Andiamo! | Citalia Magazine Autumn 2021

Ifirst fell in love with Italy on a personal
holiday. I woke up in Tuscany to an
espresso and the mist rolling off the
vineyards. From them on I was hooked.
Whether I’m getting lost in the
streets of Rome or in the vineyards of
Tuscany, I’m happy. Throw in a food or
wine tour, and I’m ecstatic!
I also love to travel with my wife (she told me
to say this). Honestly though, we’re a good
travel duo, and my ultimate travel memory is
proposing to her in the Dominican Republic -
she told me to say this too!
Our go-to travel destination is Florence, always
with a stay at Brunelleschi Hotel. We usually
travel by train or car, as it’s convenient and
allows us to explore every nook and cranny at
a slower pace and on our terms.
It’s now been over seven years since I began
working for Citalia. I love getting to discuss
holidays all day long and help create trips of a
lifetime for our guests. I especially love helping
plan honeymoons.
One of many Citalia highlights was when a
guest asked me to help plan a proposal to his
other half in Venice. We organised everything
to the minute, running through every possible
scenario. At one point, he asked me to come
with him, but it wasn’t required as the plans
went like a dream. The newlyweds were
enjoying a honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast
with us two years later!
I can’t deny that the regular trips to Italy aren't
a perk of the job, they really are! Through my
role, I’ve been lucky enough to explore most of
Italy in a really in-depth way - I know the hotels
in our collection intimately. There are just two
regions that I’m not an expert in - Liguria and
Puglia - which I’m hoping to rectify soon.
I also really enjoyed meeting our brand
ambassador Gennaro Contaldo. He’s just
brilliant!
My top tip is to really make the most of
each holiday. While a four day trip is good,
it never gives you the time to really experience
the culture, slow down, and replenish
your batteries.
I absolutely love Sicily too. One of
my all-time favourite moments was
standing at the top of the activeyet-sleeping
volcano, Mount Etna,
and seeing the views. I won’t go into
more detail as I don’t want to spoil it
for anyone, but it really did feel like
standing on the top of the world.
While there are loads of gorgeous traditional
hotels in Italy, my favourite accommodation
style are modern hotels, ideally with a
smattering of Italian Art Deco.
Over the past few years, I’ve adopted Italian
customs that show no sign of disappearing
anytime soon. For example, I could never order
a cappuccino anymore, it has to be an espresso.
And, if I had to eat one cuisine for the rest of my
life it would be Italian.
An authentic Napoli pizza - woodfired,
thin and with plenty of prosciutto on
top? There’s nothing like it!
Nothing beats a fortnight or so away -
you can spend a week exploring a few
cities, and then finish with a few nights
stay somewhere really relaxing. The
great thing about Italy is its so diverse,
it offers something for everyone.
Travel definitely defines my life. Even when I’m
not working, I’m watching travel videos, and
my two favourite YouTubers are the American
couple Kara and Nate who travel the world
together - in fact they just got back from Italy,
so you might want to check them out!
My advice is don't let this pandemic stop you.
As soon as you can, get travelling. There are
experiences and memories to be made.
Raggy and his fellow Personal Travel Planners are here to help you plan your next Citalia holiday. Call us today on 01293 765061.
Summer/Autumn 2021
Andiamo!