Italy is my favorite place in the world to visit. Everyone I encounter is always bright, happy, and shoving food in my face. One of my favorite stories about Italy took two trips to come full circle. My father took me on my first trip to Europe during my freshman year of college, and his big goal throughout the entire trip was for us to climb Filippo Brunelleschi’s Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (commonly known as the “Duomo” or “the Duomo of Florence”) together. He even borrowed a friend’s $3,000 camera to capture the view at the top. We climbed hundreds of stairs, and the hardest part was realizing that my 64-year-old father was in better shape than I was. We got to the top and took breathtaking pictures of the city of Florence – including keepsakes of the two of us in front of the view. Days later we took a train to Paris (when I first fell in love with the city), and he took me to the famous restaurant Les Deux Magots. That is where I saw my father age 20 years in two seconds. Over steak frites, my father realized he had left his friend's $3,000 camera in the taxi, and, what’s worse, our priceless pictures together were gone. Now we laugh about it, but it certainly wasn’t funny then. When I went to Florence to visit friends during my semester abroad, the first thing I had to do was climb to the top of the Duomo and recapture the view for my father. Here is me – proud and very, very out of breath – at the top of the Duomo – take two. (Too bad this camera only cost $99 at Wal-mart.)
(Finally! A picture at the top of the Duomo.)
Flavio Campagna, a native of Parma, Italy, is an independent filmmaker and director. He was voted “most promising new director” at an Italian film festival in 2009, and his newest film, “Felino,” was just accepted into the Salento International Film Festival to be held in London this April. We talked about our shared passion for the red, white and green -- and he even shared some comical advice for future visitors.
Bon Voyage: What is your favorite thing about Italy?
Flavio Campagna: The variety of cultures from the past, and the many natural and architectural beauties.
BV: What can visitors do while in Italy to avoid looking like tourists?
FC: Stop wearing short trousers and sandals! And looking too happy or too worried while walking around the cities.
BV: What should visitors pack in their suitcase before coming to Italy?
FC: A video camera.
BV: What foods should no visitor leave Italy without trying?
FC: Prosciutto di Parma and white truffles.
BV: Where is your favorite travel destination?
FC: It would be Venice. I go to Rome very often, too.
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