Italy

Imagine for one moment a place where rugged mountain ranges dominate the skyline, their imposing blue shadows laying claim to vast forests of spruce and silver fir trees below. Picture tiny country roads winding through lush olive groves, an earthen carpet to guide you through the dense flora and fauna that abounds. Where great mountains meet placid turquoise seas, you will find Abruzzo, a land of savage beauty tamed only by a people robust enough to settle the unknown wilderness of its hills and mountains. Abruzzo is the proud birthplace of Ovid, predates ancient Rome, and is home to a distinguished nineteen Borghi piu belli d’Italia (Most Beautiful Villages of Italy). Yet it remains an undiscovered delight swallowed between the bellies of Le Marche and Lazio. From its astonishing series of medieval villages carved into mountain tops to the gargantuan trabocchi (fishing huts) that line its seashores, Abruzzo is a land of surprises, and whether accidentally or by design, one of Italy’s best kept secrets.

A dramatic terrain of towering mountain ranges punctuated by age-old villages that seem to hang from the sky, and outlined by a craggy coastline indented with calm bays of aquamarine, Basilicata is an intoxicating balance between the extreme and the beautiful. A hidden treasure untouched by time and suspended in the authenticity of a bygone era, Basilicata offers its visitors a moment in history, rare and eternal, which will forever remain indelibly Southern Italian. Otherwise known as the ancient land of Lucania, Basilicata lies between the regions of Calabria and Puglia, and is framed by the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas. One of Italy’s least visited regions, Basilicata is unique in its unspoiled nature and remains a veritable time capsule where vestiges from the Paleolithic Age, the time of the ancient Greeks and the Middle Ages can still be appreciated.

To experience Campania is to understand the very soul of Italy. While the nation is a vast patchwork of distinctly diverse landscapes sewn together with ancient traditions, rich history and regional culture, it is Campania that emboldens the country with the vivid pigments of its indelible spirit. It is in the villages seemingly untarnished by time that one discovers the truth about Campania. The truths found in the generous hospitality and unwavering honesty of the people. A swirling, Baroque masterpiece of emotion and imagination, Campania is a land of deliciously opposing imagery. The pulsating, rhythmic streets of Naples are balanced by the coastal lemon groves of Sorrento. Where vast vineyards anointed in shades of olive, sepia and plum blanket the hillsides of Taurasi, fuchsia, coral and vermilion blooms gently spiral down the lush cliff sides of Positano. A land of spellbinding beauty, folklore and playful contradictions, Campania is a beaming ray of sunlight that reflects onto every surface.

The gray dawn kisses the azure of another day, and the changing light transforms green and gold visions into amber waves. A kaleidoscope of color and texture, Emilia-Romagna is not to be explained but best experienced first-hand. With its storied Roman and Byzantine heritage, heartland sensibility and fertile terrain, its natural abundance has nourished more than one surreal imagination. This is the land of Fellini, Bassani and Verdi, and there is no such thing as coincidence. Emilia-Romagna is, simply put, delicious. From its lush Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano, to its idealized Renaissance cities and bucolic seaside, it’s a region best appreciated one moment at a time. So open your eyes, take a deep breath, and let Emilia-Romagna draw you in.

The sun-soaked Latium plains, accented with Italian cypress and stone pine, wait patiently to be admired – a land of ancient lakes and noble castles, charming villas and Etruscan treasures. Lazio is the golden cage that encircles the pulsating heart that is Rome. A Rome that can’t be defined or confined within the context of just a place, but a living, breathing reminder of all that came before. Lazio is a hearty land made for hearty people. You need only duck into a local osteria and smell the aroma of fried carciofi alla giudia or dig your knife into a sizzling plate of saltimbocca, to realize you’re in the place where Italians first learned to feast. Its people are passionate and honest, always ready to greet you with southern style hospitality or share a life story over a bit of sambuca. To experience Lazio is to know Rome before it was Rome, and to see the enduring spirit of a civilization that remains alive in the people and traditions of its region. Step outside the Rome you think you know, to discover the Lazio you need to know.

Picture sprawling emerald forests, medieval hilltop towns untouched by time, a rainbow of wildflowers in bloom, and fresh breezes that lull you into a peaceful haze. Tuscany? Think again. Umbria? Warmer. Le Marche? Could you be anywhere else? Upon arriving in Le Marche you are immediately struck by its unspoiled beauty, time seemingly to have never touched the boundaries of this undiscovered region. Its stone structures warmed by ancient sun and its vineyards perfumed by Adriatic winds, as the Monti Sibellini ridge keeps steady watch over its terra firma. From the infinite landscapes of Raphael’s masterpieces to Rossini’s operatic melodies, the Marchegiani have long been inspired by the enchanting embrace of their home. A veritable land of milk and honey, where pure joy can be sampled in every dish, seen from every window and enjoyed by all who stop to admire.

Liguria is a symphony of land and sea, where ancient maritime traditions meet Riviera revelry. With its history as a powerfully wealthy nautical empire, Liguria has been an incubator of discovery and revolution, forever impacting the course of world history. But amongst its legends and triumphs, perhaps what makes Liguria such a mysterious and captivating place, is its people. Like the rings of a tree, the rich heritage of the region is chronicled in the proud faces of the Ligurians, living reminders of what once was and what continues to be uniquely great. Pause for a moment to observe the old fishermen, their faces weathered by countless harsh mornings out at sea and the warmth that emanates from their well worn smiles. Watch the cliffside farmers as they harvest olives, lemons and grapes from the same terraces that their families have cultivated for hundreds of years. These are the faces of Liguria. Real people, living real lives, in the unassuming paradise of their own design.

The mystery of its sweeping marshes, the romantic sophistication of its cobblestoned streets, and the Grand Tour majesty of its great lake, spin together the fairytale threads of this northern Italian dreamscape. But don’t let Lombardia fool you. It’s not all about glamour and industry…well okay it is all of those things, but also so much more. Peel away its layers to uncover a region that is as varied as any that Italy has to offer, with complexity and unexpected cultural treasures just waiting to be discovered. To turn a page of Castiglioni’s Il Cortegiano is to grab a glimpse of Lombardia’s noble heritage. A stolen moment inside a hidden opera house or a quiet stroll into the workshop of a family that has been crafting violins since the 1700’s, is to see a Lombardia suspended in its traditions. But a zigzag through the borough of Naviglio, with its avant-garde spirit, sultry alleyways, and rebellion predicated against the old guard, is to see the new Lombardia. Just peek beneath the surface, and what awaits you is a reflection of yesterday through the lens of a modern Italy.

Get lost down the rabbit hole in an enchanting land of rolling green hills, misty mountaintops and the sweet surrender of tranquility. Have you reached the Elysian Fields? Almost, you’re in Piemonte. The region’s natural wonder can only be matched by its sumptuous cuisine. It is a feast for the eyes and the stomach. The Piemontesi, deeply rooted in a tradition of fine living and slow food, greet each traveler with generous warmth – smiles that grab you like a cozy hug and the type of charm that can only develop from generations of contentment. The birthplace of both unified Italy and the global Slow Food movement, Piemonte’s industrious spirit has always been tempered by its philosophy that simple but high quality is best. Whether it’s a velvety Dolcetto d’Alba or satisfying ribbons of tajarin con tartufo bianco, Piemonte will leave you no choice but to give in to its calming allure. And of course if you’re still not convinced that slow is better, just bite into the silky richness of a gianduja chocolate and you’ll become a believer.

A whimsical land of stone huts, olive groves and white washed cities set against a back­drop of arid plains extending to­ward turquoise waters, Puglia is the essence of Italy’s Adriatic South. A rugged stretch of land jut­ting out into the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, Puglia has been prized through the ages for its fertile lands of wheat, olive and vine. Mysterious and alluring, Puglia’s rich heritage has been shaped by ancient peoples, from the Greeks and Romans to Span­iards and Turks, all of whom have left their distinct mark on the re­gion’s architecture, customs and flavors. A fabled land, beautiful in its nature and potent in its ties to antiquity, Puglia is best appreciated while sharing a meal at a country masseria with a glass of Negroamaro in hand, uncovering the mystery of a limestone trullo, or relishing the coastal breezes of an ancient village perched above the sea.

Words seem inadequate to describe the actual divinity of Sardinia’s natural landscapes. Sweeping, rugged, crystalline – while accurate, barely begin to describe all that this prehistoric island possesses in spades. Sardinia is real, raw and quite simply put, paradise because it is organic. Where dramatic rock-lined cliffs meet placid, emerald waters and almost other-worldly flora blankets mountainsides and river beds, Sardinia is one of few places in Europe that remains untouched and sheltered from time. The Sardinian people have preserved their island culture despite centuries of foreign influence and struggle, carefully balancing modernity with a resilient sense of tradition. The effort to maintain the island’s environment and culture, by Sardinians and for Sardinians, is a pillar of their philosophy. Travelers meanwhile, are graciously welcomed as Sardinians are happy to share their Eden with those that appreciate their Mediterranean pearl of an island.

Illuminated by the Mediterranean sun and kissed by the Ionian sea, Sicily is a crossroads of the ancient, an irresistible treasure coveted by empires near and far. A formidable landscape of unspoiled riches immortalized in myth and legend, the island’s bold call into the azure beyond has been an intoxicating tale carried through the ages. Where once was conquest and strife, a vibrant culture has flourished, imbued with the folklore and flavors of the many who have crossed its shores. A collision of civilization echoed in the everyday, Sicily is a paradise meant to be experienced with the senses. It is the singsong dialect heard from within a bustling market, the sweet and sour notes juxtaposed in a timeless dish, and the soulful depths of its shining seas that have never ceased to enchant the most intrepid of voyagers.

Fabled green hills undulate beneath an iconic golden sun as sinewy cypress trees pepper a landscape that reaches far beyond the horizon line. Argent olive groves blanket an earthen carpet of terracotta as stalks of wheat bend and sway like the flaxen strands of a Renaissance muse. If Lazio is the emblematic beating heart of the peninsula, Toscana is the breath that gives life to its nation. From her ample belly she gave birth to Etruscan civilization, from her bosom she nourished an entire country with fertile agrarian treasures, and with her unwavering beauty she inspired a vision that would become the Renaissance. Like the resolute matriarch of a massive family, Tuscany has patiently taught her nation how to impress the world with what it means to be Italian – how to speak, how to eat, how to drink, how to love, how to appreciate the beauty of living. An ancient land of historical and cultural precedents, and a cauldron of gastronomic delights, Tuscany cannot solely be known as some mythological. Rather, it is a region that has to be absorbed in the flesh, using every sense and faculty.

Where the distinct traditions of Trentino and South Tyrol gloriously converge, the region is a cultural swirl of Austrian, Italian, German and French influences, echoed in its hearty cuisine, languages, Tyrolean architecture and ancient customs. Trentino-Alto Adige is a diverse wonderland waiting patiently to be explored, where mountain rifugi perch high above valleys inhabited by meandering dairy cows and dotted by villages casting their reflections across placid lakes. It is where serene natural environments are balanced by graceful Renaissance cities like Bolzano and Trento, and where ancient castles and hilltop farms convey a distinct Tyrolean sensibility evolved over many periods and drawn from the ingenuity of several cultures.

An infinite mantle of wildflowers releases their herbaceous perfume infusing aromatic olive groves with overtones of sweet, as an earthy undercurrent of black truffle permeates the entire atmosphere. Deliciously intoxicated you seek to observe all that your olfactory senses have indicated and what you behold is a lush landscape of laurel and umber, hills and river glens, mountains and thickets. A fertile treasure, cradled by land and caressed by river, Umbria nurtures graces from the earth in steady rhythm as only the green beating heart of Italy can. An ancient land of myth and lore, Umbria is the unpretentious yet brilliant jewel that lies between the Apennine Mountains and the Tiber River. The legacy of the middle ages has indelibly touched the Umbrian landscape as it is peppered with vestiges of the period in a manner that perhaps no other region in Italy can compare. Medieval towns line Umbria’s hilltops while castles and monasteries rise from its valleys, tangible evidence of an epoch suspended in perpetuity.

It emerges from Alpine ridges and lush river valleys, and the mist of sapphire lakes and midnight lagoons. Like a behemoth of land and sea, it rises to meet the challenges of both sky and man, defiantly eager to protect the riches that it holds within. Said to have descended from the ancient civilization of Troy, the fierce, Venetian republic was born of savage storms and the unrelenting fear of invasion. The history of this maritime giant has been tempered by ancient feuds, the call of industry and the nautical domination of prized trade routes to the East. With formidable gastronomic and wine making traditions, Veneto is a prolific producer of signature wines like Amarone and Prosecco, and a culinary dynamo, introducing red radicchio from Treviso, Asiago cheese and the epicurean tradition of the cicchetti, into the lexicon of Italian cooking.