From food to fashion, 5 Australian designers share their Italian holiday must-dos
From charming towns to shopping meccas, designers including Lee Mathews and Shona Joy divulge the under-the-radar destinations they love most.
Any traveller will tell you that there’s nothing like a tour of Italy. It’s a vacation that’s been immortalised in countless novels and films — think Monica Vitti, boating around the Aeolian Islands in Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’Avventura, or a gamine Audrey Hepburn careening through narrow streets atop a Vespa in William Wyler’s Roman Holiday — and for good reason.
Culinary delights are in abundance. Up north in regions like Piemonte and Valle d’Aosta, the food is hearty: stews and fondues proliferate, especially along the Alpine border. Down south, the dishes are lighter; sweet and savoury pastries are a staple, along with vegetables and Mediterranean herbs.
There’s no shortage of sights either. Those in search of blue waters will find none clearer than those off the coast of Capri or Cinque Terre; others take pleasure in the rolling Florentine vineyards or quainter cities like Verona and Matera. Then, of course, there’s the shopping, from the vast department stores in Milan to the flea markets and vintage boutiques tucked in winding alleyways — swathes of leather and archival wares in one of the world’s fashion capitals.
That sartorial tastemakers often find themselves in Italy, then, is no surprise. “We were in Sardinia early August 2022,” say Sarah-Jane Abrahams and Helle Them-Enger, co-directors of Australian leisurewear and swim label Faithfull the Brand, “and the timing was idyllic. The days were sun drenched and long and the weather was a perfect balance of warm with an afternoon breeze. We checked off the Costa Smerelda, a destination that inspired one of our collections.”
“It’s a rugged stretch of water and powder-soft white sand that houses some of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia. Another day, we organised a boat ride to the beautiful La Maddalena island. A shooting location within our campaign, this idyllic island is full of bays, small coves and enchanting small beaches.”
Here, the creatives behind four other Australian fashion labels — Lee Mathews, Shona Joy, Jeremy Hershan, and Alexandra Heard and Heleena Trahanas — share their favourite under-the-radar holiday spots in Italy.
LEE MATHEWS, LEE MATHEWS
Favourite holiday spot in Italy
Puglia, it’s still relatively quiet and not a lot of those usual tourist attractions. The landscape is quite sparse, almost like Greece with beautiful hilltop coastal towns like Ostuni which are spectacular. I was there last year in April, it was just after everything reopened in Europe and it was quiet, the weather was beautiful and we just drove from the north to the south of Italy, taking in everything on the way.
What to do
Really, just spending time going to the surrounding villages and markets is a great thing to do. Ostuni, Martina Franca has a great outdoor food market and Polignano is just an amazing coastal town with a view to die for. For a lesson in history, a trip to Matera is amazing, breathtakingly old.
What to eat
I’m not much of an eating out kind of person, we tend to buy fresh food at the local markets and cook and eat at home. It’s so fun and adds to the whole experience. It’s different in the city where it’s all about the cafes and wine bars, but the regional areas are still very local. I wish I could recommend somewhere in particular but we really are such home cooks, in our family that it was all about “what will we cook tonight?”, not where. We ate a lot of orecchiette with cavolo nero and ricotta, which has been a bit of a staple ever since!
SHONA JOY, SHONA JOY
Favourite holiday spot in Italy
My favourite place in Italy (and there are so many) would have to be Ceglie Messapica, a small town in Puglia in the Itria valley. It’s a lesser known town in the area, but offers a more authentic view of the Italian countryside. We stayed in a traditional trulli house on an olive farm.
There was not another house in sight, and the property had a cobble stoned road which carved the way to our little home. Each day we would venture into town to the local markets and buy fresh produce from the roadside vendors, perfect for cooking up a storm every night.
Sardinia is a close second in my list of favourites, it’s like stepping into a Slim Aarons photograph. We stayed in a quaint farmhouse with spectacular views and an amazing swimming pool. I still dream about the nearby markets. I bought silk shirts and leather shoes — definitely the best markets I have ever visited.
Praiano on the Amalfi Coast has the best view in Italy, with the longest sunsets and no crowds. We stayed in Praiano last July, in the Hotel Tramonto, a hotel that has been passed through four generations. The highlight was the beach club, a tiny family run bar perched on the top of a cliff — the homemade limoncello cocktail is a must!
What to do
Nearby Ceglie Messapica is a beautiful town called Ostuni, around a 15 minute drive from Ceglie Messapica. The town is filled with narrow backstreets you can easily get lost in and is the perfect place to visit local restaurants and shops.
What to eat
My holy grail culinary spot would have to be Conca del Sogno, a restaurant in a village called Nerano on the Amalfi Coast. I first visited 6 years ago, and the zucchini pasta was so good that when we returned to Italy for the first time post-Covid it was on the top of my list to revisit. You can travel there by taking a short boat trip from Positano to Capri. It’s a beautiful little beach club that is the perfect stop for a sunny long lunch with water views.
Last year we stayed at the Atlantis Bay Hotel in Taormina, the perfect place if you’re looking for a ‘White Lotus’ vibe. It was like stepping back in time to the late ’60s jet-set era. It had an amazing beach club and fantastic rooms. Just a few doors down from there was a tiny family run restaurant where we ate vongole and caprese salad every day. It was one of the most affordable places we ate, but also one of the best.
ALEXANDRA HEARD AND HELEENA TRAHANAS, ALEX AND TRAHANAS
Favourite holiday spot in Italy
Puglia! We were there in August/September 2022 to shoot our La Spiaggia edition, it was an absolute dream! We also caught up with our amazing ceramicists.
What to do
Puglia is quite a large region, we recommend a car to get around, there’s so much to explore! We love the south of Puglia, in Salento, the beaches are best here. Bagno Marino Archi is a must, a cliffside area with umbrella shaded sun beds and a sea-view restaurant; the water is the most electrifying turquoise blue/green.
The city of Lecce, known for its beautiful baroque buildings. Although touristy, Polignano a Mare for lunch and a walk around the town and a swim at the beach. Ostuni, the white city to wander the cobbled streets and for aperitivo/dinner. Martina Franca for its antique markets. Conversano for cobbled stone streets, great local wine bars, machelleria and restaurants — less touristy than more known towns.
A drive to Matera, an otherworldly town, with jaw dropping dramatic cave dwellings, the landscape is incredible. It is the world’s third oldest most continuously inhabited city, the first UNESCO site in Southern Italy. You must stay at Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita.
What to eat
Masseria Moroseta by resident chef Giorgia Goggi. Giorgia will always design a seasonal menu, using local organic produce from the Moroseta garden or from local growers and producers. The menu changes each night, starting off with an aperitivo, followed by the most divine four course meal. We also love the Taverna del Porto Tricasse, for its amazing seafood and seaside location. Other favourites include, Locanda de Levante, Lo Scalo, Lido Stella Beach, Principe del Mare, Miramare da Michele, Gio Sotto L’arco, Pasha (Michelin starred restaurant), Spaccio fabulous local natural wine, great for aperitivo.
JEREMY HERSHAN, HAULIER
Favourite holiday spot in Italy
I am fortunate to have spent a lot of time in Italy over the years travelling to see manufacturers in various regions from North to South.
Recently, I have rediscovered a love for Milan. Being the industrial and economic capital it lacks the ancient world charm of Florence or Rome but I think that’s why I gravitate towards it. I am drawn to the modernity of the post-war metropolis. Post Brexit there also feels like a renewed energy in the city with many creatives relocating there.
What to do
A visit to Villa Necchi Capiglio is which is an incredibly glamorous 1930s villa built by a family of wealthy industrialists, now open to the public. It served as the location of Luca Guadanino’s 2009 film I Am Love.
Liberia Bocca dal 1775 which is located in the historic Galleries in the heart of the city and is the oldest bookstore in Italy. A charming place to immerse yourself in an incredible selection of art and design reference books.
I am a collector of vintage clothing, often referencing pieces from the past and reinterpreting them for now. I love the way old things are made and the lasting quality of traditional manufacturing techniques. Recent discoveries in Milan were Humana Vintage Milano and Sabrina Manin Vintage, both well curated and full of gems.
What to eat
A few firm favourites I return to time and time again are Trattoria del Pescatore, a stalwart since the 1970s. A Sardinian style seafood restaurant where they serve giant plates of Catalan style lobster with rustic cut tomatoes, onions and a small river of olive oil. The simplicity and quality is hard to beat.
Trattoria Bolognese da Mauro. Behind a 1960s façade is a truly authentic slice of Bologna. The service is a little rough around the edges, just like the banged-up metal plates the bountiful serves of pasta are shared on. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Located in Navigli which is my favourite area to stay in Milan.
Bar Basso is an institution and the historical home of the aperitif in Milan. Bar Basso certainly draws the fashion crowd but the real reason to go there is for the Negronis which are served in comically oversized glasses with giant hand cut ice cubes. Drink at your own risk.
SARAH-JANE ABRAHAMS AND HELLE THEM-ENGER, FAITHFULL THE BRAND
Favourite holiday spot in Italy
Sardinia to us is both known but also still considered under-the-radar in our opinion. We feel like there is still undiscovered treasures and a must see in Italy. We travelled to Sardinia for our Spring ’23 campaign shoot, A Sardinian Holiday. The collection itself was inspired by the iconic Slim Aarons photo series on the Costa Smerelda, Sardinia in 1967 which pays homage to this retro and idyllic Mediterranean location.
What to do
The rugged, naturalistic landscape, clear turquoise waters and organic, sculptural architecture is what makes Sardinia truly special. Beloved by the jet set in the 1960’s, Sardinia was an infamous travel destination for those seeking the Sardinian ‘dolce vita’, with the Piazetta in the town of Porto Raphael, a prominent location within the campaign, becoming a lively spot for celebrating life.
Our favourite beaches are in Costa Smerelda — Spiaggia del Principle and Capriccioli beach. Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia is a highlight for us because of its charm in the early evenings, sitting at any given bar and listening to live, local music as the sun sets.
Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, also kept us busy one day — a bustling area where we explored markets, sipped on a spritz at one of the many bars, walked the cobbled stoned lanes and basked in the beautiful town architecture.
What to eat
No matter where we travel, one of our favourite things to do is embrace the culinary flavours of that destination and taste the traditional meals on offer. Some quintessential Sardinian meals we recommend would be the Pane Carasau flatbread, which is usually offered at the start of a meal, Culurgiones, which is stuffed pasta parcels and Su Porceddu, a delicious suckling pig dish traditional to the region.
For a traditional Sardinian menu, try Agriturismo Muru Idda. For a traditional, slow-fermented Pizza in town try Framento pizzeria. For delicious seafood pasta, try Locanda Da Renzo.