维娜丝路中国行
75岁意大利旅行家维娜入境中国重走丝绸之路，沿马可•波罗的足迹，从新疆开始徒步走遍中国17省30余城市。
Beginning in Venice on April 26, 2022, Italian hiker Vienna Cammarota arrived in China last month, the last stop of her journey to the East, trekking more than 20,000 kilometers.
With a simple backpack and two trekking poles, Cammarota has covered a distance from Italy across Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkiye, Georgia, Iran, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan.
Inspired by Marco Polo, who traveled to China along the ancient Silk Road in 1275, Cammarota set off from the legendary explorer's hometown of Venice to retrace the route on foot.
Marco Polo lived in China for 17 years and in his travelogue provided detailed descriptions of the country, which allowed Westerners to learn about the allure of this Eastern nation for the first time, Cammarota says. She adds that she hopes to see more of modern China by following in Marco Polo's footsteps.
She first spent a few days making inroads into the ancient city of Kashgar in the autonomous region, experiencing the local folk customs and history, ranging from a century-old teahouse where she engaged with residents to learn about tea culture to a naan bread shop where she tried her hand at making the traditional staple food.
As a hiker, Cammarota has paid special attention to road and bridge constructions, among which she was impressed by the Peljesac Bridge in Croatia, a project built by a consortium led by the China Road and Bridge Corporation.
"When I see these marvels, I feel my heart swell with emotion. It's only by witnessing them firsthand that you can truly grasp their incredible nature," she says.
It's the satisfied look on the faces of people she's met that impressed her most, as she has witnessed people from European and Central Asian countries benefiting from the Belt and Road Initiative, she says.
She began studying The Travels of Marco Polo in 2000 and planned to retrace Marco Polo's route along the Silk Road. Her goal is to experience the profound cultural heritage of Chinese civilization, witness the development and achievements of modern China, and call for global harmony and inclusiveness by bringing into modern view the Silk Road history and spirit to boost dialogue and understanding between the East and the West.
Starting from Kashgar, Cammarota will embark on a 15-month cultural journey across China and explore over 30 cities in 17 provinces and autonomous regions, including Gansu, Shaanxi, Fujian and Guangdong provinces, and Beijing. Her journey will culminate in Beijing to mark the 750th anniversary of Marco Polo's arrival in China.
维娜丝路中国行 组织机构
