Alessandra Poli takes you inside the real Italy introducing you to the local artisans and undiscovered places off the beaten path. You will be diving into the soul of this beautiful country through its unique characters.
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Discover and bring home hidden gems of Italy
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Receive tips to help you along your way
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See the undiscovered locations of Italy
Most Recent Episodes
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Episode 6
Lazio
Alessandra heads to Lazio to explore Rome and its magnificent surroundings.
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Episode 5
Abruzzo
Alessandra heads to Abruzzo to experience a region that foreign and Italian tourists know little about.
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Episode 4
Veneto
Alessandra heads to the Veneto region, made popular by the fabulous jewel of a city, Venice.
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Episode 3
Umbria
Alessandra heads to the verdant hills and picturesque villages of Umbria.
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Episode 2
Puglia
Alessandra heads to the land between two seas, the Ionian and Adriatic, to visit Puglia.
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Episode 1
Sicily
Italian native Alessandra journeys through the mythological, vibrant, historical region of Sicily.
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Meet Alessandra Poli
Meet Alessandra Poli. She’s Italian, Roman actually. She’s passionate. And she’s passionate about Italy. Alessandra’s been writing, producing, directing and hosting documentaries in her native Italy for more than a decade.
Read MorePeople profiles
Meet the talented artisans and designers who bring life to Passion Italy. Filled with personality and fun, they offer a unique, fresh look at the art, architecture, music, and lifestyle of Italy that until now, only locals know about
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Antonio Dattis
Luthier
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Claudio Pinchi
Organ Builder
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Enrico Rufini
Doctor & Chef
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Gianni Berardi
Leather Artisan & Musician
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Giuseppe Micollis
Trulli maker
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Giuseppina & Sebastiano
Wine makers
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Maddalena Forenza
Stained glass artist
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Michele Ducato
Sicilian cart painter
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Peppino Campanella
Artist and Designer
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Raffaele Di Prinzio
Blacksmith
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Antonio Dattis
Luthier
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Claudio Pinchi
Organ Builder
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Enrico Rufini
Doctor & Chef
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Gianni Berardi
Leather Artisan & Musician
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Giuseppe Micollis
Trulli maker
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Giuseppina & Sebastiano
Wine makers
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Maddalena Forenza
Stained glass artist
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Michele Ducato
Sicilian cart painter
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Peppino Campanella
Artist and Designer
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Raffaele Di Prinzio
Blacksmith
Antonio Dattis
Luthier
Antonio is a rare creature and his passion is contagious! He built his first violin when he was – Doll maker 7 years old, carving it from a chocolate box without ever seeing a real one. Now he creates instruments of unique beauty and it’s difficult not to fall in love with his incredible art. He is inspired by certain shapes from the Middle Ages to the late 1700s and his affinity for wood allows him to create even the most complex of instruments with true craftsmanship. and luthier.
Claudio Pinchi
Organ Builder
Claudio Pinchi is a renowned organ builder and restorer. He follows his family tradition in the craft of organ manufacturing which originated in the Middle Ages. Meeting Claudio was a real pleasure. He can bring a thousand year old organ back to life, and give a Church like the San Vitale in Assisi the soulful sound it was missing all along. Not only is he a very passionate and talented organ maker, he is also a lovely person. Claudio is friendly, welcoming, and easy-going, and we have a great time working together. His dedication to build a new organ for the town of Norcia, which was destroyed by the earthquake, was truly moving. He told me “A church without an organ is like a person without a voice.” That’s the real Italy!
Enrico Rufini
Doctor & Chef
Enrico is a doctor but his passion for cuisine and great food, as well as his culinary talent, led him to become the head chef-in his spare time-in his own restaurant in the family’s agriturismo a small hotel usually found on a farm or vineyard. The menu is authentic and the ingredients are fresh and come straight from his veggie garden.
Gianni Berardi
Leather Artisan & Musician
Gianni is always smiling and is one of those people whose positive and cheerful energy radiates to everyone around him. His curiosity and diverse skills led him to become an eclectic artisan who makes knives, leather items, tamburelli and on top of all that he is an incredible musician.
Giuseppe Micollis
Trulli maker
Giuseppe can build a Trullo by himself, using roughly worked limestone boulders collected from his surrounding fields. He has also renovated ancient ones to create extremely individual and comfortable homes that are pleasantly cool in the oppressive heat of an Apulian summer.
Giuseppina & Sebastiano
Wine makers
Giuseppina, Sebastiano, and Renato are Marco De Bartoli’s kids. They inherited from their father, who was an innovative winemaker while respecting traditions, the passion, and the pride. They continue his ambitious project of making their own version of Marsala called “Vecchio Samperi”. Nowadays Vecchio Samperi can’t be considered a Marsala technically it is not because there is no added alcohol so therefore it is not fortified. But it’s the wine that has been produced in Marsala for hundreds of years
Maddalena Forenza
Stained glass artist
Maddalena is the fourth generation of stained glass artists. The art of glass painting reached its peak in the 12th century but eventually falling out of style, it was progressively abandoned from the 15th century onwards. In the mid 19th century, Francesco Moretti, Maddalena’s great-grandfather, rediscovered this art and enriched it. Today Maddalena uses her ancestor’s techniques to make marvelous stain glass windows.
Michele Ducato
Sicilian cart painter
Michele Ducato is a cart painter as per family tradition. The Ducato family is among the most important school in the art of decorating Sicilian carts. In their workshop some of the most beautiful and carts have been made.
Peppino Campanella
Artist and Designer
Peppino’s workshop that overlooks the Adriatic sea is the most beautiful spot in Polignano. The team and I spent the entire day in his workshop and he even invited us to his home for an intimate lunch. It was wonderful to meet his family and get to get to know him, beyond his work.
I love his amazing lamps and the way he can transform any piece of glass into a work of art. Watching him work is magical; as he perfectly places hundreds of pieces of glass to build a lamp. He truly embodies what it means to be a sustainable artist, leaving no piece of glass to waste.
The blue sea turtle lamp, which you see in the Puglia episode, is my favorite. I am definitely going to buy one, at least for my studio!
Raffaele Di Prinzio
Blacksmith
The first thing that strikes you when you meet Raffaele is his hands. Strong, leathery, and black from the fire. They say it’s a product of his life dedicated to metal creation and hard work. He told me that once a red hot hand tool pierced his hand and he didn’t even bleed or feel any pain. What a man! He has spent his whole life making incredible objects and he is still working at 75 and it certainly isn’t an easy job! They let me try to strike the anvil and I could hardly lift the hammer. Raffaele is one man that deserves a lot of respect and admiration for his passion and persistence.