In 2016, the city of Mantua was elected Italian Capital of Culture and for the occasion it asked a digital project for involving citizens and tourists to take part to the city life and art. We proposed the most popular information and modern tool: a mobile application for smartphones able to integrate urban services, cultural events and activities, and touristic information for making the Mantua artistic heritage richer and closer to people thanks to new and innovative experiences.

The solution created for Mantua, the Italian Capital of Culture 2016, has been called “Phygital City” and it includes a technological platform with Artificial Intelligence – XuniPlay – a beacons network placed in preset points of interest, and a mobile application for iOS and Android.

The first step consisted in the physical and logical mapping of spaces, pieces of art, services, and events; then it occurred the multimedia contents loading (360° videos, images, Augmented Reality) and the detailed information for allowing users to receive them directly on its smartphone, automatically and proactively, even via Bluetooth.

The Phygital paradigm key is the creation of an emotional and lasting connection with tourist/citizen. This is possible thanks to the AI engine that processes and selects needs and preferences based on the user’s profile, suggesting itineraries and events filtered by taste, necessity, context, and free time.

Phygital City is social as well thanks to the “Treasure Hunt” game during which users, following clues and solving riddles received directly on their smartphones, visit the most popular touristic and artistic places of the city. This is a new engaging, instructive, and fun proposal.