Craft & Travel: Experiencing Italy with Your Hands and Heart

Some journeys are remembered, and others are lived: the kind where you observe, learn, create, and return home different from when you left. This is the spirit of Creative Italy—an entirely new way of discovering the essence of the country through craftsmanship, hidden places, and authentic encounters with people. An approach that turns travel into a deep, tangible experience that stays with you.

This time, the experience was lived by a group of ten American women, coming from different cities across the United States. Strangers at first, they found themselves sharing intense days filled with workshops, emotions, and discoveries that bonded them more than they could have imagined. And what they brought home was not just a memory, but something far more personal: a new way of looking at Italy… and at travel itself.

First Stop: Florence and Tuscany

The first week took place in Florence, the beating heart of Tuscany. Here, the group enjoyed a mix of exclusive guided visits and free time to explore the city center: the Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy, Palazzo Corsini, and Palazzo Rucellai. They also had the chance to wander through Florence on their own, soaking in the city’s atmosphere at their own pace — including a coffee break at Pawskovski.

During their stay, they also took part in workshops on marbled paper, en plein air painting, and jewelry-making, creating among other things a personalized ring — experiencing Italian craftsmanship with their hands and creativity. There were also spontaneous discoveries “off the beaten path”: the group visited Scarperia and the Mugello Circuit, combining breathtaking landscapes and cultural curiosity.

An equally special moment was the culinary experience at Villa le Mozzete, where the chef improvised a spontaneous cooking class. The participants felt truly at home here: the villa’s owner spent time with them, sharing stories and family anecdotes. This authenticity — a family still living in and caring for the villa — clearly reflects how Creative Italy chooses places with a soul, where the essence of the past is still alive. Staying in such properties also helps preserve them, preventing them from being absorbed by large chains and losing their identity.

Marche and Umbria: Art, Frescoes, and Workshops

Leaving Florence, the group headed to the Marche region, stopping in Perugia to visit the Moretti-Caselli Studio, a historic glass-fusion workshop and glass museum. They were fascinated by the artisanal process and the sense of history in every corner. In the Marche, they stayed at the beautiful Villa Cattani Stuart near Pesaro, renowned for its magnificent frescoes.

A full-day visit to Urbino was, of course, essential: they explored the frescoes of the Oratory of San Giovanni and attended a special fresco lesson with Professor Papi. With him, they also completed a workshop in drawing-based calcography, experimenting with engraving, printing, and graphic creation through an ancient and captivating process.

The journey back toward Rome offered one last wonder: a stop in Civita di Bagnoregio, where the group had lunch and walked through the suspended alleyways, left breathless by the beauty and uniqueness of this tiny village — truly off the beaten track, and a symbol of an authentic, lesser-known Italy.

Workshops and Craftsmanship: The Thread Connecting the Journey

Throughout the trip, the workshops were the heart of the experience: from marbled paper, en plein air painting, and jewelry-making in Florence, to etching, fresh pasta, calcography, and other creative activities in the Marche and Umbria.
Each experience allowed participants to immerse themselves in Italian craftsmanship, reconnect with manual skills, and bring home something concrete and unique — like the ring they crafted themselves.

Laura, co-founder of Creative Italy, shares:
“Each place we visit leaves a different impression: Urbino, Civita di Bagnoregio, Scarperia… they’re not just beautiful settings, but spaces rich with history, traditions, and people. Seeing the participants moved by a fresco or enchanted by a hidden village confirms that this kind of journey truly changes the way you experience Italy.”

Federica, co-founder of Creative Italy, adds:
“During the workshops, something powerful always happens: people reconnect with manual skills, challenge themselves, and discover the joy of creating something that will stay with them forever. It’s not just about learning a technique — it’s about living the spirit of Made in Italy and taking home something tangible and unique from the experience.”

A Journey That Leaves a Mark

With Creative Italy, you don’t return home with memories alone — you come back with new skills, personal creations, and shared moments that stay with you. But the value extends beyond the individual experience: Creative Italy works to highlight and strengthen lesser-known places, support Italian craftsmanship, and sustain local communities, ensuring that traditions, trades, and cultures remain alive.

Whether traveling with friends, family, or a group of people you’ve just met, the experience creates connections and shared memories, turning every day into something special.

In the end, you don’t return with just photographs and souvenirs, but with vivid memories, acquired knowledge, and stories to tell — a piece of Italy that stays within you and continues to inspire long after the journey ends.

This is Creative Italy.