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Documentaries about Italy

Top 10 Documentaries about Italy

In this article, we'll explore the top 10 Documentaries about Italy

Intro: Documentaries about Italy

Their adventure starts in Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romagna, one of Italy's wealthiest provinces. They visit stores, cultural institutes, and the world's oldest university to learn why the city is known as la Dotta (the Learned), la Grassa (the Fat), and la Rossa (the Red). Andrew and Giorgio encounter the region's convivial and pleasant environment, as well as a fisherman casting massive nets near the Po's mouth. From there, they travel to Ferrara, where they learn about the d'Este dynasty's heritage, then to Modena, home of balsamic vinegar and Ferrari.

Finally, Giorgio unveils the origins of contemporary Italian food by viewing an authentic copy of the newly unified Italy's first cookbook at the Palatina Library in Parma. At the same time, Andrew admires Correggio's stunning fresco in the dome of Parma Cathedral.

1. History of Italy - Documentaries about Italy

Italy's history spans the Bronze Age, the Middle Ages, and the modern day. Ancient Phoenicians, Greeks, Etruscans, Illyrians (Messapians), and Celts have lived on the Italian Peninsula since classical antiquity, with numerous Italic peoples distributed throughout the country alongside other ancient Italian tribes and Greek, Carthaginian, and Phoenician colonies.  In antiquity, Italy was the Romans' homeland and the Roman Empire's metropole. Rome began as a Kingdom in 753 BC and became a Republic in 509 BC when the monarchy was deposed, and a government of the Senate and the People was established.

After then, the Roman Republic united Italy at the expense of the peninsula's Etruscans, Celts, and Greeks. Rome ruled over Western Europe, Northern Africa, and the Near East after leading the union of the Italic peoples.

2. Overview: The Italian City States - Documentaries about Italian History

From the beginning of the Middle Ages until the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, the Italian city-states were a plethora of political and territorial organizations that existed on the Italian Peninsula. Following the fall of the Western Roman Empire, urban communities in Italy were more stable than those in Western Europe. Many of these cities were relics of previous Etruscan, Umbrian, and Roman settlements in the Roman Empire. Rome's republican institutions had also been preserved. Some feudal lords ruled over vast swaths of the country. Still, by the 11th century, numerous towns, including Venice, Milan, Florence, Genoa, Pisa, Lucca, Cremona, Siena, Città di Castello, Perugia, and others, had grown into great trade metropoles capable of gaining independence from their official sovereigns.

3. The Vacation: Documentary about Italy, Food, and Travel - Italy Travel Documentary

Although travelling is now possible due to the recent calm, we should carefully weigh the dangers and rewards of taking our long-awaited excursions to our ideal places. Fortunately, by living vicariously through the finest vacation, we can feed our wanderlust and make our staycations a lot more pleasurable and safer.  You might feel a little better about sticking at home after seeing beautiful panoramic images of the United States National Parks, cuisines from far-flung regions, and acts of human daring.

4. Venice, Island Treasure Documentary - Documentaries about Italy

Poveglia is a tiny island in the Venetian Lagoon, between Venice and Lido in northern Italy. The island is divided into two halves by a short waterway.

The renowned clichés of canals, gondolas and opulent palaces will always be present when you visit Venice. However, underneath the splendour of a uniquely creative and cultural legacy is a genuine city, with residents and a lifestyle tailored to the site's geographical constraints. Pierre Brouwers has created an excellent documentary video to assist you in finding a plethora of hidden gems by venturing out to meet actual Venetians while exposing the astounding richness of the "La Serenissima."

5. Italy Tackles Rural Exodus - Documentaries about Italy

Hilly terrain, beautiful views, and attractive hamlets abound in the Italian countryside. Small towns and villages, on the other hand, are rapidly disappearing. People are fleeing due to a lack of employment and lousy infrastructure. Two thousand five hundred sites might become ghost towns in the future years. However, the Coronavirus epidemic has halted this process. The Vittoria family of Naples chose to flee the constraints of the massive city during the rigorous lockdown. They collected their possessions and went to Teora, Campania, in the fall of 2020.

6. Italy, The Eternal Country -  Italy Documentary

Fishermen who still fish the same manner they did a century ago, as well as rugged, young guys who perform and dance the Tarantella. Dolphins, huge sea turtles, and pink flamingos are among the animals studied, rehabilitated, or just watched. Cave explorers, sailmakers, and coffee experts are all included in the overall picture.

Drone cameras flying in the air give bird's-eye views and are a significant part of the videos. The end result is a series of breathtaking photographs taken from all angles, giving us landscape overviews and deep insights like we've never seen before.

7. Capri and the Amalfi Coast - Italy Documentary

Should you stay on a beautiful island or in one of the Amalfi Coast's most attractive villages? When it comes to organizing a vacation to southern Italy, these are the first questions you'll have to answer, and the proper response may vary based on your travel style, budget, and group.

We usually suggest splitting your stay between the island and the mainland, with at least three days on Capri and three days on the Amalfi Coast (located in Positano or Amalfi) to properly appreciate both of these beautiful and distinctive sites in Campania's southern area.

We understand that not everyone has six or seven days to devote to Capri and the Amalfi Coast. If you're short on time, here's a quick rundown of the distinctions between Capri, Positano, and Amalfi to help you narrow down your options.

8. Slaves in Italy? - Documentaries about Italy

Foreign farm labourers' life in the Italian south is so inexpensive that several NGOs have classified their situations as a new kind of slavery. They dwell in rural ruins or shanty communities that are secluded from the rest of the world. Some people have residency permits in Italy, while the majority do not. A handful has job contracts. However, union organizers frequently discover that these are forged.

Almost all primary migrant-receiving centres are in the south...where mafia organizations have the most authority, and farmland demands a continual supply of labour. Gangmasters, or agents who recruit seasonal employees, are in charge of this supply.

9. Italy Unpacked: The Art Of The Feast - Documentaries about Italy

Andrew Graham-Dixon and chef Giorgio Locatelli visit Italy to learn about its history, culture, food, art, and scenery. Their adventure starts in Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romagna, one of Italy's wealthiest provinces. They visit stores, cultural institutes, and the world's oldest university to learn why the city is known as la Dotta (the Learned), la Grassa (the Fat), and la Rossa (the Red). Andrew and Giorgio encounter the region's convivial and pleasant environment, as well as a fisherman casting massive nets near the Po's mouth. From there, they travel to Ferrara, where they learn about the d'Este dynasty's heritage, then to Modena, home of balsamic vinegar and Ferrari.

Finally, Giorgio unveils the origins of contemporary Italian food by viewing an authentic copy of the newly unified Italy's first cookbook at the Palatina Library in Parma. At the same time, Andrew admires Correggio's stunning fresco in the dome of Parma Cathedral.

10. Hunting Down the Mafia in Italy - Italian Mafia Documentary

The 'Ndrangheta’ Calabrian: is a criminal organization based in Calabria. is a well-known Mafia-style organized crime syndicate and criminal organization located in the Calabria area and dating back to the late 1800s. It is regarded as one of the world's most powerful and dangerous organized criminal organisations. Following widespread emigration from Calabria in the 1950s, the group has spread around the world. The 'Ndrangheta is the only mafia-style criminal organization existing in Italy that has kept the ceremonies that made it famous in the past, passing them down orally and through codes that have only been broken on rare occasions.

Documentaries about Italy: Conclusion

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Picture Credits: @cristina_gottardi on Unsplash

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