Alex Polizzi's Secret Italy
Hotel Inspector Alex Polizzi explores the culture, cuisine and history of Italy.
Seasons
1. Venice and the North
Air Date: 2014-10-24
Alex embarks on a voyage of discovery back to her roots as she revisits some of the places that have special memories for her as well as exploring some of the country's little-known treasures. She begins with a tour of northern Italy to uncover some of its hidden secrets including a prison in Venice with a difference and ventures to a gem in Lombard Alps, before taking in the fashionable sights that Italy's capital of cool Milan has to offer - here she gets the chance to admire some of opera singer Maria Callas's unforgettable stage costumes.
2. Portonovo, Rome and Monforte
Air Date: 2014-10-31
The presenter explores the secrets of the relatively undiscovered Le Marche region, before heading to the capital Rome and a rendezvous with former boyfriend Luca. She also visits her late grandmother's home in the hillside village of Monforte.
3. Naples and Ravello
Air Date: 2014-11-07
Alex begins the third leg of her journey in Naples, a busy and chaotic city with a population of around 960,000, and learns what it is like to live in the shadow of Vesuvius, the volcano that famously erupted in 79AD and destroyed the town of Pompeii. Alex then heads to the spectacular Amalfi coast, the destination for part of her honeymoon, and samples the cuisine at the Villa Cimbrone in Ravello, where chef Mamma Agata has catered for stars including Humphrey Bogart, Richard Burton, Liz Taylor and Fred Astaire.
4. Lecce and Matera
Air Date: 2014-11-14
For the final leg of her journey, the hotelier heads to the south, a region she knows little about. In Puglia, she marvels at the local beehive-shaped dry stone huts and samples a wine with a difference, before heading to the Monte Pollino national park. Alex concludes her adventure in the city of Matera, where she attends the annual Festa della Madonna Bruna, a week-long carnival culminating in a pagan-style rite of destruction and a firework display. Last in the series.
1. Sardinia
Air Date: 2016-06-23
Alex Polizzi arrives in Sardinia to explore her family roots and discover the rich and diverse culture of this ever-popular destination. She’ll be sampling the Cagliari cuisine, venturing inland to experience the rugged beauty of the Supramonte region and meeting a woman who claims to be the last woman in the world to weave the precious sea silk. She’ll also be meeting a team of scientists who are studying the genes of the locals, as she learns that Sardinia has more centenarians than anywhere else in the world.
2. The Islands
Air Date: 2016-07-01
Alex Polizzi explores Italy’s smaller islands, from Capri and Ischia in the Bay of Naples, to the remote Aeolian Islands further south. She’ll be experiencing Capri’s glamourous fashion and scaling the rocky heights of the Aragonese Castle in Ischia, meeting a team of women who restore historic relics of international importance. From there, Alex will sample the island of Salina’s famous Malvasia wine, before making a rare sighting of dolphins in the waters off Filicudi.
3. Northern Sicily
Air Date: 2016-07-07
Alex Polizzi reaches Sicily, where she tours the north. She discovers overwhelming opulence at a palace in Palermo, samples world famous street food on the city’s gritty streets and learns how the mafia have influenced Sicilian life for decades, by meeting a team of locals determined to bring about change. Alex will also venture inland where she uncovers some of Sicily’s oldest traditions, including a trip aboard the famous, intricately decorated Sicilian donkey cart.
4. Southern Sicily
Air Date: 2016-07-15
Alex concludes her journey in Southern Sicily, where she discovers the diverse beauty of Italy’s biggest island. From the serenity of the baroque town of Ragusa, to the breath taking Turkish Steps cascading down to the sea. Alex will also visit one of only two subterranean cathedrals in the world, found hundreds of metres below sea and carved from salt. The mysterious island of Pantelleria is somewhere Alex has always wanted to visit, and here she’ll be dropping in on a family friend, before returning to Sicily for a fiesta at the little known picture-perfect fishing village of San Vito.
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Rating
7.0/10
Release Date
2014-10-24
Episodes
8 (2 seasons)
Status
Ended