“An authentic Italian experience. Spilinga is wonderful, and the people are even more so.” This simple farewell quote captures the essence of the journey experienced by young Italian Americans from the Italian American Future Leaders (IAFL): ten days spent in the heart of the community immersed in traditions, food, the sea, warmth, and new connections.
It was a true full immersion into Calabrian life, culture, and traditions. Thirty young adults from across the United States - from California to Nevada, Las Vegas to New Jersey, New York to Ohio, Connecticut to Florida, all the way to Illinois (Chicago) and beyond - chose Spilinga as their destination to rediscover their connection to their Italian roots through a hands-on, everyday experience.
This was no ordinary vacation; it was designed to let them live the town and its community from the inside, sharing its rhythms, flavors, traditions, and social gatherings.
The participants stayed in local apartments throughout Spilinga, experiencing daily life in the village: sharing breakfasts and lunches, taking strolls, meeting locals, and spending evenings at neighborhood spots where they sampled regional products and discovered a cuisine rooted in simplicity, quality, and identity.
The itinerary balanced exploring the area with recreation and socializing. They enjoyed the sea and the stunning beauty of the Costa degli Dei with day trips to Capo Vaticano and Tropea, but the real highlights were the evenings spent in the heart of the Spilinga community amid music, dancing, gatherings, and folk traditions. The tarantella, the live music, the town square celebrations, and the warm hospitality showed many of them a side of Italy far richer than family stories or clichés had ever conveyed.
A particularly meaningful highlight was their time at the International Academy of Mediterranean Cuisine in Spilinga, where the participants took part in a three-part Italian and Mediterranean cooking course. Filled with curiosity, laughter, and a passion to learn, the young adults rolled up their sleeves to prepare traditional dishes firsthand, discovering that food can be an extraordinary bridge for connection and cultural understanding. Guided through each step, they learned not only techniques and recipes, but also the cultural value of Italian cooking and the simple joy of sharing a table. The group also gained an up-close look at Calabria’s agri-food industry, traveling up to Mount Poro to learn how Pecorino del Poro cheese is produced. Food became a central theme of the entire journey: dining together, discovering local ingredients, visiting town restaurants and bars, and sharing meals naturally turned into opportunities for meaningful connection.
A key official event was the meeting with Mayor Enzo Marasco, the town administration, and the local Pro Loco tourism board. “It is a pleasure to welcome young people to Spilinga who have traveled from so far away and who, through their family stories, have kept a strong connection to this land alive,” noted Mayor Enzo Marasco during the gathering. “Our duty as an administration is to ensure that this bond does not remain merely a memory of the past, but becomes a living relationship that fosters new opportunities to meet and exchange ideas. To these young adults, I extend a heartfelt welcome, with the hope that they feel received not just as visitors, but as part of our community—if only for a few days.”
During the meeting, the participants learned more about the town's local governance and social fabric. Yet the words of the participants themselves speak louder than any official press release. “An authentic Italian experience. Spilinga is absolutely wonderful, and the people are even more so,” the group shared collectively at the end of their stay. Another added, “What an incredible experience. The people of Spilinga could not have been kinder or more respectful. I am truly happy to have shared these wonderful days with them.”
With a smile and in disbelief that the trip was ending, one participant remarked, “At times it felt like being in a movie,” before adding, “I can’t believe we have to leave now.” For another young traveler, the journey was everything she had hoped for: “This trip was everything I expected and more. A true, authentic return to my roots - an experience I will never forget. Spilinga immediately felt like home, and I can’t wait to come back. I learned that what matters most for happiness isn't material wealth or luxury goods, but the people by your side in a simple, authentic place.” She continued, “On a vacation filled with so much joy, surrounded by nature and traditional Southern Italian festivals that bring so much cheer, I realized just how meaningful the Calabrian hospitality and generosity shown to us really are. I hope this inspires all of us to pass along that warmth and joy to others. I hope these memories stay in my heart forever.”
These words capture the true spirit of the initiative: not just touring a region, but rediscovering a way of being together.
Saying goodbye was not easy: “Looking at all the videos we took and the photos we shared brings tears of joy to my eyes. It brings back beautiful memories of a fantastic experience in a wonderful place,” another participant wrote. The most significant takeaway from these ten days is clear: Spilinga was not just a destination; it became a transformative human experience. The IAFL participants connected with the region through its people - dining with local peers, joining festivals, dancing the tarantella, heading to the beach, touring local businesses, eating at local venues, and spending evenings in the public squares. Above all, they built lasting relationships. This is the heart of “Roots Tourism”: not merely finding a place on a family tree, but arriving there and feeling, even for a few days, like part of the community.
The project was spearheaded by Deputy Mayor Franco Barbalace, who presented Spilinga at the annual Italian American Future Leaders conference in Florida, showcasing the region's character, traditions, and potential for roots tourism. That initial presentation sparked the collaboration that brought the thirty young Americans to the town.
The municipal administration sees this initiative as a springboard to shape the future of tourism in Spilinga. “Our goal is to integrate Spilinga deeper into experiential tourism networks,” Barbalace explained, “because we have the territory, the history, the local products, and the traditions to offer visitors an exceptional experience. The town is moving in this direction, but we also need to expand our hospitality infrastructure, which is still an area with room to grow. I hope this spotlight encourages private investment and new initiatives, paving the way to host more visitors and turning tourism into a genuine economic driver for Spilinga.”
The objective now is to sustain the partnership with IAFL and turn this pilot program into an annual event, while eventually creating opportunities for local Spilinga youth to visit the United States in a two-way cultural and generational exchange.
“These young people came to Spilinga to connect with their Italian roots, and in turn, they left something behind for our community,” reflects the sentiment of the past ten days. “They brought enthusiasm, curiosity, and an eagerness to learn, and they gave us back genuine emotion, friendships, and a beautiful perspective of Spilinga seen through their eyes.”
Now that the thirty participants have returned home across the US, the journey is far from over: “We are left with the photos, videos, messages, memories of our evenings, the taste of local food, the sound of the tarantella, and above all, the people we met along the way,” shared one participant. “That is perhaps the most meaningful outcome of all: Spilinga was not just a destination, but a place of deep relationships, emotions, and memories.”
And one shared promise unites them: to return to Spilinga. Because when a place to visit turns into a place to remember—and, above all, when a town begins to feel like home—the real journey has only just begun.
