Case Study: Acquafredda Castle and the Digital Audio Guide by amuseapp
How to make a visit to a medieval castle accessible, sustainable and engaging through a multilingual audio guide.
Acquafredda Castle is one of the most fascinating medieval complexes in Sardinia. Perched on a hill near Siliqua, just a few kilometers from Cagliari airport, it is often the first cultural stop for tourists arriving on the island.
Every year the site welcomes around 10,000 visitors, of whom 50% are foreigners. A significant flow, influenced by seasonality, weather conditions and holidays. An evocative but also complex context, where offering a complete and accessible visit experience is not always simple.
The challenges before amuseapp
"We couldn't offer guided tours to all visitors," says Matteo Pitzalis, the contact person for Acquafredda Castle.
"For reasons of health, organization and visit duration, having guides constantly on hand wasn't sustainable."
Before introducing amuseapp, the visit experience relied mainly on information panels and paper maps: useful tools, but with inevitably limited content.
Moreover, meeting the needs of international visitors was difficult, especially for languages less common than Italian, English and German.
Why Acquafredda Castle chose amuseapp
"The simplicity and immediacy of the solution convinced us right away," explains Matteo.
"With amuseapp we could offer a complete audio guide without upending the site's organization."
Another decisive factor was the direct relationship with the team, particularly during the project's launch phase: quick responses, concrete support and attention to the needs of a cultural organization that often works with limited resources.
A multilingual audio guide that truly accompanies the visitor
Today Acquafredda Castle's audio guide is available in five languages, making the experience accessible to both Italian and international visitors.
"The audio guide works like a real spoken guided tour," Matteo continues.
"The content is clear, well structured and naturally accompanies the visitor along the route."
The feedback collected is very positive: visitors appreciate being able to explore the site independently, at their own pace, without giving up an engaging and coherent narrative.
Technical implementation: simple, immediate, inclusive
From an operational standpoint, using amuseapp proved intuitive.
The staff provides brief initial support to explain how to start the audio, which increases the audio guide's usage rate.
"In some cases there are difficulties related to very old phones or ones with little memory," explains Matteo.
"That's why the web app with QR code proved to be the best solution compared to a downloadable app."
A BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) approach that removes technical barriers and simplifies access to content.
Content optimization: less, but better
Over time, the castle worked together with amuseapp's team to further improve the experience:
- the itineraries were reduced from four to two;
- a route for adults was introduced along with a simplified version for children, very popular with families.
"We didn't want to overload visitors: the current content is sufficient and works well."
Results: more perceived value, without resistance
With the introduction of the digital audio guide, Acquafredda Castle slightly raised the ticket price, without receiving any complaints.
A clear signal: when the value is evident, digital is perceived as an integral part of the cultural experience, not as an additional cost.
amuseapp in one sentence
"Innovative, simple, useful and enjoyable for visitors."
