It started with a CNN notification on her phone, “Buy a One-Euro House in Sicily.” Lorraine Bracco tapped and started googling Sambuca di Sicilia, a hilltop village just 10 minutes from a beautiful beach in the province of Agrigento, Sicily.
“This could be fun!” thought the actress, who played Dr. Melfi on “The Sopranos.” Then she started planning.
Months after and thousands of dollars later, the story unfolds in HGTV’s new hit renovation show, “My Big Italian Adventure,” out this week. Lorraine did indeed purchase a home for just one Euro. With the help of local contractors, craftsmen and designers, she transformed a 200-year old 1,075-square-foot property into a homey residence with a large kitchen– it’s her favorite room in the house.
While filming in Sicily, the actress told The Food Network that she had time to indulge in "cannoli that were out of this world," frequent the Tuesday market, press olives and eat fresh pasta with wild asparagus from the local café.
“When the owner would see me coming,” the American-Italian actress explained, “She’d make the gesture to the mouth, like, 'Hungry? Mangia, mangia?' And I’d say yes, and she would make me pasta with wild asparagus. That was fantastic.”
In the end, Lorraine was given not one but three options of houses. The town chose her and just a few others from over 100,000 interested buyers. Since COVID-19, Lorraine hasn’t returned, but she hopes to visit as soon as she can.
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