Caroline Elliott
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Nicholas Hopton
Published December 8, 2025British Diplomat Nicholas Hopton Shares his Italian Adventure
Nicholas Hopton – former UK Ambassador to Iran, Qatar, Yemen, and Libya – reveals how his diplomatic skills have come in handy as he’s breathed new life into a run-down olive farm in a little-known area of Tuscany.
Encounters with wild boar, leaky pipes, colourful local characters, attempts at olive oil production and wading through Italian bureaucracy are all part of Nick’s beautifully written and witty memoir, Maremma Mia.
Nick talks about the privilege of serving as British Ambassador to Iran at a sensitive time, rebuilding trust on the back of the nuclear agreement, and living in numerous countries with his family, including France, Italy and Morocco, during his prestigious 35-year career at the Foreign Office.
