As I say on the last page of my book,
“It had not been domestication where I had thrived. It had been the call of exploration like wild geese, the call of the world with its history, its stories, its secrets.”
I am happiest when I am following my heart instead of my head, and when I am embracing the world. I have traveled a lot since I first undertook solo female travel when I was 19, the in the 1980s. At that time I also fell in love with Italy. And I’ve returned there with unremitting passion ever since.
In the years after my first enchantment with Italy, I learned to speak Italian, led tours in Italy, and figured out (back in 1998) how to manifest my wedding in Florence and from that experience created Sogni Italiani, a business I ran for six years, offering weddings, vow renewals, and honeymoons in Italy. In my early forties I obtained a Master’s in Florentine Renaissance history, and had the honor to study under Dr. Dale Kent, world renowned scholar of 15th century Florence. Also, in my early forties, I walked solo for 40 days on the Via Francigena, and wrote a memoir about it and then, after 30 years of being in love with Italy, in the spring of 2017, I made a move to the land that the poet Shelley called a paradise of exiles.
in 2019 I completed the challenging 10-month course in Florence, (conducted in Italian), and became accredited as a tour guide of history and art. I now share my passion for this city, and it’s impressive history, with personalized private tours. I also offer online courses on the fabulous Florentine Renaissance.
What will you find on my site?
- My tour offerings in Florence, from art and history to markets, gardens and hikes.
- The low-down on the permesso process for anyone who is not EU and doesn’t have Italian relatives but wants to move to Italy.
- Articles on food, wine, history, and art, particularly in Tuscany.
- Info on expat life in Italy. Sign-up for my monthly newsletter and receive my free e-book on the fantastic Chianti zone.
- Press (interviews with me)
- Articles I’ve written
- Videos of my experiences remodeling an apartment in Florence– the complete low down–the good, the bad, and the insane!
- Trip planning services: I have created over a hundred trips in Italy for happy clients. Get a taste of my services via my testimonials.
Go here for information about hiring me