Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s novel, remains one of cinema’s most intoxicating portraits of Italy. Shot against the dazzling backdrops of Ischia, Procida, and the Amalfi Coast, the film is as much about setting as it is about identity — a world of sunlit villas, languid piazzas, and a soundtrack woven from jazz and Neapolitan song.
To follow in the footsteps of Dickie Greenleaf and Marge Sherwood is to inhabit a world of privilege, il dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing), and, of course, la dolce vita — a blend of elegance and carelessness that feels timeless. Here is a modern guide to traveling in their spirit: where to stay, dine, shop, and drive, with a soundtrack and wardrobe to match.
Towns & Settings
The Greenleafs’ Italy is scattered across some of the country’s most dazzling landscapes.
- Procida – This pastel island stood in for Mongibello, Dickie’s adopted home. The fishing village of Marina di Corricella, with its stacked houses in faded pink, blue, and yellow, is pure cinema.
- Ischia – Dickie and Marge’s languid afternoons played out here. Today, the island still offers secluded beaches, thermal waters, and villas overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.
- Positano & Atrani – Cliffside towns where time slows: lemon groves, bougainvillea, and narrow lanes descending to the sea.
- Rome – Where the story turns smoky and nocturnal. Think evenings in Trastevere, jazz clubs off Piazza Navona, and aperitivi at the Hotel de Russie.
- Venice – The narrative’s shadowy finale, still the ultimate stage for masks, canals, and intrigue.
Where to Stay
Dickie would never have settled for less than the best — old-world glamour softened by Mediterranean ease.
- Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa (Ischia) – A 16th-century watchtower transformed into a five-star retreat, surrounded by pines and overlooking the sea.
Via Mezzatorre, 23, 80075 Forio, Ischia – mezzatorre.com - Le Sirenuse (Positano) – An Amalfi icon with lemon-scented terraces and uninterrupted views of the Tyrrhenian.
Via Cristoforo Colombo, 30, 84017 Positano – sirenuse.it - Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria (Sorrento) – 19th-century grandeur perched above the Bay of Naples, where royals and actors once lingered.
Piazza Tasso, 34, 80067 Sorrento – exvitt.it - Hotel de Russie (Rome) – Legendary Roman hotel with a secret garden, beloved by artists and aristocrats.
Via del Babuino, 9, 00187 Rome – roccofortehotels.com
Where to Eat
Marge and Dickie’s meals were always about more than food: they were rituals of ease, flirtation, and sun-drenched indulgence.
- Da Adolfo (Positano) – A barefoot-chic trattoria reached only by boat, famous for mozzarella grilled on lemon leaves.
Laurito Beach, 84017 Positano – daadolfo.com - La Pergola (Rome) – Rome’s three-Michelin-starred temple of gastronomy, with panoramic city views from the Waldorf Astoria.
Via Alberto Cadlolo, 101, 00136 Rome – romecavalieri.com/la-pergola - Ischia trattorie – Around Piazza Umberto I in Forio or the marina at Sant’Angelo, family-run kitchens serve spaghetti alle vongole, grilled catch of the day, and pitchers of crisp Falanghina.
Where to Shop
To dress like Dickie and Marge is to embrace Riviera nonchalance.
- Via Condotti (Rome) – Bulgari, Ferragamo, and Pucci: mid-century glamour still alive in Rome’s luxury corridor.
- Sandali di Positano – Handmade sandals, unchanged since the 1950s.
Via Cristoforo Colombo, 97, 84017 Positano – sandalidipositano.com - Rubinacci (Naples) – Bespoke tailoring for Dickie’s linen suits and blazers.
Via Chiaia, 149, 80121 Naples – marianorubinacci.net
Cars & Drives
The Greenleafs would never take a train when they could take the coast road.
- Vintage Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider – The ultimate Amalfi roadster.
- Fiat 500s and Vespas – For quick spins into town, an espresso stop in Atrani, or a midnight glide through Rome.
Route highlights: Positano to Ravello via winding cliff roads; Naples down the Amalfi Drive; or a Roman escape to Trastevere for jazz and aperitivi.
What They’d Wear
- Dickie Greenleaf: Cream linen shirt, tailored trousers, Persol sunglasses, leather sandals — finished with a nonchalant tan and a boat moored nearby.
- Marge Sherwood: Capri pants with espadrilles, silk headscarf, raffia bag from Positano, pearls at sunset.
Music for the Journey
Ripley’s world is inseparable from its soundscape.
- 1950s jazz: Chet Baker, Miles Davis, and the smoky voice of Billie Holiday.
- Italian classics: Renato Carosone’s Tu Vuo’ Fa’ L’Americano.
- A modern homage: a playlist mixing vintage jazz with contemporary Italian soul and Italo-disco.
The Allure of Ripley’s Italy
Traveling in Highsmith’s footsteps is not just about destinations; it’s about inhabiting a world of leisure and danger, where beauty is both a stage and a mask. From sipping espresso on Ischia’s piazzas to slipping into a jazz bar in Rome, Dickie and Marge’s Italy is timeless.
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