Italia! Magazine

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WE L C O M E TO I TA L I A ! B nv nu ... Welcome to the latest issue of Italia! magazine, which comes to you with the promise of spring (in the northern hemisphere at least!). A change of seasons is always an exciting time of year – always motivating and optimistic – and as far as travel goes, we are ready! I’m delighted to bring you this new issue full of inspiration for your next trip to Italy, as well as good reads you can enjoy from the comfort of your armchair. Our cover story is a celebration of a beautiful city in Lombardy notorious just a few years ago as the stricken epicentre of Italy’s Covid-19 outbreak. But now, as Italy’s City of Culture for 2023, Bergamo is keen to show what it has to offer the discerning traveller. Elsewhere, we explore just a tiny section of Italy’s new nationwide cycling route network, while down in Puglia, Val Nicastro’s account of a modern pilgrimage is an inspiring read, not forgetting our guide to living in Puglia, dual-language Gazzetta and news round-up, book reviews, what’s on – and much more besides! Plus, in the kitchen, we have thrifty, time-saving recipes packed with Italian flavours as well as our regular ‘Saturday Night In’ menu, the very best olive oils and a selection of favourite wines from Le Marche. Until next time, Amanda Robinson Editor ON THE COVER Piazza Vecchia, Città Alta, Bergamo This image © Francesco Lasca PS. Our NEW 116-page Rome and the South Guide Cover image © Getty Images packed with travel inspiration and insider info is now Inset cover image © Amanda Robinson on sale at www.italytravelandlife.com/specials, priced at £10.99. Plan your next trip to Rome with our experts! Explore the new NEW HALF PRICE OFFER! Italian cycling Save 50 per cent when you take out a subscription to Italia! magazine network on page 48 this month – for you or as a gift for a loved one. Don’t delay, act today! Turn to page 30 for details, and for the US, please turn to page 56. THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS Join us on KATE WICKERS VAL NICASTRO JOE GARTMAN FACEBOOK, is on Instagram as dons her walking is in Rome for us, search for Italia! @wickers.kate and boots for the hike of telling a tale of the magazine writes for many British a lifetime along the brave charioteers of and international Via Peuceta from Bari Ancient Rome. You Follow us publications. Her in Puglia to the Sassi might well be familiar on TWITTER family travel memoir, of Matera in Basilicata. with the Circus at @ItaliaMag ‘Shape of a Boy: Family At 170 kilometres Maximus, in the valley life lessons in far-flung places’, is on sale over the course of seven days, it was quite a between the Aventine and Palatine hills, Find us on now. In this issue, she heads north to trek, and what she discovered along the way but what about the Circus of Maxentius, INSTAGRAM Piedmont, on a hunt for truffles in the hills makes for a fascinating read. Find out more further out along the Via Appia and used at @italia_magazine of Le Langhe. Read more on page 40. about this modern pilgrimage on page 32. only once? Find out more on page 45. April/May 2023 ITALIA!

90 45 78 INTHAISprIiSl/SMUaEy 2023 68 TRAVEL FOOD & DRINK 48 73 HOURS IN BERGAMO BEANS, PEAS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN Rachael Martin visits one of Italy’s two Make the most of humble ingredients with Capitals of Culture for 2023, a gem of a city these flavoursome Italian recipes from in the heart of Lombardy. Vicky Jones. 38 A MODERN PILGRIMAGE SATURDAY NIGHT IN Val Nicastro puts her best foot forward Make life easier for yourself by preparing in as she walks the Via Peuceta hiking route advance these recipes by Mario Matassa. from Bari to Matera. BUY ITALIA! ON A TRUFFLE PERFUMED TRAIL Premium extra virgin olive oils. Kate Wickers joins Marta Menegaldi and Luna on a walk into the woods of Le Langhe TRAYBAKE SUPPERS in search of the elusive truffle. These all-in-one recipes by Jenny Tschiesche and Liz Franklin save energy, taste great – LE VIE DEL BIKE and there’s less washing-up to do afterwards! Amy McPherson gets on two wheels along Italy’s newest slow travel project. DRINK ITALIA! Wines from Le Marche. CULTURE LIVING SPEAK ITALIA! In our bilingual feature, Tom Alberto Bull LIVING IN PUGLIA looks at the current crop of foreign sports Sea, sun and a touch of the exotic keep stars enjoying their new lives in Italy. drawing visitors to Puglia, while great value for money keeps drawing homebuyers, FAST CULTURE says Fleur Kinson. “For a thousand years, daring charioteers drove their thundering teams…” A day at the PROPERTY SHOWCASE races in Ancient Rome with Joe Gartman. The latest house-buying opportunities. ITALIA! April/May 2023

IN THIS ISSUE p24 BERGAMO p40 LE LANGHE ASSISI p90 ROME p45 BARI p32 VALLE D’ITRIA p78 MORE ITALIA! SUBSCRIBE TO ITALIA! MAGAZINE ON THE COVER p77 New half-price offer! Save 50 per cent NEWS & VIEWS when you take out a subscription to p24 p90 Catch up with all the hottest stories Italia! magazine this month – perfect p48 p45 from and about Italy. p32 READERS’ PHOTO COMPETITION for you or as a gift for a loved one. p40 Send us your travel photos and Don’t delay, act today! Turn to win a bottle of premium page 30 for details, and for our p66 Villa Sandi prosecco! We US readers, please turn to page 56. always love hearing from you… IN PRINT PAST ITALIA! The latest books for your And so we bid farewell to Gina literary delectation. Lollobrigida, preeminent icon TOP EVENTS of the Italian silver screen. Find out what’s going on in Italy this ITALIA! WOMEN April and May. Read the story of the founder of the VIEWPOINT Order of Saint Clare, often known as Members of the fraternity of Saint Mary the Poor Clares, which today numbers of Loreto carry a statue of the Virgin some 20,000 nuns around the world. Mary through the streets of Sulmona in NEXT MONTH Abruzzo during an Easter procession. What’s up in the next issue of Italia! Issue 202 (Apr/May 2023) on sale Mar 2023. Italia! (ISSN 1744-7968 USPS 21-700) is published six times a year by Anthem Publishing, Piccadilly House, London April/May 2023 ITALIA! Road, Bath BA1 6PL, UK. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named World Container INC 150-15, 183rd St, Jamaica, NY 11413, USA. Periodicals Postage Paid at Brooklyn, NY 11256. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Italia!, Air Business Ltd, c/o World Container INC 150-15, 183rd St, Jamaica, NY 11413, USA.

GO DIGITAL www.italytravelandlife.com AND ACCESS EDITOR Amanda Robinson ITALIA! MAGAZINE [email protected] ANYWHERE, ANYTIME! ART EDITOR Sam Grover SUB EDITOR Jon Palmer RwyoehuaildtsrtIatvaellia! CONTRIBUTORS Try the digital subscription Tom Alberto Bull, Joe Gartman, Vicky Jones, Fleur Kinson, for just £3.This offer is Rachael Martin, Mario Matassa, Amy McPherson, Val Nicastro, available in all regions! Jenny Oldaker, Jenny Tschiesche and Liz Franklin, Kate Wickers Find out more… PUBLISHER Sally FitzGerald italytravelandlife.com/ sally. [email protected] ADVERTISING MANAGER Adrian Major digital [email protected] MARKETING Alex Godfrey alex.god [email protected] CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jenny Cook [email protected] MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Lewis [email protected] CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jon Bickley [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS & BACK ISSUES ☎ +44 (0) 1371 853 609 [email protected] Subscribe today and save 50% – see page 30! PRINT William Gibbons & Sons Ltd ☎ +44 (0) 1902 730011 DISTRIBUTION Marketforce (UK) Ltd 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP (UK) ☎ +44 (0) 330 390 6555 LICENSING EN UIRIES Regina Erak [email protected] IMAGES All images © Getty Images unless otherwise stated PRIZE DRAW TERMS AND CONDITIONS By entering our prize draws you are bound by these rules. The winners will be drawn at random from all entries that answer correctly before the closing date. The prize draw will take place after the closing date and the winners will be notified within 28 days of the draw. Only UK residents aged 18 and over may enter. No employees of Anthem Publishing Ltd or any company associated with this prize draw, or any member of their close family, may enter. Prizes are as stated and no alternatives, cash or otherwise, are available. Anthem Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for any loss, damage or injury caused by any prizes won. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Where prizes are offered on behalf of an associated company these prizes are provided in their entirety by these associated companies. Anthem Publishing Ltd cannot be held responsible for any failure to provide prizes as specified and all enquiries relating to such prizes will be referred to the associated companies. All entries must be received by the closing date. One entry per person. No purchase necessary. Copies of winners’ list are available by written request from Anthem Publishing, Suite 6, Piccadilly House, London Road, Bath BA1 6PL. Subscription records are maintained at ESco Services, Trinity House, Sculpins Lane, Wethersfield, Braintree, CM7 4AY, UK. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent. Can’t find it? Anthem Publishing Your newsagent Piccadilly House London Road will order it Bath BA1 6PL for you! ☎ +44 (0) 1225 489989 (advertising) [email protected] All paper used in this publication comes from responsibly managed forests. All content copyright Anthem Publishing Ltd, 2023, all rights reserved. While we make every effort to ensure that the factual content of Italia! is correct we cannot take any responsibility nor be held accountable for any factual errors printed. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or resold without the prior consent of Anthem Publishing Ltd. Anthem Publishing recognises all copyrights contained within this issue. Where possible we acknowledge the copyright holder.

Detail of ‘Leaving T isMONTH the Theatre’ by Carlo Carrà News, events, the latest book releases, your c.1910. Find out travel photos – we bring you the best of more about the Italy in our latest issue round-up Estorick Collection on page 9 News & Views 8What’s been happening in Italy p Readers’ Photos 16Our pick of your Italian snaps p In Print e latest good reads p18 AWprhilaatn’sdonMinay 19e best events and festivals p Image courtesy of Estorick Collection n8eappwnahdsg,oyevtosoieuosw!rf s April/May 2023 ITALIA!

D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! NTHwIS&MVOeNwTH 5good reasonsNews & Views images © Getty unless otherwise stated Snapshot of life to visit Venice Images © Parco Archeologico Pompeii Pompeii’s House of the Vettii has reopened to the public 1If you visit Venice in the springtime, one dish after twenty years. This remarkable house within the iconic not to miss is risi e bisi. The creamy Venetian archaeological site can finally be admired in all its glory rice and pea creation was traditionally only following several years’ exhaustive restoration work. eaten on feast days when decreed by the doge. It Originally excavated between 1894 and 1896, the House particularly played a large part in the feasts of 25 of the Vettii is thought to have belonged to two freedmen April, when the doge ate it as a ritual to celebrate brothers who became rich through wine commerce. Alongside the feast day of Saint Mark, the patron saint of the trappings of their wealth, such as paintings and sculptures, city. Now the dish is eaten throughout the year, but the house reveals evidence of the experiences of poorer city especially in the spring when the youngest, more residents too.”The House of the Vettii represents the story tender peas can be used. of the Roman world encapsulated in a single house,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Director of the Archaeological Park of ITALIA! April/May 2023 Pompeii. “The owners, who were former slaves, testify to a level of social mobility that would have been unthinkable two centuries previously. Their wealth stemmed from commerce in agricultural produce from the territory around Pompeii, but it would appear that prostitution was also practised in their house by a Greek slave woman who belonged to the most deprived groups of society.” Find out more and see visitor information at www.pompeiisites.org 2You will never go hungry in Venice, especially if you adopt the locals’ passion for chicchetti. These moreish flavour bombs are served as tiny portions in bars around the city, and are the ideal choice to enjoy with a glass of wine.

Stars haunt Venice NeighbourhoodItalia! Image courtesy of Estorick Collection Kenneth Branagh returns A plethora of A-list actors have In our new section we take a look at places as Hercule Poirot been spotted in Venice in recent around the world that offer an authentic taste of Italy: from delis and wine bars to Subscribe to Italia! magazine today weeks as filming for new crime restaurants, shops and galleries, we’re with our half price offer! mystery A Haunting in Venice gets scouring the globe to find the best slice of la dolce vita outside of Italy! Save money on your favourite magazine with underway. The movie, inspired this issue’s special offer! Get two years of Italia! by Agatha Christie’s novel The Estorick magazine for the price of one, saving you 50 per in Islington cent on the price! Pay just £41.94 today and get 12 Hallowe’en Party, sees retired issues delivered right to your door. With a one-off detective Hercule Poirot return THE ESTORICK COLLECTION payment, this is also makes a perfect gift. You’ll to police work after a guest at a OF MODERN ITALIAN ART find all the details on page 30, and for our United séance is murdered. Sir Kenneth 39a Canonbury Square, London N1 2AN States customers, please turn to page 56. Branagh will play Poirot, following www.estorickcollection.com his performance as the famous Modern art fans in London don’t need to head detective in Murder on the Orient to Italy for their fix – an all-Italian experience Express and Death on the Nile. awaits at the Estorick Collection in Islington. “This is a fantastic development The gallery showcases a dizzying selection of of the character Hercule Poirot, Futurist works, as well as figurative art and sculpture from 1890 to the 1950s by influential as well as the Agatha Christie Italian artists. Alongside the permanent pieces franchise,” said Sir Kenneth of the you’ll find regular exhibitions and a vibrant events programme (additional talks and new film. “Based on a complex, tours are planned this year to celebrate the little-known tale of mystery set Estorick’s 25th anniversary). The Caffè Estorick serves Italian fare and has a tranquil courtyard at Hallowe’en in a pictorially garden. Admission £7.50, concessions ravishing city, it is an amazing £5.50, free entry for under-18s, students and opportunity for us, as filmmakers, members. Entrance to shop and café free. and we are relishing the chance to deliver something truly spine- If you’d like to suggest a favourite place in your chilling for movie audiences.” neighbourhood, email [email protected] and we may feature your choice in a future issue! 3Venice’s aquatic location means 5Thanks to Venice’s trading history, that fresh fish and seafood feature Venetian cuisine is highly influenced prominently on menus in the city, from the market that still occupies the same space by other cultures, such as Turkish, it did 700 years ago, an open-arched building with red awnings aptly called the Pescheria, Persian, Byzantine and Spanish. Many located right next to the Grand Canal. herbs and spices have found their way into the cuisine, including cloves, cinnamon, 4Don’t miss a trip to Venice’s most historic drinking establishments. Sip a saffron, ginger and nutmeg. white peach pulp and prosecco cocktail, the Bellini, at Harry’s Bar, invented by bar founder Giuseppe Cipriani. Another favoured watering hole is Caffè Florian on St. Mark’s Square, said to be Italy’s first coffee shop. April/May 2023 ITALIA!

D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! NTHwIS&MVOeNwTHImage © www.pancakesandbiscotti.com Going up, Image © Alex Filz going down... Heaven on earth in the high Dolomites GOING UP Designed by the acclaimed architects at noa*, the latest addition to the Hubertus hotel in Olang, South Tyrol, is a frankly incredible upside-down wellness area. Known as ‘Heaven & Hell’, • According to data from travel app this unique space is set out on a suspended steel platform above the Dolomites, extending Hopper, travellers out beyond the main hotel and reached via a salubrious new relaxation room. The views are are increasingly turning to video- incredible from the upper level, but even more spectacular is the lower section, where the sharing app TikTok horizon undergoes a 180° rotation, and the huts appear to be anchored upside down. The upper for destination inspiration. Milan is floor includes two whirlpool baths, panoramic showers and changing room, while the lower among the European floor has access to the ‘soft sauna’, Finnish sauna, shower cabin, an ice mist shower and a third cities that’s seen a outdoor pool, with incredible panoramas thrown in. If you’re seeking an experience like no other surge in interest as a result of TikTok influencers – Hopper – along with some of Italy’s most magnificent mountain views – Heaven & saw 2022 searches for the Italian Hell at Hubertus is definitely one for the bucket list. city increase by 39 per cent on the previous year, and they credit this For more on the project see www.noa.network and for Hubertus rise to videos of glamorous #Milan bookings visit www.hotel-hubertus.com trips on TikTok. A wellness area like • Two Italian rock climbers were you’ve never seen saved from Capri’s iconic rock formation I Faraglioni after getting Online this month into difficulty on their descent. A rescue team managed to winch the We’ve been followers of this blog and Insta account for stranded pair to safety by helicopter. ages and thought it was time to share it with you too. The rocks, off the southern coast Originally from Rhode Island, Francesca Bruzzese has of Capri in Campania, are one of lived in Rome since 2011. This “ode to her American the island’s most photographed and Italian roots” is packed with delicious recipes features – snapping a pic of them from Italy and the States, with occasional travel is clearly a safer option than tales and more. www.pancakesandbiscotti.com attempting the climb! See Rome and diet GOING DOWN It’s not like we need another reason to visit Rome, • Italian actress but just in case you were pondering a trip soon, and screen legend Gina you should know that the Eternal City has just been Lollobrigida acclaimed for its foodie offerings. Rome is the has passed world’s best destination for food, according away at the age to Tripadvisor’s rankings for 2023, which of 95. One of the are based on millions of reviews from cities biggest stars of around the world. Rome also came fourth European cinema in Tripadvisor’s category for Most Popular in the 1950s and Tourist Destination in the World, moving up 60s, Lollobrigida two spaces since last year and beaten only by appeared opposite the likes of Dubai, Bali and London. Frank Sinatra, Rock Hudson and Humphrey Bogart in her heyday, and has been described as ‘the most beautiful woman in the world’. For more about this icon of Italian film, see page 54. ITALIA! April/May 2023

Learn Italian in Italy Living with your teacher’s family! I promise your study-holiday will be unforgettable! Are you keen on walking and rowing activities ‘off the beaten track’ and ‘off season’ on the Amalfi Coast and in Capri, Tuscany, Sardinia and Rome? WalkItalyTours offers private, guided and self-guided walking tours that combine walking, learning about local cultural heritage and tasting local foods. Choose a 1-hour stroll or enjoy a 5-day rowing and biking experience in the most breathtaking areas of Rome, with certified guides. For more information, visit our website. For more information, please visit my website: www.walkitalytours.it • [email protected] +39 339 7455 300 www.luciadezuani.com or email: [email protected] BOOK YOUR SUMMER RENTAL NOW IN THE GREEN HEART OF ITALY Nestled in the hills on the Tuscany/Umbria border, our centuries-old farmhouse villa is the perfect place to relax & unwind or celebrate with family & friends. Enjoy the best Italy has to offer in terms of nature, beauty, culture and cuisine. 6 bedrooms & 5 bathrooms, sleeps 11, available for weekly rental May-Sept. With total privacy, stunning views and all the amenities including large private heated pool, games room, multiple shady terraces, independent painting studio in the barn and a special aura of peace and tranquillity. Within easy access of Florence, Siena, Perugia, the Chianti region, Arezzo, Gubbio, Lake Trasimene, Orvieto, Cortona, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Assisi, Montefalcone, Ravenna… Don’t take our word for it, read our guest feedback at casaladogana.co.uk or contact us at [email protected]

D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! Italia! recommends NTHwIS&MVOeNwTH Walk Italy Tours Taking you off the beaten track Standing strong Are you keen on walking and rowing activities off the beaten track and If you’ve ever wondered how some off-season in Capri, Tuscany, Sardinia, ancient buildings such as Rome’s Rome and the Amalfi Coast? Walk Pantheon have stood the test of Italy Tours offers guided, private and time, a team of scientists may have self-guided walking tours that combine struck on the answer. The Pantheon walking, learning about local cultural was constructed around 126 AD, heritage and tasting local foods. Do yet its awe-inspiring dome remains you want to see Rome from the river in remarkable condition – not only level up? Rowing activities on the Tiber does the concrete display incredible are new and iconic experiences not to strength, but also seems able to heal be missed. You can choose from a one- itself, with cracks in the material hour stroll to a five-day course with disappearing over time. According to researchers at MIT and Harvard, small mineral deposits certified coaches. called lime clasts are behind this characteristic. Until now, it was thought that these white flecks were due to imperfections in the concrete, but the new research suggests they were likely to have ‘Off the beaten track’ and ‘Off-season’ been introduced on purpose, providing yet more evidence of the Ancient Romans’ technological are at the heart of what we offer. Join ingenuity. Meanwhile, years-old plans to impose a €2 entry fee for the Pantheon have been our six-day South Tuscany Tour to visit revived in recent weeks – a proposal that’s proved resolutely unpopular with city residents. and stay in Sovana, a tiny village of less than 100 habitants. Visiting the Amalfi Irene Morrison with Knitted knockers Coast in March allows you to admire her Knitted Knockers a UNESCO site without five million A retired English teacher has started a knitting visitors, and rowing on the Tiber as a group in Tuscany that helps women recovering from non-member of local rowing clubs is a breast cancer surgery. Irene Morrison, originally speciality of Walk Italy Tours. from Glasgow, Scotland, now lives in Lucca and has For more information, contact formed an Italian branch of Knitted Knockers, an [email protected] international charity that knits prosthetic ‘boobs’ +39 339 745 5300 for women who have undergone mastectomies or www.walkitalytours.it lumpectomies, offering an alternative to other prosthetics that can prove uncomfortable or heavy to wear. The materials used for the knitted breasts are quite specialised and not widely available in Europe but Irene has been helped by Lucca wool specialist Lovi Lane on Via Fillungo. “I’ve been a regular customer at Lovi Lane since I came to live in Lucca,” says Irene. “When I told the owner what I was trying to do he was extremely helpful… together we worked out what materials and colours would work best for our Knitted Knockers and he sorted out supplies of the materials we needed.” For more information, to receive samples or to volunteer as a knitter, email [email protected] or connect via Instagram and Facebook @knittedknockersitaly Laura Protti is away this month. She is the founder of LEP Law. She is dual-qualified as an Italian avvocato and English solicitor, and specialises in assisting British and Italian clients with matters relating to Italian law. Visit her website at www.leplaw.co.uk ITALIA! April/May 2023

«Pa o g o» HISTORIC RESIDENCE & GOURMET RESTAURANT IN VALDAMBRA CENTRAL TUSCANY Elegant rental apartments that sleeps 4-6 people lled with antiques and all modern comforts - private garden with pool - Relaxed Gourmet Restaurant with Large Sunny Terrace - BUCINE AREZZO WWW.PALAZZOTIGLIO.COM Discover the ancient Via Peuceta from Bari to Matera with a local expert This adventurous itinerary is a walking route connecting the beautiful capitals of Puglia and Basilicata: multi-cultural Bari and spectacular Matera The ancient Via Peuceta has its origins in the distant past: once used by wayfarers and traders, shepherds and bandits, it is now a 170 km-long route in a part of Italy still unaffected by mass tourism, but surprising for its scenic, historical and architectural richness. Take an interesting, slow journey to the south, not forgetting to enjoy the food and wine marvels that will brighten your stops: baked delights, top quality olives and oil, legumes, fresh and aged cheeses, local meats… all the best produce from this warm and welcoming land! Rely on Slow Active Tours for your walking and cycling holiday in Southern Italy Website: www.slowactivetours.com Info & Booking: [email protected] Tel/WhatsApp: +39 0832 1826868

I TA L I A ! P RO M OT I O N Ebexapuetryieonfcseunthney Puglia of years’ worth of heritage. With this project, ITS ITALY aims to help these ITS ITALY is leading the regeneration of true Italian hamlets restoring properties, crucial communities restore their crowdfunding and making the dreams of thousands of foreigners come true social fabric by triggering a virtuous cycle between urban regeneration and Full of colours, flavours and restored properties with minimum investment with a high social impact. sun, directly facing the Ionian administrative procedures, offering clear Sea, the Puglia region, or as terms and transparency. The daunting ITS ITALY promotes ancient villages the locals call it, “Apulia”, is bureaucracy would have resulted in for more reasons than just tourism. It a land full of treasures all to discover. delays and increased prices in the past. uplifts the local communities creating Thousands of tourists visit the Thanks to their breakthrough process, concrete opportunities for foreigners to fascinating heel of the Italian boot ITS ITALY is turning the tables, taking fully integrate themselves and support every year. Yet, it is hard to leave after care of everything from the restoration the rejuvenation of these locations under experiencing the local traditions, to the administrative procedures, multiple vital aspects. As the company tasting the typical delicious dishes, guaranteeing times and costs. motto says: “Don’t just visit, belong!” and enjoying the peaceful lifestyle Upgrading connectivity while RESTORATION AND MORE within the welcoming communities. maintaining the architectural integrity Far from a travel company or a real estate Many start daydreaming about what it at the heart of the property portfolio’s agency, ITS ITALY is a unique lifestyle would be like making an Apulian hamlet heritage, ITS ITALY gives its members company promoting and leading the their own, buying a house and even exquisite, restored homes with all the regeneration of ancient Italian villages investing in a small local business or comforts of a modern lifestyle. The through focused interventions in towns opening one of their own. property will typically be ready in six situated in some of the most beautiful London-based company ITS ITALY to twelve months and will be put under locations of Italy, such as Puglia in the is helping thousands of foreign buyers the new owner’s name. south of Italy. Here, ITS ITALY offers Images © Shutterstock achieve their goals with an innovative But ITS ITALY goes well beyond several opportunities in every area of the project aimed at supporting the local restored houses, as each property is at the region, from the village of Biccari in the communities as well. ITS ITALY has heart of broader recovery projects flat northern area of the Tavoliere Plain ideated a stress-free process enabling for the entire village. Thanks to their all the way south to the stunning towns foreigners to find, vet and refurbish unique traditions, foods and histories, in the Salento area such as Ginosa and ancient Italian villages are a critical Caprarica di Lecce. All ITS ITALY’s element of Italy’s cultural portfolio, and properties are vetted in lively, unique their communities preserve thousands villages known for their high quality of life, sustainable lifestyle, and the longevity of their citizens. Biccari, for example, is renowned for its natural resources and beautiful landscapes, which means the village is perfect for trekking, while food lovers will also appreciate the local summer truffle, scorzone. In Ginosa in the Salento area, residents will be able to enjoy all the traditions and flavours of the typical southern Italian lifestyle – from eating typical delicious dishes to walking through historic alleyways Polignano a Mare overlooks the Adriatic Sea ITALIA! April/May 2023

with whitewashed buildings hosting ITS Lending offers the possibility also already involves more than 60 first-class artisans. Close to both the to start investing with a minimum municipalities all over Italy. Now picturesque city of Matera and Ginosa of 100 euros. It is the perfect solution ITS ITALY is ready to scale up with Marina, characterised by beautiful for all those interested in supporting the a new website which will guarantee beaches and historical ravines (ancient regeneration of ancient Italian villages a whole new level of experience. cave-dwellings), this true Italian hamlet through a profitable asset. The platform is perfect for anybody looking for new will also be opening a new crowdfunding Both ITS ITALY and ITS Lending are business opportunities near the sea. line soon, exclusively dedicated to accepting new subscriptions, and you supporting local businesses and artisans. can join their revolutionary project at Still in the sunny and rich territory Furthermore, ITS ITALY is involved www.itsfor.it and www.itslending.it of Salento, opportunities are also available in several other projects throughout in Caprarica di Lecce which is surrounded Italy. The collaboration between the by expanses of olive trees. This historic company itself, local municipalities and FIND OUT MORE town is linked to the production of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. the new foreign residents has already www.itsfor.it Here, ITS ITALY is transforming the produced sustainable and successful ancient properties with terraces and business. In this way, the company widens vaulted ceilings – once used as mills the opportunities of villages previously and tobacco factories – into homes for confined to agriculture and fully supports new residents. ITS ITALY also supports the renaissance of ancient Italian towns members who want to get involved in with a comprehensive approach to local entrepreneurial projects in order to uplifting these villages from an economic, support a complete renaissance of villages social and urban aspect. offering this potential, such as Ginosa ITS ITALY actively promotes and and Caprarica di Lecce. contributes to the preservation of Italian LENDING SUPPORT culture and communities thanks to the To further support its project and the interests of foreigners in these locations. local economies, ITS ITALY also created However, much more significant than a new platform, called ITS Lending, for just a savvy investment the purpose of lending crowdfunding in an exclusive area, Caprarica di Lecce dedicated to the restoration of ancient buildings. All the properties presented on ITS ITALY presents Lecce is the ITS Lending have been carefully selected its members with new capital of Salento by ITS ITALY and have already been bought by a final buyer, guaranteeing places to make their security to the investors. Funded only at own and belong to. This the end of 2021, ITS Lending has already Italian-led company has successfully closed 30 deals (and fully already attracted several paid back 15 before the due date), thousands of interested three of which are in stunning Caprarica buyers looking for a di Lecce, where the final project was welcoming community actually overfunded and involved more to settle in. The project than 50 investors. April/May 2023 ITALIA!

A P R I L / M AY I TA L I A ! Send us your favourite Italian travel photos, and each month the best photo RTHaIdSerMs’ OPNTH wins a bottle of Villa Sandi Il Fresco Prosecco and exclusive bottle stopper!* SEE MORE OF THIS MONTH’S WINNER YOUR PHOTOS Janice Dark, Higher Denham ON OUR WEBSITE “ e hauntingly beautiful ghost town of Craco perched italytravelandlife.com high on the hill in the southern region of Basilicata.” Mike Watkins, Bath omas Grant, Lenzie “Prizes for guessing the location! is is me in the Piazza “Viareggio in August.” di Spagna during one of the many trips that my wife and I have made to the wonderful city of Roma.” ITALIA! April/May 2023

Ken Cheung WIN!CCHeOSnIGttMeevHneMnBPLiaEYuRlNr,OkCeDStotElVEoCDrIaCLdOLoA&SBAONTDTILIELSFTROEPSPCEOR* Toronto, Canada “I took the ferry from “A romantic gondola ride is essential Amal to Positano, whilst in Venice. Our ride began in and was amazed to see Campo San Moise just a er sunset. a cli op building like Here we were treated to the timeless this built high above Venice that we so love.” the rocky coastline.” Stef Duranti, Scunthorpe “A beautiful stroll around the streets *Prosecco and bottle stopper delivered to mainland UK addresses only. To find out more about Villa Sandi, see May 2017 issue. of Gubbio with my family in March.” Peter Bianchi, Honolulu, Hawaii Ngaire Bell, Epsom, New Zealand “ e Last Judgment by Michelangelo, taken on a private “ e bell towers of Our Lady of the tour of the Sistine Chapel a er it was closed.” Annunciation Church, Ravello.” HOW TO PREPARE AND SEND YOUR PHOTOS ➤ Please make sure your photos are large, high-resolution JPEG, TIFF, HEIF or HEIC files. Please do not crop them to the size you see in the magazine. ➤ Email your photos to [email protected] or send prints to ‘Reader Photo Competition’ at the address given on page 6. ➤ Please include a brief photo description, plus your name, delivery address and a phone number (for our couriers). You must be over 18 to enter. ➤ If you don’t wish to receive details of future offers and promotions from Anthem Publishing or Villa Sandi, please state ‘NO INFO’ on your entry. Entry terms: Any photos you submit must be your own work and you must have the right to send them for inclusion on this page. By sending your entry, you are confirming that Italia!’s use of your photo(s) will not constitute infringement of any rights, and confirming that you are over 18. April/May 2023 ITALIA!

D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! TI HPISiMntONTH Everything Calls for oneself is also an act of kindness we all for Salvation A Table Full of Love deserve. With each chapter, Skye explores a different kind of love and offers recipes to Daniele Mencarelli, Skye McAlpine, Bloomsbury, match the mood: ‘Comfort’ (friendship and Europa Editions, £26.00 (hardback) recipes for mending heartbreak), ‘Seduce’ £13.99 (paperback) Skye McAlpine is a food writer who divides her (romance and recipes to make someone fall It’s June 1994 and time between Venice, where she grew up, and in love with you), ‘Nourish’ (unconditional 22-year-old Daniele London, where her work takes her. ‘A Table Full love and recipes for all the family), ‘Spoil’ wakes up in a hospital of Love’ is her third cookbook and explores (affection and recipes for edible gifts) and room surrounded by the connection between food and love with ‘Cocoon’ (self-love and recipes ‘just’ for one). strangers. His memories recipes ‘to comfort, seduce, celebrate and are hazy but as he tries to piece the events of everything else in between’. Cooking for You’ll find more than 100 simple and the previous night together, he realises that a others has always been a way to express love straightforward recipes to make for friends, violent family incident is at the heart of it and – nurturing the soul as well as the body, while family and loved ones, as well as yourself. – judging by his bandaged and bruised hand – rustling up something tasty and indulgent From Soul-Soothing Roast Chicken and he was pivotal to whatever took place. To his Scallops with Buttery Brandy Gratin to Cheese horror, he then learns he’s been sentenced and Marmite Soufflé and Baked Ricotta al to a week of treatment in a psychiatric ward. Limone, you’ll also find menus for one, two Drawing on his personal experience of mental – even a crowd. This is a stylish collection illness, author Daniele Mencarelli chronicles accompanied by thoughtfully written chapter those seven days in hospital as he tries to introductions and deliciously evocative find a way back from the darkness within, photography – it’s definitely the kind of discovering an unexpected solidarity with book you’ll want to turn to again and again. his fellow patients. Now a Netflix series, the author’s insight into a world of human frailty will challenge your notions of normality. Gennaro’s Cucina Gennaro Contaldo, Pavilion, £25.00 (hardback) ‘Cucina povera’ is all about making the most of what you have, cooking simply and eating seasonally with little or no waste. It was born in times of dire necessity, but there is much we can take from its frugality in order to cook more mindfully. Gennaro Contaldo’s latest collection of recipes is a cookbook of My favourite place in Italy Iconic views of Rome The Trevi Fountain, Rome HELEN GREAVES, ITALIA! DIGITAL EDITOR On a family holiday to Rome, the beautiful sculptures on the Trevi Fountain really struck me. They say if you throw one coin into the fountain you’ll return to Rome – and we did! I was amazed at the size of the Colosseum, and the Bocca della Verità was really interesting too. ITALIA! April/May 2023

classic and thrifty Italian dishes, embracingImage by Helen GreavesTTHI5S MEvOnNtsTH Ifyou’re the tenets of cucina povera to help balance Festa dei Ceri image by Starlight - Ownplanning to attend your budget, shop wisely, save energy and work, Public Domain, https://commons.wi-any of these events, eat better. You’ll find tips and ideas of what kimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=741161do make sure they to do with leftovers, how to cook cheaper are taking place cuts of meat and eke out every tasty little before you morsel, so nothing gets thrown away. From travel! cheesy baked polenta, lentil soups and stale bread salads to stuffed vegetables, ricotta 1Step back in time for a taste of medieval Umbria at CORSA dumplings, sweet biscotti and crisp frittelle, ALL’ANELLO. This festival sees the town of Narni host a thrilling these hearty money-saving recipes have the historical re-enactment that includes the likes of traditional food, power to transform us into more resourceful participants in full period costume and competitive horseback jousting. and responsible cooks. 24 April – 14 May, www.corsallanello.it Rome Through 2The most notable sporting the Mist event to take place this month is the GIRO D’ITALIA, Joe Gartman, one of the world’s most famous – and Toplight Books, most challenging – cycle races. This £21.50, (paperback) year’s course starts in Ortona and It is a truth universally ends in Rome, on a route that covers acknowledged that huge swathes of Italy over the course even a brief trip to of 3,448.6km, including an impressive Rome will include a total altitude gain of 51,300m. visit to the famous 6-28 May, www.giroditalia.it Trevi Fountain (see below), but what if you want to travel deeper into heart of the 3LA FESTA DI SAN CATALDO in Taranto, Puglia, takes place each Eternal City? Our long-time Fast Culture writer year to celebrate the town’s patron saint. The statue of Saint Catald Joe Gartman has the answer in his curated is taken from the cathedral in a procession including a journey collection of fifteen walks around Rome, along the canal to renew its blessing on the city, before being returned based around some of the glorious fountains to the cathedral. As with so many Italian festivals, the event includes in the city – 80 of them, in fact. Always a host of celebratory aspects, from a firework display to food stalls and the consummate storyteller, Joe explains: local folk music and dancing. “Rome’s aqueducts and fountains nourished 8-10 May, www.comune.taranto.it the city’s glory for millennia… The city’s fountains have stories to tell, and the streets, 4LA FESTA DEI CERI (Festival of the squares, paths, buildings, walls, and gardens Candles) dates back to the 19th in which we’ll find them will fill in the details.” century and takes place in Gubbio, With colour photos by wife, Pat, and detailed Umbria. The event sees three teams maps throughout, this well-researched (representing the three districts of walking guide is the perfect way to better the town) carry huge, heavy statues understand the Eternal City in all its glory. symbolising candles up the town’s steep streets to Monte Ingino. The statue 15 May, www.ceri.it of Oceanus on the Trevi 5Book lovers should head to Lingotto in May for this year’s Fountain edition of the Turin Book Fair, known in Italian as IL SALONE DEL LIBRO. From keen readers to authors, editors, booksellers, teachers and students, the fair is a great chance to catch up with the industry and meet fascinating figures from the literary and cultural world. 18-22 May, www.salonelibro.it April/May 2023 ITALIA!

ROMETH&E ITATLIHA!EGUISDEOUTH You’ll find all the inspiration you need to plan your next getaway to Rome, Lazio and beyond with our new travel guide. Out now! O£1N0L.9Y9 Order your copy today! italytravelandlife.com/specials

I TA L I A ! P RO M OT I O N Your LeMarche home Appassionata are proud to present their latest luxury home, Palazzo Scarsini We pride ourselves on finding unique properties for our international PALAZZO SCARSINI owners, but the treasures we PROPERTY DETAILS discovered during the restoration of this stunning palazzo took us to a new level. Palazzo ➤ A beautifully renovated Scarsini had sadly been neglected for many years, part of the roof had fallen in, the wallpaper was peeling medieval palazzo displaying many original features and frescoes off the walls, and the shutters hung precariously from ➤ Impressive entrance hall their ancient hinges. The rooms were dark and dingy, with an original Murano a family of pigeons had made the terrace their home. chandelier and other Medieval The palazzo’s But as soon as I stepped through the front door, I saw antique pieces Petritoli elegant entrance the possibilities of bringing back the light, life and luxury into this property and when I walked out onto ➤ Large open-plan kitchen Restored to a the terrace, the view quite literally took my breath luxury standard away. The Appassionata team are not afraid of hard and living space, ideal for work and over two years we put our hearts and souls entertaining and with easy into carefully restoring this incredible property. access to the terrace A few weeks into the renovation, we discovered ➤ Large, private 50m² a beautiful fresco ceiling shrouded beneath layers of white paint for more than 200 years. Carefully terrace, with amazing removing the decaying wallpaper and plaster we south-facing views to the unveiled even more hidden treasures. I found a local sea and mountains artisan, Andrea Cipolletti, who specialises in the restoration of church frescoes and he stayed with ➤ 4 large bedrooms – with en-suite bathrooms ➤ Air-conditioning in all bedrooms us for four months, carefully, patiently and delicately ➤ Spacious first floor revealing these precious paintings. YOUR ITALIAN DREAM salon Palazzo Scarsini stands proudly in the medieval town of Petritoli, within easy walking distance of shops, ➤ Spa area, for relaxing The palazzo even bars and excellent restaurants. Perfectly positioned has its own spa between the Sibillini Mountains and the Adriatic and enjoying the Sea, surrounded by rolling hills dotted with vineyards tranquility of this special GET IN TOUCH 5sO0olvd%er and olive groves, this really is the Italian dream. place. South-facing, overlooking the rolling Please contact the Appassionata team for Have you ever imagined owning a piece of Italian hills, with a whirlpool bath history to enjoy with family and friends? We offer more information or to arrange your discovery trip. a straightforward and cost effective way of buying a ➤ Massage area for private holiday home in Italy. Our owners buy a th share www.appassionata.com • [email protected] (four weeks) exclusive residency each year. Now treatments completely restored, spacious 16th-century Palazzo Scarsini offers 435m²/4,700 ft² of luxurious living. ➤ A gym, equipped with a Peloton bike, water-rower and weights ➤ Laundry room ➤ Owners‘ storage area ➤ Located in the main piazza of Petritoli, a vibrant and authentic medieval Italian village The relaxing terrace overlooks the rolling hills of Le Marche April/May 2023 ITALIA!

D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! Members of the fraternity of St. Mary of Loreto carry the statue of the Virgin Mary through the streets of Sulmona in Abruzzo during an Easter procession ITALIA! April/May 2023

This unusual Easter procession in Sulmona, Abruzzo, is called ‘La Madonna che scappa’ – ‘the running Madonna’ – because it requires the participants to run to the statue of the resurrected Christ while carrying the Virgin on their shoulders. Meanwhile, on the other side of the square – and you can just make them out among the clouds below this text – some doves are released. You’d think that most people would ignore the doves, given the spectacle of the running Madonna taking place right before them, but the release of the doves is actually the interesting bit, because the direction the birds take provides omens that predict the quality of the coming summer’s harvest. April/May 2023 ITALIA!

D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! Clockwise from top left: The funicular will take you to the Upper city if you don’t fancy the climb The Piazza Vecchia, which Le Corbusier called “the perfect square” Looking over the Città Alta The museum dedicated Gaetano Donizetti, a native of Bergamo The city walls remain just as they were originally built Opera at the Teatro Donizetti Piazza Duomo and the Colleoni Chapel La Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Sunset over the medieval towers of Città Alta ITALIA! April/May 2023

Images courtesy of Visit Bergamo HOURS IN… Bergamo Rachael Martin visits one of Italy’s two Capitals of Culture for 2023, a gem of a city in the heart of Lombardy Even as you approach Bergamo and first see it from a distance, you can already sense that you’re in for something special. The name Bergamo – or Bèrghem as the locals call it in their dialect – comes from the name of the Celtic mountain god Bergimus, and your first impression is that of its upper part, a fine Italian hilltop walled town set against the mountains and looking out over the Po Valley. And when you do finally enter the city you quickly see that Bergamo also has a wealth of cultural and artistic treasures to offer – its Piazza Vecchia is said to be one of the most beautiful squares in Europe – as well as beautiful green spaces, such as the Orto Botanico “Lorenzo Rota”, open daily during the warmer months. This is one of the great cities of Lombardy – the city of the composer Gaetano Donizetti, and that of a much-loved pope, John XXIII (1958- 1963), who came from the village of Sotto il Monte in Bergamo province. And it is the city that, along with its neighbour Brescia, was hit most heavily by the Covid pandemic. And so 2023’s celebration of both cities as Italy’s Capitals of Culture is most welcome to their famously hard- working and community-minded people. If you have never been, there is no better time than now. April/May 2023 ITALIA!

D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! WHAT TO SEE AND DO Piazza Duomo and the Palazzo della Ragione EXPLORE THE BASILICA Piazza Duomo Accademia Carrara CITTÀ ALTA Building of the Basilica began in 1137, High up on its hill and looking after the people of Bergamo were spared down over everything, Città Alta from the plague. The stunning wooden has always prospered thanks to its marquetry by Giovan Francesco Capoferri strategic position, and this is one of and Lorenzo Lotto was restored for the few Italian cities where the old Bergamo Brescia Capitals of Culture part is enclosed by the original city 2023. Gaetano Donizetti is buried here. walls. These UNESCO-protected walls were built with Venetian VISIT THE COLLEONI CHAPEL money after the Duchy of Milan Piazza Duomo was defeated in the 16th century Bergamo-born Bartolomeo Colleoni was and Bergamo became part of the a military commander of the Venetian DON’T MISS OLD AND NEW Venetian Republic. Republic. The Colleoni Chapel was Bergamo is a graceful mix of old There are four gates by which commissioned as his mausoleum and is A WALK ALONG and new, and is clearly divided you can enter the Upper City. If a fine example of Lombard Renaissance THE CITTÀ ALTA’S into two distinct parts. There’s the you fancy the walk, you can go up architecture. His daughter Medea is UNESCO WORLD Città Alta, the Upper City, with from Città Bassa and enter through also buried here. HERITAGE CITY CLIMB THE TORRE DEL CAMPANONE Piazza Vecchia WALLS its medieval towers and views over the Porta San Giacomo. If you Every evening at 10pm the bell of the Built by the the Po Valley, and the Città Bassa, don’t, Bergamo is famous for its Torre del Campanone chimes a hundred Venetians over the Lower City, with its grand funiculars, of which there are two: times, an echo of the old city curfew 30 years from tree-lined avenues and bustling one that links Città Bassa with before the gates closed. Climb the 230 1561, the Città streets. If you’re spending 48 hours Città Alta and one that links Città steps up the 52-metre tower to enjoy Alta’s 5k-long here, it’s easy enough to plan your Alta with the Colle di San Vigilio. views of Città Alta and beyond. city walls are EXPLORE THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF a reminder T e th ng that s rikes you ab t GAETANO DONIZETTI that this was a Ci àA is i beau See the house in which he was born and city chosen for the Donizetti Museum, then check the programme at the Teatro Donizetti for its strategic performances of his works. position up on a Casa Natale di Gaetano Donizetti, hill. Enjoy views Via Borgo Canale, 14 casanatale.donizetti.org over Città Bassa, Museo Donizettiano, via Arena, 9 www.donizetti.org the plains of itinerary: spend one day in Città Take the funicular from Città Bassa Teatro Donizetti di Bergamo, Lombardy, the Alta and the other in Città Bassa. to Città Alta, and you’ll reach Piazza Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour, 15 skyscrapers Città Alta, the Upper City, is the Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe, one of www.teatrodonizetti.it of Milan and older part and this is where we will the most important squares in the sunsets. begin our voyage of discovery. city, where merchants from Venice EXPLORE RENAISSANCE AT THE ACCADEMIA CARRARA and Milan once met. Piazza Giacomo Carrara The thing that strikes you www.lacarrara.it Cattedrale di Sant‘ about Città Alta is its beauty. This This prestigious art gallery is named Alessandro Martire walled town is an utter pleasure to after Count Giacomo Carrara, who collected art in the 18th century. Go for explore. Stand in Città Alta’s Piazza Italian masters such as Raphael, Titan, Vecchia, which French architect Canaletto, Mantegna and Botticelli, Le Corbusier called “the perfect and Bergamo artists Lorenzo Lotto and square”, and you are standing in Giovanni Battista Moroni. what is traditionally the heart of the city’s political power. At VISIT GAMEC one end there is the Palazzo della Via San Tomaso, 53 Ragione; at the other, Palazzo www.gamec.it Nuovo. Palazzo della Ragione, The city’s museum of modern and contemporary art is housed in a 14th- century monastery opposite the Accademia Carrara. ITALIA! April/May 2023











D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! The Via Peuceta is a relatively new route curated by a network of volunteers ITALIA! April/May 2023

Val Nicastro puts her best foot forward as she walks the Via Peuceta hiking route from Bari to Matera 1BARI 2BITET TO hikeSrt’asm‘ppassospnomrty’ 3CASSANO DELLE MURGE Walking with friends SBaansiNliBiccaaorldia’is 5 ALTAMURA met along the trail 6 GRAVINA IN PUGLIA I’ve often wondered what’s so special 4SANTERAMO IN COLLE about walking for days in any weather when you can quickly zipImages by Val Nicastro unless otherwise statedfeeling, since I was already 7 PICCIANO from one place to the other by car Map data © Google 2023picturing myself lost in the or public transportation. So I gave it woods hunting for food! MATERA a try. While there’s no shortage of exciting paths to explore in Italy, I decided to walk ARRIVING IN BARI Nightlife on the the Via Peuceta, a relatively new trail that I arrived in Bari on a Largo Albicocca winds through Apulia and Basilicata. This late September evening 170km route goes from Bari to Matera in and explored it the following day. I highly seven stages. This isn’t a religious pilgrimage recommend you do the same because Apulia’s but rather a complete immersion into the capital is full of charm, especially Bari rich cultural and historical heritage of this Vecchia, its old town. Imagine it as a living beautiful corner of southern Italy.  exhibit of colourful humanity, with ladies making orecchiette in the street, half-opened I was sold the minute I browsed the windows revealing scenes of domestic life dedicated website illustrating the path’s ever- through lace curtains, and the scent of food changing scenery. From olive groves and lush filling the air. Plus, there are tons of historical forest to steppe expanses and karst incisions, landmarks to discover. the landscape along the Via Peuceta is a visual rollercoaster – with the added bonus After a full day of sightseeing (which of extraordinary culinary traditions along the should be counted as an additional stage!), way. The network of referenti di tappa (the I bade farewell to Bari with an iced Peroni volunteers who take care of the stages of the beer and a bag of sgagliozze (slices of fried path) was another reason I chose the Via polenta) along the lungomare. Peuceta over other trails. Knowing I could call someone in case of difficulty was a good April/May 2023 ITALIA!

D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! WHERE TO STAY Sgagliozze, Bari’s fried polenta snack HABARI HOSTEL Via Alessandro Maria Calefati, 249 – Bari DAY Vineyards between www.habarihostel.com Bari and Bitetto An ethical hostel offering nicely FROM BARI TO BITETTO 17km decorated rooms in the city centre. At dawn the following day, I reached the Continuing onward, I eventually arrived The operation is deeply engaged in Basilica of San Nicola, the official starting at Bitetto, my final destination for the day. the promotion of multiculturalism and point of the Via Peuceta, ready to start Here I stayed at the home of Ester, the local conscious tourism. hiking with my 30-litre backpack and that referente di tappa, where I met the four fellow mixture of excitement and anxiety that hikers who would become my companions CASA ESTER comes with big adventures. for the rest of the journey. Ester took us to Corte Miche Occhiogrosso, 1 – Bitetto some places around town, including the ☎ +39 340 6051347 After passing by the grand Norman laboratory of Mino Marrone, a local artisan At her home in the medieval heart of Swabian Castle, I made my way to the who gave us each a bracelet in the colours Bitetto, Ester offers hikers the warmest Adriatic Bridge, which leads into Bari’s of the Via Peuceta (green and yellow). We welcome and home hospitality in return industrial suburbs. I won’t lie, this first part even saw the festa del paese, with parades, for a free donation. of the trail wasn’t great, as I had to walk fireworks, and street food. The perfect end along busy, dirty roads. Fortunately, it wasn’t to an intense first day on the trail! LE DIMORE DEL GARIBALDI all that long before I entered the countryside, Via Maggior Turitto, 59 taking the ancient medieval road that once Cassano delle Murge linked Bari to Bitetto. Along the way, www.dimoredelgaribaldi.it I passed vineyards, olive groves, a curious This boutique B&B in the centre of herd of deer and llamas, and even a stunning Cassano delle Murge has charming fortified estate dating from the 11th century rooms that are quiet and extremely – the Casale di Balsignano – which you comfortable – some of them even can, if you have time to stop, tour on your include hot-tubs and saunas. own or with a guide.  LE CASE DI ROBERTO The Norman Swabian Via Curtatone, 18 – Santeramo in Colle Castle at Bari ☎ +39 327 2816465 Roberto’s B&B sits in a 19th-century building and offers a selection of single, double, triple, and quadruple rooms, plus a small shared kitchen. CASA XENIA Vico Fratelli Serena, 22 – Altamura ☎ +39 328 9254928 Right behind the Cathedral of Altamura, this is the cosy hostel of Giovanni and Anna, both of whom are part of the Via Peuceta’s local committee. B&B DUCA ORSINI  Via Santa Sofia, 21 – Gravina in Puglia www.ducaorsini.it Spacious, comfortable rooms in an ancient palazzo near the Roman aqueduct, with a handy terrace and a quiet atmosphere. Do take time to see Bari before your hike Image © Getty Fresco inside the Casale di Balsignano ITALIA! April/May 2023

A warm welcome at Ester’s house DAY La festa del paese at Bitetto, Animal encounters which is held in September FROM BITETTO TO CASSANO DELLE MURGE 25km DAY After enjoying the bountiful breakfast basket Ester had prepared the night before, I set FROM CASSANO DELLE MURGE TO off with my new travel buddies. Leaving the SANTERAMO IN COLLE 22km town, we entered a lush countryside with Day Three brought a change in scenery. As postcard-like views of vineyards and olive the path led away from the olive groves, we groves. It was impossible not to stop for encountered the Mesola Wood, whose rich photos with all those dry stone walls, rural flora makes it a highly valuable green space. construction, and occasional trulli, Apulia’s iconic stone huts with their conical roofs.  Slowly, the wood thinned out and the landscape changed yet again, with vast The sun was always high and hot, wheat fields, barren pasture and a stone path with hardly any shade and no places for accompanying us to Arome, a B&B and refreshments. Thank goodness I did my pilgrim rest stop where we sat and chatted homework before leaving and had very high with the owner, Giovanni. From here, it was sun protection, three litres of water, and another hour or so to Santeramo in Colle, energising food. The last part of this stage passing through the beautiful Galietti pine had a couple of challenging climbs (at least forest, which was refreshingly shady. for me) to reach the Sanctuary of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which sits atop a karst As always, we lingered over chats and cave where the Virgin Mary is said to have local specialities in the evening. And we appeared back in the 13th century. That was visited one of the town’s famous fornelli, our final stop before entering Cassano delle the butcher’s shops where you can pick Murge, where we found accommodation at your meat and have it grilled right there. Le Dimore del Garibaldi in the town centre and feasted of traditional dishes. Please close the gate! Abandoned rural buildings at Bitetto Trullo between Bitetto and Cassano delle Murge Black chickpeas with onions and mushrooms April/May 2023 ITALIA!

D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! WHERE TO EAT A parade during the Federicus medieval festival LA UASCEZZE Vico Sant’Agostino, 2/3/4 – Bari DAY On the road from Altamura www.lauascezze.com to Gravina in Puglia A great place to sample traditional FROM SANTERAMO IN COLLE TO DAY Apulian cuisine in Bari old town, ALTAMURA 23km including the famous tiella with By day four, my feet had started to feel FROM ALTAMURA TO GRAVINA IN rice, potatoes and mussels. separated from my body, but, against all PUGLIA 20km odds, I was halfway through and couldn’t In preparation for the last two days, which AL VECCHIO ARCO be happier. From the historical centre of were supposed to be pretty tough, this fifth Via Convento, 30 – Cassano delle Murge Santeramo we proceeded to the heart of stage was a bit shorter and easier. As we ☎ +39 342 0483280 Alta Murgia, one of Italy’s largest sub-steppe hiked through vast expanses of fields, we Simple, tasty dishes based on local areas. Along the way, we stopped at Masseria came upon Masseria Casalia, where Mr. legumes, lovingly prepared by the Scalera, a family-run farmhouse, where we Peppino always has a table set for hikers. He owner’s mother. A special mention caught the farmer in action as he prepared offered us snacks and a glass of homemade for the black chickpeas cooked mozzarella – a real treat! walnut liqueur to fuel up on while listening with mushrooms and onions! to tales of his beautiful land. We then continued walking through fields OSTERIA SANT’AGOSTINO dotted with little gems like the rupestral Snacks Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 12 settlement of Fornello. As we arrived in offered Gravina in Puglia Altamura, the town was in full party mode by Sig. ☎ +39 080 9698809 for Federicus, a major medieval festival Peppino In this traditional trattoria, pasta is honouring its founder, the Swabian Emperor handmade on an open counter right in Frederick II. After visiting the beautiful front of diners, while the starters draw Cathedral and tasting the famous Altamura from local traditions. bread in the ancient Santa Chiara bakery, we joined locals on the streets of the historical MASSERIA LA FIORITA centre, which had been turned into a giant Strada Provinciale Timmari - Santa medieval playground. They certainly know Chiara, Matera how to throw a party in Altamura! www.masserialafiorita.it This working farm near the Picciano Altamura bread at the Sanctuary has the loveliest hostess, Santa Chiara bakery excellent accommodation, and the most delicious dinners based on locally grown seasonal ingredients. IL TERRAZZINO Vico San Giuseppe, 7 – Matera www.ilterrazzino.it This restaurant in the centre of Matera serves a good pilgrim menu with the added bonus of a lovely terrace overlooking the Sassi. After leaving a small donation, we continued through vast areas of arable land and wooded spots to Gravina in Puglia, where the view of an ancient Roman aqueduct greeted us. Leonardo, one of the trail’s coordinators and the owner of the B&B where we stayed, told us all about this little Apulian gem set on the edge of a ravine, with a picturesque historical centre and a fascinating underground world. Dinner was at Osteria Sant’Agostino, where the pilgrim menu comprised a variety of appetisers and a great dish of homemade pasta, topped off with local red wine. ITALIA! April/May 2023

The aqueduct bridge DAY Val’s top tips at Gravina in Puglia for walking the FROM PICCIANO TO MATERA Via Peuceta DAY 30km The next morning we took our time to enjoy The network FROM GRAVINA IN PUGLIA TO Maria Laura’s sumptuous breakfast, which The Via Peuceta PICCIANO 30km included fresh milk from the farm’s own is part of the This was undoubtedly the best but most cows. Her partner, Pasquale, then drove us Cammino challenging part of the Via Peuceta. We to the starting point of this last stage, and Materano, a woke up at the crack of dawn and crossed the off we went. The first part of the walk was network of six stone bridge, stopping to admire the rocky flat and easy, running through the fields, paths to discover southern Italy at landscape of Gravina from the other edge with the occasional tractor punctuating the its most authentic. of the ravine. Taking a cobblestone road, landscape. We then passed the San Giuliano www.camminomaterano.it we crossed a disused railway track, passed Nature Reserve, one of the most important fields with horses grazing freely, and then wetlands in Basilicata, where we stopped to La Credenziale walked into the Bosco Difesa Grande, one of rest by an artificial lake. Before departing, you should Apulia’s largest woods. Parts of it had been request the credenziale, a sort heavily damaged by arson, but it was nice to The trail continued on dirt roads lined of hiker’s passport to access see the vegetation was recovering. We also with prickly pears and olive trees up to a the network of accommodation found a small box with a “pilgrim diary” small stream, whose cold water was a real and restaurants and get the where we could record our passage.  treat for my aching feet. A few more climbs Testimonium at the finish. and some hysterical laughing later, the After stopping for lunch in the woods, Yellow or green? we had a challenging climb up. Eventually, To cross this stream you have The path can be walked in both what goes up must come to an end, and we to take your shoes off directions – the yellow arrows found ourselves in a mesmerising landscape on the route point to Matera and of gentle hills and vast expanses of clayey Sassi of Matera were right in front of us! the green ones to Bari. soil. This is Fossa Bradanica, right at the After receiving the Testimonium that border between Apulia and Basilicata. Next, certifies the completion of the Via Peuceta, Choose your season we passed a tiny village oddly called Borgo I celebrated the end of this incredible You can hike the Via Peuceta all year Picciano B and started the last descent to adventure by foot with one last pilgrim round, but spring is the best time to the Benedictine sanctuary of Picciano, menu, accompanied by precious memories, see the countryside in full bloom. the final destination of this stage. It was strangers who had become friends, and hard, physically and mentally, but you can’t one of the best sunsets of my life. Pilgrim’s menus imagine the sense of accomplishment in There’s a pilgrim menu available reaching the top of that hill! Upon arriving, View over Matera, our in every location along the path Maria Laura, the referente di tappa, picked final destination (€15-€20), as well as stamps to us up and took us to her farmhouse, Masseria collect that prove your passage. La Fiorita, a beautiful working farm where we had a fabulous organic dinner and slept GETTING THERE like babies. ➤ We wouldn’t advise walking there… Bari international airport (www.bariairport.net) has direct connections with London Gatwick, Stansted, Liverpool and Dublin. The Benedictine sanctuary of Picciano April/May 2023 ITALIA!

S P E A K I TA L I A ! ITALIA! GAZZETTA In this edition of our bilingual ITALIANO LA BELLA VITA feature, Tom Alberto Bull looks DEGLI ATLETI STRANIERI at the current crop of foreign sports stars enjoying their Cibo meraviglioso, clima caldo, gente simpatica… Molti di noi conosciamo le attrattive new lives in Italy che ci potrebbero invogliare ad iniziare una vita nuova in Italia. Alcuni decidono di emigrare per godersi la vita da pensionati, mentre altri colgono un’opportunità KEY WORDS professionale che richiede il trasferimento. Poi, a seconda della misura in cui ci si vuole integrare nella cultura italiana, si può decidere di imparare la lingua. Useful Italian words and phrases to add to your vocabulary Tutto questo si applica anche agli sportivi professionisti. Dopo un breve periodo negli anni novanta in cui vari giocatori della nazionale inglese come Paul Gascoigne (Lazio), Cibo meraviglioso David Platt (Sampdoria), e Paul Ince (Inter Milan) sono diventati nomi noti tra i tifosi Wonderful food italiani, pochi calciatori hanno seguito il loro esempio durante il decennio successivo. Clima caldo Ma negli ultimi anni abbiamo assistito ad una leggera ripresa della tendenza. Warm climate Gente simpatica Chris Smalling e Tammy Abraham si sono ambientati entrambi a Roma, Fikayo Friendly people Tomori ha vinto lo scudetto l’anno scorso con il Milan, e il giocatore della nazionale Imparare la lingua gallese Ethan Ampadu milita nella squadra della Spezia, dopo aver passato un anno To learn the language a Venezia. Una delle giocatrici più famose del calcio scozzese, Lana Clelland, si è Un breve periodo trasferita in Italia nel 2015 e ha segnato più di settanta gol per i quattro club dove ha A brief period giocato, l’ultimo dei quali il Sassuolo. Una cosa che ha colpito tutti questi calciatori è Negli ultimi anni l’accoglienza che hanno ricevuto dai tifosi appassionati, come testimonia Tomori in In recent years un’intervista recente: “I tifosi… è diverso in Italia. È una cosa folle. Io ero un idolo lì, L’accoglienza capisci? Dai tutto te stesso e ti adoreranno.” The welcome È diverso Alcuni sono riusciti perfino a sostenere interviste in italiano alla televisione, il che It’s different dimostra al pubblico la loro buona volontà. Tammy Abraham ha espresso la sua È una cosa folle opinione in un’intervista svolta l’estate scorsa: “Mi sto godendo la vita a Roma. It’s crazy Imparo qualcosa della storia della città, e apprezzo il cibo. Mi piace ogni momento. Mi sto godendo la vita Le cose vanno bene anche per quanto riguarda la lingua. Quando sono arrivato, I’m enjoying life non capivo neanche una parola, ma ora mi sto ambientando bene. Faccio lezioni Mi piace ogni momento di italiano tutti i giorni e sto imparando.” Da allora ha continuato a fare grandi I’m loving every minute progressi, come si può notare dalla scioltezza del suo italiano. Le cose vanno bene Things are going well Il pilota giapponese della Formula 1 Yuki Tsunoda è un altro sportivo che ora vive in Mi sto ambientando bene Italia. Dopo avere avuto difficoltà ad inserirsi nella vita del Regno Unito ha deciso I’m settling in well di trasferirsi a Faenza, vicino alla sede della sua squadra Alpha Tauri. E a suo parere Le esperienze positive il nuovo ambiente ha contribuito al miglioramento del suo rendimento. “Il clima è The positive experiences importante per me, come anche il cibo. Quindi, quando sono arrivato in Italia mi Negli anni a venire sono sentito più dinamico. Per me il trasferimento è stato determinante. Ha avuto un In the years to come impatto notevole.” Considerando le esperienze positive di questi atleti, non ci sarebbe da meravigliarsi se la tendenza dovesse continuare negli anni a venire. ITALIA! April/May 2023

Tpalmayms yfoArbArSahRaomma YRuakciinTgsudnroivdear ENGLISH FOREIGN ATHLETES Lana Clelland of LIVING THE ‘GOOD LIFE’ Sassuolo Femminile Wonderful food, warm climate, friendly people… Many of us are familiar with the Chris Smalling also attractions that can entice us to start a new life in Italy. Some of us may choose plays for Roma to emigrate to enjoy life in retirement, while others may be offered a career opportunity that requires the move. Then, depending on the extent that we want to April/May 2023 ITALIA! integrate into the culture, we may choose to learn the language. This applies to professional sportsmen and women too. Since a brief period in the 1990s which saw England internationals such as Paul Gascoigne (Lazio), David Platt (Sampdoria), and Paul Ince (Inter Milan) become household names among Italian football fans, very few other players followed suit over the next decade. But in recent years there has been a bit of a revival. Both Chris Smalling and Tammy Abraham have settled in Rome, Fikayo Tomori Fikayo Tomori is won the league last season with AC Milan, and Wales international Ethan at AC Milan Ampadu is plying his trade with Spezia, after playing a year at Venezia. One of the stars of the women’s game in Scotland, Lana Clelland, moved to Italy in 2015 and has scored over seventy goals for the four clubs where she has played, the latest one being Sassuolo. One thing that stands out for them is how much they’ve been welcomed by the passionate supporters, highlighted by Tomori in a recent interview: “The fans… It’s just different in Italy. It’s crazy. I was the man there, you know? Just give everything and they’re going to love you.” Some have also managed to conduct TV interviews in Italian, showing the locals that they are making the effort. Tammy Abraham gave an insight last summer: “I’m enjoying life in Rome. I’m learning about the history of the city and enjoying the food. I’m loving every minute. The language is going well, too. When I first came, I didn’t understand a word, but I’m settling in well. I take lessons every day and I’m learning.” Since then he has continued to show great progress, as can be seen in the near-fluency of his Italian. Japanese Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda is another sports star who now lives in Italy. After struggling to adapt to life in the UK he decided to relocate to Faenza, near the headquarters of his team AlphaTauri. And he credits the new surroundings with an uplift in form, “Weather is quite an important thing for me, and food is as well. So when I went to Italy, I already felt more energetic. For me it was a big, important move. It was having a good impact on me.” With the positive experience these athletes are having, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this trend continue in the years ahead.

D I S C O V E R I TA L I A ! TOrunfafle Perfumed Trail Kate Wickers goes to Le Langhe in search of the elusive truffle ITALIA! April/May 2023

On a mauve-smeared morning in the Image © iStock wine-producing Langhe Hills of Piedmont, where soft grey mists hang BIANCO TARTUFI in vine-strung valleys, I’m striking Marta began her business, Bianco Tartufi, with out into woods with a young female partner Daniele Stroppiana four years ago, inspired trifulau (truffle hunter), Marta Menegaldo, and her by Daniele’s grandmother, Irma, who foraged for Lagotto Romagnolo pup, Luna. With the snap of hazel twig underfoot, and the raspy chatter of a magpie wwW ieclriheksewpt tryedntiesckes pvragfesegcrettenreargenass, above us, we follow Luna as she cuts a rapid zigzag Images by Kate Wickers unless otherwise stated through brambles and thickets of wild hazel and mushrooms and truffles long before the spores were Left: Heading out chestnut, on the quest for a certain mushroomy prized. “Fifty years ago, she would throw the white to a secret wooded aroma. “Some dogs go stealthily through the woods, truffles into a minestrone soup to add flavour, like it location in search sniffing every inch of ground. Others like to run wildly was a common potato. Can you imagine?” she laughs. of buried treasure around. Luna is young and keen, so she likes to do “And as a child Daniele used to eat them, like a snack, both,” Marta laughs as we watch the seventeen-month- straight from the fridge.” Given that this season the Top left: Trifulau old Lagotto dart from tree to tree, her chocolate- rare tuber magnatum (white truffle) is selling for Marta Menegaldo brown nose never leaving the ground. around €6,000 per kilo, no, I can’t quite imagine. and her Lagotto Days such as those are long gone. Romagnolo pup Fifteen minutes pass before Luna stands suddenly Luna in the woods stock-still and presses her snout hard to the ground, There are around six thousand truffle hunters then begins to snuffle intently at the roots of a with licences to operate in Piedmont, but it’s hard to Above: The rolling hornbeam. Soon she’s digging in a frenzy, sending know how many trifulau there really are as many older hills of Le Lange in moist brown soil and the occasional worm flying. hunters refuse to buy a licence, and don’t acknowledge Piedmont produce private land. “They stick to the places they’ve been more than just “If there are worms there, this is a good sign,” going to since they were children, even if it now fine wine explains Marta. “Worms love truffles too.” Once belongs to someone else,” Marta explains. “Whereas we she is sure that Luna is on to something, Marta takes like to rediscover forgotten areas where spontaneous over and begins to scrape gently with a hoe to dislodge vegetation reigns, which we try to keep a secret. the spore without damaging it. “Brava, Luna!” she That’s why most truffle hunters go out at night.” exclaims, holding up a round, rather bumpy, black truffle of good size, its dark brown skin threaded with white. A truffle is the fruit (or spore) of a subterranean fungus, often confused with a mushroom, and when it is brought to the nose, the smell is earthy and musky. In true Italian style, Luna’s treat for finding it are titbits of prosciutto and parmesan. Such treats are not cheap, but they are cheaper than truffles. April/May 2023 ITALIA!