Vogue Magazine Italy
Earleen Statham
Lovers of Italy know her, and her Instagram account well. Two years ago, Marina Serena Cacciapuoti launched her account, Italy Segreta, as an ode to the country, its hypnotic landscapes, its beautiful restaurants and its ancestral know-how. It boasts nearly 446,000 followers and saw a spike last year thanks to the eponymous magazine. As an expert in secret spots, here is the opportunity to learn a little more about this fervent defender of the Italian art of living, and ask her about the little-known destinations that we still have to discover across the country. Discover below.
Can you introduce yourself in a few words? I am an Italian named Marina Serena Cacciapuoti. While I was working in the image department of Condenast Traveler magazine in New York, I realized that I really missed Italy and therefore wanted to share, on social media, my feelings using the hashtag #howitalyfeels. A way to support a local and authentic Italy, by creating a community in the same spirit.
What was the inspiration behind Italia Segreta? The inspiration was Italy in its entirety and its fine nuances. All those little everyday things that I really missed while living abroad. The variety of its landscapes, its traditions, its different cultures which form a whole, but also its population, from the oldest to the youngest who draw inspiration from its past history to make something new out of it.
Where does this endless love for Italy come from? This love came from my childhood, my parents and my family's love for the simple things. But also the fact that I had to leave the country for several years made me appreciate it even more. I was able to look at things again and realize that the grass wasn't greener elsewhere.
What do you think makes the Italian art of living so special? It's all about simplicity. The real luxury resides here, like all those things that cannot be bought, is what is experienced on a daily basis. Like a lunch by the water on the warm first day of spring, a walk after dinner, or the coffee you drink at a local bar, especially if you know the owners and they know how you take it. But also the freedom to get in a car and drive for few hours, towards the sea or the mountains. Or even the feeling of winning the European Football Championship.
To a traveler who has never set foot in Italy, what would be the first destination to recommend? More than a single destination, I would say a road trip. At the end of autumn, go from Venice (I recommend sleeping at Hotel Flora or Casa Flora) to Rome (where to put your suitcases at G-Rough or Locarno) via the Emilie region: Romagna and Tuscany. If you are passing through Florence, the Palazzo Guadagni is a must. Otherwise, at the end of spring, take a road trip of Liguria (for the first sea bath of the year and stop at La Sosta di Ottone) towards the Tuscan coast (Villa Talamo) stopping in Lucca, Argentario, Rome to Naples (where you have to eat at Mimi Alla Ferrovia). And if you embark on these adventures, plan a little, but also leave luck to chance. This gives you the opportunity to spontaneously bite into a panino served in the first local restaurant that is on your way. Chances are, this will give you the best memory of the trip. Let go and accept that you are not in control. Be curious, learn the history of regions, small towns and respect them. If you only experience Italy through a luxurious bubble, you will never really know the country. And next time, head for Sicily and Puglia.
In Puglia, if you put your suitcases down at Masseria Schiuma, you will have the chance to explore the little-known towns of Martina Franca, Conversano (where you absolutely have to taste the local frozen dessert: spumone at Caffe Dell'Incontro), Putignano (where you have to sit at the Antiche Botteghe restaurant) or even Ruvo di Puglia for lunch or dinner at the vegetarian restaurant Mezza Pagnotta and eat the best ice cream at Mokambo.
Located in Punta San Vigilio, a strip of land that stretches along the shores of Lake Garda, the Locanda San Vigilio hotel is one of the best spots to know in Italy. It is enchanting in every way.
I am an Italian named Marina Serena Cacciapuoti. While I was working in the image department of Condenast Traveler magazine in New York, I realized that I really missed Italy and therefore wanted to share, on social media, my feelings using the hashtag #howitalyfeels. A way to support a local and authentic Italy, by creating a community in the same spirit.
In Puglia, if you put your suitcases down at Masseria Schiuma, you will have the chance to explore the little-known towns of Martina Franca, Conversano (where you absolutely have to taste the local frozen dessert: spumone at Caffe Dell'Incontro), Putignano (where you have to sit at the Antiche Botteghe restaurant) or even Ruvo di Puglia for lunch or dinner at the vegetarian restaurant Mezza Pagnotta and eat the best ice cream at Mokambo.
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