Francesco's Italy: Top to Toe
Encyclopedia
Francesco's Italy: Top to Toe was a four part BBC
television series hosted by Francesco da Mosto
and originally shown on BBC2 from 18 June to 2 July 2006. In the series, da Mosto drives his Alfa Romeo Spider
the length of Italy
, from North
to South, exploring the architecture
and traditions in different regions.
This series was rebroadcast by The Travel Channel
in January 2007 and repeated on BBC2 in May 2007 and BBC Four
in October-November, 2007. The series was rebroadcast in Canada on the Knowledge channel during July and August 2011.
During Episode 1, "The Romantic North", da Mosto left his native Venice
and his family, and visited the Fiat
Factory in Turin
, Romeo and Juliet
's balcony in Verona
and the city of Milan
.
During Episode 2, "The Garden of Italy", da Mosto visited a 19th century reproduction of Michaelangelo's David in Florence
, the city of Siena
and the town of Assisi
.
In Episode 3, entitled "The Heart of Italy" da Mosto visited the Trevi Fountain
, explores Italians love/hate relationship with Mussolini, visiting the city of Sabaudia, Rome
and Naples
, its underground secrets and the beautiful Chapel of St. Severo.
In the fourth episode, "The Land of My Mother", da Mosto travelled to Sicily
where he climbed to the summit of Mount Etna
, visited the Trulli
buildings and explored the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo
with its array of mummified
bodies – before being reunited with his family at last.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series hosted by Francesco da Mosto
Francesco da Mosto
Francesco da Mosto is an Italian architect, author, historian, film maker and television presenter. He presented the three BBC 2 series Francesco's Venice and Francesco's Italy: Top to Toe where he explored the country in his Alfa Romeo Spider and Francesco's Mediterranean Voyage which sees him...
and originally shown on BBC2 from 18 June to 2 July 2006. In the series, da Mosto drives his Alfa Romeo Spider
Alfa Romeo Spider
The Alfa Romeo Spider is a roadster produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1966 to 1993 . Widely regarded as a design classic, it remained in production for almost three decades with only minor aesthetic and mechanical changes...
the length of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, from North
Northern Italy
Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...
to South, exploring the architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
and traditions in different regions.
This series was rebroadcast by The Travel Channel
Travel Channel
The Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
in January 2007 and repeated on BBC2 in May 2007 and BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
in October-November, 2007. The series was rebroadcast in Canada on the Knowledge channel during July and August 2011.
During Episode 1, "The Romantic North", da Mosto left his native Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and his family, and visited the Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
Factory in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
's balcony in Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
and the city of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
.
During Episode 2, "The Garden of Italy", da Mosto visited a 19th century reproduction of Michaelangelo's David in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, the city of Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
and the town of Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
.
In Episode 3, entitled "The Heart of Italy" da Mosto visited the Trevi Fountain
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is a fountain in the Trevi rione in Rome, Italy. Standing 26 metres high and 20 metres wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world....
, explores Italians love/hate relationship with Mussolini, visiting the city of Sabaudia, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, its underground secrets and the beautiful Chapel of St. Severo.
In the fourth episode, "The Land of My Mother", da Mosto travelled to Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
where he climbed to the summit of Mount Etna
Mount Etna
Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe, currently standing high, though this varies with summit eruptions; the mountain is 21 m higher than it was in 1981.. It is the highest mountain in...
, visited the Trulli
Alberobello
Alberobello is a small town and comune in the province of Bari, in Puglia, Italy. It has about 11,000 inhabitants and is famous for its unique trulli constructions. The Trulli of Alberobello are part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites list since 1996....
buildings and explored the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo
Capuchin catacombs of Palermo
The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo are burial catacombs in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy...
with its array of mummified
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
bodies – before being reunited with his family at last.
External links
- Francesco's website
- Francesco's bella Italia, The Mail on SundayDaily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, June 12, 2006 - Episode guide at Digiguide