Claudia Baccarini, originally from Faenza in Emilia-Romagna, is Italy’s oldest woman and is currently the third oldest person in Europe. She breaks record after record yearly while enjoying superb health.
Claudia’s daughter is 90
Interviewed on the occasion of her remarkable achievement—being the oldest woman in the country is certainly no small feat—Claudia expressed her surprise not at her own milestone, but at her daughter’s. “What impresses me most is that my daughter is about to turn 90,” she said.
Claudia’s secret? According to her, nothing unusual. She follows a simple lifestyle with light, moderate meals and a daily dose of wine, in keeping with local tradition. She has never smoked. Her longevity has even earned her a dedicated Wikipedia page.
As of today, Claudia is the third longest-living person in Europe, following Ethel Caterham from the UK and Marie-Rose Tessier from France.
Here is a look at Italy’s top 20 living super centenarians. Notably, the list includes 19 women—a figure that aligns with the latest ISTAT data showing that 83.3% of centenarians in Italy are female!
The rise of super centenarians in Italy
Claudia’s extraordinary journey past the age of 100 places her firmly in the history books. The topic of supercentenarians is close to the hearts of Italians, who are known for their long lifespan and have one of the world’s five “Blue Zones”—regions where life expectancy far surpasses the global average. As of January 1, 2021, Italy was home to 17,177 residents aged 100 or older.
The largest super centenarian community in the world is located in Seulo, Sardinia, a small town with fewer than 800 residents, also one of the five Blue Zones.
What’s their secret? The Mediterranean diet, a hearty bowl of Sardinian pecorino soup, sheep’s milk, and above all, a life free of stress.
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The image is for demonstration purposes only and is not the person in question for privacy reasons!
