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L’ ITALIA ALL’ ITALIANA Have you ever wanted to have a truly authentic Italian experience but have only been able to find villas in Tuscany or package deals to the Amalfi Coast? Of course we have nothing against villas in Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast: both are spectacularly beautiful and should be visited at least once, but it cannot be denied that these and many other Italian beauty spots are being increasingly populated with foreign tourists and consequently have price tags to match. So, where can one go for a truly Italian experience that will not break the bank? Believe it or not there are still small pockets of Italy that are not yet foreign tourist destinations and they are every bit as beautiful as Lake Garda and the Costa Smeralda in Sardinia. If this appeals to you then this website could be the answer to your Italian dream.  Spectacular Sunset on Sinuessa Beach
“The
Creator must have made Italy from designs by Michaelangelo”
La Bella Italia It is my mission to introduce the beauty of Italy to as many people as I possibly can. I would like everyone to experience the vitality and colour and energy of Italy that I have had the good fortune of living with for my entire life. My parents were originally Italian even though they lived and worked in England since they were very young. Although I was born and brought up in London, the Italian connection has always been there in the background. As a child, I was able to go to Italy every four or five years, mainly so I could get to know my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and the entire village community that my parents left behind when they moved to England. My family was from the Lazio / Campania regions of southern Italy. The towns we stayed in were Formia, Sessa Aurunca and Carano. My childhood memories of holidays in this part of Italy include incredible trips to the seaside: huge stretches of warm, golden sand and swimming in clear, blue seawater surrounded by shoals of tiny fish.
Glider on Sperlonga Beach
Beautiful Luxury Beach Resort in Sperlonga
“There
is no love sincerer than
the love of food”
I also remember the delicious meals that my grandmother used to make and how fresh and delicious they were. This part of Italy is known as ‘Il Giardino dell’Italia’ this means ‘The garden of Italy’. The reason it has this name is that much of the fruit and vegetables Italy grows for export are produced in this part of Italy. Remember the south of Italy is famous world wide for its healthy Mediterranean diet: vegetables, fruit, fish and seafood are at the heart of this diet. The small, sweet San Marzano tomatoes that go on pizza and that make the tasty tomato and basil sauce for pasta, the huge red, green and multicoloured peppers, the big fat aubergines, the juicy plump peaches, the sweet summer water melons, the Spadone pears and my dad’s favourites – fresh figs; these are all grown locally and taste like heaven. The Campania region is also famous for the production of Buffalo mozzarella. I know you can now buy buffalo mozzarella in supermarkets in the UK but until you have tasted it in Campania – not just Italy but Campania - then you have not really tasted it at all. We will tell you which are the best Casefici in the area where you can go and sample this incredible delicacy. Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella 
“Nothing
would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not
made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.”
The fish and seafood for sale at the fish markets in Formia and Gaeta must be seen to be believed. The freshest, tastiest fish imaginable; I remember going to the fish markets with my grandfather twice a week to buy fish for lunch; it was still alive when we bought it. Nowadays I prefer to eat fish at Zì Anna’s in Formia but it is still every bit as fresh as when my nonna cooked it at home. It is not just the quality of the food that makes eating in Italy special. Meal times in Italy are so very important. The meal time is the focal point of the day when the family gets together and talks and laughs and shares. Italians love eating and they love food. Whatever else is sacrificed it is rarely the precious moments spent eating and drinking with family and friends at least once every single day; so when you go out for a meal in Italy, don’t expect it to take 20 minutes. The food will be cooked for you freshly in this part of Italy not just reheated, so take your time to savour every mouthful and to enjoy the whole lengthy experience of truly eating ‘all’Italiana’.
“He who distinguishes the true savour of his food can never Southern Italian Seafood Specialities (courtesy of www.dkimages.com)  Le Feste e le sagre
Other childhood memories I have of this area include the many festivals that all the towns and villages would have; some were linked to religious holidays others were historical and others celebrated the local cuisine. Folk Dancers at the Festa in Sessa Aurunca
Street Illuminations at the Sessa Festa  I remember how alive and passionate Italy was and how affectionate and kind the people were. After my long stays in Italy I felt freer, less inhibited and certainly more confident.
"What is the fatal charm of Italy? What do we find there that
can be found nowhere else? I believe it is a certain permission
to be human, which other places, other countries, lost long
ago."
But why Here and why now? What makes this an area of Italy still worth visiting today is that much of what I remember from the past can still be found. Obviously there have been some changes, just as there have been everywhere but this region has not yet been totally transformed by ‘progress’ as many others have. It may not be as shiny and as commercially amenable as much of modern Italy but it is real and genuine and still not too expensive (compared to many other regions and cities in Italy). But for how long? One of the main UK Sunday papers dedicated its entire holiday supplement to this region of Italy last year and focused on how it is set to become the new Tuscany. If this is the case you would be well advised to visit it NOW so you can enjoy its authentic nature and its low prices before it is too late. Deserted Sperlonga Beach early in the morning
As a former student of mine wrote after her first trip to this area of Italy in 2004: ‘The trip to Southern Italy has been one of the best experiences of my life: I have encountered a totally different culture and way of life. I have eaten some of the most wonderful foods I have ever tasted. I have met some of the nicest, most hospitable people I have met in my life and I have seen some of the most beautiful sights in the world. I have also improved my ability to speak Italian and have grown more confident in the language and in myself. I have fallen in love with a country and made such good friends that I now feel I must return there.’ Please read our comprehensive Guest Book for experiences other people have had in the Formia area in recent years. |
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