Why Structure Lovers Ought to Contemplate a Go to to This Stanley Tucci–Authorized Italian Village

On Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, the actor traverses the country sampling delicacies like tagliatelle alla bolognese, cacio e pepe, cotoletta alla milanes, and more. For his latest gig, however, he’s promoting a different sort of Italian cuisine staple: San Pellegrino. “When one thinks of sitting down at a table in Italy, one instantly pictures a bottle of wine and the classic green bottle of San Pellegrino,” Tucci tells AD.

The Devil Wears Prada star appears in a new commercial for the iconic mineral water, which he says he’s been drinking since he graduated from college. (When pressed for his answer to the age-old question of “still or sparkling?” he replies, “Usually both!”) The brand has also created a gift box in honor of Tucci, which features a bottle engraved with his signature and has been dubbed the “Stan Pellegrino.”

Tucci traveled to San Pellegrino Terme in the Lombardy region of Italy to film the commercial. The small village—and the source of the famous water—may not be the first place on an American tourist’s radar, but there are numerous reason to visit, especially for architecture lovers. (For the record, Tucci recommends Florence as the perfect starting point for first-time visitors to Italy. “It is small, very walkable, and has amazing history and great food and wine.”)

San Pellegrino Terme is home to Art Nouveau buildings like the San Pellegrino Casino, a venue for weddings and events completed in 1906. Highly decorated inside and out, it features a grand lobby with a massive split staircase, columns, and intricate statues and frescoes. “The Casino is beautiful, and filming [there] was really fun,” Tucci says. It has been restored in recent years, as have other Italian Art Nouveau (also known as Liberty Style) buildings in the town, like the Grand Hotel, a large orange building that sits on the banks of the Brembo river, and QC Terme, a spa with natural thermal baths.