with the creation of the SEA and YOU Festival, they bring their music to Europe, paving the way for a new type of musical tourism.

SEA and YOU: the festival that puts musical tourism in the spotlight

The European SEA and YOU Festival had clear ideas from the start about what to focus on.

It had to be a festival where tourism and musical tradition would blend perfectly into musical tourism.

A festival where tourists visiting the cities of Granada, Porto, and Naples would have the opportunity to listen to Flamenco, Fado, and Classical Neapolitan Song on the same stage in these magnificent three cities.

A project that allows not only tourists to listen to the three styles but also makes the musicians themselves travel, turning them into tourists ready to visit the city and learn about the musical traditions of the place where they are hosted with workshops and workshops designed for the occasion, as happened to Portuguese and Neapolitan artists during the first date of the festival in Granada, and as will happen in the upcoming dates on February 17th in Porto and April 24th in Naples.

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By Davide Lancia