Beyond my Italian name and my great-grandmother’s lasagna recipe, I grew up without knowing much about my family’s background. So traveling to Southern Italy with my family this summer was an absolute dream.

We flew into Naples and made our way to the Villa Poseidon Boutique Hotel in Salerno. We spent the day relaxing after the flight, enjoying the pool, drinking wine, and eating pizza. It was the perfect way to kick things off.
The hotel offered fresh pizza made in their outdoor wood oven. They even had a vegan option with marinara, olive oil, and fresh basil. It looks simple, but was probably one of the best pizzas of my life!
The next day, we made our way south. We arrived in Fiumefreddo Bruzio, a picturesque hilltop town in the province of Cosenza. Our Airbnb was over 400 years old, and basically felt like we were living in a castle.The view from the roof was everything!There are about 150 residents in the village, and just one restaurant, but they hope to bring more tourism to the area soon. I loved walking around and enjoying a more peaceful way of life.The graffiti above reads “Enter here and dream.”
The restaurant in the village was excellent, with options for omnivores and vegans alike.
Our Airbnb host helped pick out our vegan dishes, including bruschetta topped with local veggies, fresh pesto, and a potato cake dish special to this region.
I loved our short time in Fiumefreddo Bruzio and hope to make it back again some day!

Our next adventure was the main reason for our trip: Visiting Conflenti, the town my great-grandparents grew up in. Southern Italy Travel set us up with an ancestry tour to trace our family history. We started our day at the city hall to learn more about our family tree. It was so special to see the birth certificates and records of my dad’s grandparents.
Our guide, Stephano, created an amazing itinerary. There were so many highlights, like seeing the homes where my great-grandfather was born, the church where he was baptized, the tiny family farm, and so much more.A restaurant in town created an incredible meal for us, and local musicians came to share some of the traditional music and instruments of Conflenti. I loved sitting down with Stephano and hearing more about the culture and political climate in Italy.Another surprise was meeting a second cousin, Tonino. He and his wife welcomed us into their home for more coffee and treats, and shared some beautiful family photos with us.
Being able to walk where my great-grandparents walked and see the views they saw, was absolutely surreal. I only wish we’d planned another few days here!Looking forward to sharing part two of our trip soon! xo

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