Are you ready for the Monopoly ISSIMO Italian road trip?
ISSIMO and your favourite board game
- BY ISSIMO
- November 19, 2021
Do not pass go. Four words indelible in childhood memories thanks to evenings gathered around Monopoly fighting over that race car, hiding money, and coveting those little green houses.
“When I was little, I used to play Monopoly all the time – at La Posta Vecchia and at Il Pellicano. We had a board everywhere!”, tells Marie-Louise. “After my college graduation, I took a road trip to the Grand Canyon with my friends Farah and Clementina where we found Monopoly’s National Parks edition in a gift shop. It was the first time I had ever seen a customised board. I loved it because it was very evocative and I discovered parks I didn’t even know existed.”
The love of Monopoly and the discovery of new places captivated Marie-Louise. “The customized edition idea really stuck in my head and 20 years later, I was inspired to create Monopoly ISSIMO!”
“Monopoly ISSIMO is a board full of discoveries and definitely a road trip which you can do in real life.”
Introducing Monopoly ISSIMO
The Italian Road Trip
Roll the dice and hit the road to Italy with the one-of-a-kind Monopoly ISSIMO edition themed to The Italian Road Trip! A bespoke, collectible ISSIMO game, Monopoly ISSIMO explores the bel paese through a dynamic road trip of Italy’s incredible iconic locations and hidden treasures, delicious food and fantastic wines, beautiful traditions, ingenious tailors, storied artisans, and more.
“In March and April 2020, I was playing Monopoly a lot and taking myself on many imaginary road trips. Imagination is a big saviour and it certainly was during lock down. Thanks to that, I decided to create a board that is full of discoveries and definitely very evocative of a road trip which you can also do in real life,” shares Marie Louise.
Marie-Louise did not need to go far for inspiration. Italy is choc-a-block with breathtaking sites, heritage artisans, incredible restaurants and more, the likes of which easily fill up the board game and then some.
Marie-Louise did not need to go far for inspiration. Italy is choc-a-block with breathtaking sites, heritage artisans, incredible restaurants and more, the likes of which easily fill up the board game and then some.
Roll the dice to meet amazing participants
The Monopoly ISSIMO Edition
Monopoly ISSIMO puts a spin on the classic board game. Players roll the dice to travel Italy in their Maserati Levante, Italy’s heritage automobile and historic symbol of Italian excellence, craftsmanship and grand touring.
“My favourite token? The car, of course!”
“Monopoly ISSIMO is a selection of the places I love and visited. These are gems and less obvious places and experiences that I wanted to share with everyone that will help get under the skin of Italy,” explains Marie-Louise.
Board “properties” include gorgeous towns and countryside, delicious restaurants like Siena’s Osteria le Logge, Rome’s Trattoria da Enzo al 29 and Amalfi’s Ristorante Lo Scoglio, heritage artisans like LGR, Loretta Caponi, Atelier Bomba, Battistoni, Bonacina 1889, Ceramiche Francesco Di Maio, and amazing wines at Agriturismo e Cantina Emidio Pepe.
And Monopoly ISSIMO brings players to a deeper level of cultural heritage, traditions and prominent personalities in its Community Chest and Chance cards. And of course, players will find themselves overnighting in one of the fabulous Pellicano Hotels, Il Pellicano, La Posta Vecchia and the Mezzatorre.
Players will find themselves landing on Hotel Il Pellicano, La Posta Vecchia, and Il Mezzatorre as they spin around the board.
The best Italian road trip
“Monopoly ISSIMO is evocative. The board is lined with places you can visit in real life, which we also transformed into a more expansive print map (and digital version) that includes highlights and insights.”
Monopoly ISSIMO collector’s map doubles a detailed and curated insider guide of benchmark superlatives Bellissimo, Buonissimo, Chicissimo, Coltissimo and Italianissimo through over 100 cultural pit stops, artisans and designers, and food purveyors of this incredible land.
“A fantasy game that can come to life!”
Marie-Louise explains, “Our map details every region with points of interest, making Monopoly a fantasy game that can come to life.” And to make the fantasy off the board and IRL, ISSIMO teamed up with Bellini Travel, Italy’s travel specialist for four bespoke and multi-day adventures in featured regions including Lazio,, Emilia Romagna (with a visit to Maserati, of course!), Veneto, and the unparalleled Dolomites.
Five facts about Monopoly that might surprise you
- Although Charles Darrow “invented” the game in 1933, inspiration came from feminist activist Elizabeth Maggie who patented The Landlord’s Game in 1903.
- Mr. Monopoly man was inspired by J.P Morgan and is actually named “ Rich Uncle Pennybags.
- A Monopoly game lasts about an hour but the longest game in history lasted 70 straight days!.
- Monopoly is the most successful board game in history with more than 250 million sets sold in over 114 countries and 47 languages
- Charles Darrow supposedly designed the board after a checkered tablecloth!
Monopoly ISSIMO is exclusively sold on ISSIMO and can be
pre-ordered today.
