Our tours take you to the true heart of Italy, beyond mass tourism and tired clichés. We are passionate about sharing "our" Italy with you: the less-known places that intrigue us, the people who make up our incredibly diverse country, the delicious foods that trace their roots to our Greek, Roman, Arabic, Spanish, French, and barbarian ancestors, and to the foreign cultures who made their home in
the Bel Paese throughout the centuries. Because Italy is not one country but many, and each region - each village! - has its own unique culture, foods and traditions to discover and enjoy. Over the years, we have taken guests on unique tours all around Italy: Naples and the Amalfi Coast before it was cool (May 2016), the Marche, Sardinia, Piemonte and the Aosta Valley, and most recently Vicenza and the Palladian villas. For the 2026 season, we are excited to offer two tours: Sicily, and Southern Tuscany & Umbria. More details and info on how to sign up at https://italyshiddengems.com/ -trips! After spending 17 years in Heidelberg, Germany, and 15 years in Fairfax, VA, she now lives in Florence, where she organizes tours to Italy and teaches Italian Language and Culture to American students studying abroad. In the past, she taught at the universities of Heidelberg and Mannheim in Germany, at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, and at the Florence campuses of Gonzaga University and Syracuse University. Laura’s passions include history, art, and writing; discovering hidden treasures in Italy; and sharing her love of her home country and its history with anyone who will listen. Laura holds an MA in Foreign Languages and Literature and an MFA in Creative Writing. Livia Grimaldi lives in Naples. She loves to travel, both professionally and in her free time, and has a special talent for discovering lesser-known, beautiful spots in her beloved Italy. Besides organizing tours, she has been working extensively in classical music management for the past several years and plays a very active role in promoting classical music in Naples. She has co-organized many prestigious events, most recently Piano City Napoli and Spinacorona. Livia has been President of the network ’Namusica, whose aim is to promote music and art in their many forms and with different media. Livia holds an MA in Foreign Languages and Literature and a specialization in Cultural Management.
