25 July 2022
rurAllure interviewed Davide Fiz – traveller, blogger and founder of Smart Walking project, an initiative and lifestyle that allows him to combine work and passion for adventure travel. This season Davide walked along the Via Romea Strata, one of the pilot routes of the rurAllure project. We asked Davide about his experience and how he managed to keep up work/travel balance.
How did the idea of Smart Walking come about?
The idea of smart walking for smart working was born on 7 September 2021, the date of publication of the blog, but its origins go back a long way and it has two parents. The first, an older one, I would say almost ancestral, is the passion for trekking, born when I was a boy on the paths of the Ligurian hinterland, which has been enriched in recent years by the discovery of the paths. First, the trails leading to Santiago de Compostela and then many others.
The other parent is my freelance job. Since 2010 I have opened a VAT number and work as a commercial sales for several companies. Since I started freelancing, I have been working remotely and I organised myself so that I could do it initially from my home in Livorno and then from wherever I was.
The spark between the two parents was sparked in July 2020, during a stage of the Primitive Way (Camino Primitivo) where I realised that maybe I could work without giving up my passion: work/life balance!
I started in March and will finish in October 2022, after having walked 20 routes in Italy: one route for each of the 20 regions, walking in the morning and working remotely in the afternoon, from always different places.
Which parts of the Romea Strata you crossed during your project?
For the Friuli region, I chose the Romea Strata and walked three stages: from Spilimbergo to San Martino al Tagliamento, from San Martino al Tagliamento to San Vito al Tagliamento, and, finally, from San Vito to Gruaro.
How did Romea Strata support you during your adventure?
The Romea Strata supported me both logistically and culturally, in the sense that I often contact with local people who could explain the territory to me.
Thanks to the rurAllure platform, which sites of cultural interest did you visit?
I was able to visit the Abbey of Santa Maria in Sylvis in Sesto al Reghena.
What did you enjoy most about this walking experience?
Like with all hikes, the most interesting aspect was getting to know and talk to the local people. I did not expect to find people so open to talk!
Did this experience inspire you? Would you walk other route stages in Italy or abroad?
Every time I walk in a new - for me - area, I feel like coming back to discover hidden places. I would certainly like to set a project to walk the stretch from the Italian border to Spilimbergo as well!
This project has been funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement no 101004887.
