Mikaela Bandini, everyone calls me Mika
With a BA in Industrial Psychology and a master’s in Digital Communication for SMEs, I moved from Cape Town to a sleepy town in southern Italy called Matera, right on the instep of the boot, way back in the ‘90s.
My day job is designing visual content for destinations and brands, mostly specific architecture and design related content for public and private clients.
I like to consider myself a kind of ambassador for Italy, in love with Italy – and the Italians – since I can remember.
In a world where experiences are shared through screens, I create wanderlust adventures in order to showcase the country’s diversity, covering the unique essence of Italy’s rich culture, enchanting landscapes, and exquisite cuisine through the powerful impact of storytelling and visual content.
I also team up with studios and do collabs when it comes to formats and specific tours as well as do a bit of writing on design and destinations for Vogue, AD, Elle Decor.

My own projects include AREA 8, a funky concept space-cum-cocktail-bar in the UNESCO heritage neighborhood of the Sassi di Matera, PALESTRA – a former seventies gym in a heritage building transformed into an event space, BISC-OTTO our e-commerce venture selling Gourmet Fortune Cookies all around Italy.
Latest on my list is AREA 8 ROOMS – temporary XXC hospitality spaces around offbeat Southern Italy.