How do you get ready for a trip, Reader?

I don’t mean packing and taking out the trash. I’m talking about getting excited.

For me, getting ready usually means doing a TON of research for the on-the-ground stuff (sites, shops, restaurants) and, as a film nerd, watching several movies. I should read more than I do, but I also love going to museum exhibitions, if there’s anything relevant to where I’m headed.

Right now, I’m prepping for a trip to Italy (immediately after a quick trip to Spain, whew!). We’re starting in Naples, touring Sicily, and ending in Rome—I can’t wait.

Naples will be new for me, and I’m so excited. Maybe it’s weird, but there’s something about its decadence that has always attracted me, and I’ve been wanting to visit for SO. LONG. (I also feel this way about Marseille, and need to plan a trip there too!)

We’ve got our pizza tasting reservation, our tickets to see the Veiled Christ, and a great local guide lined up. I think it’s going to be good.

In the meantime, I’m soaking up as many evocative Italian visuals as I can get my hands on—well, as many as I have time for.

Of course, the list of potentials is eternal, especially for a country like Italy, where there’s so much great cinema and culture.

This time, I’m skipping the usual suspects, like The Godfather (The Godfather II is better anyway, don’t come after me), Roman Holiday, and The White Lotus. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of these and they will certainly get you ready for a trip to Sicily or Rome. But I’m craving something different, and wanting to revisit some favorites I haven’t seen in a while.

So here’s what’s on my current watchlist, plus a few extra recommendations:

​L’Avventura (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1960) - One of my all-time favorites, it’s picturesque, sensual, and full of ennui. Iconic for good reason, it continues to inspire: Mike White was so enthralled by it that he had Aubrey Plaza recreate one of the scenes almost shot-for-shot in season two of The White Lotus.

​Ripley (Netflix, 2024) - We recently saw this fabulous adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s thriller, with Andrew Scott perfectly walking the line between charming and creepy. The lush cinematography had me drooling over every location. When we finished, we also rewatched the 1999 film version, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and it’s not too shabby either!

​NeoRealismo. La nueva imagen en Italia 1932-1960 (Enrica Viganò, 2007) - We saw this photography exhibition in Madrid in 2007, and it really stayed with me—so much so that I finally bought the catalog a few years ago (Madrid friends, you can find it at La Fábrica if you’re interested). I pulled it out again and have enjoyed flipping through the images of crumbling buildings, hanging laundry, and black-clad nonnas from a time gone by.

​La Grande Belleza (Paolo Sorrentino, 2013) - I love how Sorrentino incorporates his locations as characters in his films, and I remember this one being a beautiful love letter to Rome. I’m looking forward to rewatching this week. We also recently saw his latest film, The Hand of God (set in Naples), and I recommend it too.

​Divorce Italian Style (Pietro Germi, 1961) - Marcello Mastroianni stars as a man imagining crazy ways to off his wife in a time when divorce was illegal. I remember this one being very funny. Marcello (say it with extra emphasis on the Ls!) was nominated for an Oscar, as was director Pietro Germi, and the film won for best original screenplay.

I just realized that all but one of these picks are in black and white. I guess there’s just something about Italy’s stunning art and architecture, and its occasional grittiness, that looks great in monochrome. Like Caravaggio come to life—that chiaroscuro contrast of light and dark, both literal and figurative.

Anyway, here are a few other recommended favorites that I don’t think I’ll have time for before I leave, but may revisit when I return, to keep the vibes going:

​My Brilliant Friend (Elena Ferrante, 2011) - A beautiful series of novels, which follows two Neapolitan friends as their lives converge and diverge over the course of several decades. I have to admit, however, that I started and never finished the HBO series. Is it worth watching?

​Il Gattopardo (Luchino Visconti, 1963) - A Sicilian nobleman tries to hold on to his family’s place in society in a changing Italy. Starring, of all people, Burt Lancaster (and Alain Delon!), this one’s worth it for the sets and costumes alone. Apparently, there was a remake on Netflix earlier this year—if you’ve seen it, let me know how it is!

​Roma (Federico Fellini, 1972) - I love the way this one captures Rome's colorful chaos.

I hope you find this list inspiring, whether you have a trip to Italy coming up or you’re armchair traveling (which I recommend doing along with a bowl of cacio e pepe and a glass of Barolo for the full effect).

If you watch or love any of these—or if you have a recommendation you think I should know about—will you hit reply and let me know? I’d love to hear from you.

P.S. Make sure to follow me on Instagram if you don’t already—I’ll be posting from Spain and Italy starting next week! Expect all the food, architecture, and cinematic vibes to inspire you for your next Italian adventure.