WE FOUND LA DOLCE VITA
When life is fast paced and non-stop, it’s tempting to consider running away to the sunshine in search of the good life. An ambitious renovation project in Italy gave Alana Mazza the opportunity to do just that...
I used to reward myself for surviving a busy week with a new handbag
Every evening, when the day’s work is done, my husband Joe and I sit out on our terrace in Anagni, Italy, and look out over the olive groves. As the sun sets behind the mountains beyond, a golden glow shines over our casale – or country house – nestled within the hills. It’s taken many tears and a great deal of hard work to get to where we are now, running a hotel in our favourite corner of the world. And yet, every time we sit and gaze at the stunning landscape, I’m reminded of how lucky we are to be living our Italian dream.
For many years, I had a highpowered career working for the fashion chain Hobbs. I’d worked my way up the corporate ladder to become Retail Director. I loved the job, but it was a hectic role, demanding long hours and frequent travel in the UK and abroad. We were living in Yorkshire, where Joe owned hair salons, and in order to get to the office in London I would leave the house each morning at
5am, not returning until late at night. At the end of the week I’d feel so exhausted I barely had the energy to enjoy the wonderful surroundings I called home. With life being so busy, our holidays were precious. Joe was born in Sicily, and we visited Italy several times a year. When our children, Giorgio and Sarina, were young, we bought a little apartment in Acuto, a small hillside town an hour’s drive from Rome. They grew up learning the language and playing with the local children. I felt so at home among the tight-knit community that we often talked about retiring there one day.
As time marched on, I began to feel increasingly ground down by my routine. At 57, I felt too young to retire, but I also felt my life was happening at a pace I no longer wanted to keep up with. Joe, just a few years older than me, felt the same way.
It was during one of our trips to Italy that a new way of life came into view. The Casale San Pietro, a grand home built in the 17th century just outside of Anagri, had come up for sale. It had been derelict for decades and I’d always thought it would make a wonderful hotel. We decided to take a look.
REALISING OUR DREAM
The original stone walls and beams were magnificent, but it was the view that made my heart race: olive groves as far as the eye could see, giving way to mountains on the horizon. It was the Italian idyll. Standing in the shadow of the ancient stonework, I could picture our future.
Joe and I discussed the idea at length. We both love interior design, and we wondered if this renovation project could be the next chapter of life we had talked about, but never quite committed to – a
You just have to leap into the dark, even if you’re unsure how you’ll land
change of scenery and a slower pace, without the prospect of retirement. Neither of us had any experience in the tourism industry, but we had a passion for this place, and a determination to turn our dream into a reality. The casale would have a new lease of life – and so would we.
While the sale went through, we began dismantling our lives back home. I handed in my notice, Joe handed over control of his salons, and we sold the family home and moved to our holiday flat in Italy. Some of our family and friends thought we were mad to walk away from everything we had spent years assembling; others saw our project as an adventure and told us it had led them to ponder their next chapter, too.
Amid the excitement were feelings of guilt. Though the children were grown up and preparing to fly the nest, I worried they would think I was abandoning them. I’d also be leaving my elderly mother behind. At 84, she is still well and active, and my sister lives close by, but I would no longer see her every weekend, and I had to reconcile myself with that.
At times I felt I was pulling myself in two different directions, straddling my past and my future. For Joe, the move represented going home, but for me it was a step into the unknown. I suppose at some point you just have to leap into the dark, even if you’re not quite sure how you’ll land.
For the first year of the renovations Joe lived in Italy, working alongside our architect and overseeing the project, while I stayed in Yorkshire until Sarina finished her A-levels. The following year, when she went to university, I made the break. We sold the apartment and moved into the casale while the work was being done. Moving away from my children was incredibly hard, but they made it easier on me. ‘Put it this way, Mum,’ Giorgio told me, ‘you’ll be seeing a lot more of us in Italy than if you stayed in rainy Britain!’
The project itself was a steep learning curve. There were many hurdles to jump and, at times, the red tape felt overwhelming. Financially, we were going against all our instincts. Instead of having money coming in each month, we were paying out more and more. In two years we used up all our life savings. There were times when I thought of our old apartment and wondered why we hadn’t just retired there.
What sustained us was our vision of what the place could become. I pictured our guests relaxing on the terrace, enjoying a sundowner while taking in the spectacular view. Joe and I launched a website and spread the word. We wanted people to see what we saw – a peaceful sanctuary in the heart of Italy, a place to relax and recharge. When you’re embroiled in work and family life, holidays are so important. I wanted Casale San Pietro to reflect that.
Finally, last Summer, we were ready to open our doors. The night before our first guests were due to arrive, I felt almost frantic with panic. I rearranged the furniture in the bedrooms and scrubbed the tiles by the pool. It felt like the culmination of all our hard work came down to this moment. I needn’t have worried: the following morning when our first couple arrived, they fell in love with the place just as we had.
NO REGRETS
Casale San Pietro has now been open for nearly a year and we’ve met people from all over the world. Many guests have left as friends. We even hosted our first wedding when an American couple found us online. It was fantastic to be a part of their special day.
Living in Italy has changed our lives entirely. Day to day, I help out around the hotel, while Joe takes charge of the gardening and repairs. Every few weeks Sarina will hop on a flight for a long weekend, and Giorgio brings his girlfriend here for holidays. My mum visited, too, which was wonderful.
Being here has also shifted my values. I loved my old job, but I’d sometimes feel so exhausted and drained juggling everything that I’d struggle to find the enjoyment in life. I’d reward myself for surviving another busy week with a new handbag. Now life rolls by at a different pace. I live in the present, enjoy quality time with Joe and relish the little, day-to-day moments, like the sight of the olive groves bathed in the afternoon sun.
We have found the place, and pace, that works for us. To me, that is la dolce vita.