Gino’s Italian Escape Hidden Italy: Episode Guide & Ratings

Gino begins his latest Italian escape in Abruzzo - a little known region of Italy, bordered by Lazio, Marche, Umbria and the Adriatic Sea. It’s so far off the beaten track; it only opened an airport at the turn of this century! Gino will experience fishing and farming first hand - two things that define this beautiful region.

In the second episode, Gino heads to the beautiful mountainous region of Trentino-Alto Adige - situated in the very north of Italy and bordering both Austria and Switzerland. To help uncover the unique culinary heritage, Gino first heads to Valfloriana, where dairy farmer Graziano will teach him how to make the traditional caciotta altimo cheese, which is flavoured with thyme

Gino D'Acampo explores the northern region of Lombardia, where goes to Harry's Bar on Lake Como to unearth the secret of the establishment's best-selling drink - the bellini. The chef hitches a ride on George Clooney's boat to take a tour of an Italian villa that is on the market for 16m euros, before fly-fishing for agone and creating a supper from his catch

This northern region hugs the Ligurian sea and with the infamous Cinque Terre on it's coastline, Gino learns the secret of Italian gelato, not just an ice cream but a way of life! Liguria is famous for its seafood and pesto, but Gino is interested in the one ingredient that is the backbone to all Italian cookery. Olive oil. So he visits a grove high above the coastline and finds out for himself how the humble olive is turned into this liquid gold, before he cooks up a dish that takes it's inspiration from the region.

Affectionately known as Chiantishire, Gino is going to unearth the secrets of the Chianti Classico wine in the beautiful region of Tuscany by making his own in the Baroli vineyard, the place where Chianti was invented. He then joins the vintage bike riders of the Eroica, riding on the symbolic white gravel roads through the Tuscan countryside.

Gino D'Acampo explores Piedmonte, a northern region that borders France and Switzerland and sits at the foot of the Alps. It is known for sophisticated cuisine and wines such as barolo, but it is also home to a truffle festival in the town of Alba, where Gino meets a man whose job is to hunt for the delicacies with his trusty four-legged friend. Piedmont is at the heart of the Italian rice production and Gino tries his hand at rice harvesting and cooks a meal that celebrates the Po Valley area.