Beautiful essay. My sentiments exactly even though I was born and raised in New Jersey (USA). My father was born in a little town called Gambellara (close to Verona) and married my American mom, who was born to Italian immigrants. The first time I visited Italy in '74 (our very first trip was by boat at the age of two, which I don't remember. That's how old I am. ;) was memorable - no tourists, not the hordes of people there were today in Verona, Venice, etc. I recall standing in the middle of St. Mark's Square, where there were more pigeons than people. I visited the Basilica, spending hours with my mouth agape, looking at the artwork and the architecture. Similarly, we walked through the grounds of Castello Soave before it was turned into a tourist spot and gated - not one other person in sight. So many Americans and other nationalities are trying to obtain dual citizenship like never before with the intent of buying a summer home. That will only exacerbate the issues you raised here. Food for thought for all of us! Grazie Mille. ❤️🇮🇹🇺🇸
Thank you, Giulia, for highlighting what makes Italy a spectacular country. I'm heading back to Sicily with my husband and mum in a few weeks with the aim of moving there soon. The village where I was born has been affected by the likes of cheap import shops and ikea, and progress. Il Corso is barely looked upon these days now that young people can do what they want, which is great, but it's a change that affects the long street guarded by the Madonna, where once there were local vendors, makers, pasticcerie. But... I hear my mother tongue everywhere, my mother can visit her old friends she used to embroider with at the convent, their kids, family. Even though I left when I was 2, we have a common thread. Everyone knew my families all the way back. And the Sagre and Feste are sublime. It's a village for locals. There's a bit to see but it's not a tourist town. Like you, I love the local markets and stock up on olives and cheese in Ragusa. Come to Sicily!
Your letter brought tears to my eyes, Giulia. Your experiences are not unique to Italy. Here in America we have the same situation. There is not enough appreciation for the simple things in life. Family, friends and food are what make me happy. Without them, nothing else is important. Livia is blessed to have parents who will share the important things in life with her. God bless.
Giulia, this is such an important and real subject to discuss. We'll be arriving in Sicily in a few weeks to begin our three months in Italy, and we really hope not to be part of the problem but, rather, to spend time to glean what is real beneath the tourism veneer.
Your post was a great commentary and I think you touched on an important point right at the beginning: this social media myth-making is not helping anyone-- not the locals who are being displaced in their own country and not the tourists, who at worst are disappointed to find out that things are not quite what they seemed in the pictures, or at best have an experience that completely misses the essence of the place they've chosen to visit. Basta with this effort to turn every place in Italy (and Greece and Spain, etc.) into one more stop on an international spritzing circuit. Thanks for speaking out and also sharing what looks like a wonderful family visit.
Thank you for sharing this perspective Giulia. Although I am a travel designer I strive to create experiences and memories for my clients that include moments such as the sweet, simple glimpses of Italian life you speak of.
I try to connect my clients with locals when they travel so they can learn about day to day life in Italy.
I was hosted by a very famous property in Puglia built to resemble a typical Puglian village. Why?!? Why would I send clients to a fake Italian village when they can stay and experience an authentic Puglian village?!?
My background - before travel - was international development so the struggle is real as I want to share the world with clients however do so in a thoughtful and sensitive way.
Welcome home from your summer holiday Giulia! We were in Puglia for the first time last June and we loved it so much that we are returning in September 2025 with some close friends. I particularly enjoyed the article you suggested on the farmer trying to save the olive trees. When we saw the miles and miles of dead, ancient trees, we were saddened. I am glad that they now have a chance of surviving based on his research, persistence, and grafting processes.
A beautifully written and rather poignant piece from you , Giulia . I come from Cornwall in the far South West of Britain , it is amongst the very poorest regions in the UK but you wouldn’t know it in the summer when all the second-homers arrive and prices go through the roof . I remember my first legal beet in a pub opposite Padstow and when the barman told me how much ,I sot back with “ you must be having a laugh , I bloody live here !” Sure enough an apology and lower price was forthcoming
Giulia this is a great piece of writing describing late-capitalism at its finest. Both Australia and Italy could do with some deep soul searching about reinstating our unique strengths, capabilities and qualities as independent nations.
I removed my rose coloured glasses, in regards to life in Italy quite a while ago. I’ve always gone there to experience not only her history and beauty, but also the realities of life for Italians. My relatives don’t sugarcoat their lives. Italians are very open and honest. I was born in Rome and left at the age of three so it is the place I devote more time to and the city I love the most. It is also the city that infuriates and saddens me most. From the endless trash rotting on ancient cobblestones to the neglect of ancient monuments, I feel such anger that the authorities don’t seem to understand the treasure they are responsible for.
Romans want people to know how fed up they are with the neglect of their city but they also want us to know how hard life is for them; from the young people working in stores, earning a pitiful wage, to older people who regret not coming to Australia when they had the opportunity in their younger years. When I comment on the beauty that surrounds them they reply that beauty doesn’t put food on the table. I recall one young man begging me to understand their struggles, saying he was fed up with tourists who refuse to see the realities. I assured him that the realities were very evident to me. I understand that most tourists just want to have a break and enjoy their holiday, but I believe it’s important to learn something about the place you visit, to take an interest in the people who live there and become aware of both the positives and negatives of life there.
Grazie, Giulia….I think what Domenica said is so true…”it’s complicated!! We live in St. Augustine, Florida. The oldest continuously occupied city in the US since 1565. We retired here 22 years ago and enjoyed the old shops and restaurants in the historic district for many of those years. But, now, we don’t even go there any more because of the tourists that have descended on this beautiful, old town. Is it greed, or is it like one person said in comments, a need for people to find “that something” that is missing in their lives? I was in Italy (mostly Florence, which I love) in June and was shocked at the tourists and the overwhelming garbage everywhere. We spent a few days in Chiusi/Panicale and have decided that if we ever get back again, that is the Italy experience we would love to have. But, having said that, are we contributing to the tourist problem? My family is from Crotone and Bari. We were able to visit Crotone years ago, but never visited Bari. Thank you again for sharing your insight into this very real problem.
Italy, has become over loved by a world captured and enthralled by picture postcard beauty. It’s a perfect country for Instagram stories; people can stand and click to show they’ve been somewhere famous without effort.
It is a reflection of a hollow sensibility that’s encouraged by our culture, seemingly, a universal culture. Whether one is from America, China, Australia or from any country in our world that makes up the gigantic numbers of people travelling (and overwhelming) the country we visit by focusing our travels on what is deemed Instagram-worthy sites and locations. In this way, it has killed the golden goose that we have all wished to experience. All of us will be the poorer for it. It’s such an avalanche it’s hard to see a way forward but I do think our purse is a powerful political tool; spend with the effect one wishes to encourage - otherwise, all independent shops will cease to exist, the high street shops will dominate every place once thought to be interesting, everywhere. And most importantly, our food supply will be governed by conglomerates where price, quality and food safety can be controlled for their benefit, not ours.
This post articulates some of what I felt on my research trip to Puglia back in June. It was jarring to see perfectly manicured (and green!) masserie sitting right next to the devastated olive groves. It felt almost post-Apocalyptic. The woman sitting alone in a chair in the middle of a field right off the highway did not escape me, either.
The other thing that stuck with me was that no matter where I traveled--Umbria, Tuscany, Puglia, Basilicata--many of the towns/cities felt the same place because they all had the same stores (Max Mara, Carpisa, Intimissimi etc.). While it is good to see prosperity & an economic boost of any kind coming to places like Matera, there is now a feeling of sameness or the sort that also permeates much of the U.S. landscape. I have mixed feelings about all of it, including feeling like a hypocrite, becuase where I am in Abruzzo, there are lots of empty storefronts and houses in the old borgo as people have moved outside the walls. I would love to see new life breathed into the town. I patronize the shops in town, but I often also find myself down in Pescara, shopping at those chain stores. I'm not even sure what I'm trying to say except...it's complicated.
Beautiful essay. My sentiments exactly even though I was born and raised in New Jersey (USA). My father was born in a little town called Gambellara (close to Verona) and married my American mom, who was born to Italian immigrants. The first time I visited Italy in '74 (our very first trip was by boat at the age of two, which I don't remember. That's how old I am. ;) was memorable - no tourists, not the hordes of people there were today in Verona, Venice, etc. I recall standing in the middle of St. Mark's Square, where there were more pigeons than people. I visited the Basilica, spending hours with my mouth agape, looking at the artwork and the architecture. Similarly, we walked through the grounds of Castello Soave before it was turned into a tourist spot and gated - not one other person in sight. So many Americans and other nationalities are trying to obtain dual citizenship like never before with the intent of buying a summer home. That will only exacerbate the issues you raised here. Food for thought for all of us! Grazie Mille. ❤️🇮🇹🇺🇸
Thank you, Giulia, for highlighting what makes Italy a spectacular country. I'm heading back to Sicily with my husband and mum in a few weeks with the aim of moving there soon. The village where I was born has been affected by the likes of cheap import shops and ikea, and progress. Il Corso is barely looked upon these days now that young people can do what they want, which is great, but it's a change that affects the long street guarded by the Madonna, where once there were local vendors, makers, pasticcerie. But... I hear my mother tongue everywhere, my mother can visit her old friends she used to embroider with at the convent, their kids, family. Even though I left when I was 2, we have a common thread. Everyone knew my families all the way back. And the Sagre and Feste are sublime. It's a village for locals. There's a bit to see but it's not a tourist town. Like you, I love the local markets and stock up on olives and cheese in Ragusa. Come to Sicily!
Your letter brought tears to my eyes, Giulia. Your experiences are not unique to Italy. Here in America we have the same situation. There is not enough appreciation for the simple things in life. Family, friends and food are what make me happy. Without them, nothing else is important. Livia is blessed to have parents who will share the important things in life with her. God bless.
Italians may not realize that Americans are coming to Italy to experience these things which are not available any longer in the US.
Giulia, this is such an important and real subject to discuss. We'll be arriving in Sicily in a few weeks to begin our three months in Italy, and we really hope not to be part of the problem but, rather, to spend time to glean what is real beneath the tourism veneer.
Your post was a great commentary and I think you touched on an important point right at the beginning: this social media myth-making is not helping anyone-- not the locals who are being displaced in their own country and not the tourists, who at worst are disappointed to find out that things are not quite what they seemed in the pictures, or at best have an experience that completely misses the essence of the place they've chosen to visit. Basta with this effort to turn every place in Italy (and Greece and Spain, etc.) into one more stop on an international spritzing circuit. Thanks for speaking out and also sharing what looks like a wonderful family visit.
Thank you for sharing this perspective Giulia. Although I am a travel designer I strive to create experiences and memories for my clients that include moments such as the sweet, simple glimpses of Italian life you speak of.
I try to connect my clients with locals when they travel so they can learn about day to day life in Italy.
I was hosted by a very famous property in Puglia built to resemble a typical Puglian village. Why?!? Why would I send clients to a fake Italian village when they can stay and experience an authentic Puglian village?!?
My background - before travel - was international development so the struggle is real as I want to share the world with clients however do so in a thoughtful and sensitive way.
Your post speaks to why this is important.
And I’m so glad you shared.
Welcome home from your summer holiday Giulia! We were in Puglia for the first time last June and we loved it so much that we are returning in September 2025 with some close friends. I particularly enjoyed the article you suggested on the farmer trying to save the olive trees. When we saw the miles and miles of dead, ancient trees, we were saddened. I am glad that they now have a chance of surviving based on his research, persistence, and grafting processes.
A beautifully written and rather poignant piece from you , Giulia . I come from Cornwall in the far South West of Britain , it is amongst the very poorest regions in the UK but you wouldn’t know it in the summer when all the second-homers arrive and prices go through the roof . I remember my first legal beet in a pub opposite Padstow and when the barman told me how much ,I sot back with “ you must be having a laugh , I bloody live here !” Sure enough an apology and lower price was forthcoming
Such a fascinating read, thank you. I'm going to come back to it and read it again next week and as I feel like it has more to give me
I live south of Rome and they are trying to cemetify all of the natural parks to. Make it more accessible for tourists. We resist.
Giulia this is a great piece of writing describing late-capitalism at its finest. Both Australia and Italy could do with some deep soul searching about reinstating our unique strengths, capabilities and qualities as independent nations.
I removed my rose coloured glasses, in regards to life in Italy quite a while ago. I’ve always gone there to experience not only her history and beauty, but also the realities of life for Italians. My relatives don’t sugarcoat their lives. Italians are very open and honest. I was born in Rome and left at the age of three so it is the place I devote more time to and the city I love the most. It is also the city that infuriates and saddens me most. From the endless trash rotting on ancient cobblestones to the neglect of ancient monuments, I feel such anger that the authorities don’t seem to understand the treasure they are responsible for.
Romans want people to know how fed up they are with the neglect of their city but they also want us to know how hard life is for them; from the young people working in stores, earning a pitiful wage, to older people who regret not coming to Australia when they had the opportunity in their younger years. When I comment on the beauty that surrounds them they reply that beauty doesn’t put food on the table. I recall one young man begging me to understand their struggles, saying he was fed up with tourists who refuse to see the realities. I assured him that the realities were very evident to me. I understand that most tourists just want to have a break and enjoy their holiday, but I believe it’s important to learn something about the place you visit, to take an interest in the people who live there and become aware of both the positives and negatives of life there.
Not to be too picky; Club Med is French
I know, get your point
Club Med operates all over Europe and has a facility in Sicily.
Grazie, Giulia….I think what Domenica said is so true…”it’s complicated!! We live in St. Augustine, Florida. The oldest continuously occupied city in the US since 1565. We retired here 22 years ago and enjoyed the old shops and restaurants in the historic district for many of those years. But, now, we don’t even go there any more because of the tourists that have descended on this beautiful, old town. Is it greed, or is it like one person said in comments, a need for people to find “that something” that is missing in their lives? I was in Italy (mostly Florence, which I love) in June and was shocked at the tourists and the overwhelming garbage everywhere. We spent a few days in Chiusi/Panicale and have decided that if we ever get back again, that is the Italy experience we would love to have. But, having said that, are we contributing to the tourist problem? My family is from Crotone and Bari. We were able to visit Crotone years ago, but never visited Bari. Thank you again for sharing your insight into this very real problem.
Italy, has become over loved by a world captured and enthralled by picture postcard beauty. It’s a perfect country for Instagram stories; people can stand and click to show they’ve been somewhere famous without effort.
It is a reflection of a hollow sensibility that’s encouraged by our culture, seemingly, a universal culture. Whether one is from America, China, Australia or from any country in our world that makes up the gigantic numbers of people travelling (and overwhelming) the country we visit by focusing our travels on what is deemed Instagram-worthy sites and locations. In this way, it has killed the golden goose that we have all wished to experience. All of us will be the poorer for it. It’s such an avalanche it’s hard to see a way forward but I do think our purse is a powerful political tool; spend with the effect one wishes to encourage - otherwise, all independent shops will cease to exist, the high street shops will dominate every place once thought to be interesting, everywhere. And most importantly, our food supply will be governed by conglomerates where price, quality and food safety can be controlled for their benefit, not ours.
This post articulates some of what I felt on my research trip to Puglia back in June. It was jarring to see perfectly manicured (and green!) masserie sitting right next to the devastated olive groves. It felt almost post-Apocalyptic. The woman sitting alone in a chair in the middle of a field right off the highway did not escape me, either.
The other thing that stuck with me was that no matter where I traveled--Umbria, Tuscany, Puglia, Basilicata--many of the towns/cities felt the same place because they all had the same stores (Max Mara, Carpisa, Intimissimi etc.). While it is good to see prosperity & an economic boost of any kind coming to places like Matera, there is now a feeling of sameness or the sort that also permeates much of the U.S. landscape. I have mixed feelings about all of it, including feeling like a hypocrite, becuase where I am in Abruzzo, there are lots of empty storefronts and houses in the old borgo as people have moved outside the walls. I would love to see new life breathed into the town. I patronize the shops in town, but I often also find myself down in Pescara, shopping at those chain stores. I'm not even sure what I'm trying to say except...it's complicated.