PASSION ITALY Season 2
#201 ALTO ADIGE
Long
Journey into the dramatic landscapes of the Dolomites with its enchanting castles and charming towns, such as its capital, Bolzano.Wood is the primary ingredient of Judith Sotriffer’s and Aron Demetz’s art. Judith keeps tradition alive through her wooden dolls, while Aron represents innovation and modernity with his creations. Alessandra visits two medieval castles, valuable testimony to the local history and culture. The Diocesan Museum of Bressanone is a precious example of the regional art and architecture. An exploration of Alto Adige’s culinary gems includes tasting the creative and delicious sheep’s recipes of chef, Oskar Messner, in the breathtaking and unspoiled Funes Valley and explores another family’s innovative approach to gin made with local herbs. Local farmers, wine makers, and artisans give a comprehensive overview of the local culture.
250 Characters with spaces: (217)
ALTO ADIGE: Experience dramatic Dolomite landscapes with artisans and food makers using local raw material to give life to their art and products. Enchanting castles and museums are just some of the region’s wonders.
100 Characters with spaces: (97)
ALTO ADIGE: Transforming wood into art; castle tours; cooking sheep dishes; tasting local gin.
#202 CAMPANIA
Long
Experience enticing Naples with a trip off the beaten path and visiting the studios of unique craftsmanship preserved for generations. Anna and her siblings give life to the Nativity scenes’ characters using embroidery techniques from the 1700’s. In the National Railway Museum visitors are taken back to the mid-19th century. Pasquale’s cameos, carved from seashells in a painstakingly miniature form, bear witness to tradition. Alessandra tastes some local pastries and uncovers the secret to making babà by following Giovanni into his kitchen. An exploration of Campania’s culinary gems also includes tasting wine made at the foot of Vesuvius by a young and innovative wine maker accompanied with the famous Pizza Napolitana. Alessandra watches an artisan making a hand-made umbrella, his family’s tradition since 1860. A snorkeling tour is part of the visit to the Archeological and Marine Park in La Gaiola.
250 Characters with spaces: (237)
CAMPANIA: Discover skilled artisans using century-old techniques including a cameo carver, an umbrella maker, and an embroider. Taste delicious pastries, pizza, and wine from the Vesuvius region. Dive into a marine and archeological park.
100 Characters with spaces: (85)
CAMPANIA: Artisans make cameos, embroidery, and more; archeological underwater park.
#203 MOLISE
Long
Full of wild beauty, captivating traditions, fascinating history, Molise is an undiscovered gem for many tourists. The Marinelli Pontifical Bell Foundry is the oldest family-owned and run manufacturing company in the world, where bells are still handmade as 1,000 years ago. The Italic sanctuary of Pietrabbondante and the archeological site of Atilia Sepino are a plunge into pre-Roman history. Alessandra meets a cheesemaker who follows the family tradition started in 1662 making stretched curd cheeses. Some of the area’s most skilled artisans work creating intricate chiseled steel scissors and bagpipes used by a local musician in an innovative way. In the Museum of Costumes, Alessandra gives us insight into the complex regional traditions. Plus, unique frescos preserved in a medieval abbey.
250 Characters with spaces: (201)
MOLISE: A family’s bell making tradition; 11th generation cheese makers; artisans crafting in stainless steel and wood; rethinking bag pipe music; visiting some unique archeological and cultural sites.
100 Characters with spaces: (94)
MOLISE: Ancient methods for making bells, cheese and bag pipes; pre-Roman archeological sites.
#204 TUSCANY
Long
Experience the enticing city at Italy’s center and its unique craftsmanship preserved since the Medici era. In Florence, the mosaicist, Renzo Scarpelli, takes Alessandra along the Arno river where he collected the stones used to make marvelous stone “paintings.” The stylist Stefano Ricci saved a fascinating silk factory of the 1700’s from oblivion -- among its looms there is one by Leonardo Da Vinci. Palazzo Borghese is full of richness and grandeur. To taste the renowned Cantucci biscuits, Alessandra meets the Lunardi brothers who share their secret recipe with her. Together, they visit local producers, including a Vin Santo wine maker and an old mill. After a stop in Lucca, an architectural wonder also known for its musical tradition, Alessandra learns about the ancient tradition of marble processing with a gifted artisan from the medieval city Pietrasanta.
250 Characters with spaces: (242)
TUSCANY: Experience the enticing city at Italy’s center with artisans continuing Renaissance-era craftsmanship including mosaic and textile creations. Visit a stunning palace. Learn the recipe for Cantucci biscuits and meet a marble sculptor.
100 Characters with spaces: (93)
TUSCANY: Renaissance-era craftsmanship; an architectural wonderland; making Tuscan biscuits and more.
#205 BASILICATA
Long
Matera is certainly one of the most unusual and memorable tourist destinations in Italy, but this almost unknown region has much more to offer. Medieval villages, abandoned hamlets, otherworldly landscapes and incredible festivals. In Tricarico, Alessandra takes part in a colorful and peculiar Carnival, which recalls pastoral traditions. Alessandra meets Annangela, an impassioned embroiderer who creates unique works with thread and who opened a small costume museum to keep the local traditions alive. In his forties, Gerardo transformed his life to save his grandfather’s vineyard. Today he makes the great Aglianico del Vulture wine. Acerenza is one of the 50 most beautiful towns in Italy. Here Antonio Saluzzi uses ancient Greek and Roman foundry techniques for his art. Mario Daddiego’s nativity scenes, set in the Matera’s Sassi, are a wonder and precise down to the smallest detail. Matera is not just ancient history as a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Sculpture proves.
250 Characters with spaces: (235)
BASILICATA: Stunning Matera, wild beauty and captivating traditions including Carnival. Ancient techniques are used for creating nativity scenes and metal works. Meet an impassioned embroiderer and an Aglianico del Vulture wine maker.
100 Characters with spaces: (114)
BASILICATA: Stunning Matera; colorful Carnival; art of foundry; embroidery; making regional wine; Nativity scenes.
#206 SARDINIA
Long
A paradise of sandy beaches and rocky bays with pure turquoise water, this is the Island of Sardinia, but there is also an endless list of archeological sites and endearing eccentricities to discover. In Cagliari, Alessandra visits the Cathedral, a treasure trove of art and history before meeting a goldsmith who reinterprets the traditional Sardinian jewelry. The “Sound Garden” is an unusual open-air museum where the stones resound. On the attractive island of Sant Antioco, Chiara Vigo weaves with sea silk, collected from seashells. The fascinating history of the town is visible in 12th century catacombs. Saint Peter is famous for the ancient practice of tuna fishing, which left its mark on the island. Inland, Alessandra explores Iglesias and its mining district which features spectacular natural caves and fascinating mining galleries set just above sea level. An old train takes Alessandra and her chaperon Luciano back in time. The spectacular Capo Pecora inspires a lawyer whose passion is to make swimwear.
250 Characters with spaces: (234)
SARDINIA: Stunning landscapes, architectural and artistic wonders including Cagliari’s cathedral, a “sound garden,” temples, catacombs, and mines. Artisans include a sea silk embroiderer, a goldsmith, and a lawyer-turned-designer.
100 Characters with spaces: (95)
SARDINIA: Architectural wonders; musical stones; a goldsmith, a sea silk embroiderer; and more.