Owner of Italy Hotline Custom and Gourmet Tours, Sienna first fell in love with Italy as a little girl. Because of her name, people talked to her about Italy. She loved to make drawings of Italian palaces and fountains and dreamed of visiting one day. On a three-week visit to Italy with her husband and son in 1998, she fell in love with the country and within four months, they moved to Italy. Since then, Sienna has lived the expat dream, immersing herself in the history, art, food and wine of Italy, traveling throughout the country seeking the best of Italy. Her lifelong love of Italian Food and Wine Traditions has led her to incorporate the culinary aspect of Italy in her tours, bringing Italy alive through its history, art, and architecture as well as its culinary traditions. Sienna believes there is a Secret Door to Italy of authenticity to open for each person and the key to travel is to have a friend in Italy to guide one through it. She wholeheartedly believes that private tours are the best way to travel to minimize harmful impact on the places being visited. Sienna prizes her relationships with providers of private tours, cooking classes, wine tours and chauffeurs throughout Italy. She loves working with the best!

Ally, the Manager of Italy Hotline Custom and Gourmet Tours, was born in Russia but moved to Austria with her parents when she was just 3 years old. She grew up in Vienna where she attended grand balls, spent countless hours in cafes and art galleries, and continuously explored the city with her father’s vintage Leica. She developed a love for photography, painting and cooking and, after graduating from school, chose to attend the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She was awarded a Master degree in Art History and Theology cum laude, finding particular delight in studying Dutch genre painting, the frescoes of Giotto, 17th and 18th Century Italy & the Grand Tour, and Old Testament iconography. She returned to Vienna where she worked for the international art auction house Bonhams and the Ernst Hilger Gallery, before spontaneously deciding that English, Russian and German were simply not enough languages to have mastered. She decided to throw herself into studying Italian and signed up for a three-week language class in Rome. Falling in love with the city she moved there permanently, and has been dedicating herself to the continuous immersion in art and history ever since. Ally loves the Italian countryside, the canals of Venice, great food & wine, and thinks that Rome is "magical".

Daniela was born and raised in Rome, where her passion for languages, art history and the history of Rome have guided her focus in life. The thing that most impresses Daniela about Rome is how each and every stone, column, and art work was part of the hustle and bustle of everyday life in another time. She earned her degree in tourism at the Christopher Columbus Tourism School of Rome, studied languages at Rome’s La Sapienza University, and took language courses abroad in England, France and Germany. Daniela followed the difficult official course studies for the history of Rome and Lazio, earning her Tourist Guide license in English and French in 1992 and has worked happily since then in Rome, Greece, Spain and Morocco. She loves to travel the world, meet new people and learn about other cultures. Daniela’s favorite sites in Rome are endless, but she especially loves The Galleria Borghese with its superb wealth of Baroque art and its palatial interior that so clearly speaks of the parties and feasts of the past. Having two children herself, Daniela likes to give tours to young people and goes out of her way to make tours special for people of all ages. She is adored by all who encounter her and a guest once referred to her simply as "the personification of grace and power".

A Chicagoan by birth, Michael grew up in Indiana, where his decision to take the “useless” subject of Latin at East Chicago Roosevelt High School led him to a life-long interest in all things Italian. He has been residing in Italy for over 30 years now—in Bologna, Sardinia, Perugia, Naples and Rome. Michael's life long passion is teaching about Italian history from the ancient to the present. He loves accompanying visitors who crave to learn more about the history and heritage of Rome through the ages and enjoys immensely the stimulating questions which come out of the visitors’ varied backgrounds and life experience. Michael taught Humanities courses including Roman history and archaeology and Italian art history classes as an adjunct instructor for the University of La Verne (California) Naples Residence Center. He was also responsible there for developing a Cultural Tourism in Italy program for NATO Headquarters Southern Europe and 6th Fleet Naval Support Activity and took up scuba diving to do underwater archeological investigations in the Bay of Naples. He is also one of the founders of the International Archaeological Society of Naples. He is currently a professor in Rome at the University of Fine Arts, the Director of the Anglo-American Language & Culture Institute and lectures at the Università Popolare di Roma. His educational background includes a B.A. in Italian Language and Literature at Indiana University, an M.A. in Italian Studies from the University of California at Los Angeles. Other professional experience includes a Fulbright Junior Lectureship, Information Agency English Teacher Training Fellowship in Eastern Europe for the Society of Bulgarian Scholars, Director of Studies at the American Studies Center in Naples.

Resident gourmand, wine enthusiast and certified Sommelier, Ettore, was born into a culture of food and wine from an early age. He is a native of the town of Genzano di Roma, in the countryside south of Rome, an area well known throughout Italy for its delicious yet rustic kitchen, frequented by every Roman at one point or another. When he is not frequenting the many wine bars of Rome, he is searching for hidden enogastromic and cultural treasures in the countryside of Lazio. Ettore's background is very diverse. He attended liceo classico and from an early age was exposed to classical history, mythology, and philosophy, which gave birth to his lifelong interest in pre-Roman Italy and archeology. He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Archeology at University Roma Tre. He lived in California with his wife for two years, and spent much of his free time there studying the wine and food he missed in Italy. He is very passionate about local food and wine traditions and their historical significance, and especially the food and wine culture of the Pre-Roman world. He is an oenophile who graduated as a certified Sommelier in 2009. He was certified as a Sommelier through Associazione Italiana Sommelier. Ettore is passionate about sharing the true treasures of his country; its food, wines and culture, with people from all over the world. He is uniquely qualified to share his knowledge of Italy's food and wine with his educational background as well as a deep understanding of the roots of food and wine culture in Italy, as a native born Italian brought up in a food and wine culture that dates back thousands of years. He also has a great sense of humor and makes any day a wonderful one!

Silvia is a Roman native who graduated from La Sapienza University with a degree in Foreign Languages and Literature in 1999. She has worked in the travel industry for 15 years, both in the back office as incoming travel expert for Rome and Italy and in the front line as travel escort and tour guide. She has been passionate about her hometown of Rome since childhood, exploring the city with her architect uncle, discovering every hidden corner, and learning about the city’s history from ancient times to the present. After studying art, history and archeology she earned her official tour guide license and now greatly enjoys helping visitors discover the beauty and the secrets of Rome, and stimulating the desire to come back as soon as possible! Silvia's favorite site in Rome is San Clemente for its blend of pagan and Christian sites and its intriguing history. Her hobbies are cooking, choir singing and yoga. She recommends a day outside of Rome with a visit to Ostia Antica, one of her favorite places for its calm natural beauty and wealth of historic interest. Silvia also recommends her scooter tours of Rome for an exciting way to experience the city as the Romans do!

Despite the Italianissimo name, Giuseppe was in fact born and raised in Scotland, and still retains his sturdy monopthongs to prove it. He obtained a PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2005, writing his thesis on Victorian pastoral poetry, and went on to complete a post-doctoral research fellowship at Edinburgh University, where he also taught English literature and critical theory. Having previously worked at Hawthornden Castle International Retreat for Writers in Midlothian, Scotland, and at the British Museum and Wallace Collection in London, he is now Curator of the Keats-Shelley House here in Rome. Giuseppe has created a number of exclusive itineraries for Italy Hotline Custom & Gourmet Tours literature lovers and is excited to welcome guests both in Rome and, specifically, at the Keats-Shelley House for his tailor-made, unique literary experiences.

Francesca was born and raised in Rome by a Neapolitan dad and a London mum. She became interested in cooking as a child and was in charge of the weekly pasta sauce (with 8 at home there was a lot of food to make). Increasingly interested in cooking she bought endless amounts of cooking magazines. She moved to London at 26, and felt like Alice in Wonderland with herbs and ingredients she would not have found in Rome widening her culinary horizons. At the end of 5 years in London as an office worker she took off to Sydney to study at the Culinary Academy Le Cordon Bleu. When she returned to Rome she began her gastronomy and market tours, private catering and cooking lessons. Francesca loves Italian regional food from typical Roman and Lazio dishes like supplì, rice stuffed tomatoes, lamb with egg and parsley sauce to classic Tuscan, Neapolitan, Sicilian, Ligurian, Piedmontese and other regions. She specializes in hand made pasta from ravioli to tortellini, and lasagne. Dessert making is also a passion- from simple to complex desserts including gelato and tiramisu. She loves the wealth of fresh vegetables the Italian market offers. Vegetarian and special dietary requirements are easily arranged. Just specify what your needs are and the lesson will be tailor-made to your needs. Special interests such as fresh pasta and sauces, pizza making, bread and baking, antipasti, desserts or a complete meal can be taught in one lesson. Her favorite restaurants in Rome are La Fucina for pizza, Il Pagliaccio and Doney. Francesca started singing in a choir at the age of 3 so you might even learn an Italian song while you cook!

Born in Frascati, in the heart of the Castelli Romani, Marco spent his childhood growing up in the area of the Ostia Lido beach. It is here that he fell in love with the sea and travelling. After a long career in souvenir sales Marco felt the need to change his life, and - because of his eagerness and curiosity to meet new people and language skills - moved to Rome and started his own private chauffeur company together with his wife Sara. Marco speaks English and French and loves his job not only because it allows him to make new friends every day, but because he is proud of his city and always looks forward to sharing the beauty of Lazio and the Eternal City with his guests. In the business for many years now, Marco is highly valued as a punctual, friendly, safe and reliable driver whose impeccable fleet will complete any trip, making it unforgettable. Whether you are traveling on business, alone, or with your family and friends – Marco will be there for you from the moment you land at the airport or arrive at the cruise ship port, to welcome you in Rome.

Born in Montreal, Anthony Majanlahti has lived in Rome for many years, making this city his main focus in his writings and publications. He is a reknowned author and is hired continually for his expertise regarding everything Roman. He revels in bringing history to life in a thoroughly entertaining way, including the most fascinating facts along with scandal and passion. His masterpiece of fascinating Rome history, "The Families who Made Rome: A History and a Guide" is a must read to understand the fascinating ins and outs, successes and failures of the Noble families who literally constructed Rome. Majanlahti is an expert on everything Roman; including Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Modern and Fascist eras. Anthony has connections like no one else in Rome and is the perfect person to get into amazing places that few people can ever see. We are pleased to be offering an exclusive array of Secret Door to Italy itineraries with Anthony. Anthony recently published a book in Italian called Roma Occupata 1943-44, and is currently working on a book on Fascist Rome and its precursers.

Susanna is a bubbly, vibrant professional opera singer, tour guide and hostess extraordinaire, who will will welcome you in and introduce you to the beautiful Etruscan hamlets of Lazio. Whether it's a walk in Viterbo, Tuscania and Tarquinia, a beautiful catered meal in her private, medieval home in Vetralla, or an evening of opera extravaganza - Susanna and her husband Rudolph are there to show you that there is much, much more to Lazio than Rome and the Vatican City. An international couple themselves, Susanna and Rudolph love meeting travelers of different backgrounds and especially enjoy welcoming cruise ship travelers, who have seen the Eternal City before and are aching for a new, stimulating day-long experience from the port of Civitavecchia.

American-Irish writer and historian Mary Jane has been living in Italy since 1965 with a four year hiatus in Moscow during the perestroika where she was on the staff of Moscow Magazine. An educator and administrator at international schools in Rome, Genoa and Moscow, she also set up and taught for numerous study abroad programs. A journalist and writer for Rome’s English language press since 1978, her byline has also appeared in scholarly journals, guidebooks, print and online magazines. Living for the last 15 years in the ancient Etruscan town of Vetralla, Mary Jane is the perfect hostess and guide for anyone wishing to delve deep into the customs and history of this mysterious and fascinating people. She knows the towns of Tarquinia, Vetralla, Viterbo and Tuscania like the back of her hand, and is the author of some of the only books written about these areas in the English language, such as "Etruria - Travel, History and Itineraries in Central Italy", "Travels to Tuscany & Northern Lazio" and "The Irish and English in Italy’s Risorgimento".

Arlene was born in New York City, raised in leafy Verona, New Jersey, and graduated from Syracuse University. She spent 14 years in Hollywood working as a film executive/producer and a screen writer. Her novel "The Rebirth Of Mrs. Tracey Higgins" was published in December 2011 while her hit film (co-written with Elizabeth Hunter) "Jumping The Broom" was released in May 2011. Prior to working in Hollywood, Arlene worked in fashion and interior design. Armed with her French passport, she moved to Rome in 2008 after an earlier trip changed her life. Arlene came to Italy in search of change and inspiration. She found it and returned to her creative roots. In 2011 Arlene successfully completed an internship for one of Italy’s top interior/furniture designers. Now, permanently based in Rome, she founded Arlene Gibbs Décor in 2012 and lives a happy, exciting life. Her taste in fashion and decorating is one of stylish simplicity, and has been strongly influenced by her Caribbean background, living in Italy, and her career in film and fashion. Arlene is outgoing, charming and endlessly entertaining company and offers, exclusively for Italy Hotline Custom and Gourmet Tours, tailor-made personal shopping tours, complete wardrobe make-overs, and fashion walks.

Andrea grew up in Naples, where he studied photography and began working as a photo reporter, during which time he developed his talent for capturing reality in the moment. He enjoyed growing up in this city full of contrasts: light and dark, ancient and new, water and land. Andrea has spent the last decade in Rome photographing and making videos of a great range of subjects including documenting sports, politics and events while working for Il Messaggero, Lapresse, and the Official Press of the President of the Province of Rome. He loves the challenges of his job which are both physical and research oriented, and finds the chase for the perfect image to be the driving force in his life. He is passionate about working with visitors to Italy who would like to document their experiences through photos or film, whether at a wedding, dinner, corporate event or amidst the endlessly beautiful scenery of Rome and Italy. Andrea's other interests include travel, swimming and sky diving.

Spike is the owner of Sienna and her family. He adopted us over ten years ago when he was in residence in central Rome’s Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. A wild kitten abandoned with his little brother, he was rescued by a Roman woman who brought him to the sanctuary. When we met him he was tiny, with enormous ears and a back leg that did not work. He told us to bring him to our home so we did and that started a long and wonderful relationship as a family. Spike helps us run Italy Hotline and is always there to keep us company as we answer our clients’ emails and arrange their private tours. “Un vero gatto Romano” as they say—“a true Roman cat”—he brings joy and fascination to all who meet him! The cat sanctuary he left behind is found within the ruins of the ancient Theater of Pompey. It is a wonderful place to visit if you like cats; you can even adopt a cat there to take home with you, or help support abandoned cats and the volunteers that take good care of them. (They sterilize, vaccinate and feed all of their cats.) You can find out more about the sanctuary at their website: http://www.romancats.com/index_eng.php

Chef Ilaria is a passionate and vibrant food-lover who is always excited to introduce travelers to the world of Tuscan cooking. Ilaria has been interested in cuisine from a very early age, and remembers spending hours in her grandmother's kitchen as a child, watching her cook and helping her out. What began as a hobby became her life's work when Ilaria, at the time a lawyer, decided to attend a simple wine tasting course. She quickly realized that she had found her true calling and, leaving the office and paperwork behind, became first a professional sommelier, and then enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. She graduated with a Grand Diplome in Cuisine et Patisserie, in other words, cooking and pastry making, and has been living her dream life ever since. Ilaria likes traditional Tuscan cooking, but also enjoys putting “fresh spins” on old favourites. She was taught by Michelin Star winners, has worked in five of the finest restaurants in Florence, and is now offering private cooking classes exclusively for our guests in her beautiful home in the heart of Florence, just minutes away from the Ponte Vecchio. She also leads private market and gourmet food tours in Florence, and is always very happy to cutomize a walk to your request. Whether you'd like a class dedicated only to making Christmas pastries, or a walk that focuses on chocolates and coffee, or a Prosecco and Truffle tasting session - Ilaria is your expert in Florence!

Lisa is a first generation Italian-American born and raised in New York. Wanting to explore her roots, she began studying Italian in college and decided to spend a semester in Florence. It was truly love at first sight and she was hooked. After graduating she continued to study the language and returned often to Florence. After a few years she decided it was time to finally do what she had been longing to do since her junior year, move to Italy. Once here, her goal was to learn as much as she could about her beloved adoptive city. Her love for learning and curious nature lead her to pursue a career as a tour guide. Enchanted by the Chianti countryside and its famed wine, she went on to receive her certification as a sommelier. Lisa continues to be intrigued by Florence's art, history and culture on a daily basis and considers herself a "lifetime student". She spends her free time visiting the lesser known gems of Florence, taking long walks in the countryside and exploring Renaissance gardens. She considers herself very fortunate to be able to share her knowledge and passion of the place she now calls "home".

Lise loves helping people discover and understand Florence’s overwhelming abundance of history, art and architecture, as well as designing itineraries outside of Florence to take in the food and wine and other fantastic offerings of the Tuscan countryside. From Chicago, Lise came to Florence on a scholarship from the U of California to study printmaking, returned to finish her BFA, and a MFA from the U of Washington. After teaching art in Seattle, she no longer could ignore her love of Italy and returned to make the Florentine countryside her home. A licensed guide since 1995, she also teaches art in private and public schools. She is co-author of Italianissimo, a charming book on “quintessential Italian things” published in 2008, highly recommended for those who want to understand more about Italy's cultural secrets. Lise’s knowledge of Florence, its art, history, artisans and hidden treasures make her one of the city’s top private guides. Lise teaches art, cooking, and country skills at her farmhouse in the Mugello valley and enjoys making the “living classroom of the Renaissance” and the nuances of Italian culture come alive for travelers of all ages. Knowledge of food and wine and specialties of the region, as well as connections with artisan crafts and food producers are one of her specialties. Lise has worked as a teacher, coordinator and museum lecturer for many groups coming to Italy, including the Humanities Institute, Dickens Destinations, Wilderness Travel, Classic Journeys, Backroads, Country Walkers, The School of Visual Arts, Montessori, and countless other school groups.

Michele was just six years old when his parents brought him to Florence, and it was love at first sight! This passion endured as he studied, worked and traveled the world until he was finally able to make Florence his home. Wherever he went, the attraction of Florence drew him back, time after time, like the force of a powerful magnet. With each visit, the city unfolded more of its treasures to discover and explore, from its scenic beauty and notable architecture to its wonderful diversity of churches and museums. Michele's favorite tours in Florence are those that delve into the genius of the great Renaissance artists such as Botticelli, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi and Leonardo, and tours of handicraft workshops that take advantage of his contacts with goldsmiths, leather working, sculpture and fresco artists. Michele has made it his passion to learn more of Florence’s fascinating history and research the delicious food and wine specialties of Tuscany. He truly enjoys helping curious and discerning visitors discover and share in Tuscany’s riches, secrets and wonders. Michele is an adventurous man who loves the outdoors and in his free time enjoys parachuting, mountain climbing and rescue, diving, skiing, gardening and speleology.

Franco is a certified chauffeur guide who is here to take you on your Tuscan adventure. A true proud Tuscan, he believes that visiting the land of the genius Puccini, Michelangelo's "David", the great Medici Family and of some of the most breathtaking views in the world is quintessential to a complete trip to la bella Italia. Whether you are looking for a luxurious limousine ride through Florence, a guided tour of Lucca and Pisa, or a very personal, intimate walk through the vineyards and wine cellars of Chianti - Franco will expertly manage your trip. He speaks excellent English, and welcomes business partners, couples, families and groups of friends every day, guaranteeing them a pleasant, fun and immaculately coordinated trip. We have created a number of exclusive tours for our Italy Hotline Custom & Gourmet Tours together with Franco to explore the cities of Lucca, Pisa, Siena, Greve in Chianti, Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Cortona, Monteriggioni, Arezzo, Massa and Carrara, and the area of Cinque Terre in Liguria. Franco is an absolute expert when it comes to the whole of Tuscany and, together with him, we will customize any itinerary for you that is not on our website, to make sure you will experience Tuscany exactly the way you would like to.

Serena is a vibrant tour leader and your guide in the Tuscan countryside. She is happily married to a man from Pisa and is the mother of two beautiful little girls. Serena lives in Versilia, on the Northern Tuscan coast, and is an absolute expert for the top, off-the beaten path destinations like Cinque Terre, Lucca, Garfagnana and the Etruscan Coast. She is endlessly proud of being a Versilian and adores both the rich cultural heritage and the stunning nature – the sandy beaches, the green rolling hills and the Apuan Alps – of her homeland. In her free time Serena loves to travel with her family and scout new restaurants, artisan shops, discover hidden treasures and make new friends. Having worked with tourists for over a decade and lived in both London and Dublin, Serena speaks fluent English and is curious to meet travelers of all nationalities and backgrounds. Serena loves good food and wine, and leads gourmet food walks throughout Northern Tuscany; the wine producers and food artisans, over the years, have become her friends and traveling with her will make you a part of this special, genuine relationship. Enjoy a tour with Serena and, as one of our clients said, “don’t worry about a thing - just follow the red-head!"

Antonella was born in Sardinia and grew up there until she moved to Milan to earn a degree in foreign languages and English, Spanish and Portuguese literature. She then moved to California, where she learned about the United States and perfected her English. Coming back from the US, she visited and fell in love with Tuscany, made it her home and became a licensed tour guide for the Siena region of Tuscany. Antonella developed an intense passion for the wine, food, history and local traditions of Tuscany. She became a sommelier and has made priceless contacts with wine producers in the area, which allows her to bring clients into private vineyards for an experience few people are privileged to enjoy. She lives in the charming Tuscan town of Montisi with her husband, a noted wine-making consultant, and their dog Kiu. Antonella can create specialized itineraries in Siena and Tuscany, wine tastings, culinary tours, and visits to historic sites of all kinds as well as ceramics workshops and shopping areas. She has a great passion for what she does and loves to share the Tuscany she knows so well.

Pamela lives with her family in a beautiful historic villa on their 15-acre organic farm near Montepulciano in Tuscany, an area famous for its great wine, olive oil and pecorino cheese. She originally trained as a chef in Los Angeles with noted chef Joaquim Splichal and over the last 20 years has enjoyed a freelance career as a culinary teacher, food stylist and food writer. She has published 15 cookbooks and has a new one coming out in 2011 called Tuscan Peasant Cooking. Pamela’s offerings include cooking classes in her home, day trips in Tuscany and Umbria, weeklong culinary programs and trips exploring the back roads of Italian food and wine culture in several regions of Italy including Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Campagna and Piemonte. Custom designed cooking classes and itineraries are her specialty and she has wonderful contacts with small local producers to bring her guests in touch with the real Italy in every region. Pamela is involved with production herself and has an active oliveto with 1,250 olive trees and a garden that provides fresh, seasonal organic produce- thus when you cook with her you get a sense of the connection between the cook and the land. She has beautiful horses on her property as well! Pamela's favorite restaurants in Tuscany: La Grotta- Montepulciano, Latte di Luna-Pienze, Mondo X-Cetona. In her area she loves the Etruscan sites and museums and local artisan and ceramics shops. Pamela's hobbies are weaving, exploring dirt roads to nowhere in the Tuscan countryside and visiting the magical thermal baths of Tuscany.

Passionate about both art and archeology, Calogero is a native Sicilian who successfully transplanted to Naples over 20 years ago as a university student. With a degree in Archeology and a background in English, French, Japanese and Chinese languages, he loves to root out the commonalities across peoples and historical periods. His background includes both European and Oriental archeology as well as Greek and Roman art and architecture. A lover of the past but firmly in the present he follows contemporary art, particularly photography and installation work. He loves the layers upon layers of history to be found in the labyrinth that is Naples, its roots going back thousands of years to the Greek colonists who first settled it. He enjoys showing clients the beauty of the city, allowing them to benefit from his decades of careful exploration that bring out Naples’ colorful history and vibrant people, its earthy Aglianico wines and its complex yet home-style cuisine.

Marco was born in Assisi and has always lived and worked in the Assisi/Spello area. Marco initially studied Languages, and speaks fluent English as well as French. Working as a financial advisor for many years, Marco changed his life dramatically by pursuing his personal passion. History and Art History have always been important interests and so, when he decided to become a professional tour guide, Marco spent years studying closely the historical, artistic and cultural patrimony of Umbria. He has now worked a tour guide for over 10 years and some of his most popular tours include Assisi, Perugia, Orvieto, Todi, Spoleto, Gubbio, Spello, Trevi, Bevagna, Montefalco, the Trasimeno Lake area (his favourite!), Norcia and the Valnerina, Cascia and the Val Castoriana, Castelluccio, Narni and the Marmore Falls. Apart from these "classics" he is very keen on promoting the off the beaten path, hilltop towns all around the Trasimeno Lake (such as Panicale, Paciano, Castiglione del Lago, Mongiovino and Città della Pieve), the areas of Montone in the north, Deruta (home of the splendid Renaissance ceramic masters of Umbria), Torgiano, Montecastello di Vibio (a wonderful hamlet on top of a hill near Todi, housing the smallest theater in the world), Ferentillo with its Mummy Museum, and San Pietro in Valle with its early Romanesque abbey church, home to the oldest surviving frescoes in Umbria (dating back to a time long before Cimabue and Giotto). Marco's parents worked in the food and wine business and so as a boy he grew up surrounded by sommeliers, cooks and local food experts. He is always very happy to go out of his way and allow his guests to experience an olive pressing day, the grape harvest, a wine tasting or simply a terrific, simple and authentic lunch in the heart of Umbria. Whatever your interests in Umbria may be - you are in trusted, expert hands with Marco.

Simona, a Roman by birth, trained at the Gambero Rosso, a renowned culinary institute in Rome, and several years ago she completed her training as a sommelier in Orvieto. She can now be found living in a beautiful rustic farmhouse near Orvieto, which has been lovingly restored by herself and her British husband Nick, a renowned photo journalist. They relocated from Rome 11 years ago to fulfil their mutual dream of “the good life”, or Dolce Vita as it’s called in Italy! The house is nestled into the Umbrian hillside, on the outskirts of Allerona, a stunning hilltop village 15 minutes from Orvieto. For the past decade Simona has immersed herself in the local Umbrian lifestyle and cuisine, learning from both professional chefs, and the most respected of all, the local Nonnas (Italian for grandmothers!). With a profound respect for what nature has to offer, as well as a delicately trained palate, Simona can create the most interesting balances of flavours. While she works with many traditional and local ingredients, she is never afraid to add her own personal touch to the dishes she creates. Her husband sure is lucky, getting to try every new recipe she creates! Simona has embraced the country life as well with her now thriving vegetable garden. And to keep things completely local and fresh she cooks using only ingredients that are in season. She is always passionate and inventive, and working in the world of food and wine is a delight that she continuously relishes.

Paula, a native Umbrian, is a creator of local cuisine beyond parallel. She is a master of everything: Antipasti, bread baking and pizza making, home made pasta, roasts and steaks, desserts and liqueurs. She takes simple traditional recipes and highlights and transforms them with her expert culinary vision, leaving you with a taste of her dishes that will stay with you forever, in a memory of a perfect meal. Paula is one of those people for whom cooking comes naturally and having been born and raised in a part of Umbria with a bounty of natural ingredients at hand she has lived this cuisine since birth. With a cooking class, catered lunch or dinner with Paula you will also be given a set of incredible recipes to take home with you so that you can prepare these wonderful dishes in your own home, since the ingredients used are simple and not hard to find outside of Italy. With great passion and fun Paula will share her knowledge and secrets about specialties of the area such as earthy black truffles, wild boar, chianina beef, and the fresh produce of the area. You will be left with an incomparable taste of Umbrian cuisine, hospitality and charm that can only lead to a long lasting love affair with this magical Green Heart of Italy.

Eva is your local photography guide and friend in Venice. Living there for almost two decades she has become an absolute expert in knowing the city's most unusual and photogenic spots. Eva was born in Finland where, already as a young girl finishing music school, she fell in love with photography. She went on to study photography in Germany, where she worked with a number of professional studios and developed her personal style. Her last move, before settling down with her Italian husband in Venice, was Rome. Here she fell in love with Italy, its flair and colors, and worked in the wedding and fashion photography industries. She has a private studio in Venice and leads photographic walks in English exclusively for our guests.

Nadia was born in Venice and has dedicated her life to sharing the unique and magical beauty of her region with visiting guests. She believes that the secret to truly appreciating Venice is to get off the beaten path, and enjoy its silence, its incredible light, its majesty and very rich history. She firmly believes that even a site as busy and popular as San Marco can be experienced in a different way, thanks to a guide's sensitive, intelligent approach and unique itinerary. Apart from opening the Secret Door to Venice to our guests, Nadia is very eager to take them to other areas in Veneto. Whether it's a luxury outlet shopping trip, a day discovering the countryside, a Prosecco tasting, or a day exploring aristocratic villas and royal summer homes that you are interested in - Nadia is your perfect guide in Venice.

Sara is an art historian who graduated from the Ca Foscari University of Venice. The delightful and insightful Sara is a licensed sommelier and expert on cuisine of the Veneto area and all things Venetian. With Sara you'll learn about bustling markets, great street food, and historical secrets that will leave you wanting more. Sara can arrange anything from a cooking lesson in a palazzo based on the aphrodisiacs Casanova used to seduce his conquests, take you on a whirlwind giro of the ancient wine bars known as bacari with their local wines and cichetti, or provide you with a wine tasting in an historic palace on the Grand Canal. In 2004 Sara was hired by the BBC to develop a section of the TV programme 'Journeys from the Centre of the Earth', about the Salt Trade and Spice Routes of the Mediterranean. On one of her well informed and delightful walks, you’ll gain insight into the sweep Venetian history, while at the same time learning some curiously fascinating food facts of the area. Sara Cossiga is a passionate advocate of Venetian cookery, and runs gourmet walking tours of the city that explore the way in which the city's history has shaped its culinary landscape. Learn about the influence of the turks in Venice, fish and fishermen in Venetian history, and food in Venetian art or take a tour of the lagoon to see its fascinating islands and artistic treasures. Sara also organizes tours of the Veneto region featuring the Prosecco growing region and DOCG and Grand Cru wine tours, special mountain cheeses, and the Palladio Villas.

Elisabetta lives in Venice and is thoroughly immersed in the culture of this exciting city. She is a licensed tour leader in the Veneto region and for over 11 years has been informing and entertaining visitors about the sights, culture and tradition of Venice, the Veneto region and Italy. She loves to organize tours in the magical area around Venice as well, such as the Islands of the Venice Lagoon, Padova, Verona, Vicenza, the Palladio, Lake Garda, and the Dolomite mountains. Chauffeured tours through the Veneto countryside hold many surprises that few people see. A member of the Slow Food movement in Italy, Elisabetta loves taking her guests to small artisan wine and local food producers so that she can share the amazing specialties of the region.

She loves working with visitors of all ages, and can gear any tour towards the special needs or interests of her guests from families to corporate tours. Her interests include art, architecture, the Middle Ages, garden history & design, skiing and trekking in the Dolomite Mountains, discovering new restaurants and delving into the culinary and wine traditions of the Veneto region and Italy, going rowing in the lagoon and taking an "ombra" in the baccari (traditional wine bars of Venice). Her favorite day trip from the Venice is to Treviso to visit the daily market. Favorite tours to give in Venice: The lagoon and visit to the islands in a private boat, The Hidden Treasures of Venice to discover the legends and ancient customs of the Venetians.

Marika's mission is to share with you the pleasure of authentic Italian cooking combining the old traditions of Italian grannies to modern and dynamic cuisine. At her palazzo in Venice she provides cooking lessons as well as catered events with passion and creativity, always creating exciting and delicious cuisine which is beautiful to the eye. The love of good food is something with which Marika was born and has lived, guided and inspired in this passion by her grandmothers, skilled cooks, and by her parents who loved involving her in their ‘cooking marathons’. Together they delighted in passing whole days preparing sumptuous dinners for the family and the numerous friends and guests that frequented the Contaldo home. Talent, creativity and a natural disposition in the art of entertaining found an answer in 1998 when Marika met Yolanda Garretti and Viola Buitoni who employed her in their Catering-Store in Madison Avenue New York. In 2001 she graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. Marika then worked at Chantarelle, where she learnt techniques and secrets from the famous chef David Waltuck. That same year Marika and her associates founded Acquolina Catering, known for enterprises of international fame. She has catered for Ferragamo, Giorgio Armani and Martha Stewart Omnidia. Articles and reviews have been featured in the New York Times, The New York Magazine, New York Weddings, Food and Wine Annual Book 2004 and the latest Bon Appetit Book.