Italea and Calabria: A Homecoming of the Heart

Through Flavor, Memory, and Roots. What does it mean to return home to a place you’ve never been — yet somehow always carried with you?

That question came to life this June at the Calabria Food Fest, through the powerful presence of Italea, Italy’s national program dedicated to reconnecting Italians abroad with their family roots. Created by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italea is more than a travel initiative — it’s an invitation to rediscover heritage, identity, and belonging.

And in a symbolic and deeply meaningful gesture, Giovanni Maria De Vita, coordinator of the Italea program and representative of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, traveled personally to Calabria to support the festival and meet descendants of Italian families returning to the land of their ancestors.

“We are here not just to promote tourism, but to help people reconnect with who they are,” said De Vita during the opening ceremony. “Italea is a bridge between generations — and Calabria is where that bridge becomes a path.”

Visit www.italea.com and follow @_italea and @italyfma to explore how you can rediscover your Italian roots through personalized journeys, historical records, cultural workshops, and emotional homecomings like this one.

Calabria Food Fest: A New Way to Travel Through Taste and Time

For one unforgettable week in June, Calabria — the rugged, sun-warmed toe of Italy’s boot — became the stage for an extraordinary cultural revival. Calabria Food Fest (CFF) brought together 40 international creators, food personalities, actors, and storytellers (with a combined reach of 40+ million followers) to experience a side of Italy untouched by clichés.

Not Amalfi. Not Florence. But something deeper. Older. Realer.

Together with Sognare Insieme Viaggi, GAL Serre Calabresi, and the support of Italea, Italy’s Ministry of Tourism, and the Calabria Film Commission, this event awakened not only the senses — but the spirit.

More Than Food. A Cultural Awakening.

Guided by the creative vision of Daniel Leira, Director of Nos3 Magazine and head of Gotham Group Agency (NYC), the festival was meticulously designed to go beyond content — and into connection.

“We didn’t want another influencer campaign,” said Leira. “We wanted to spark emotional storytelling. We wanted these creators to feel like they were finding something lost — and bringing it back to life.”And that they did.

They cooked pasta with local nonnas who kneaded memory into every fold. They walked barefoot through olive groves and ancient ruins. They cried while tasting spicy morzello, smeared fiery ’nduja over bread, and raised glasses of natural Calabrian wine in 800-year-old castles.

Calabria: The Forgotten Jewel of Italian Heritage

Calabria isn’t trying to be Tuscany — it doesn’t have to. With its Greek foundations, Byzantine echoes, and Norman layers, this land is fierce, fragrant, and fiercely authentic.

It’s bergamot in the air. It’s goat bells on hills. It’s ceramic traditions from Squillace, hand-rolled pasta, and slow-cooked stews in clay pots. It’s wine that tastes like stone and sun. And it’s people — proud, generous, welcoming.

The red carpet finale at the Castle of Squillace was the perfect blend of ancient grandeur and modern celebration. Imagine folkloric music, espresso martinis, local artisans, aerial drones, and content creators DMing the world: “You’ve never seen Italy like this.”

Italea: Your Journey Starts Now

Thanks to Italea, descendants of Italian families across the world now have a chance to truly come home. Whether your roots trace back to Calabria, Sicily, Puglia, or beyond — Italea offers personalized heritage journeys, local connections, and practical help to rediscover the places your ancestors called home.

The Calabria Food Fest became a living example of what this journey can be — emotional, delicious, and transformational.

Visit www.italea.com to start planning your own homecoming.

Follow @_italea, @italyfma, and @calabriafoodfest for updates and stories.

Because your roots aren’t just in the past —

They’re calling you now.