Thank you for such interesting news! As for books to read, I’d like to recommend a few based on the glass making culture of Murano! The Glassmaker by TracyChevalier, The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorata (my favorite) & The Secret of the Glass by Donna Russo Morin.
Ciao Elizabeth. I thoroughly enjoy your newsletter. I was in Tuscany this spring and friends from Lucca told us about Castelfalfi. We took a ride with them to see it. While I do agree that these old abandoned towns need help, I don't know if this is the way to do it. Castelfalfi reminded me of Disney World. It all seemed so fake. So tourists see this and then don't appreciate the real Italy. Unfortunately, I don't know what the answer is. It is very sad to me.
Thanks for your feedback. I realize that the restoration may not be 100% true to traditional villages, but the alternative would be to leave it completely abandoned, and then build something new. I would think that tourists know the difference. They are obviously staying in a hotel, and would leave the property to visit other sites. I think you have to give tourists some credit.
I always enjoy reading your newsletters, and this one deserves special recognition. Thank you for sharing your perspective on the Castelalfi affair. I include myself among those expressing their agreement with you. I hope it gives the nay-sayers moment for pause and consideration. With much appreciation, PR
Thanks! It's a complicated topic, and obviously one I think about a lot. The entire situation of over tourism in Italy is partly to do with folks like me writing about the joys here for the last 30 years. So, I also feel a bit responsible for trying to think of ways to turn the tide.
Castelfalfi has been lingering on the market for years as one thing and then another…this solution is not its first incarnation! But will probably last . We live nearby in Pillo and this is as good as it gets. KD
I so agree about the misguided criticism of projects that should actually be considered positive. Living in Marche, there are borgos all over-- often in incredibly beautiful landscapes-- that are almost entirely abandoned. That does no one any good. This is not a case of locals being "priced out" of their hometown. This is a case of an empty shell of a village that needs, as you mentioned, a huge investment that is way beyond anything that could be done locally. And as I mentioned in a recent post on Life Lived Italian-- the problem is not that there are too many tourists in Italy. The problem is that 90% of them are all in the same five places in the same two months. Anything that moves people into the countryside should be applauded.
Totally agree with this: "The problem is not that there are too many tourists in Italy. The problem is that 90% of them are all in the same five places in the same two months. Anything that moves people into the countryside should be applauded.". This is in fact why we are scheduling more of our tours in March and November, and do no tours at all in July and August.
Hi Elizabeth I’m heading to Lecce this fall. Was wondering if you or your readers could recommend a place to stay. I’m loving your Substack it’s chock full of wonderful information!!
I think your Sept 2024 note re Castelalfi masterfully responds to the social-economic structural issues presented by tourism in Italy. Without knowing it, you are channeling the great civic activist and author Jane Jacobs. Jacobs' most famous book is the Death and Life of Great American Cities:
That was descriptive of city growth and decay dynamics. Over the next ten years she created the prescriptive economic structures needed to understand how cities and regions can best grow, documented in her book “Wealth of Cities”:
This short, compelling, reasonably easy read is written for lay people interested in the economic tactics of city evolution; it establishes the premise that Adam Smith (in Wealth of Nations, 400 years ago) ALMOST got it right—in reality vibrancy is all about Wealth of Cities not Wealth of Nations.
In Jacobs’ context, Italians continued to move from agrarian life to cities, as people everywhere have been doing for thousands of years. So nostalgia for yesteryear agrarian life is as useful as a buggy whip. Italy moved on. But the history, beauty and idle ghost town assets are still there to be tapped.
If it was mostly Italian capital and labor that developed Castelalfi, then that is the best the local area can do with those latent assets: use them to produce services (tourism) that bring money into the region, and also bring demand for other regionally produced products and services. In Jacobs' model, City wealth comes from exporting to other cities so wealth and opportunities grow in the region.
There are a couple of T.V. programs here in the U.K about renovation projects in Europe and the people involved genuinely believe they can revitalise almost derelict villages and start new communities and they are definitely the kind of places that I would visit.
Also I loved Mad Honey. Very thought provoking as all her books are.
Ok the lighting in restaurants in Italy scars me. Also, why don’t they play music? The food is perfect, the service is lovely, but the lighting and music are key parts to creating ambiance. Curious why? Grazie Elizabeth
A great full newsletter Elizabeth.
Booker prize- so long ago now- Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, Henry viii Thomas Cromwell. And The Luminaries by Elanore Cantor. Set in NZ gold rush.
Both books made into tv series.
I'll get that potato chip book 📙 you're going to write. 🤣🤣 love chips .
Kim
Thank you for such interesting news! As for books to read, I’d like to recommend a few based on the glass making culture of Murano! The Glassmaker by TracyChevalier, The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorata (my favorite) & The Secret of the Glass by Donna Russo Morin.
Thanks for the recos!
Ciao Elizabeth. I thoroughly enjoy your newsletter. I was in Tuscany this spring and friends from Lucca told us about Castelfalfi. We took a ride with them to see it. While I do agree that these old abandoned towns need help, I don't know if this is the way to do it. Castelfalfi reminded me of Disney World. It all seemed so fake. So tourists see this and then don't appreciate the real Italy. Unfortunately, I don't know what the answer is. It is very sad to me.
Thanks for your feedback. I realize that the restoration may not be 100% true to traditional villages, but the alternative would be to leave it completely abandoned, and then build something new. I would think that tourists know the difference. They are obviously staying in a hotel, and would leave the property to visit other sites. I think you have to give tourists some credit.
Hello Elizabeth,
I always enjoy reading your newsletters, and this one deserves special recognition. Thank you for sharing your perspective on the Castelalfi affair. I include myself among those expressing their agreement with you. I hope it gives the nay-sayers moment for pause and consideration. With much appreciation, PR
Thanks! Glad you agree. I obviously think about this stuff a lot, and it's nice to have a conversation with everyone here.
Loved this whole newsletter...but especially the remarks about Castelalfi. So agree with you.
Thanks! It's a complicated topic, and obviously one I think about a lot. The entire situation of over tourism in Italy is partly to do with folks like me writing about the joys here for the last 30 years. So, I also feel a bit responsible for trying to think of ways to turn the tide.
Castelfalfi has been lingering on the market for years as one thing and then another…this solution is not its first incarnation! But will probably last . We live nearby in Pillo and this is as good as it gets. KD
In fact, it was first developed as a resort in the 1980's so it's nothing new.
I so agree about the misguided criticism of projects that should actually be considered positive. Living in Marche, there are borgos all over-- often in incredibly beautiful landscapes-- that are almost entirely abandoned. That does no one any good. This is not a case of locals being "priced out" of their hometown. This is a case of an empty shell of a village that needs, as you mentioned, a huge investment that is way beyond anything that could be done locally. And as I mentioned in a recent post on Life Lived Italian-- the problem is not that there are too many tourists in Italy. The problem is that 90% of them are all in the same five places in the same two months. Anything that moves people into the countryside should be applauded.
Totally agree with this: "The problem is not that there are too many tourists in Italy. The problem is that 90% of them are all in the same five places in the same two months. Anything that moves people into the countryside should be applauded.". This is in fact why we are scheduling more of our tours in March and November, and do no tours at all in July and August.
OMG is this post chock full! and what are the kids saying - preach? word? - on the Castelalfi situation. Brava, Elizabeth!
Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth I’m heading to Lecce this fall. Was wondering if you or your readers could recommend a place to stay. I’m loving your Substack it’s chock full of wonderful information!!
I think your Sept 2024 note re Castelalfi masterfully responds to the social-economic structural issues presented by tourism in Italy. Without knowing it, you are channeling the great civic activist and author Jane Jacobs. Jacobs' most famous book is the Death and Life of Great American Cities:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=death+and+life+of+cities+jane+jacobs&crid=B53NPHD035WH&sprefix=death+and+life+of+cities+jane+jacobs%2Caps%2C206&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
That was descriptive of city growth and decay dynamics. Over the next ten years she created the prescriptive economic structures needed to understand how cities and regions can best grow, documented in her book “Wealth of Cities”:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wealth+of+cities+jane+jacobs&crid=CBJVIYBG2U87&sprefix=wealth+of+cities+jane+jacobs%2Caps%2C171&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
This short, compelling, reasonably easy read is written for lay people interested in the economic tactics of city evolution; it establishes the premise that Adam Smith (in Wealth of Nations, 400 years ago) ALMOST got it right—in reality vibrancy is all about Wealth of Cities not Wealth of Nations.
In Jacobs’ context, Italians continued to move from agrarian life to cities, as people everywhere have been doing for thousands of years. So nostalgia for yesteryear agrarian life is as useful as a buggy whip. Italy moved on. But the history, beauty and idle ghost town assets are still there to be tapped.
If it was mostly Italian capital and labor that developed Castelalfi, then that is the best the local area can do with those latent assets: use them to produce services (tourism) that bring money into the region, and also bring demand for other regionally produced products and services. In Jacobs' model, City wealth comes from exporting to other cities so wealth and opportunities grow in the region.
Please make a book called entertaining with potato chips 😭
There are a couple of T.V. programs here in the U.K about renovation projects in Europe and the people involved genuinely believe they can revitalise almost derelict villages and start new communities and they are definitely the kind of places that I would visit.
Also I loved Mad Honey. Very thought provoking as all her books are.
Ok the lighting in restaurants in Italy scars me. Also, why don’t they play music? The food is perfect, the service is lovely, but the lighting and music are key parts to creating ambiance. Curious why? Grazie Elizabeth