Feb.

5

In Bernalda: Palazzo Margherita

Like so many Americans, I continue to be fascinated with Italy. I’m taken with the Italians dedication to preserving their past, their emphasis on family and, of course, their devotion to delicious food. Traveling through Italy, you come across so many beautiful homes filled with ceilings and walls painted with jaw-dropping frescoes, artwork that’s been preserved for centuries, and an overall patina of family life that honors their history. While in Rome last summer, a friend told us about a villa that the Coppola family was set to open as a resort (Italians like to talk to Americans about other Americans), so I’ve been keeping tabs on the villa’s development. Once the home of film director Francis Ford Coppola’s grandfather, Palazzo Margherita is located about 3 hours southeast of Naples in the heel of Italy on the Meditteranean coastline, in the countryside town of Bernalda. French interior designer Jacques Grange is overseeing the refurbish of the beautiful 19th century estate and I thought you might enjoy a peek at the guestrooms Mr. Grange designed. Enjoy!