Why watch a travel video? A majority of them are meant to be inspirational. They feature grand vistas, drone shots in which the viewer gets the sensation of floating at a tranquil rate of slowness over grand castles overlooking the rooftops of little houses leaning against each other lovingly.
These are not those. I envision the travel videos on Wandering Italy to be little travel tips that would allow the viewer to be more aware of the culture of Italy. We'll take you to an outdoor market and show you how to shop and warn you not to touch the veggies without expressed permission. We'll show you what a toll booth on the Autostrada and which lane a tourist with cash needs to use. Practical advice that will make your visit flow easier.
The first category of video are slightly longer looks at a region, identifying the things that make it different than the rest. The next category are those tips, from eating fish on the coast to local music and how to by wine the Italian way.
Regional Introduction Videos
Video tips and Insights for travel to Italy
Extraordinary Culinary Ingredients: Example of the common raw materials Italians have access to in the Lunigiana, like onions and beans, and how they can be used to be the stars of a dish.
How to Drive the Italian Autostrada (and pay!) - This is how it looks when you pull up to an Italian toll booth. Be prepared!
How to Ride Trains in Italy - See it all, from finding a route, to buying a ticket and validating it.
Musica Romagnola - The traditional folk music of the Romagna territory, a theatrical love story played out in a small hotel in Igea Marina on the Adriatic coast.
The Fishers of Giovinazzo - You want a relaxing morning? Try hanging out along the Lungomare, watching the fisherman and their boats before strolling to the piazza for your morning coffee.
Pizzica Salentina - Video showing the frenetic music and dance that is part of the Tarantella tradition as played by the ethnomusic group Alla Bua in a Masseria near Lecce on the Selento peninsula of Puglia.
Sardinia Basket Making - Flussio Art shows us how baskets are made from the Asphodel plant in this video.
Bosa Filet Lace - Giovanna Ledda shows us how it's done. She was 92 when we made this video, and her hands were fast and sure, her eyes still perfect.
In Their Own Words: Bella Baita - Marla and Fabrizio introduce their Alpine retreat, which features cooking classes, mountain biking and more in the Val Chisone of Piemonte.
Luminaria di Santa Croce di Lucca - A religious procession held in Lucca along candle lit streets in the walled city on September 13th is a challenge to capture on video, but we've managed to come up with a few minutes of the preparation and the procession.
Lucca in a Morning is a video depicting what you can (and should) see in a morning, or on a short day trip, ending with a very fine meal in the walled city.
Museo Ettore Guatelli is an extrordinary collection of everyday objects used by the people in the Taro River valley, from toys to homemade machinery like lathes to make wooden cups and bowls. The video shows some of these in action, and it's probably some of the most extrordinarily clever machinery you've ever seen in operation.
Disfida di Fivizzano is a medieval archery competition between contrade of Fivizzano in the Lunigiana region of Tuscany, held in July. The video gives you a taste of the parade, the pomp, the flag throwing and the archery competition.
Pinuccio Sciola: A Visit with the man who makes rocks sing Join me in discovering this Sardinian's passion for finding life, soul and musical notes squeezed out of rocks.
Cagliari's Fish Market - Mercato San Benedetto is one of my favorite markets, and here's what you see and how to get there.
Why Learn a Little About the Language and Culture of Italy?
With just a smidgen of language and a knowledge of shopping customs, you can engage people like Lorenzo Accarino, who quit school at age 9 and has been making bread in Puglia since he was ten. He'll gladly show you his special pizza; he's not as gruff as he looks. Engage, have adventures, and enjoy your time in Italy.
More Italy Travel Planning Resources
- Travel Planning Timeline: Learn what you need to plan when.
- What Will an Italy Vacation Cost?: Tools for budgeting your Italian vacation.
- Unplanned Attractions: Save time for the good life in Italy.
