The Sopranos and Goodfellas star Lorraine Bracco is coming to HGTV October 30th with a show called My Big Italian Adventure. Lorraine has bought a house in Italian in Sambuca, Sicily for one euro and has three years to renovate according to the promotional contract. She soon finds out that the undertaking is big as it is a crumbling structure without lights, a bathroom or running water. Here’s more on the show from People:
“I believe life is an adventure,” Bracco says in a press release. “When I saw the article that you could buy a house in Sambuca for one euro, I jumped on it. So, I came on the plane. I bought the house. I’m very excited to be here, meet and work with the locals, and live amongst them. I’m here to pay homage to my family that comes from Sicily.”
The Sambuca one-euro program was created by the mayor as a way to bring a resurgence of citizens back to the historic town, which has seen much of its younger generation leave for bigger cities such as Palermo, the capital of Sicily, in recent years.
There is one big catch: the program requires that centuries-old homes be renovated within three years of purchase, ensuring that those that buy that homes do intend to help breathe life back into the town.
The series follows the 65-year-old actress as she says “ciao” to a 1,075-square-foot, 200-year-old property in a hilltop town on the island, located just off the “toe” of Italy’s boot.
She quickly finds out her home is crumbling from the inside out (the walls, floors, and roof are all deteriorating) and has no electricity, running water, kitchen or bathrooms.
With the help of an architect, contractor, translator and several friends new and old, Bracco guts the home, overcoming challenges as she works to finish the renovations within the time frame stipulated by the town. Fans will watch as the actress turn the old house into a place she and her family can call their Italian retreat for years to come, honoring her family history along the way.
[From People]
I definitely plan to tune into this show because 1) I love reno shows and 2) I lived in Sicily for two years and I know how SLOWLY Sicilians work so the show will be a comedy for me. I have seen these ads for the one euro homes and I know that more than likely a person would have to sink at least $150k in renovations. I am still interested in purchasing one for a retreat home though. Plus Sicily is stunning. There is a city called Gela where you can stand on the beach on a clear day and see the North African shore. There are also a mix of black sand and white sand beaches throughout the island.
I haven’t been back to Sicily in over twenty years but I have fond memories of it. The people are some of the kindest I have ever met. And Sicilians consider themselves Sicilian not Italian. Sicilian food is exceptional. In fact if you were to tell someone in mainland Italy that you were going to Sicily they’d say, “Mangia bene.” That means you will eat well as the best cuisine in Italy is in Sicily. It is a mix of Italian, Spanish, Greek, and N. African flavors. Sicily is the crossroads between Southern Europe, N. Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It has been conquered many times including by the Normans and Vikings which is why some people on the Island have blonde hair and blue eyes.
I am sure Lorraine will be on a journey and what better place to be than the beautiful island of Sicily? The landscape alone will make the process bearable and let me tell you she will need a sh*t ton of patience to get through the Italian bureaucracy which can be an absolute nightmare. I think the show will also be an honest idea of what to expect if I decide to purchase one of those one euro homes in the future. I am currently saving my pennies.
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