The Basilicata region, characterized by its mountainous landscape, is home to a network of small historic towns, eight of which belong to the “Montagna Materana” Inner Area—an area currently facing severe depopulation. Rethinking these territories through innovative digital tools requires not only physical documentation but also the restoration of connections between memory, identity, and transformation. This research focuses on the documentation and cultural enhancement of the historic village of Aliano through immersive and interactive technologies. Architectural surveys, archival data, and 3D modeling have been integrated to create a virtual environment for virtual tourism, in which models developed in Unreal Engine 5.6 reconstruct real spaces and atmospheres. This allows users to interact with both tangible and intangible heritage, enhancing cognitive processes through storytelling and learning-by-doing approaches The multidisciplinary workflow supports the promotion of the village and provides a replicable model for other inland areas seeking sustainable cultural revitalization.
