Sally Rooney's Normal People was already a best-seller and beloved novel worldwide when, in the midst of the COVID-19 breakout, the television adaptation hit the BBC and Hulu, and captured hearts and imaginations all over the globe. People were immediately entranced by the drama about growing up and trying to figure out who you are and what you want. The show follows Marianne and Connell, who are from quite different backgrounds in Sligo, on the west coast of Ireland. Marianne is wealthy and privileged but does not fit in in school and isn't well-liked. Even her family seems to have little time for her. Connell, meanwhile, is from a working class background but is popular, sporty, and someone that everyone seems to like. His mother is the housekeeper in Marianne's family home and, while the two know each other from school and growing up together, it is only when they start having a secret relationship that they truly get to know each other. The rest of the series charts their ups and downs, break-ups and relationships, as the two go off to college in Dublin and grow up.
There are plenty of beautiful settings in the show, from coastal Sligo to the stunning campus of Trinity College in Dublin to the snowy streets of Sweden, but the one that seemed to capture the most imaginations was that of Marianne's family holiday home, a gorgeous old villa in Italy. In the book, the villa was located in Trieste but, in reality, the location was changed to Stimigliano, a stunning medieval hilltop town located north of Rome that boasts Roman origins and breathtaking views across the surrounding area of Latium. This change was for logistical reasons, putting the cast and crew closer to Rome, but it did not alter the dreamy atmosphere of this place in the plot one jot. The incredible old villa in which they stay, with its airy interiors and lovely gardens and pool, the roads winding through the Italian countryside that Marianne and Connell cycle down together, the historic centre of the nearby town (Stimigliano) that they go to for groceries, the little piazza (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele) in which they sit out and eat ice-cream, the train to Venice whizzing them past more incredible Italian scenery...all of it is truly magical and vicarious virtual travel at its finest for all of us stuck at home at the moment. It is also an entirely different world for Connell, one that is meant to seem dreamy and beyond anything he has ever experienced before, an entirely different lifestyle. It is the kind of thing that makes one fall in love with Italy all over again and crave one's next visit all the more.
For now, until travel is possible once more (and it does get closer and closer by the day!), for an excellent dose of escapism and a little bit of Italy, the show and the episodes based in Italy are just the ticket to tide you over. And then, when travel is possible again, you can go and see those very places from the show for yourself. For super-fans in need of a getaway and with a desire to recreate it a little in their own lives, it is a must. Just browse our incredible vacation rentals in Rome, our holiday rentals in the wider Latium region, and our properties near Stimigliano and get planning your dream Normal People getaway in Italy as something to look forward to when all of this is finally over. Finding your own Marianne or Connell, we're afraid, will be up to you.
For now, until travel is possible once more (and it does get closer and closer by the day!), for an excellent dose of escapism and a little bit of Italy, the show and the episodes based in Italy are just the ticket to tide you over. And then, when travel is possible again, you can go and see those very places from the show for yourself. For super-fans in need of a getaway and with a desire to recreate it a little in their own lives, it is a must. Just browse our incredible vacation rentals in Rome, our holiday rentals in the wider Latium region, and our properties near Stimigliano and get planning your dream Normal People getaway in Italy as something to look forward to when all of this is finally over. Finding your own Marianne or Connell, we're afraid, will be up to you.
