Stanley Tucci’s Delicious New Italy Travel Show: Season 2 Starts Now

“In Italy, food is never just food. It’s memory, identity and, sometimes, a full-blown argument,” muses multiple award-winning actor Stanley Tucci, who premieres his much-anticipated second season of the Emmy Award-nominated National Geographic series Tucci in Italy on May 11 at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT (check local listings for PT). All five episodes will then stream May 12 on Disney+ and Hulu. “This season, we explore how the past continues to shape the present—one region and one extraordinary meal at a time. I’m so pleased to share these captivating stories and these wonderful people with you.” What is manifest throughout this tasty travelogue is Tucci’s endearing and engaging essence. Put your feet up as you eye your TV or computer screen, perhaps with a glass of Italian wine in hand, and imagine what it would be like for you to dine or road-trip with Tucci across scenic countryside. He visits five regions—Campania and its famed capital Naples, Sicily, Le Marche, Sardinia and Veneto—steering viewers to stellar sights and stunning bites, savoring morsel after morsel of experiences. Italy is the country of Tucci’s family heritage, about which he is passionate. (His previous Italy series ran for two seasons at CNN.) This entertainment biz whiz—who has directed five movies, as well as acted in more than 70 films (Big Night, Julie & Julia, The Hunger Games series, The Devil Wears Prada, both 1 and 2); numerous TV shows (Monk, Winchell); and a dozen plays on and off Broadway—has amply fed his ardor for Italian treats. Now he wants to feed your wanderlust. He has authored books, such as Taste: My Life Through Food, What I Ate in One Year, The Tucci Cookbook, The Tucci Table: Cooking with Family and Friends and, via a branded partnership, put his name on a collection of Italian-made cookware. Check out my fun 2025 Q & A interview with Tucci, as well: In Stanley Tucci’s New Italy Travel Show, “Eating Well Is Inspiring.” Here, photos to stimulate your appetite for an Italian getaway. Buon appetito e buon viaggio!

Stanley Tucci explores the island of Procida: The smallest and least visited of Campania’s three main islands. It’s roughly 2 miles across. A serene escape.

Arriving at the pastel-hued port of Marina di Corricella in Procida, off the coast of southern Italy.

Bruschetta made with flavorful tomatoes grown at Azienda Agricola Rosso Vesuvio within Vesuvius National Park, overlooking the Gulf of Naples.

The Palermo Cathedral—an incredible architectural achievement—constructed by Norman, Byzantine and Arabic cultures over centuries.

Erected by the Greeks in 440–430 B.C., Temple of Concordia in Sicily’s Valley of Temples, is a UNESCO Heritage Site. The island is home to outstanding Greek architecture.

Cooking al fresco with Sicily’s excellent and vibrant produce. Get set for a memorable eating extravaganza.

Tucci in the kitchen of Da Tonino with Giuseppe Bertoleoni, the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Tavolara, an island off the coast of northeastern Sardinia.

Poignant reminders of yesteryear: nuraghes—ancient megalithic tower-fortresses—dot the Sardinian landscape.

Culurgiones, traditional Sardinian pasta, are made with a simple dough and usually stuffed with potato, pecorino cheese and mint.

Urbino’s iconic Palazzo Ducale—a UNESCO World Heritage site—is one of the most important monuments in Italy, set amid rolling hills of picturesque countryside.

Le Marche region is situated in central Italy between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine Mountains. Its Da Emilia Ristorante serves a popular dish: spaghetti with mussels.

Senigalliaís Beach, in Le Marche region, is famous for its fine, soft sand. Rows of sun umbrellas line the shore.

In Italy’s northeastern Veneto region, which stretches from the Dolomite Mountains to the Adriatic Sea, Tucci and food writer Valeria Necchio cook together.

In the Veneto region, Enrico Bortolomiol, winemaker and owner of Ciodet Spumanti, presides over the Valdobbiadene Confraternity’s meeting to select the year’s best Prosecco bottle.

Setting up the scene: Tucci and food writer Valeria Necchio with the National Geographic film crew outside of Italy’s oldest working rice mill.

Sweets for the sweet: Tiramisu—the Veneto region’s renowned dessert features coffee-soaked ladyfingers covered with mascarpone and cocoa powder.

For another current article by Laura Manske, read: Be Inspired By Eva Longoria In ‘Searching For France,’ New CNN Travel Show.

Stanley Tucci’s Delicious New Italy Travel Show: Season 2 Starts Now

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