L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2026 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 A n article by Eliz- a b e t h D u n n , D a n i e l G i l b e r t , a n d T i m o t h y Wilson explains that spending money on expe- riences, such as travel, tends to bring more lasting happi- ness than purchasing material g o o d s . " I f M o n e y D o e s n ' t Make You Happy, Then You Probably Aren't Spending It R i g h t " s u g g e s t s t h a t w e choose holidays not simply on the basis of price or destination, but above all according to the emotions we expect to feel: our need for rest or adven- ture, the influence of friends and social media, and the quality of the memories we hope to create. Put differently, choosing a holiday is a complex psychological process in which expectations, identity, and emotions often matter more than purely practical considerations. From a psychological perspective, experiential tourism is often seen as more satisfying because it engages several dimensions at once: emotion, learning, social interaction, E x p e r i e n t i a l a n d h e r i t a g e t o u r i s m : rediscovering Italy through emotion From the Editor and a sense of authenticity. People tend to remember expe- riences in which they played an active role for longer than those in which they were simply spectators. Taking a tradi- tional cooking class in Sicily and tasting things along the way; joining a hike with a nature guide who teaches you to identify local flora and fauna while you take in the scents of the woods; staying on a mountain farm, helping with agri- cultural work, or milking cows; or learning artisanal tech- niques while watching skilled craftspeople shape ceramics or glass: these are all far more engaging than taking a rapid succession of selfies in front of monuments where one stops for only a few seconds. Using the experiences available as a kind of travel guide can therefore become a healthy habit, not only for improv- ing the quality of a trip but also for choosing destinations, especially when looking for less-traveled routes that can still offer intense and meaningful experiences. A good example was seen recently in Altomonte, in the province of Cosenza, Calabria. There, the starting point was the oldest and most authentic gesture of all: getting one's hands into the dough in order to rediscover the fla- vors of the past. Around twenty visitors from Texas spent a day devoted to food and memory, working with pots and pans to bring their grandparents' old recipes out of memo- ry and onto the table. They immersed their senses in the flavors of childhood, flavors that remain indelible in the mind, and discovered a Calabria that continues to speak through its food even across generations. A number of agencies specializing in personalized expe- riences in Italy can create a map of possible adventures that allows visitors to explore the country according to their own interests. Immersing oneself in the cultural her- itage of one's grandparents' region, or discovering a partic- ular affinity with a place, can help reconnect the threads of family memory or reclaim time for oneself, one's aspira- tions, and one's well-being. Very often, that is exactly the right way to spend money on a holiday. Creating a tailor-made itinerary, in which each traveler can design their ideal route, may be one of the best forms of self-care. Yet local communities and the hospitality sec- tor benefit as well, because it encourages a form of tourism that is not simply passing through, but based on a con- scious choice. In the case of heritage tourism, it becomes a journey of return and recognition, shaped by genealogy, emotion, family stories, and an authentic search for origins and belonging. It can also lead to tourism that is less con- centrated in the usual crowded destinations and more slow-paced, where the attraction is not only an art city but the entire surrounding landscape. A s h a p p e n e d w i t h t h e v i s i t o r s i n A l t o m o n t e , a n encounter with food becomes more than a delicious culi- nary experience: it becomes an emotional journey. The recipes prepared during the workshop can awaken precious family and personal memories, bring back images of child- hood, or create new and lasting impressions. They can recreate the lively confusion of Italian family meals and sow scents and memories that inspire renewed interest in the Mediterranean diet, Italian cuisine, and the folklore associated with local festivals and the appeal of regional landscapes. In this way, even destinations that would never have appeared on lists of must-see places may attract a more attentive, appreciative, and above all more aware kind of tourism. Simone Schiavinato, Editor Simone Schiavinato NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Member of FUSIE (Federazione Unitaria Stampa Italianaall'Estero), COGITO L'Italo-Americano Please send correspondence to P.O. Box 40156 Pasadena CA 91114 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano Newspaper (a 501(c)(3) non- profit organization), www.italoamericano.org, is the largest and longest-running Italian news- paper in America, not to mention the cultural and news resource for all things Italian in the US. A bilingual newspaper which represents an historical landmark for the Italian American Communities in the West Coast and throughout the US. L'Italo-Americano benefits from subsidies by the Italian Government, Memberships and Donations intended to support and not interrupt a mission that began in 1908 to preserve and promote the Italian language and culture in the USA Periodicals postage paid at Monrovia, California 91016, and additional mailing offices. PUBLISHER Robert Barbera Grande Ufficiale EDITOR IN CHIEF Simone Schiavinato ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Patrick Abbate EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Barbara Minafra COPY EDITOR Francesca Bezzone LOS ANGELES CONTRIBUTOR Silvia Nittoli SAN FRANCISCO CONTRIBUTOR Serena Perfetto SEATTLE CONTRIBUTOR Rita Cipalla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mariella Radaelli, Matt Walker, Francesca Bezzone, Luca Ferrari, Stefano Carnevali, Paula Reynolds, Teresa Di Fresco Nicoletta Curradi, Generoso D'Agnese, Jessica S. Levy, Fabrizio Del Bimbo, Maria Gloria, Chuck Pecoraro, Anthony Di Renzo Serena Perfetto, Kenneth Scambray, Chiara D'Alessio, Luca Signorini, Giulia Franceschini © 2025 L'Italo-Americano Membership: One year $59 - Single copy $2.25 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to L'Italo Americano P.O. 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