La Vita Italiana: A Newsletter by Baldassarri Giuseppe
Things to do, feel, and savor across Italy

The Inner Journey Among Ancient Stones

Ciao amici,

This week, let’s leave the checklist of tourist spots aside. Yes, Florence’s Duomo still stands proud, and Venice still whispers its secrets through narrow canals. But what if I told you that your next trip through Italy isn’t only about where you go but how you meet each moment?

In the Umbrian hill town of Spello, I watched a local florist tenderly arrange petals for the Infiorata, not speaking, just breathing and choosing. There was something rare in that silence—an attunement not only to her craft but to the emotions it stirred in those watching. Sometimes, our most meaningful travel companions aren’t people but the feelings we allow ourselves to meet.

In Milan, at the corner café off Corso Garibaldi, I met an old friend who once told me that knowing how to respond to life’s chaos with grace is the true arte di vivere. He spoke of the power in pausing before reacting—of noticing the storm inside before it spills into words. In the city of high fashion and fast pace, it was a reminder that style begins within.

Down in Sicily, where the sun lingers like a lover who never wants to leave, I spent an afternoon with a vineyard keeper. He told me the grapes taste sweeter when you listen to them—when you feel the rhythm of the earth beneath your feet and learn how to read the sky. I believe he was also talking about people in his own way.

Italy has a way of teaching you to see more deeply—through gestures, glances, and the space between sentences. And maybe, that’s the real journey: learning how to understand others without them saying a word, recognizing your own moods like old friends, and responding with wisdom rather than habit.

So yes, go see the ruins, taste the wine, dip your toes in the Ligurian Sea. But also, take the time to tune in to the places, the people, and most of all, yourself.

The most unforgettable part of Italy may not be the sights—it’s who you become while walking among them.

Con cuore,
Baldassarri Giuseppe