The walks in this issue of Roman Walks take us away from the banks of the Tiber and the history of Rome, in search of new destinations that are congenial to the artistic spirit, creativity and the search for Beauty. Although Rome remains one of the most fascinating world destinations from this point of view, our authors, our artisans of images, have rightfully included some of the places celebrated by the Grand Tour in their photos. We will complete the Roman tour set out in the editorial plan in the following issues of the magazine, but at the same time, we will also be going to discover the scenic attractions in Venice, Arles, Florence or Munich, as we are doing in Ostia Antica and Fregene. The destination of our art and creative photography walk is just a few kilometres away from Rome, and it is the town of Fregene. We chose this place due to Federico Fellini’s recent centenary and his passion for cinema. It is a place that began its life almost exclusively as a holiday resort, instead becoming a destination filled with naturalistic, urbanistic and historical charm. We will explore Fregene with the same curious and wandering spirit that Federico Fellini had when he was seduced by the town in 1955. The same spirit and curiosity that led the director to Tulum, in Mexico, thirty years later, in search of the magical world recounted by the anthropologist Carlos Castaneda.
Fellini’s trip to Tulum was a bizarre and mysterious journey, full of secrets, but the film that the director intended to shoot was never made, because fate had other plans and Fellini was overwhelmed by unforeseen events. We invite our readers to discover the places recounted by our images with this same spirit. Curiosity, fate, dedication, devotion, contemplation, surprise, acceptance. The images recount the magic of these places and the history of those who lived there before us, allowing us to connect concepts and enrich our personal stories with new experiences. The same spirit with which we went to uncover the secrets of Castel Sant’Angelo and the statues on the bridge; the historic residences and shops in Prati; the films shot in those places, immortalising them and their underground wonders forever. With which we went inside the walls of the Cinecittà film studios to learn about the films of the Istituto Luce, on an imaginary and eccentric journey between history and art, and with which we entered the European Institute of Design to marvel at how new ideas come from differences. Off to the coast: during summer 2021, Walks Inside Rome, our tour operator partner, will take us to magical places in Fregene, such as the Pianeta Azzurro museum owned by the sculptress Alba Gonzales, and to meet the celebrities who filmed “Casanova” with Federico Fellini, serving lunch to Giulietta Masina. All recounted in “Where & Why”. The slightly euphoric journey in this issue of Roman Walks, goes as far as Capitol Hill, with a visit to the building that houses the office of the Mayor of Rome and the view of the Roman Forum from its legendary balcony. While waiting to hear the results of the election for the new mayor, Virginia Raggi tells Roman Walks about the successes and anecdotes of the mandate she started five years ago.
Gabriel Rifilato
(caartstudio.roma@gmail.com)
