EXTRAORDINARY EXTRAORDINARY EXTRAORDINARY WeChat: Paper online: PAPER www.neo-ads.com/paper June 2019 facebook.com/NeoPaperMagazine instagram.com/NeoPaperMagazine twitter.com/paper_neo Contact Tel: (8620) 8365 2811 Email: [email protected] Chief Operating Officer: LC Chau Consulting Director: Allan Au Editing Consultant: May Guan Editor in Chief: William C Guest Editor: Ben Chu Financial Controller: Takuto S. Marketing Director: Ambro Chow Area Marketing Manager: Kitty Chik, Shirley Tse, Purple Lau Creative Director: Rita Shi Publication Co-coordinator: Nana Au Photographer: Leona, Purple, Hiroly Contributors: Allan CW Au, Anna G, Gregory Louraichi, GiGi Chik, Jessie Huang, John Chu, Kenny Tan, Kee Lee, Lena Liu, Peter Fenton, 04 cover story 17 auto Roy Moorfield, Sukanya Mukherjee, 18 muse Yuyao.K., Han Peiyi, Rain L. 20 eureka 22 athlete 23 fighting fit 18 24 star chef 40 Italy is home to some of the world’s greatest art, 25 yummy architecture and gastronomy and visitors can expect to immerse themselves in some of the 27 cheers most extraordinary experiences in their lives. enlightenment living 08 city window 28 cru 10 arts & events 30 witty wine 12 fortune 32 la bella vita 14 jetsetter 37 36 mice 37 out n about 40 destination 38 supremos 42 education Ms. Lucia Pasqualini, the Consul General of Italy in Guangzhou, gave her insights on future cotchin Sino-Italian cooperation and why the “Made in Italy” label continues to mesmerize consumers. 43 bulletin 46 diary A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997, 20 Cinque Terre provides some of the most picturesque sceneries on the planet and its classic Italian rustic charm can heal even the most jaded of spirits. Take it slow and discover the beauty of Cinque Terre’s five Italian towns. 30 42 04 EXTRAORDINARY cover story cover PAPER MAGAZINE PAPER ITALY espite occupying only 2 percent of Earth’s surface area at about 117 square miles, Italy boasts of having more World DHeritage sites than any other country in the world. This is hardly surprising since Italy is home to many of the world’s greatest art, architecture and gastronomy and visitors to Italy can expect to immerse themselves in some of the most extraordinary experiences in their lives. EXPLORE LESS VISITED ART CITIES You would evidently have heard of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or The Last Supper but Italy’s artistic brilliance extends beyond Florence and da Vinci. Ravenna and Urbino are two of the most under-appreciated art cities in Italy and if you are an art lover, you will fall in love with Ravenna with its brilliantly preserved Byzantine basilicas and baptisteries, wonderful mausoleums and museums filled with mosaics dating from the th5 century. Visitors will be fascinated by the impeccable craftsmanship in mosaics at the Church of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, after which they will gaze in amazement at the exquisite handicraft of the 6th- century ivory throne of Archbishop-Maximian at the Museo Arcivesoville. In Urbino (Raphael’s birthplace), the star attractions are the 15th-century Ducal Palace and the National Gallery of Le Marche which house a world-class collection of paintings including works by Raphael, Piero della Francesca, Uccello, Titian and Barocci. Other than the plethora of art pieces, you can just spend hours basking in the historical glory of this fascinating hill town, which remains unblemished and untainted in the wholesale preservation of its Renaissance appearance. It is little wonder this place is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE ROMAN To complete the Roman historical experience, you EMPIRE have to visit the National Archaeological Museum If you are a fan of Spartacus or the movie, of Naples and come up close and personal Gladiator, you obviously have a fascination with with artifacts recovered from Pompeii and Roman history and nothing will interest you more Herculaneum, leaving you guessing the intimate than a pilgrimage to the Colosseum, the ultimate details of everyday Roman life. symbol of the Roman Empire. Also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, this ancient arena was the site of countless epic gladiatorial battles and bloody wild animal fights. Get your thrills by sitting in the stands and letting your imagination run wild as if you are an actual spectator or explore the amphitheatre’s intricate underground passageways and trap doors. For those who are less blood-thirsty, journey back in time to the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii EXPERIENCE ITALIAN OPERA AT ITS BEST and Herculaneum whose archaeological remains The Puccini Festival of Torre del Lago Puccini offer valuable glimpses into the everyday lives of in Versilia is one of those events that Opera ancient Romans before the cities were buried by lovers cannot miss. Every summer, in July and the burning ashes during the eruption of Mount August, the Puccini Festival takes place in the Vesuvius. open air theatre along the bank of the tranquil and beautiful Massaciuccoli Lake. It was at this very place that Giacomo Puccini, Italy’s most distinguished opera composer, created some of his most famous operas, such as Tosca in 1900, Madama Butterfly in 1904, La Fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West) in 1910, La Rondine (The Swallow) in 1917 and Il Trittico in 1918. To see and hear his work performed in his beautifully preserved home town, within sight of the villa where he lived and where he is buried, is a magically authentic experience that Opera lovers or music enthusiasts will never forget as long as they live. PAPER 06 cover story DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF ITALIAN GASTRONOMY Every year, countries around the world are fascinated by The Extraordinary Italian Taste, series of events organized to share and promote Italy’s culinary excellence and food education. Culinary adventures are aplenty in Italy which is a top foodie’s paradise in the world. From delicate tagliatelle al ragù to velvety cannoli, it is a sheer delight to embrace Italy’s culinary soul with a total abandonment to the joys of its simple yet ingenious and sophisticated cuisine. Italian chefs pride themselves on their use of EMBRACE THE RUSTIC CHARMS OF ITALY BY superlative ingredients, mastery of culinary skills STAYING IN A TRULLO and unique recipes. What better way to discover Trulli (singular: trullo) are curious conical-roofed Italian gastronomy and its intricate secrets by whitewashed structures, clustered in pockets of enrolling in an Italian cooking class in Italy itself. Puglia like wild fungi, are an icon of the region. At Cordon Bleu, Florence, anyone can sign up for Legend has it that the unique structures of trulli culinary courses. Aspiring chefs can join short-term came about because back then, house tax was professional courses in Italian cooking and pastry based on one’s roof, so the population built these (10-12 weeks) and there are also courses offering dry stone walled circular huts with conical stone three-year bachelor and two-year master degrees roofs that could be dismantled as quickly as the in Culinary Arts and Haute Cuisine, depending on tax man was spotted by the nearest sheep farmer. your depth of interest and requirements. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Who knows? You might just become the next 1996, Alberobello is a legendary Italian town Michelin star chef. DISCOVER TORINO, THE AUTOMOBILE renowned for its stunning trulli buildings. Many CAPITAL OF ITALY trulli offer bed and breakfast options for you to Italy remains one of the world’s top car designers, experience living in a trullo and the peaceful owing to the huge success of Italian carmakers lifestyle in a quaint Italian countryside. Greet the such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati friendly locals and explore the magical trulli town. and Fiat. Much of Italy’s automobile heritage can Don’t forget to take beautiful photographs of the be traced back to Torino which used to be the hub town’s unique architecture to post on Instagram of Italian car design and manufacturing back in and WeChat. its heydays. Visitors can acquaint themselves with this part of Italy’s automobile history at the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile. After admiring the majestic grandeur of Piazza Castello or experience watching a performance at the grand Teatro Regio di Torino, proceed on a winery tour to taste the legendary wines of Barolo and Barbaresco. Life is beautiful! MARVEL AT EXQUISITE ITALIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP AND THE SHOE-MAKING HERITAGE OF ITALY More than two-thirds of a person’s life is spent wearing shoes. Hence, it is important to wear shoes which can offer comfort to your feet while enabling you look stylish at the same time. The Le Marche region, a mere 3-hour drive from Rome, has served as a national epicentre of artisanal shoemaking for more than a century, exemplifying the Italian talent for exquisite craftsmanship and stylish design which have become defining characteristics of Italy’s long list of luxury brands. At Le Marche, the Italian art of shoemaking is like vintage wine, refined and improved over the passage of time and generations. Over the years, this shoe-making enclave has produced the likes of Santoni and Tod’s, which have become associated with excellent Italian artisanship. Tod’s CEO Diego Della Valle, a third-generation shoemaker summed up the Italian dedication to the pursuit of perfection, “We have worked in the same region for over 100 years and our dream has always been the same: To make the best leather products.” Most of the Le Marche shoemakers are based around Porto San Elpidio, Monte Urano, Montegranaro and Civitanova Marche. You will find that many a factory has an outlet shop attached, or you can visit the town itself for shops.