November 21, 2025 • 31 mins
Whether you've been dreaming of Italy forever or you're a regular visitor, no doubt you understand the pull of this remarkable place - its history, beauty, art and architecture, food, wine and friendly people. But did you know Italy has a magical way of transforming you in ways you never expected. Listen in to find out more.
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The Untold Italy travel podcast is an independent production. Podcast Editing, Audio Production and Website Development by Mark Hatter. Production Assistance and Content Writing by the other Katie Clarke
Read the full episode show notes here > untolditaly.com/300
NEW! - the Untold Italy app - access our entire podcast history ad free and searchable - DOWNLOAD FOR iOS • DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID
The app is FREE to download and check out our Milan guide and general travel content. Upgrade to PREMIUM for a one time fee to access Rome, Florence, Venice, Sorrento, Cinque Terre, Amalfi Coast, Capri, Ischia, Tuscany, Lake Como, Lake Garda, Veneto, Lombardy, Campania, Lazio, Puglia, Abruzzo, Calabria, Umbria, Molise, Sardinia with much more to come
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Editorial Information
The Untold Italy travel podcast is an independent production. Podcast Editing, Audio Production and Website Development by Mark Hatter. Production Assistance and Content Writing by the other Katie Clarke
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Italy is beautiful, inspiring, fun, and a little crazy. It's
not just a destination for many of us. It's a
place that has and continues to influence the way we
see and interact with the world. For our three hundred episode,
I'm sharing all the ways Italy changed me and how
it might change you too.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Tawatuti and Benvenuti Tuan Told Italy the travel podcast to
where you go to the towns and villages, mountains and lakes,
hills and coastlines of Bella, Italia. Each week, your host
Katie Clark takes you on a journey in a search
of magical landscapes, history, culture, wine, gelato, and of course,
(00:45):
a whole lot of pasta. If you're dreaming of Italy
and planning future adventures there, you've come to the right place.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Gil friends, Welcome to another episode of Untold Italy. Today,
we are celebrating three hundred episodes, and I admit that
that's quite amazing for a whole bunch of reasons, not
the least of them being that we show up every
week to bring you our listeners a little slice of
traveling in Italy through the voices of those who are
passionate about their country or travels there. I'm very, very
(01:23):
proud of what we create here each and every week
on Untold Italy, and I know that some of you
have been here listening right from the very start, from
the very early days of COVID, when we all struggled
with our relationship with the world around us and an
uncertain future, and that's carried on all the way through
the euphoria of going back to Italy and the last
years of exploring more and more. I've met some of
(01:46):
you in various places around the world, and it's been
an absolute pleasure and my honor to spend so much
time with you, whether we've met in person or you've
been walking, driving, commuting, cleaning your house with my voice
in your ears, but always dreaming of Italy. Gazimile, thank
you so much for tuning in. It means the world
to us. Now for those of you who are new
(02:08):
here or perhaps haven't listened to all three hundred episodes,
and you'll forgiven I don't blame you.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
That's a lot of episodes.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
This podcast started almost six years ago at the beginning
of the pandemic with my friend Josie, and since then
we've covered all sorts of topics, from what to see
and do in Rome, Florence and Venice and the major cities,
to logistics and transport information and tips, Italian language lessons,
food and wine to try, and my favorite episodes the
(02:36):
ones where I check with local Italians about the places
that they love and the experiences that they would like
travelers to have when they visit Italy. Three hundred is
a lot of episodes and it's not easy to find
specific topics on the podcast apps, so I recommend that
if you're looking for something specific, you go to our
website Untold Italy dot com and do a search for
(02:58):
the topic that interests you, or we have everything nicely
categorized in the ad free format on the premium version
of our Untold Italy app, for example transport, Rome, Sicily.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Wine and you get the idea.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
So, now this is a special milestone For this episode,
I thought i'd share why Italy is so important to
me and how my relationship with the country i've visited
most and enjoyed has in changed me in ways that
I never expected. But first of when I preface this
conversation with an acknowledgment of just how fortunate I am
(03:34):
to have the ability to travel to Italy frequently. This
is an opportunity that's not open to most people, and
I'm very, very grateful to be in this position. And
I do hope that this podcast, while it helps travelers
to Italy, can also offer a little escape for those
of you who travel vicariously for whatever reason and aren't
able to make it there in person. For those of
(03:56):
you who are in that position, I really wish I
could take you all with me.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
So thank you again for.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Tuning in, because you know, sometimes it's hard not to
be able to do the things you want to do. Now.
Of course, Italy as a catalyst for change is nothing new.
Most famously, Elizabeth Gilberts Eat Pray Love explored so many
themes and stories that resonate with all of us. Who
can forget the pizza scene from the movie starring Julia Roberts,
(04:24):
where she shares her new film wisdom about enjoying food
and life with her Swedish friends Sophie at that ohso
famous pizzeria in Naples, which is now turning into a
bit of a tourist attraction. But the feats is still
good there if you want to go try it out.
Elizabeth's story is forever etched in our collective consciousness thanks
(04:46):
to the book and the movie of the same name.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
So Eat, Pray, Love. It's the ultimate travel reinvention.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Story, and that's because she was really lucky enough to
have a publisher funded four month break. I'm not casting
any shade here, but she very lucky to have that,
and I think we.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Can all agree that we would all like one of those.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Another familiar story where Italy is the protagonist is Francis
May's Under the Tuscan Sun. For her, Italy is a
journey of healing and rediscovery as she moves on from
her divorce. Renovating her home in Tuscany is a metaphor
for rebuilding her life. So this book and the movie
of the same name is less of a travel story
(05:26):
and more of a life story. But I always enjoy
rereading the slow discovery she makes as the season's unfold
in her pocket of Tuscany, which, if you don't know
where that is, is actually near the village of Cortona,
which is in southern Tuscany. So I think a lot
of people when they want to go to Italy or
Tuscany and they want to go and see that area.
(05:48):
It's actually not that close to Florence, so it's actually
between Florence and Rome.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
So just in case you were wondering, look it up
on the map.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
The town's called Cortona and you can actually even go
and stand outside that villa. Now I know, the stories
from Elizabeth Gilbert and Francis May's resonate with so many
of you because we're all curious travelers, and you want
to keep returning to Italy again and again, despite knowing
how wonderful other countries are.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
To travel around.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
It becomes a little obsession trying to visit each region
and discover every little Italian corner. And for those of
you who may not quite understand why just yet, I'll
try and describe what happened to me and the changes
that I've noticed over the years, because you know, for me,
it wasn't really a big bang moment of revelations and
(06:37):
discovery like I mean, of course, there's artistic license that's
carried out in those books, but they are based on
real life stories. But for me, it's a million things
that change me gradually over times, those little experiences, the
day to day life, and even though I see the
day to day life, only in microcosm and only in
(06:58):
short snippets. It's had a big impact on me in
a way that's an evolution, not a revolution, if you
want to put it that way. So my tongue in
story started well before I even set foot in the country,
and that was thanks to my wonderful high school history teacher,
Miss Barclay, who opened up a world of Florentine and
(07:18):
Venetian Renaissance mystery and intrigue. We read the primary sources
and journals of merchants Pittiandaty, and delved deep into the
political machinations of the elite ruling classes of the Venetian Republic.
Let's just say it was a far cry from my
suburban life, and maybe I wasn't unusual as.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
A seventeen or sixteen or seventeen.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Year old back then, but I was really inspired by
learning about all these things and seeing that a whole.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
World of possibilities was laid out before me.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
But even before that, I was lucky enough to learn
a few words of Italian in our primary school Italian classes,
and so I'll never forget the word tom butter, which
I guess is a bit like bingo. It's a game,
so we had to match pictures of animals and shout
out the name of the animal, like Gatto the cat,
and whoever matched the most up first would win. I
(08:15):
think everyone's early memories are so formative, aren't they. So
I'm sure it's no accident then, because I was doing
this toumbala game at school for about six years or
seven years, that Italy was simmering under the surface all along.
I eventually arrived in Italy in nineteen ninety three via
Switzerland on a big bus tour from London, where I
(08:38):
was living at the time. So I was always quite adventurous,
and I did leave Australia when I was eighteen and
went to move to the UK, so at this stage
Europe had already blown my mind. The contrast to our
life in Australia was like chalk and cheese.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
The buildings, the food or.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
The languages, the currency years back then, the clothes, even
the color of the sky was different, and their strength
of the sun. Our first stop on that first tour
to Italy was Lake Garda, and it really was a revelation.
We don't have big lakes and mountains like that where
I'm from and I was awestruck. Next up on that
(09:18):
trip was Verona and finally Venice, and I can only
say that I loved what I saw and craved more.
What I do have is a journal from back then,
and I've read from it, but it's actually pretty embarrassing
and a little boring.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
So it's very descriptive.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
I think I made it from my parents actually backing
home in Australia, my brothers, but it's very descriptive and
sort of like factual based and doesn't really have a
lot of stories, although you know, I think I was
a little bit shocked about the time that they started
drinking wine in the afternoon. But apart from that, it's
very like, oh, there was a statue of Dante looking
(09:54):
brooding over the piazza, so well speed you from that.
But you know what, I didn't know it then, but
arriving in a place that's completely unfamiliar, apart from a
few paragraphs written on a tour brochure, is an experience
that most people will never have these days, because now
you can look up everything on the internet or listen
(10:17):
to things online like this podcast. I had no idea
what I was getting myself into I'd only really seen
maybe pictures in a brochure. I had no expectations and
really no idea what to do. So what I did
was I just got out and about and walked about.
And probably if I could give anyone advice about how
(10:38):
to do traveling, is that's what you should do. Just
get on the streets and go. So curiosity got the
better of me. I kept wondering and exploring, not stopping
to look at maps or even read a guidebook. If
I felt anxious, I didn't know it. I didn't think
about it. These days, I can feel a little anxious
in places that I've never physically been before. So perhaps
(11:02):
too much information is the source of some anxiety.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Anyway, In any case, my innate sense of curiosity was ignited,
and to this day I need to try new things,
meet new people, and visit new places. And I really hanker,
actually for those days where I didn't have any fear
and I would just go and walk off in any town.
And I just feel like the younger generations it's something
(11:30):
that they're going to miss out on, and I feel
a little sad about that.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
But anyway, you can.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Still recreate that if you go into a tiny town
where you can't get any information on the internet. Now,
lucky for me, Italy is like twenty or more countries
to explore in one neat package, from the sun drenched
beaches of Pulia to the mountains of Piedmont and the
rolling hills of Umbria and Tuscany. The contrast couldn't be greater.
(11:54):
On one hand, you've got Adriatic coastal charm and lots
of seafood and very relaxed way of living. And in
the middle you've got these rolling hills, charming medieval towns
and more of a rural atmosphere. And then when you
head up to the north, you get that Northern Italian
refinement and beautiful, rich, luxurious dishes and wine and gorgeous clothes.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
It outfits.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
And I love comparing and contrasting regions Italy, finding out
what unites them, which you know, it's always food, but
we'll have to argue over who does it better, and
of course the formal Italian language. But I love the
differences too. The dialects are different ways. People can say.
Jiao is unbelievable. When you think about it, it's not
such a big land mass, especially compared to where I'm
(12:46):
from here in Australia.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
So other differences.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Pasta maybe with egg and served with truffles is an
entirely different dish, even though it's pasta to the simple
ariquiete with chimpa in Pulia. So you've got a very
rusty dish in Pulia that sort of speaks to the
land around it, and then you have a very very
luxurious and rich dish from Piedmont, which again reflects the
(13:12):
landscape and the just the general vibe.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
I love all these differences.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
It makes me so excited and I can't wait to
discover all of the regions and subregions among them.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
But you know something that has changed.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Well, you know, I do really love to go exploring
and I'm really curious. But what has changed is that
now I recognize that instead of hoovering up experiences and
going at different places like they did in my twenties,
there's really beauty and joy in getting to know a
place deeply. And that brings me to Rome, which was
(13:47):
a city that I visited a few years after my
first Italian trip, and which I actually had no desire
to return to after my first trip.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
I arrived with not a lot of cash, like I was.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
As far as compared to what I am now, and
I had no extra money, like there was barely money
to get dinner.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
And I also was there with a soon to be.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Ex boyfriend, and so let's just say it was no
Roman holiday. We tramp the streets angrily, you know, having
petty fights, and eight dodgy pizza from places near the station,
and to this day, eating from dodgy places near the
station is still a no no.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
That's thirty years later.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
So a big tip view something that shouldn't be too surprising.
But if the pizza is really cheap and covered in
a thick layer of cheese, it's not that good. I
think it's pretty obvious, but just so you know, So
on that trip, we ticked all the boxes of course, Colisseum,
Vatican Museums, Pantheon, and you know, the Vatican Museums was
(14:52):
crowded and squashy even then. And for whatever reason, surprise, surprise,
I was not enamored with Rome. But I'm I'm glad
I persisted, because now that I visit the eternal city
sometimes twice a year, I just couldn't love a place more.
I have my favorite coffee spots, restaurants, shops, neighborhoods and walks,
(15:12):
and I love crossing over the Tiber River at Isola
Tiberina from Trustevre and walking over to Testacio to meet friends.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
And have dinner.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
And you know what, I always try to visit somewhere
new on each of my trips to Rome, because, as
I mentioned before, curiosity is always a motivator. And the
last time I did that, it was the Palazzo Massimo Museum,
which is overflowing with ancient treasures. Let's take a quick break, bold,
brief and back before you know it. I would definitely
(15:48):
recommend a visit and go check it out if you
love ancient history.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
It's just flora after floora of mosaics and sculptures and
artwork and everything to do with ancient Rome that's been
collected over the years. It's just magnificent and I've never
seen anything like it. Italy does reward curiosity, and you
will never be bored. If you love history, it's all
around you. If you live for food, you will eat
(16:15):
better than you ever had before. If you're inspired by
art and architecture is there too, as well as jaw
dropping landscapes and people who are really genuinely excited when
you try to speak to them in Italian, and who
are very curious and pleased that you made the effort.
Imagine if you love all of these things, Italy is
the perfect package to unleash that curiosity, and again it
(16:38):
rewards persistence. So I am so happy that I persisted
with Rome, because if I had have left on that
first impression where you know less than ideal circumstances, I
would have missed out on so many things. Now, if
my solo Italian adventures brought out curiosity and taught me
the benefits of persistence, Traveling Italy with my family taught
(17:01):
me the Italian concept of slowing down piano piano, enjoying
ladoche vita, the sweet life. Seeing it all with twin
toddlers in toe was quickly no longer an option. Instead,
we needed to take our time and ease into vacations
in a very different way.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
So back living in.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
London, I'd been living in London, and I came home
to Australia, and then I went back to London with
my husband and children when they were just little. We
got into the habit of driving to Italy from the UK,
stopping over at my cousin's place in Switzerland before settling
into a smaller town in the north of Italy for
a week or so. One September, we hunkered down in
(17:42):
Santa Maria Ligure on the Italian Riviera. The tourists for
Ds had returned home and we enjoyed the local life.
The kids were fussed over by the local nanny and
we shopped for dinner and one of the most enchanting
and full to the brim provodores you'll ever encounter. Honestly,
this place is magnificent. It's like an old school provadore
and it's got a wine section, a cheese section.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
It's really lovely.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I can't remember the name off the top of my head,
but I will ask Katie to put it into the
show notes. We would walk along the Langobarre and Santa
Marie Lagure and stop to look at the boats bobbing
in the water, and stroll up to the castle on
the hill. Life is pretty simple when you've got a
couple of twin toddlers. Now, one day, as we were
having our little walk, our passagiata. We stumbled upon a
(18:28):
local music festival in a tiny little piazza.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
Our daughter has.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Always loved dancing, and she started bopping along to those
jazz grooves were coming from the little band that was
playing in the piazza, and she was really cute, she
really was, and she must have caught the eye of
a little boy who decided to make his moves.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
And what he did was he walked up to her,
pinched her cheeks, and planted a kiss on her, and she.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Literally let out the most hugor scream I've ever heard.
So good for her, She's got an in built consent mechanism,
and you know, she did not consent, So therefore there
was the screen. The little boy, whose name turned out
to be Jacomo, was a little bit stunned, and his
mum swept in, apologizing profusely. Jacomo got a good scolding,
(19:15):
but after all the excitement of her first kiss on
the Italian riviera, no less, my daughter got back to
laughing and dancing and enjoying the music, and we all
did until the sun dipped below the horizon and it
was definitely time for some more pasta alipesto. What did
I learn from this well for my travels. I'm very
sure that's an experience I wouldn't have had without the
(19:36):
kids in tow. We likely would have said somewhere different
and probably would have had been getting ready for dinner
or exploring another town when that concert was happening. Enjoying
this slow moment in a regional Italian town was magic,
but it also reinforced something I already knew deep down
that most people had the same core desires, no matter
where they are in the world, to enjoy those simple
(19:57):
moments with family and friends, music and laughing and dancing,
and also to not have their kid embarrass them in public.
We've got so many lovely family memories from our travels
in Italy, from mega highlights like boat trips around carpri
to simpler moments like cuddling baby goats in Tuscany and
my son doing his Roman Pastor challenge earlier this year.
(20:19):
He's also got a very strong connection with a place
in Amelia, Ramanna, which he always wants to go back
to that revolves around Balsamic Vinegap, which he's obsessed with.
So we have a really strong connection as a family
to Italy, and I can't wait.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
To see how that evolves.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
After all, these children are half Italian, and while they're
currently in their zooming around wanting to see the whole
world era, I'm quite sure that Italy will lure them
back now if he would like an more introspective and
deeper look at the profound ways exploring Italy with children
can impact you. Anthony Duo's memoir Four Seasons in Rome
captures this beautifully. He relates the beauty and frustrations of
(20:59):
raising his young twins and they were literally infants when
they got there. Over a year spent in Rome, and
I loved reading this perspective and his unfolding appreciation of
Italian life. It's definitely worth the read, even if you
are not the parent of twins yourself, because he writes
absolutely beautifully.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Another way that.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Italy has made an impact on my life is a
deeper appreciation for attention to detail and quality and the
commitment to task necessary to make products that last. Our
world in Australia can be very much about fast paced
efficiency and low cost options. It's so easy to fall
into a rut and rely on Amazon orders and home
delivery for all manner of things. When I'm in Italy
(21:40):
and surrounded by centuries old architecture, some standing for over
a millennia. It always makes me stop and reflect on
whether the things that we create today will last and
be considered as beautiful as we find those remnants of
the past. I love the quiet, nonchalant confidence of Italians
who simply know that their heritage is there right in
front of them, waiting to be enjoyed and ad buyed.
(22:02):
This commitment to tradition is something that I deeply respect.
From the costumes the locals we're in the festivals in
South Tyrol, to the meticulous management of balsamic vinegar barrels
and parmesano reggiano cheese in Amelia Ammannia and the Saint's
Day rituals in Southern Italy. These practices are slow, methodical
and committed to quality and a deeper experience. You can't
(22:25):
rush these things to make them better. So how do
they know that in Italy?
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Well?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I guess Italians have been working at celebrating in this
way for centuries. So whether it's perfecting the latest Burrollo
vintage or selecting the most suitable fruits and vegetables at
the market, I love watching Italians go about their day
or making something unique with an eye to longevity and tradition.
These days, when I'm in Italy, I try and bring
(22:50):
back some of that commitment home with me, whether it's
an item or a feeling. So one time I bought
a tablecloth made from umbri and linen that we use
for special occasions in our family. But often it's a
special memory of watching and listening to someone take immense
pride and pleasure in creating something for others to enjoy,
whether that's a delicious cheese or a ceramic bowl. But
(23:13):
certain traditions in Italy can also be a little frustrating.
Watching the famous bureaucracy grind away and having to adapt
to infrastructure run on truly and equated processes and ideas
can almost tip you over the edge, especially if you
run a business that relies on those things working. But
what I've learned from traveling and being in Italy is
(23:34):
that sometimes and somehow this stuff magically comes together at
the last minute the way that it always has. Bringing
your type a control freak tendencies to an Italian negotiation
is not going to get you anywhere. So when we
assume in our culture that everyone's looking for a growth opportunity.
As a general rule, Italians are looking for an enjoyable
(23:57):
and relaxing life. So if you're ever worried about robots
and AI taking over the world, go to Italy. They
are all stuck in the early two thousands. When it
comes to internet infrastructure and other consumer technologies. Well, I'm
probably a bit exaggerating, but they don't actually seem to
be motivated to change those things all that much. There
are exceptions, of course, and let me be clear, Italy
(24:20):
is a very modern country in a lot of respects.
It has an outstanding engineering and technology talent and some
incredibly high end and high tech businesses. You just have
to look at Ferrari and Lamborghini to see that. But
for the most part, Italians are quite happy, it seems,
doing things that they've always done and things that will
continue that way as far as the eye can see.
(24:42):
I guess living in places that have endured for centuries
largely unchanged will do that too. I love this and
I love to really take stock and take that home.
But even in the highest tech industries, people in Italy
stay connected to traditions, daily rhythms.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Of the land, and people.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
I'm generalizing, of course, I'll never forget an Italian boss
that I had when I was working in the tech industry,
who generally inspired by all the possibilities of automation and engineering,
but whose favorite thing to do ever, was to go
home in August and spend a simple Vedigosto summer break
with his extended family by lake Garda. Simple dishes, long
conversations that went well into the night, spending time with
(25:21):
family and friends, and being in nature were his numero
uno priority. He simply would not adjust his schedule if
it meant missing out on this for at least two
weeks a year, preferably a month.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
I've seen and.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Heard this from Italians from all walks of life, and
it's not performative.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Where we like to go out.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
We'll out with decorating and up in the anteon dishes
that we're making. Italians have an easy rhythm that goes
lockstep with tradition. Dishes come out for Christmas in the
same way that they have every year since anyone could remember,
based on what's available at the time, not what can
be flown in. At certain times of the year, you'll
find special cats at the fastigiaria that are simply made
(25:59):
at no other time of the year, no matter how
delicious they are, Pandoro and panatone for Christmas. Sometimes you
see them at Easter, but that's something to look forward
to and cherish and to argue over who makes the
be one. That's another thing I love about Italians. They
love to argue, but it's in a very friendly way.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Moving with the.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Seasons and connecting to that rhythm is something I appreciate
more thanks to spending time in Italy. Spring in Venice
looks and feels different to autom and fall. There's a
different energy. So in spring you've got like a rebirth,
a renewal, and you can feel it in everywhere that
you go, like the streets start to become buzzy and
more energetic. In winter, everything is like a little bit
(26:39):
of languid, slower pace, but in a cold weather kind
of way.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
Not like it is in summer.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Sins are important and they provide a reset point for
whatever came before and what's coming next is comfanying and predictable,
and it's really much more so than rushing about now.
I don't want to sound like I'm romantic, as in
Italy too much. It is a country, just like all
of ours, that is full of contradictions, politicians behaving badly,
(27:07):
power imbalances and wealth inequality and corruption and all of
those things. As tourists or travelers, we might not see
this side because in truth, we're not really looking for it.
We want that escape and that feeling of wonder and awe.
But once you've visited a few times, you might pick
up on this a little bit more. An ill kept beach,
unnecessarily overcrowded attractions, frustrated teenagers with too much time on
(27:31):
their hands and few opportunities, or trash piling up on
street corners. What this has emphasized to me is that
nothing is black and white, and two or more things
can be true at the same time. Italy can be glorious, inspiring,
full of wonder and excitement, but at the same time
it can be frustrating, annoying, and bewildering. And I think
it's because of these contradictions that I keep going back.
(27:55):
There's no ying without yang, or to put it another way,
how can you appreciate if you.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Haven't seen the ordinary or ugly?
Speaker 1 (28:04):
And it's most intriguing for me Italy is a place
where curiosity and persistence are rewarded, Tradition is enhanced by innovation,
and people connect over micro moments and community and we
never know what's around the corner. It's the place that
inspired and nurtured countless artists, writers, architects, and designers. But
it also holds its communities and traditions close, so they
(28:25):
have it. That's my Italian story. It's one of incremental
change and unfolding discoveries. I know that fast and quick,
revelatory stories are what's popular these days, but you know
that's not my experience, at least when it comes to Italy.
With each interaction with Italy, I've grown and changed and
I wouldn't have it any other way. For me, Italy
(28:46):
was never a therapy project, although to be fair, at
times it has been therapy, and let's all pay respection
to that life changing cheese.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Instead, Italy has.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Become my work and community and has fueled my creator activity,
and for that I will be forever grateful. What would
my life be without Italy, I wonder, We'll never know,
but the beauty is that, for sure, Italy has given
me more than I will ever share back. So tell
me how has Italy changed you. Was it a lightning
bolt impact or has it been a slow burn of discovery.
(29:18):
I'd love to know. Everyone has a unique perspective on
their travels, depending on where and when they go and
their situation in life. And that's why there is no
right or wrong way to travel and experience things. You do.
You go your own way and have those moments of
curiosity and discovery. If you're in your fast beed, curiosity
driven travel era, go for it. If you prefer a
(29:40):
slower pace, you do you too. There's something there in
Italy for everyone. So that's a rap for today. There's
only one more thing left to do now, and it's
very important, and that's the thingk Our incredible Untold Italy team,
the other Katie Clark on organizing everything and the podcast
notes that are so good they even get their own reviews.
(30:02):
Thank you, Walter, the pol Walter from Canada. We really
appreciate that review that you did recently. We also have
Mark on audio editing and making everyone sound fabulous, Cassie
who looks after our app and making sure you know
that the podcasts are available there. And then there's Olivia
and Andrea from Italian Wine Tails, and our tour team
(30:23):
as well, and.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Our trip consulting team.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
None of this is possible without them, so I say
grout simulated to them and to all of you. It's
no coincidence that most of these people I've met through
this podcast and they share, of course, our wonderful connection
with Italy. So that's one more thing to add to
the list to be grateful to Italy. For next week,
I'm introducing you to one of our favorite guests who
(30:47):
has joined us on several tours. Always fun and with
an unmatched passion for Italy. You're going to love her.
But until then, it's chow for now. The untol Italy
podcast is an independent production, cast editing, audio production and
website development by Mark Hatter, Production assistance and content writing
by the are they kJ Clark, Yes, there are two
(31:08):
of us. For more information about Untold Italy, please visit
Untold Italy dot com.
Italy is beautiful, inspiring, fun, and a little crazy. It's
not just a destination for many of us. It's a
place that has and continues to influence the way we
see and interact with the world. For our three hundred episode,
I'm sharing all the ways Italy changed me and how
it might change you too.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Tawatuti and Benvenuti Tuan Told Italy the travel podcast to
where you go to the towns and villages, mountains and lakes,
hills and coastlines of Bella, Italia. Each week, your host
Katie Clark takes you on a journey in a search
of magical landscapes, history, culture, wine, gelato, and of course,
(00:45):
a whole lot of pasta. If you're dreaming of Italy
and planning future adventures there, you've come to the right place.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Gil friends, Welcome to another episode of Untold Italy. Today,
we are celebrating three hundred episodes, and I admit that
that's quite amazing for a whole bunch of reasons, not
the least of them being that we show up every
week to bring you our listeners a little slice of
traveling in Italy through the voices of those who are
passionate about their country or travels there. I'm very, very
(01:23):
proud of what we create here each and every week
on Untold Italy, and I know that some of you
have been here listening right from the very start, from
the very early days of COVID, when we all struggled
with our relationship with the world around us and an
uncertain future, and that's carried on all the way through
the euphoria of going back to Italy and the last
years of exploring more and more. I've met some of
(01:46):
you in various places around the world, and it's been
an absolute pleasure and my honor to spend so much
time with you, whether we've met in person or you've
been walking, driving, commuting, cleaning your house with my voice
in your ears, but always dreaming of Italy. Gazimile, thank
you so much for tuning in. It means the world
to us. Now for those of you who are new
(02:08):
here or perhaps haven't listened to all three hundred episodes,
and you'll forgiven I don't blame you.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
That's a lot of episodes.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
This podcast started almost six years ago at the beginning
of the pandemic with my friend Josie, and since then
we've covered all sorts of topics, from what to see
and do in Rome, Florence and Venice and the major cities,
to logistics and transport information and tips, Italian language lessons,
food and wine to try, and my favorite episodes the
(02:36):
ones where I check with local Italians about the places
that they love and the experiences that they would like
travelers to have when they visit Italy. Three hundred is
a lot of episodes and it's not easy to find
specific topics on the podcast apps, so I recommend that
if you're looking for something specific, you go to our
website Untold Italy dot com and do a search for
(02:58):
the topic that interests you, or we have everything nicely
categorized in the ad free format on the premium version
of our Untold Italy app, for example transport, Rome, Sicily.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Wine and you get the idea.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
So, now this is a special milestone For this episode,
I thought i'd share why Italy is so important to
me and how my relationship with the country i've visited
most and enjoyed has in changed me in ways that
I never expected. But first of when I preface this
conversation with an acknowledgment of just how fortunate I am
(03:34):
to have the ability to travel to Italy frequently. This
is an opportunity that's not open to most people, and
I'm very, very grateful to be in this position. And
I do hope that this podcast, while it helps travelers
to Italy, can also offer a little escape for those
of you who travel vicariously for whatever reason and aren't
able to make it there in person. For those of
(03:56):
you who are in that position, I really wish I
could take you all with me.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
So thank you again for.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Tuning in, because you know, sometimes it's hard not to
be able to do the things you want to do. Now.
Of course, Italy as a catalyst for change is nothing new.
Most famously, Elizabeth Gilberts Eat Pray Love explored so many
themes and stories that resonate with all of us. Who
can forget the pizza scene from the movie starring Julia Roberts,
(04:24):
where she shares her new film wisdom about enjoying food
and life with her Swedish friends Sophie at that ohso
famous pizzeria in Naples, which is now turning into a
bit of a tourist attraction. But the feats is still
good there if you want to go try it out.
Elizabeth's story is forever etched in our collective consciousness thanks
(04:46):
to the book and the movie of the same name.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
So Eat, Pray, Love. It's the ultimate travel reinvention.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Story, and that's because she was really lucky enough to
have a publisher funded four month break. I'm not casting
any shade here, but she very lucky to have that,
and I think we.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Can all agree that we would all like one of those.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Another familiar story where Italy is the protagonist is Francis
May's Under the Tuscan Sun. For her, Italy is a
journey of healing and rediscovery as she moves on from
her divorce. Renovating her home in Tuscany is a metaphor
for rebuilding her life. So this book and the movie
of the same name is less of a travel story
(05:26):
and more of a life story. But I always enjoy
rereading the slow discovery she makes as the season's unfold
in her pocket of Tuscany, which, if you don't know
where that is, is actually near the village of Cortona,
which is in southern Tuscany. So I think a lot
of people when they want to go to Italy or
Tuscany and they want to go and see that area.
(05:48):
It's actually not that close to Florence, so it's actually
between Florence and Rome.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
So just in case you were wondering, look it up
on the map.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
The town's called Cortona and you can actually even go
and stand outside that villa. Now I know, the stories
from Elizabeth Gilbert and Francis May's resonate with so many
of you because we're all curious travelers, and you want
to keep returning to Italy again and again, despite knowing
how wonderful other countries are.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
To travel around.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
It becomes a little obsession trying to visit each region
and discover every little Italian corner. And for those of
you who may not quite understand why just yet, I'll
try and describe what happened to me and the changes
that I've noticed over the years, because you know, for me,
it wasn't really a big bang moment of revelations and
(06:37):
discovery like I mean, of course, there's artistic license that's
carried out in those books, but they are based on
real life stories. But for me, it's a million things
that change me gradually over times, those little experiences, the
day to day life, and even though I see the
day to day life, only in microcosm and only in
(06:58):
short snippets. It's had a big impact on me in
a way that's an evolution, not a revolution, if you
want to put it that way. So my tongue in
story started well before I even set foot in the country,
and that was thanks to my wonderful high school history teacher,
Miss Barclay, who opened up a world of Florentine and
(07:18):
Venetian Renaissance mystery and intrigue. We read the primary sources
and journals of merchants Pittiandaty, and delved deep into the
political machinations of the elite ruling classes of the Venetian Republic.
Let's just say it was a far cry from my
suburban life, and maybe I wasn't unusual as.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
A seventeen or sixteen or seventeen.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Year old back then, but I was really inspired by
learning about all these things and seeing that a whole.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
World of possibilities was laid out before me.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
But even before that, I was lucky enough to learn
a few words of Italian in our primary school Italian classes,
and so I'll never forget the word tom butter, which
I guess is a bit like bingo. It's a game,
so we had to match pictures of animals and shout
out the name of the animal, like Gatto the cat,
and whoever matched the most up first would win. I
(08:15):
think everyone's early memories are so formative, aren't they. So
I'm sure it's no accident then, because I was doing
this toumbala game at school for about six years or
seven years, that Italy was simmering under the surface all along.
I eventually arrived in Italy in nineteen ninety three via
Switzerland on a big bus tour from London, where I
(08:38):
was living at the time. So I was always quite adventurous,
and I did leave Australia when I was eighteen and
went to move to the UK, so at this stage
Europe had already blown my mind. The contrast to our
life in Australia was like chalk and cheese.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
The buildings, the food or.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
The languages, the currency years back then, the clothes, even
the color of the sky was different, and their strength
of the sun. Our first stop on that first tour
to Italy was Lake Garda, and it really was a revelation.
We don't have big lakes and mountains like that where
I'm from and I was awestruck. Next up on that
(09:18):
trip was Verona and finally Venice, and I can only
say that I loved what I saw and craved more.
What I do have is a journal from back then,
and I've read from it, but it's actually pretty embarrassing
and a little boring.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
So it's very descriptive.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
I think I made it from my parents actually backing
home in Australia, my brothers, but it's very descriptive and
sort of like factual based and doesn't really have a
lot of stories, although you know, I think I was
a little bit shocked about the time that they started
drinking wine in the afternoon. But apart from that, it's
very like, oh, there was a statue of Dante looking
(09:54):
brooding over the piazza, so well speed you from that.
But you know what, I didn't know it then, but
arriving in a place that's completely unfamiliar, apart from a
few paragraphs written on a tour brochure, is an experience
that most people will never have these days, because now
you can look up everything on the internet or listen
(10:17):
to things online like this podcast. I had no idea
what I was getting myself into I'd only really seen
maybe pictures in a brochure. I had no expectations and
really no idea what to do. So what I did
was I just got out and about and walked about.
And probably if I could give anyone advice about how
(10:38):
to do traveling, is that's what you should do. Just
get on the streets and go. So curiosity got the
better of me. I kept wondering and exploring, not stopping
to look at maps or even read a guidebook. If
I felt anxious, I didn't know it. I didn't think
about it. These days, I can feel a little anxious
in places that I've never physically been before. So perhaps
(11:02):
too much information is the source of some anxiety.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Anyway, In any case, my innate sense of curiosity was ignited,
and to this day I need to try new things,
meet new people, and visit new places. And I really hanker,
actually for those days where I didn't have any fear
and I would just go and walk off in any town.
And I just feel like the younger generations it's something
(11:30):
that they're going to miss out on, and I feel
a little sad about that.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
But anyway, you can.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Still recreate that if you go into a tiny town
where you can't get any information on the internet. Now,
lucky for me, Italy is like twenty or more countries
to explore in one neat package, from the sun drenched
beaches of Pulia to the mountains of Piedmont and the
rolling hills of Umbria and Tuscany. The contrast couldn't be greater.
(11:54):
On one hand, you've got Adriatic coastal charm and lots
of seafood and very relaxed way of living. And in
the middle you've got these rolling hills, charming medieval towns
and more of a rural atmosphere. And then when you
head up to the north, you get that Northern Italian
refinement and beautiful, rich, luxurious dishes and wine and gorgeous clothes.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
It outfits.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
And I love comparing and contrasting regions Italy, finding out
what unites them, which you know, it's always food, but
we'll have to argue over who does it better, and
of course the formal Italian language. But I love the
differences too. The dialects are different ways. People can say.
Jiao is unbelievable. When you think about it, it's not
such a big land mass, especially compared to where I'm
(12:46):
from here in Australia.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
So other differences.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Pasta maybe with egg and served with truffles is an
entirely different dish, even though it's pasta to the simple
ariquiete with chimpa in Pulia. So you've got a very
rusty dish in Pulia that sort of speaks to the
land around it, and then you have a very very
luxurious and rich dish from Piedmont, which again reflects the
(13:12):
landscape and the just the general vibe.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
I love all these differences.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
It makes me so excited and I can't wait to
discover all of the regions and subregions among them.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
But you know something that has changed.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Well, you know, I do really love to go exploring
and I'm really curious. But what has changed is that
now I recognize that instead of hoovering up experiences and
going at different places like they did in my twenties,
there's really beauty and joy in getting to know a
place deeply. And that brings me to Rome, which was
(13:47):
a city that I visited a few years after my
first Italian trip, and which I actually had no desire
to return to after my first trip.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
I arrived with not a lot of cash, like I was.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
As far as compared to what I am now, and
I had no extra money, like there was barely money
to get dinner.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
And I also was there with a soon to be.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Ex boyfriend, and so let's just say it was no
Roman holiday. We tramp the streets angrily, you know, having
petty fights, and eight dodgy pizza from places near the station,
and to this day, eating from dodgy places near the
station is still a no no.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
That's thirty years later.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
So a big tip view something that shouldn't be too surprising.
But if the pizza is really cheap and covered in
a thick layer of cheese, it's not that good. I
think it's pretty obvious, but just so you know, So
on that trip, we ticked all the boxes of course, Colisseum,
Vatican Museums, Pantheon, and you know, the Vatican Museums was
(14:52):
crowded and squashy even then. And for whatever reason, surprise, surprise,
I was not enamored with Rome. But I'm I'm glad
I persisted, because now that I visit the eternal city
sometimes twice a year, I just couldn't love a place more.
I have my favorite coffee spots, restaurants, shops, neighborhoods and walks,
(15:12):
and I love crossing over the Tiber River at Isola
Tiberina from Trustevre and walking over to Testacio to meet friends.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
And have dinner.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
And you know what, I always try to visit somewhere
new on each of my trips to Rome, because, as
I mentioned before, curiosity is always a motivator. And the
last time I did that, it was the Palazzo Massimo Museum,
which is overflowing with ancient treasures. Let's take a quick break, bold,
brief and back before you know it. I would definitely
(15:48):
recommend a visit and go check it out if you
love ancient history.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
It's just flora after floora of mosaics and sculptures and
artwork and everything to do with ancient Rome that's been
collected over the years. It's just magnificent and I've never
seen anything like it. Italy does reward curiosity, and you
will never be bored. If you love history, it's all
around you. If you live for food, you will eat
(16:15):
better than you ever had before. If you're inspired by
art and architecture is there too, as well as jaw
dropping landscapes and people who are really genuinely excited when
you try to speak to them in Italian, and who
are very curious and pleased that you made the effort.
Imagine if you love all of these things, Italy is
the perfect package to unleash that curiosity, and again it
(16:38):
rewards persistence. So I am so happy that I persisted
with Rome, because if I had have left on that
first impression where you know less than ideal circumstances, I
would have missed out on so many things. Now, if
my solo Italian adventures brought out curiosity and taught me
the benefits of persistence, Traveling Italy with my family taught
(17:01):
me the Italian concept of slowing down piano piano, enjoying
ladoche vita, the sweet life. Seeing it all with twin
toddlers in toe was quickly no longer an option. Instead,
we needed to take our time and ease into vacations
in a very different way.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
So back living in.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
London, I'd been living in London, and I came home
to Australia, and then I went back to London with
my husband and children when they were just little. We
got into the habit of driving to Italy from the UK,
stopping over at my cousin's place in Switzerland before settling
into a smaller town in the north of Italy for
a week or so. One September, we hunkered down in
(17:42):
Santa Maria Ligure on the Italian Riviera. The tourists for
Ds had returned home and we enjoyed the local life.
The kids were fussed over by the local nanny and
we shopped for dinner and one of the most enchanting
and full to the brim provodores you'll ever encounter. Honestly,
this place is magnificent. It's like an old school provadore
and it's got a wine section, a cheese section.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
It's really lovely.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I can't remember the name off the top of my head,
but I will ask Katie to put it into the
show notes. We would walk along the Langobarre and Santa
Marie Lagure and stop to look at the boats bobbing
in the water, and stroll up to the castle on
the hill. Life is pretty simple when you've got a
couple of twin toddlers. Now, one day, as we were
having our little walk, our passagiata. We stumbled upon a
(18:28):
local music festival in a tiny little piazza.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
Our daughter has.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Always loved dancing, and she started bopping along to those
jazz grooves were coming from the little band that was
playing in the piazza, and she was really cute, she
really was, and she must have caught the eye of
a little boy who decided to make his moves.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
And what he did was he walked up to her,
pinched her cheeks, and planted a kiss on her, and she.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Literally let out the most hugor scream I've ever heard.
So good for her, She's got an in built consent mechanism,
and you know, she did not consent, So therefore there
was the screen. The little boy, whose name turned out
to be Jacomo, was a little bit stunned, and his
mum swept in, apologizing profusely. Jacomo got a good scolding,
(19:15):
but after all the excitement of her first kiss on
the Italian riviera, no less, my daughter got back to
laughing and dancing and enjoying the music, and we all
did until the sun dipped below the horizon and it
was definitely time for some more pasta alipesto. What did
I learn from this well for my travels. I'm very
sure that's an experience I wouldn't have had without the
(19:36):
kids in tow. We likely would have said somewhere different
and probably would have had been getting ready for dinner
or exploring another town when that concert was happening. Enjoying
this slow moment in a regional Italian town was magic,
but it also reinforced something I already knew deep down
that most people had the same core desires, no matter
where they are in the world, to enjoy those simple
(19:57):
moments with family and friends, music and laughing and dancing,
and also to not have their kid embarrass them in public.
We've got so many lovely family memories from our travels
in Italy, from mega highlights like boat trips around carpri
to simpler moments like cuddling baby goats in Tuscany and
my son doing his Roman Pastor challenge earlier this year.
(20:19):
He's also got a very strong connection with a place
in Amelia, Ramanna, which he always wants to go back
to that revolves around Balsamic Vinegap, which he's obsessed with.
So we have a really strong connection as a family
to Italy, and I can't wait.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
To see how that evolves.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
After all, these children are half Italian, and while they're
currently in their zooming around wanting to see the whole
world era, I'm quite sure that Italy will lure them
back now if he would like an more introspective and
deeper look at the profound ways exploring Italy with children
can impact you. Anthony Duo's memoir Four Seasons in Rome
captures this beautifully. He relates the beauty and frustrations of
(20:59):
raising his young twins and they were literally infants when
they got there. Over a year spent in Rome, and
I loved reading this perspective and his unfolding appreciation of
Italian life. It's definitely worth the read, even if you
are not the parent of twins yourself, because he writes
absolutely beautifully.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Another way that.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Italy has made an impact on my life is a
deeper appreciation for attention to detail and quality and the
commitment to task necessary to make products that last. Our
world in Australia can be very much about fast paced
efficiency and low cost options. It's so easy to fall
into a rut and rely on Amazon orders and home
delivery for all manner of things. When I'm in Italy
(21:40):
and surrounded by centuries old architecture, some standing for over
a millennia. It always makes me stop and reflect on
whether the things that we create today will last and
be considered as beautiful as we find those remnants of
the past. I love the quiet, nonchalant confidence of Italians
who simply know that their heritage is there right in
front of them, waiting to be enjoyed and ad buyed.
(22:02):
This commitment to tradition is something that I deeply respect.
From the costumes the locals we're in the festivals in
South Tyrol, to the meticulous management of balsamic vinegar barrels
and parmesano reggiano cheese in Amelia Ammannia and the Saint's
Day rituals in Southern Italy. These practices are slow, methodical
and committed to quality and a deeper experience. You can't
(22:25):
rush these things to make them better. So how do
they know that in Italy?
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Well?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I guess Italians have been working at celebrating in this
way for centuries. So whether it's perfecting the latest Burrollo
vintage or selecting the most suitable fruits and vegetables at
the market, I love watching Italians go about their day
or making something unique with an eye to longevity and tradition.
These days, when I'm in Italy, I try and bring
(22:50):
back some of that commitment home with me, whether it's
an item or a feeling. So one time I bought
a tablecloth made from umbri and linen that we use
for special occasions in our family. But often it's a
special memory of watching and listening to someone take immense
pride and pleasure in creating something for others to enjoy,
whether that's a delicious cheese or a ceramic bowl. But
(23:13):
certain traditions in Italy can also be a little frustrating.
Watching the famous bureaucracy grind away and having to adapt
to infrastructure run on truly and equated processes and ideas
can almost tip you over the edge, especially if you
run a business that relies on those things working. But
what I've learned from traveling and being in Italy is
(23:34):
that sometimes and somehow this stuff magically comes together at
the last minute the way that it always has. Bringing
your type a control freak tendencies to an Italian negotiation
is not going to get you anywhere. So when we
assume in our culture that everyone's looking for a growth opportunity.
As a general rule, Italians are looking for an enjoyable
(23:57):
and relaxing life. So if you're ever worried about robots
and AI taking over the world, go to Italy. They
are all stuck in the early two thousands. When it
comes to internet infrastructure and other consumer technologies. Well, I'm
probably a bit exaggerating, but they don't actually seem to
be motivated to change those things all that much. There
are exceptions, of course, and let me be clear, Italy
(24:20):
is a very modern country in a lot of respects.
It has an outstanding engineering and technology talent and some
incredibly high end and high tech businesses. You just have
to look at Ferrari and Lamborghini to see that. But
for the most part, Italians are quite happy, it seems,
doing things that they've always done and things that will
continue that way as far as the eye can see.
(24:42):
I guess living in places that have endured for centuries
largely unchanged will do that too. I love this and
I love to really take stock and take that home.
But even in the highest tech industries, people in Italy
stay connected to traditions, daily rhythms.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Of the land, and people.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
I'm generalizing, of course, I'll never forget an Italian boss
that I had when I was working in the tech industry,
who generally inspired by all the possibilities of automation and engineering,
but whose favorite thing to do ever, was to go
home in August and spend a simple Vedigosto summer break
with his extended family by lake Garda. Simple dishes, long
conversations that went well into the night, spending time with
(25:21):
family and friends, and being in nature were his numero
uno priority. He simply would not adjust his schedule if
it meant missing out on this for at least two
weeks a year, preferably a month.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
I've seen and.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Heard this from Italians from all walks of life, and
it's not performative.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Where we like to go out.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
We'll out with decorating and up in the anteon dishes
that we're making. Italians have an easy rhythm that goes
lockstep with tradition. Dishes come out for Christmas in the
same way that they have every year since anyone could remember,
based on what's available at the time, not what can
be flown in. At certain times of the year, you'll
find special cats at the fastigiaria that are simply made
(25:59):
at no other time of the year, no matter how
delicious they are, Pandoro and panatone for Christmas. Sometimes you
see them at Easter, but that's something to look forward
to and cherish and to argue over who makes the
be one. That's another thing I love about Italians. They
love to argue, but it's in a very friendly way.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Moving with the.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Seasons and connecting to that rhythm is something I appreciate
more thanks to spending time in Italy. Spring in Venice
looks and feels different to autom and fall. There's a
different energy. So in spring you've got like a rebirth,
a renewal, and you can feel it in everywhere that
you go, like the streets start to become buzzy and
more energetic. In winter, everything is like a little bit
(26:39):
of languid, slower pace, but in a cold weather kind
of way.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
Not like it is in summer.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Sins are important and they provide a reset point for
whatever came before and what's coming next is comfanying and predictable,
and it's really much more so than rushing about now.
I don't want to sound like I'm romantic, as in
Italy too much. It is a country, just like all
of ours, that is full of contradictions, politicians behaving badly,
(27:07):
power imbalances and wealth inequality and corruption and all of
those things. As tourists or travelers, we might not see
this side because in truth, we're not really looking for it.
We want that escape and that feeling of wonder and awe.
But once you've visited a few times, you might pick
up on this a little bit more. An ill kept beach,
unnecessarily overcrowded attractions, frustrated teenagers with too much time on
(27:31):
their hands and few opportunities, or trash piling up on
street corners. What this has emphasized to me is that
nothing is black and white, and two or more things
can be true at the same time. Italy can be glorious, inspiring,
full of wonder and excitement, but at the same time
it can be frustrating, annoying, and bewildering. And I think
it's because of these contradictions that I keep going back.
(27:55):
There's no ying without yang, or to put it another way,
how can you appreciate if you.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Haven't seen the ordinary or ugly?
Speaker 1 (28:04):
And it's most intriguing for me Italy is a place
where curiosity and persistence are rewarded, Tradition is enhanced by innovation,
and people connect over micro moments and community and we
never know what's around the corner. It's the place that
inspired and nurtured countless artists, writers, architects, and designers. But
it also holds its communities and traditions close, so they
(28:25):
have it. That's my Italian story. It's one of incremental
change and unfolding discoveries. I know that fast and quick,
revelatory stories are what's popular these days, but you know
that's not my experience, at least when it comes to Italy.
With each interaction with Italy, I've grown and changed and
I wouldn't have it any other way. For me, Italy
(28:46):
was never a therapy project, although to be fair, at
times it has been therapy, and let's all pay respection
to that life changing cheese.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Instead, Italy has.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Become my work and community and has fueled my creator activity,
and for that I will be forever grateful. What would
my life be without Italy, I wonder, We'll never know,
but the beauty is that, for sure, Italy has given
me more than I will ever share back. So tell
me how has Italy changed you. Was it a lightning
bolt impact or has it been a slow burn of discovery.
(29:18):
I'd love to know. Everyone has a unique perspective on
their travels, depending on where and when they go and
their situation in life. And that's why there is no
right or wrong way to travel and experience things. You do.
You go your own way and have those moments of
curiosity and discovery. If you're in your fast beed, curiosity
driven travel era, go for it. If you prefer a
(29:40):
slower pace, you do you too. There's something there in
Italy for everyone. So that's a rap for today. There's
only one more thing left to do now, and it's
very important, and that's the thingk Our incredible Untold Italy team,
the other Katie Clark on organizing everything and the podcast
notes that are so good they even get their own reviews.
(30:02):
Thank you, Walter, the pol Walter from Canada. We really
appreciate that review that you did recently. We also have
Mark on audio editing and making everyone sound fabulous, Cassie
who looks after our app and making sure you know
that the podcasts are available there. And then there's Olivia
and Andrea from Italian Wine Tails, and our tour team
(30:23):
as well, and.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Our trip consulting team.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
None of this is possible without them, so I say
grout simulated to them and to all of you. It's
no coincidence that most of these people I've met through
this podcast and they share, of course, our wonderful connection
with Italy. So that's one more thing to add to
the list to be grateful to Italy. For next week,
I'm introducing you to one of our favorite guests who
(30:47):
has joined us on several tours. Always fun and with
an unmatched passion for Italy. You're going to love her.
But until then, it's chow for now. The untol Italy
podcast is an independent production, cast editing, audio production and
website development by Mark Hatter, Production assistance and content writing
by the are they kJ Clark, Yes, there are two
(31:08):
of us. For more information about Untold Italy, please visit
Untold Italy dot com.
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