Venice is normally a bustling tourist mecca, but with its streets quiet, local artisans are still hard at work, using the skills they’ve spent a lifetime honing. In Murano, an eleventh-generation glass blower plays with fire as he works to pass on his trade to a dutiful apprentice--his son. Along the Venetian canals, a pair of sisters carry on their father’s legacy as they learn to repair the iconic vessels that glide through the city’s waterways. One man continues the tradition of etching in gold leaf, an art that can be traced back seven centuries, but with no one to share his skills with, he may be the last of his kind. With a family tradition of mirror-making that goes back five hundred years, a new generation continues to innovate as they launch the business into the twenty-first century. These stories and more show how Venetian artists use skills passed down through history along with modern techniques to forge their own unique visions--elegant, powerful, and made with love.

In Tuscany, a respect for ancient tradition and a desire to make something new have produced a unique artistic sensibility. This is the place where some of the greatest creators of the Renaissance made their masterworks, many of which can still be seen here today. But it’s also a home for some of today’s most talented artists, men and women guided by history but with their eyes fixed firmly on the future. From the frame-makers who give us a window into great art to those who practice the delicate craft of mosaic-making, the purse-maker carrying on a family tradition to the goldsmiths doing a centuries-old job, they are all experts in their field. And they bring a sense of focus, dedication and love to their work, whether they are brewing perfumes from ancient recipes or turning straw into hats with international appeal. All across Tuscany, these artisans blend old styles and techniques with a dedication, vision and talent that’s all their own.

Umbria, the green heart of Italy, is the land that time and tourism forgot. Shaped by geography and politics, the region became a thriving model of creative self-sufficiency. Focusing on nature rather than commerce, Umbrians had to learn to grow their own food, make their own textiles, and create their own art. That spirit continues today. In this incubator for creativity, the old methods have become woven into the region’s identity. From fancy lace-makers in Orvieto to potters in Deruta; from a thousand-year-old gristmill to a Leonardo da Vinci-designed weaving loom; through olive groves and truffle forests, techniques and traditions get lovingly passed from generation to generation. In an age of industry and modernization, Umbria’s artisans remain steadfast and passionate about what they do. There’s a deceptive simplicity of life here that leads to surprisingly complex and beautiful results. Umbria – once isolated – is now ready for the world to take notice.

Weaving history with astonishing visuals and stories, this episode of Italy Made with Love offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the workshops of artisans and culinary masters of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. Here, families carry on traditions and heritage, often with painstaking attention to detail and deep personal passion. One family prints fabric using a secret 1400-year-old paint recipe and a machine designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Another family handcrafts fine leather shoes, spending one month on each pair. In the vineyards of Modena, a husband and wife lovingly make superior quality balsamic vinegar that requires 2

While Puglia may be off-the-beaten path for some tourists, many travelers know that some of the most amazing crafts and the best food can be found down at the heel of Italy’s famous boot. The nation’s agricultural heartland is the source of many artistic wonders, such as the reeds that a family of weavers has used to make baskets for decades. Others use the crops here to produce homemade olive oil. For one iron worker, the Puglian terrain is a source of inspiration, as he creates visionary sculptures. One artist digs deep into the clay-rich soil to build on the local tradition of ceramic-making, while some use the wheat to make mouth-watering pasta recipes passed down for generations. And a family of Puglia’s most ambitious artisans looks for ways to brighten its night skies with their stunning light displays--these creations not only illuminate the wonder of this region, but have brought amazement and delight to people around the world.

As the sun rises in Liguria, local artisans begin their work, with one eye toward the sea. In Genoa, a jeweler and a goldsmith pay tribute to their homeland by designing a piece with green gold and a blue sapphire, echoing the mountains and the sea. Twenty miles away, in the Genovese suburb of Chiavari, a unique sculptor with six decades of experience crafts a dazzling mermaid out of wood. Further south, two families work together to produce something truly special: They’re crafting the first ceramics in the Cinque Terre village of Monterosso in the town’s history. Inaccessible by land until 18