THE

ITALIANIn honor of Italy’s 150th anniversary as a country, Watch! editors and CBS stars share their favorite places and raise their glasses to one of the O most bellissima places J B on the planet

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FdCW0811_086-092_SCR_Italian_V4.indd 86 6/29/11 8:58 AM ITALY ISN’T CALLED BEL PAESE— “the beautiful country”—for nothing. From renowned art and mouthwa- tering food to fast cars and outrageous fashion, Italy offers something for casual tourists and savvy world travelers alike. In honor of Italy’s 150th anniversary we dispatched three different writers to three different regions—Lombardy, the most populous and richest region in the country; Veneto, which boasts 60 million tourists a year; and Piedmont, which is 43 percent mountainous and nearly surrounded by the Alps—to uncover their favorite hotels, restaurants and, of course, adventures. And we asked one of our favorite CBS stars, Neil Patrick Harris of How I Met Your Mother, to share some highlights from his Watch! cover shoot in Rome and Venice.

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FdCW0811_086-092_SCR_Italian_V4.indd 87 6/29/11 8:58 AM The Travel Issue

Scaligero Castle, below left, is one of the best-preserved castles in Italy, while both the casks and vineyards at Bella Vista winery, below right, are sights to behold, too. GRAND

PRIXFrom fast rides to fabulous food, here’s what makes LOMBARDY so unique By Mona Buehler

BRESCIA ou’re in a cute 1930s Aston Martin, to begin the legendary drive south. Learn zipping through stone villages surrounded about Mille Miglia history from owners by glacial lakes, snow-capped mountains Maurella Musatti and Chiara Morandini yand hillsides fl ecked with olive groves and over homemade casonsèi at Trattoria lemon trees. A classic Maserati passes with a honk, Al Fontanone near the Santa Giulia and a cherry-red Ferrari roars up from behind. Museum, or dine at trattoria Pizzeria No, you’re not in a scene from The Italian Job— Plaza and watch the parade of gas-pedal you’re cruising in the Mille Miglia, the annual pushers cruise by. 1,000-mile Italian vintage auto race from Brescia to Rome and back. LAKE GARDA Every May, this medieval city an hour east of If you’re nautically inclined, Italy’s larg- Milan hosts the ultimate auto-afi cionado est lake is perfect for boating, sailing and experience, rallying hundreds of water sports. Channel your inner 007 classic rides from around the by chartering a high-speed Riva boat at world. Owners of cars from the lake where the opening scene from Bentley to Bugatti—even Quantum of Solace was fi lmed, and stop

shiny new Ferraris—pose The legendary Mille Miglia celebrates Italian JOSH RUTHNICK in stunning Sirmione for a charming for photographs in Brescia’s cars and vintage autos. lakeside experience. After lunch at Palace town square while waiting Hotel Villa Cortine, a dunk in the hot

EVERYBODY LOVES ITALY It’s been 11 years since Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal took his beloved sitcom to Italy to Robert fell in love with the beautiful gelato shoot its hourlong Season 5 premiere. We talked to Rosenthal about the trip. — Jim Colucci girl? Here’s a restaurant inside an idyllic park— maybe this is the spot where Ray starts Watch!: Where did you fi rst get the idea to take the magic. So I started asking CBS each year if to “get” Italy. Or Rome’s Spanish Steps. You Raymond to Italy? we could do this, and they said, “No, no, no, no.” start thinking of the lines each character would Phil Rosenthal: During the fi rst season, I And the fi fth year they said yes. say. Debra would fi nd it gorgeous, and Ray asked Ray [Romano] what he was going to would see it as steps. “We have to climb all do on his hiatus. He said he was going to the Watch!: Conveniently for a foodie like you, of the way up? Is there a Spanish Elevator?” Jersey Shore. I said, “Why don’t you go to course. Europe?” He’d never been—even to Italy, where Phil: This was quite a scam I pulled. Because Watch!: In what areas did you shoot? Here his family had been from. He said, “Nah, I’m not fi rst, of course, I had to go and scout, and I Ray’s name is actually “Romano,” and you really interested in other cultures.” Even his own! brought my wife and a few people from the crew. went to Rome. So I said, here’s a show: Send this guy over But it wasn’t money for nothing. The locations we Phil: Ray wasn’t clear where his family came to Italy as Ray Barone, and bring him back as found started dictating the story. You see a gelato from, but his wife still had family in Sicily. And Roberto Benigni, after he’s been transformed by shop next to the water, and you think: What if after we fi nished, they went to Sicily, and had

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FdCW0811_086-092_SCR_Italian_V4.indd 88 6/30/11 1:04 PM Scaligero Castle, below left, is one of the best-preserved castles in Italy, while both the casks and vineyards at Bella Vista winery, below right, are sights to behold, too.

to begin the legendary drive south. Learn springs at Aquaria at Terme di Sirmione, vehicles on the island—visitors and locals about Mille Miglia history from owners and exploring the fortifi ed Scaligero alike get around on foot, bike and moped. Maurella Musatti and Chiara Morandini Castle, you’ll be ready visit to The Enjoy local delicacies such as perch, over homemade casonsèi at Trattoria Vittoriale, the bizarre home of smoked sardines and polenta at Al Fontanone near the Santa Giulia poet Gabriele D’Annunzio. Restaurant Vittoria. Museum, or dine at trattoria Pizzeria Across the southern banks of Plaza and watch the parade of gas-pedal LAKE ISEO & FRANCIACORTA the lake, venture to the rolling pushers cruise by. Cool your engines here, Franciacorta hillside for wine because these locales are tasting at Bella Vista winery. LAKE GARDA more about walking and If you have a soft spot for spar- If you’re nautically inclined, Italy’s larg- quaffi ng. First stop: pictur- kling wine like Blair Waldorf est lake is perfect for boating, sailing and esque Monte Isola, the (Gossip Girl), be prepared to water sports. Channel your inner 007 largest inhabited lake fall in love with Franciacorta by chartering a high-speed Riva boat at archipelago in Europe. sparklers, made using the the lake where the opening scene from Accessible only by boat, the same traditional méthode cham- Quantum of Solace was fi lmed, and stop island maintains its quiet charm and penoise bottle fermentation techniques

The legendary Mille Miglia celebrates Italian JOSH RUTHNICK in stunning Sirmione for a charming healthy atmosphere by forbidding motor as France uses. cars and vintage autos. lakeside experience. After lunch at Palace Hotel Villa Cortine, a dunk in the hot GET TRAVEL TIPS AND GUIDES FOR LOMBARDY AND THE BRESCIAN PROVINCE AT WWW.BRESCIATOURISM.IT

It’s been 11 years since Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal took his beloved sitcom to Italy to Robert fell in love with the beautiful gelato called Lago di Bracciano. And a little perfect shoot its hourlong Season 5 premiere. We talked to Rosenthal about the trip. — Jim Colucci girl? Here’s a restaurant inside an idyllic park— town there called Anguillara. maybe this is the spot where Ray starts the magic. So I started asking CBS each year if to “get” Italy. Or Rome’s Spanish Steps. You Watch!: Speaking of life imitating art, did we could do this, and they said, “No, no, no, no.” start thinking of the lines each character would Ray the actor have the same epiphany? And the fi fth year they said yes. say. Debra would fi nd it gorgeous, and Ray Phil: We all had such a beautiful time would see it as steps. “We have to climb all together, and sure enough, Ray followed his Watch!: Conveniently for a foodie like you, of the way up? Is there a Spanish Elevator?” character exactly. After shooting each night, course. when we would go for dinner, you could see Phil: This was quite a scam I pulled. Because Watch!: In what areas did you shoot? Here him go “Oh, my God!” We’d have a glorious fi rst, of course, I had to go and scout, and I Ray’s name is actually “Romano,” and you the exact experience as in the script we’d just meal, then we’d have to try some pizza, then brought my wife and a few people from the crew. went to Rome. shot, with tiny, cramped arrangements, and he’d need gelato, then he’d fi nd another But it wasn’t money for nothing. The locations we Phil: Ray wasn’t clear where his family came life imitating art. Apart from Rome, to mix it up pizza and we’d have to have some of that, found started dictating the story. You see a gelato from, but his wife still had family in Sicily. And a little, we wanted a scene in bucolic country- and then some more gelato. He became shop next to the water, and you think: What if after we fi nished, they went to Sicily, and had side. We found a lake about 40 minutes north completely enamored.

WATCH! / AUGUST 2011 89

FdCW0811_086-092_SCR_Italian_V4.indd 89 6/30/11 1:05 PM VIVA ITALIA! THE HILLS Celebrity Scrapbook Even after two years, Neil Patrick Harris calls his visit to Italy the “trip of a lifetime.” Over a ARE week in April 2009, the actor and his partner, David Burtka, joined Watch! for a cover shoot in Rome and Venice, where he boarded the ALIVE Orient-Express to Paris. Some highlights: The views are breathtaking in PIEDMONT, called “at the foot of the mountains” thanks to the surrounding Alps By Jim Colucci

t’s only fi tting to visit Piedmont movement, founded in the Piedmontese towns like Asti you can tour vineyards in 2011, the 150th anniversary of city of Bra, that works to rescue local and taste one of Italy’s famed spumante the unifi cation of Italy: It was here culture as expressed by artisanal foods wines, opened by ceremonial saber. that the Risorgimento movement and wines. The Slow Food folks were the Iwas born, and where the Italian Parlia- ones to save Piedmont’s traditional CUNEO ment fi rst met in 1861. Just make tri-layered, wedding-cake-shaped SAVOR THE SWEET sure you leave wiggle room in Montebore cheese, rescuing the Continue southwest to Cuneo, home of your waistband for some of the recipe from the one woman who the Cuneesi, gobstopper-size chocolate ROME CAVALIERI world’s fi nest fare. still knew how to create it. bonbons fi lled with goodies like rum or “The panorama was outrageous, and At the delicious intersection Next to Bra, in the mountain- gianduja, a it just got better and better. When we where Italy meets France, all of top village of La Morra, you can combination fi rst arrived [at the hotel, part of the Piedmont is within a few hours catch a great view of towns boast- of chocolate Waldorf Astoria Collection], you could from Milan’s Malpensa Airport. In ing the best wine pedigrees: Barolo, and hazelnut. see the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, but it was sort of overcast and misty. Piedmont’s southeastern corner is Barbaresco. The eastern part of Pied- Then, ven- And then at other times, like at sunset, the town of Acqui Terme, named for mont is an oenophile’s dream, where in ture to Fos- you could see the orange glow of the its ancient, sulfuric hot springs. The sano, where entire landscape.” palazzo-style Hotel Roma Imperiale, at restaurant perched above the city center, serves Antiche Volte, the town’s pink sparkling wine, inside an ornate 1618 monastery con- Brachetto d’Acqui, and Ristorante verted into the hotel Palazzo Righini, Enoteca La Curia offers such regional a fi ve-course meal might begin with specialties as tortelli with the goat cheese a poached egg served on asparagus tips Robiola di Roccaverano. and wrapped in crispy Cuneo ham. As any foodie worth his sea salt would BRA & ASTI attest, timing is everything; if SLOW FOOD AND FINE WINE you’re into truffl es, another 2011 also marks the 25th anniversary Piedmont specialty, visit of Slow Food, a worldwide culinary in the fall.

Clockwise from top: Piedmont’s rolling vineyards; Montebore cheese; truffl es; architecture in Acqui Terme.

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FdCW0811_086-092_SCR_Italian_V4.indd 90 6/30/11 1:05 PM From Sicily to the Amalfi coast, discover more great Italian destinations at michelinguide.com. VIVA ITALIA! Celebrity Scrapbook Even after two years, Neil Patrick Harris calls his visit to Italy the “trip of a lifetime.” Over a THE ORIENT-EXPRESS week in April 2009, the actor and his partner, “It was a thrill getting to ride on the David Burtka, joined Watch! for a cover shoot Orient-Express—and the very same train in Rome and Venice, where he boarded the cars used in the Murder on the Orient Orient-Express to Paris. Some highlights: Express feature fi lm, to boot. I remember everyone glancing around, taking it all in, ALIVE expecting someone to drop dead from arsenic poisoning or a knife in their back. Thankfully—though unfortunately—no one did.” towns like Asti you can tour vineyards and taste one of Italy’s famed spumante wines, opened by ceremonial saber. ST. MARK’S SQUARE: CUNEO “I thought it would be a great plan to shoot me covered in pigeons in the middle of SAVOR THE SWEET St. Mark’s Square. The last time we visited, Continue southwest to Cuneo, home of that’s what everyone did—it’s a rite of the Cuneesi, gobstopper-size chocolate ROME CAVALIERI passage. But apparently, the city decided bonbons fi lled with goodies like rum or to stop the tradition and stopped allowing “The panorama was outrageous, and vendors to sell birdseed in packages. So gianduja, a it just got better and better. When we our amazing team went from shop to shop combination fi rst arrived [at the hotel, part of the trying to buy anything that might interest of chocolate Waldorf Astoria Collection], you could what few pigeons had remained. I ended and hazelnut. see the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, up with crushed cookie all over my shirt but it was sort of overcast and misty. and hands ... but fi nally, we got the shot!” Then, ven- And then at other times, like at sunset, ture to Fos- you could see the orange glow of the sano, where entire landscape.” at restaurant Antiche Volte, VENETIAN GONDOLA inside an ornate 1618 monastery con- “At fi rst, there were schoolkids and verted into the hotel Palazzo Righini, tourists everywhere. Then we turned a fi ve-course meal might begin with between two buildings and suddenly— a poached egg served on asparagus tips silence. And the water lapping. And hearing our gondolier softly humming to and wrapped in crispy Cuneo ham. himself. And then it was, ‘Ahhh, Venice!’ ” As any foodie worth his sea salt would attest, timing is everything; if you’re into truffl es, another Piedmont specialty, visit HOTEL CIPRIANI in the fall. “Absolutely stunning. I felt like I was in a movie fi lmed in the 1920s or ’30s. The air smelled of wisteria.”

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Follow Venice’s well-known to Americans. For his Mon- elite into the heart ticello home, Thomas Jefferson copied of Italy’s VENETO region Vicenza’s most famous building, Villa Rotonda. The villa is one of 23 created and enjoy the rich culture in the 16th century by Andrea Palladio, and cuisine in charming a contemporary of Michelangelo who Vicenza arrived in Vicenza as an apprentice stone- cutter in 1524 and became one of the or those looking to savor a true world’s most celebrated architects. Pal- taste of Italy, the Veneto region ladio’s works still attract admirers today: is ideal. This gem of a country- In Vicenza’s center is the world’s oldest side extends across a landscape indoor theater, the Teatro Olimpico, Fthat boasts a mild climate and beautiful which hosts concerts and perfor- scenery. For centuries, noble families mances to the delight of audiences and Venice’s elite escaped the everyday from around the world. to relax in rural villas that dot the gentle, Vicenza’s winding cobblestone rolling hills. streets offer visitors a variety of cultural attractions around the Piazza VICENZA dei Signori, including tasty local dishes At Veneto’s heart lies Vicenza, a city and (try the region’s specialty, baccalà province rich in culinary and cultural alla Vicentina—salted cod with hot, importance thanks to its architecture, craftsmanship and agriculture. For gastro- nomes the local treasures are Bassano del has produced wine for seven Grappa’s white asparagus and Marostica’s generations—and grappa to cherries. Restaurants like Locanda Casa- savor. The Poli family in nearby nova in Cassola, which offers garden views Schiavon has distilled grappa of Monte Grappa, transform their menus since 1898 and offers seven vari- during harvest season to feature dishes eties, as well as many brandies made with these succulent delicacies. and liqueurs. And, of course, there are wines to Vicenza’s most popular taste—the Zonin Winery in Gambellara export—architecture—is

soft polenta—at Antico Ristorante agli Schioppi) and shopping distractions (Bottega Veneta is headquartered here). Named for the city’s adopted son, the Hotel Palladio is a fantastic place to stay, offering modern amenities in a classical, centrally located setting. For panoramic sights, grab your cam- era and make a pilgrimage to the shrine at the Basilica di Monte Berico. The view that waits at the top extends all the way COUNTRY to the foothills of the Italian Alps and the Venetian Lagoon—a reminder of why Vicenza is such a spectacular retreat.

From top: Vicenza’s historic architecture, including ESCAPESBy Jennifer Goddard Huete Teatro Olimpico; Villa Rotonda, the inspiration for Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Inset: local delicacy white asparagus.

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