Tuscany Like A Local - Who We Are

I was born in Venice and raised in the Dolomites, an idyllic mountain range known as the playground of Italy. I have worked in the travel industry for more than two decades and have had the good fortune to travel all over the world, but when I first laid my eyes on Tuscany in 2009, I knew I had finally found ‘my home.’ I started ‘Tuscany Like A Local’ because I love to meet new people, and share my passion for the abundant food, wine, culture and stories that my adopted region has to offer. I particularly enjoy hosting food tours, because I like to see the pleasure on our guests’ faces when they try something wonderful from our region.

Favourite thing about Tuscany: the spectacle of seemingly limitless sunflower fields, which come into bloom in the summer months, is heaven for the eyes and soul.

I have been told many times by previous guests that my love and enthusiasm for Tuscany is infectious. I was born and raised in Florence and my family are extremely proud of our Tuscan heritage. They instilled in me a deep love of the food and wine of our region, and vast knowledge of the gastronomic products we produce. I love discovering new places and think of myself as a backpacker at heart. I have enjoyed adventures all over South America and Asia, but there’s nothing like the feeling of returning to my beloved Tuscany to check on my olive trees. My family has been making its own extra virgin olive oil for generations, a tradition that I feel honoured to continue.

Favourite thing about Tuscany: Getting lost in the magical landscapes of the Tuscan hills and Appeninno mountains, on foot or by bicycle.

I know every hidden corner and secret vista in Tuscany, and I love nothing more than guiding travellers off the beaten path to discover them. I was born and raised in Lucca but I also have family in Pisa too. I studied Languages at Pisa University and spent a year in Paris via the Erasmus programme. I am the youngest guide in the group which means I am the most pampered but also the most innovative, according to Chiara. I am an unapologetic foodie, if you join a tour with me, expect only the best local food recommendations. My other great passion is photography, a hobby I indulge in as often as I can.

Favourite thing about Tuscany: I truly believe that Tuscan food is the best in the world.

I left my job working as a Spa Manager in a luxury hotel to follow my two real passions; art and trekking. Tuscany is known as the ‘art palace of Italy,’ and it is my great pleasure to help travellers discover its many treasures. I graduated in Foreign Languages and Literature in Pisa and spent a year studying in Berlin. My home town of Viareggio, a stunning area of the Tuscan coast, is famous for its carnival and I like to think that some of those joyful carnival vibes have rubbed off on me, because I am often told that I am a very friendly and welcoming tour guide!

Favourite thing about Tuscany: The flowers. I am an amateur botanist and love nothing more than to stumble across the region’s native flora; wild purple orchids, crocuses, pink cyclamens and of course, Tuscany’s most famous bloom, the sunflower.

I grew up in the pretty coastal town of Torre del Lago, a favourite hideaway of renowned opera composer Giacomo Puccini. It was here that my fondness for tourism and hospitality began to grow; I worked seasonal jobs around the lake and enjoyed interacting with visitors and talking about the history of the area so much that I became a full-time tour guide. As well as English and Italian, I can also speak a little Danish, after spending a year in Denmark for a school project.

Favourite thing about Tuscany: Our musical heritage of course! Puccini is one of the world’s greatest composers and I am so proud to have grown up in the place that he chose to compose some of his best work.

I was born in Germany but I’m 100% Italian. My parents moved abroad to work, so they could afford to buy a new house in Tuscany, their favourite part of Italy. I went to the University of Siena to study Foreign Languages and completely fell in love with the city. I now live sandwiched between Siena and Florence, with my two children and my husband. I feel blessed to have been working as a professional tour guide since 2012. It is a privilege to show travellers the many delights of my home region, and my job allows me to combine my favourite things in life; local food, wine, landscapes, art, culture and languages.

Favourite thing about Tuscany: A glass of Brunello di Montalcino, produced south of Siena using the famous local Sangiovese grape.

I am privileged to call the magical walled city of Lucca my home, and I like to think I know more about it than anyone else! I love art and history (how could I not, living in Tuscany?!) and I graduated with a tourism degree from the University of Florence, with a plan to become a tour guide, so that I could share my two great passions with travellers. I have many American and Australian expat friends in Lucca and together we organize regular cultural meet—ups, where we learn about each other’s cultures by sharing food, drink and stories. I also play the ukulele in my spare time.

Favourite thing about Tuscany: Its unique history; from the innovations of the Etruscans and Romans to becoming the leading light in the Renaissance, much has happened upon our sacred soil.