Leonardo and the Navigli VR Experience

Enriching the classic tourist cruise along the Navigli by offering constant emotional and cognitive engagement, able to bring the splendour of Renaissance Milan to life. The challenge lies in smoothly connecting today's real waterway with the three-dimensional period setting, translating the complex drawings and insights of Leonardo's genius into a multisensory experience in which the boat's movement amplifies the realism of the virtual simulation.

A 7-minute immersive cinematic virtual reality (VR) piece, seamlessly integrated into the boat tour on the Darsena. The format welcomes users virtually on board a historic vessel amid a thick morning mist that gradually clears, creating a perfect parallel with the real journey on the water. VR technology makes it possible to precisely reconstruct 3D models of historic settings that have vanished or changed, supporting the storytelling through smooth time transitions and striking dissolves.

Add-on format: the option to purchase the VR experience separately enriches the traditional tourist cruise offered by Zani Viaggi, turning the Darsena's waterway route into a cutting-edge, exclusive cultural attraction.
Authored storytelling and historical immersion: viewers are taken on an engaging journey back in time, guided directly by Leonardo da Vinci. The virtual reconstruction set in 1496 Milan lets visitors relive scenes of everyday period life up close, including carts laden with goods passing by, fishermen on the quay and washerwomen busy along the banks.
Engineering insight and local value: the headset's visual support immediately shows how the Conca di Viarenna lock worked and the technical improvements Leonardo's genius brought to the locks. The story also celebrates local identity and history, highlighting the striking river transport of the marble blocks destined for the Fabbrica del Duomo building site.