Sahar Zivan
With four episodes each focusing on a different cultural and touristic magnet of Italy (Rome, Naples, Venice and Florence), all fronted by enthusiastic TV presenter Alexander Armstrong and assisted by classical historian and archaeologist Dr. Michael Scott, you would be forgiven for thinking this was one of the formulaic shows I castigated in the introduction. You would be wrong. Accompanied by a team of 3D scanning experts, this show portrays its targets from an entirely new angle; namely, from below. The Naples episode is a perfect example; eschewing the usual tourist sites and stories, they dig underneath the surface to uncover the systems and structures that made the city what it is today. The 3D reconstructions and technological innovations add extra value and are well integrated into the show, rather than feeling like a shiny gimmick. The show also avoids the usual traps of either airbrushing out or fawning over the city’s troubled past. Like Italy Unpacked, this program attempts to avoid cliché; instead of going to Pompeii, for example, they visit Herculaneum, going down 30 metres into the volcanic tuffo rock to walk on the stage of what was, before the infamous 79AD explosion of Mount Vesuvius completely buried it, an open-air theatre. By going deeper underground, the team behind Italy’s Invisible Cities manage to showcase places in the heart of touristic Italy that most tourists (or indeed, locals) will never get to see. Both of these shows are proof that original documentaries about Italy are still possible. Plus, they were both from the last couple of years, so either or both might yet be back for another series. Fingers crossed.
Italy's Invisible Cities
Locatelli is from the north, but some of the finest views and culinary delights are to be found in the south, with the entire first series dedicated to Sicily alone. A particular favourite is the episode of Italy Unpacked entitled “From the Stones to the Stars”, which was singlehandedly responsible for my trip to Matera and Puglia last year, both of which immediately became among my favourite places in Italy. Locatelli and Graham-Dixon’s insights are insightful, their itinerary is original, and the whole thing is beautifully put together.
Images courtesy of
http://www.travelunpacked.co.uk
videocdn.net; bbc.com