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Vale un viaggio, the guide to unknown places by Beba Marsano: «A tale of a parallel Italy»

Someone says that among the most beautiful declarations of love there is: «I have to take you there». Because the people we love, if we could, we would only take them to our places of the heart or to see the jewels, the most secret ones. And it’s a declaration of love for travel, for Italy and its artistic and landscape heritagethat of Beba Marsano who publishes these days the third volume of the series «Worth a trip. Other 101 wonders of Italy to discover», published by Cinquesensi Editore. Beba is a journalist and historian and art critic, she has published several books, but above all she is a tireless traveller, always on the go, not looking for sensationalism, but for epiphanic places, those that only thanks to their beauty, make us better . After the first two volumes released in 2016 and 2018, Beba Marsano’s journey of discovery of the most hidden and most precious Italy continues from north to south, in every region, to bring to light new almost unknown jewels. “Worth a trip” is a book against the tide, which asks the reader who wants to embark on a journey to take the time it takes and to start with the right approach: that of those who are ready to be amazed by small but so beautiful things.

Anacapri, Floor of San Michele Arcangelo

Shutterstock

The central idea of ​​”Vale un viaggio” is that Italy must be rediscovered. What do you mean by travel? And what images are you trying to give to Italy?
“I take a step back. This is not an Italy to be rediscovered, but to be discovered. In the book I talk about treasures, individual wonders of art and some of nature, which are really unknown to most. And therefore what I am describing is a parallel Italy, parallel to that of big tourism. Even in those who promote Italy there is no imagination. Here I like to tell Italy in detail: I’m not talking about hamlets or villages, but about individual masterpieces around which the journey is created. The idea is to suggest a strong masterpiece from an aesthetic, spiritual, historical and energetic point of view. These are places that have an epiphanic value for me. Then while you’re at it, find out everything else. In the book there are boxes that suggest other places to visit and also restaurants or shops, but always things on the margins, hidden and secret».

So this is the meaning of travel for her?
«For me travel is always in search of emotions, it is a journey of discovery. I believe, as Giorgio Manganelli says, that the journey is not given by duration or distance. The journey can also be around the corner: it all depends on the amazement with which one approaches one’s journey».

Yours is a journey of discovery that is more «Proustian» than that of an explorer, then?
«Yes, we need to discover what tourist guides ignore or set aside, which dismiss in the middle of a line and which instead deserves to be discovered, because it has an extraordinary power of attraction. Every time you find yourself in front of a place or a masterpiece of this kind, you feel the sense of a little big discovery, especially when you are far from the big tourist centres».

Genoa Pegli, Villa Durazzo Pallavicini park

Massimo Catania

This is a great theme. Is it possible, in a major tourist destination, to avoid visiting the main attractions?
“I think anything can be done. Within each journey, I believe that there are essential stages in order to understand the genius loci, what I propose is not a substitute, it is supplementary. But, be careful, what I tell you for 90% of the cases constitutes a destination in itself because I am talking about very small villages, very small villages, which contain these wonders. And so there is no choice: you go for that. I’ll give you an example. Have you ever heard of the Zani Museum House in Cesellatica?».

To be honest no…
«Here, Casa Zani is located in Franciacorta, a very popular area, where everyone always goes to the same places. A few km from Erbusco there is this place where no one would go if it weren’t for this extraordinary house, opened a few years ago, which belonged to Paolo Zani, owner of Liquigas, who collected and crammed so many of those masterpieces there that it takes your breath away . There is everything, displayed with extraordinary harmony: Baroque and Rococo furnishings, Venetian views, Trapani corals, German ivories, Russian imperial crystals… it is a wunderkammer formidable. Here, there is no alternative. In big cities I give alternatives, but for 90% what I suggest is the discovery destination. I’m talking about a very little-known minor geography».

Casarano (Apulia), Mosaics of Santa Maria della Croce

Don’t you think it’s mortifying that such a large part of our artistic heritage is not known?
“No, and do you know why? Because our artistic heritage is inexhaustible and I am convinced that it is impossible to completely exhaust knowledge in life. Of one country, of another and also of ourselves. Each of us, as well as a country, a territory, always keeps corners of mystery and which it keeps jealously guarded. And this is beautiful.”

Is it still possible to do cultural tourism in the era of mass tourism?
“Everything depends on a personal attitude. It depends on how you approach things and how you look at them».

Sometimes culture, institutions and museums make people feel distant, as if culture were for the few
«I believe that when you travel you have to forget the term culture, you have to leave not with a cultural baggage, but with an emotional one, with the willingness to let yourself be moved. Then, and only then, those who are not prepared will go deeper into certain things. Cultural deepening comes from knowledge. When you come across something that is worthwhile, you are intrigued to explore it further, with your own tools. This book is a popular tool, there are many captivating images and I think it can really work for everyone, because it speaks to a transversal audience. Faced with the same work of art or landscape, each of us relates on an emotional level in a different way and also on a cultural level. Each of us understands and understands what he knows. I am elitist: I believe that only those who understand, appreciate and respect should go around, but this does not depend on one’s cultural level. Anyone could light up with awe at the beauty and hear what he has to say.’

Speaking of beauty, you once said that there is no ethics without aesthetics…
«Aesthetics is the way to ethics and beauty makes us better, absolutely. All that is contrary to amazement is indifference, for example that of those who travel for other reasons, often in flocks. I don’t demonize group travel in absolute terms, the attitude does it all: one should travel to collect emotions».

Macerata, Gallery of the Aeneid

His communication tool, writing, is traditional. Today a lot of information, including travel information, passes through social networks, photos and video short stories… It takes courage to persist.
“You know, I’m very traditional and very traditionalist. I always believe that the word that counts is the one that has weight. And the word that has weight has a different specific weight depending on who pronounces it. Everyone chooses their own gurus and we don’t all have to go to the same places. I believe that a certain type of communication does not pass through social networks. Some things are discovered because you want to discover them and there isn’t just one way to travel. My book intercepts many people, the first two volumes were very successful».

What is the key to the success of «Vale un viaggio»?
“These books make you discover the exoticism around the house and have helped many to find different itineraries”.

You have used the word inexhaustible many times, will «Worth a trip» continue with another volume?
“I don’t know yet, because it’s a very demanding job. I won’t stop searching, to get excited, but I don’t know if there will be another “It’s worth a trip”, because I don’t want to get trapped in a genre, but in the wake of this yes, there is one thing I’d like to do and that is decline it in a regional key, creating a grandiose anthology of hidden beauty, in 20 volumes, each dedicated to 101 treasures of an Italian region».

Do you have a place of your heart, among those you spoke about?
«Every place included in my volumes struck me, but there is one to which my whole life is linked and it is found in the first volume, which is the promenade of Nervi. Is called Anita Garibaldi, are almost 2 km of walk overlooking the sea, carved into the living rock. That is my home, there are my heart and parts of my existence. And very few people know it beyond the Genoese».

Aren’t you afraid to reveal such intimate and precious places?
«I asked myself several times and in the end the answer is no. Only like-minded souls go to certain places and therefore I know that they will never become mass places. I’ll give an example: the lake of Pilato, which is located in the heart of the Sibillini, impressed me. Many will be able to read it, but only a few will go. Eleven or twelve hours of walking… who does it? Simple things, things that are easy to reach, become mass tourism, while the places you have to conquer will never become so. An extraordinary work comes to mind which is the “Warrior of Capestrano” in Chieti… if you are not more than motivated up to Chieti you don’t go to see that sculpture. And then there are many people who don’t need to go, but just want to know and my book also gratifies living room travellers».

“Worth a trip. Other 101 wonders of Italy to discover » published by Cinquesensi Editore. Pages: 416, 30 euros.

Source: Vanity Fair

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