Alex Polizzi's Secret Italy

I wasn't certain if I would stick with this after watching Episode 1 in Venice because Ms. Polizzi came across like a spoilt and entitled brat. However, Episode 2 in Rome and beyond was wonderful and Episode 3 in Naples and the Amalfi coast was equally enjoyable.

Someone in the production company needs to tell her to stop saying "Mama Mia" again and again because she looked and sounded ridiculous and even the mussel harvesters over in the Marche had a giggle at her. BUT -- the bottom line is that the filming is beautiful and there are both new cultural details and information about the production of regional goods that make it all worth spending the time occasionally cringing at her verbal gaffes. I give it 8 out of 10.

This is a rare gem-charming, elegant, and deeply personal. Where most travel series rely on rehearsed facts or staged enthusiasm, Polizzi brings something far richer: class, taste, and a lived intimacy with the places she visits. She weaves in memories of family, young love, and affectionate stories of local craftsmen, grounding the beauty of Italy in real human connection. These personal touches elevate the show from a glossy postcard to an experience of genuine depth. Rooted in her Italian heritage, Polizzi moves through the culture with tenderness and sophistication, revealing an Italy that feels both secret and timeless. The result is sophisticated, quietly dazzling, and easily the best of its kind.

Verdict: A masterclass in travel television-elegant, intimate, and unforgettable.

I can see the point made by the previous reviewers about the presenter, and she does it again in ep.2 when she rubbishes people for drinking cappuccino after mid-morning or asking for Parmesan on their pizza. (Personally, I like cappuccino later in the day - and why not?). And I agree the repeated cries of "Mamma Mia" are quite cringe-making.

However, when Alex gets away from tourist-bashing and talks about family and places she loves, she's a different person and the program becomes more enjoyable and uplifting. There are some lesser-known but beautiful destinations featured, and Alex conveys them with a passion that you cannot help but be moved by.

A suggestion, though, for makers of this kind of program generally. Please screen a map at with each new segment showing the new place featured, or else find some other device to show the place name in print. After the shoe factory in La Marche, Alex went on to a place she called "Aquili". It was a stunning place, and I'm sure I wasn't alone in rushing to my computer to check it out for my bucket list. It turns out she was saying "Ascoli" (short for Ascoli Piceno), yet I've replayed the segment over and over and it still sounds like "Aquili". So, TV producers, please don't rely on the diction of presenters. It's not always up to the mark! Use a visual clue as well.

Horrible and pompous. Alex looks to show you "the secrets of Italy" but she's only really interested in the wealthy side of Italy and having camera fixated on her. Her interactions with normal locals are awkward. She only appears to get excited when she is in the presence of fellow elites. At one point during the first episode she showed us the inside of a $15,000 per night hotel room. Yeah, that's a pretty limited audience that's going to be able to afford that. She's also quite aloof; at one point she showed an extremely elitist hotel owner exploiting local Venetian prisoners to make her hotel's soaps, lotions, etc., and didn't seem to appreciate the moral conflict. I would pass.

The subject matter is fascinating so it was bitterly disappointing to have it thrown away on a pompous twerp like Alex Polizzi. She starts in Venice and spends the first few minutes putting the boot into tourists that dare to show up! It really was quite embarrassing to watch her look down her nose at visitors and bemoan the fact that Venice draws a crowd. Years ago, Fry and Laurie did a superb sketch about pseudo-intellectual snobs discussing 'our Venice'. It all sounds precisely like that.

The whole thing is thoroughly spoiled by a terrible choice of presenter. Oh, and is it really a 'secret' that if you "open your wallet wide" you can stay in very expensive hotels? Do me a favour.