Whether planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip or a return trip to your favorite place, you want it to be the best it can be. But trying to create that experience on your own can turn a much-anticipated dream vacation into a headache. There is help, especially when it comes to traveling to the beautiful country of Italy.
Anthony and Denise Campopiano, founders of Italy With Bella in Franklin, provide not just a travel itinerary, but a custom-made, cultural experience. Being dual citizens of both the United States and Italy gives the couple a deep, personal understanding and expertise when it comes to this beloved country, and having a team locally and in Italy provides an additional layer of proficiency.
Here, they provide tips on planning a trip that you’ll never forget, for all the right reasons:
1. Book far in advance
According to the UN, Italy is the fourth most visited country in the world, and Travel + Leisure deemed it the number one country to visit in the fall, and is much smaller than the top three (France, Spain, and the U.S.). This means the tourism demand is insanely high. To secure the best lodging and tour options at the best price, you need to book early – ideally eight months or more in advance.
Italy With Bella stays away from large chain hotels and instead focuses on booking boutique-style hotels, AirBNBs, villas and other high-quality lodging options. Booking these early allows clients to get an authentic experience curated just for their needs and desires.
2. Mix "off the beaten path" with major sites/cities and don’t do too much
When many foreigners visit the U.S., they often go to New York, Orlando, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Would you say they experienced “real” America? The same can be said for planning which cities to visit in Italy. Rome, Florence, and Venice are all spectacular cities worth visiting. However, they’re the most crowded with tourists, so it can be hard to connect with authentic Italy and form relationships with Italians – something much more likely to happen in a small town.
The challenge can be in learning about these smaller towns and figuring out the logistics of traveling there, but it’s not impossible if you’re willing to invest a lot of time in researching options yourself. Or pick a partner that already intimately knows Italy and can recommend a small town that matches what you’re seeking.
Partnering with Italy With Bella will enable you to have this amazing and authentic experience. “What makes us different is that we try to give clients an experience that we've actually had ourselves,” he says. “We sleep in all the lodgings, we eat in all the restaurants and gelato shops. We walk the streets, we look at the parking areas. We know everything about every town.”
In order to tailor the experience, it’s important to find out exactly what their clients are looking to do while in the country. “We have great conversations with our clients,” says Denise. “One person just came back after their first time in Italy and told us that it was the
connections with the people we know that made their trip so different. They did all the major things, but they also did things they wouldn't have known to do.”
Anthony adds, “Most travel agents are just booking packages. We do an hour-long Zoom call with every client, and we build the trip with them, in front of them.”
3. Prioritize private or small shared group experiences
Private and small shared group options will cost a bit more, but think about what you’re gaining with this investment. You’re gaining one-on-one access to a knowledgeable local expert. You can ask any questions you want and you’ll get a thoughtful, detailed answer.
“We pair our clients with the people who are going to be a good match in terms of communication, enthusiasm, and other personality traits,” Anthony says.
You’re gaining the ability to adjust what you do and see based on your own interests and needs. Is it hot and your kids are getting tired? Your private guide will adjust their delivery and perhaps even the route of your walking tour so your kids have a good time. If you’re on a boat tour, you can decide to stop and snorkel for hours, or you can focus on seeing beautiful rock formations and cliffside villages. When you invest in private or small shared group experiences, you won’t feel like cattle being shuffled from one touristy spot to another.
If you plan your own trip, and pick the number one tour on say TripAdvisor, it's going to be the same experience that everyone else is having or has had. There’s nothing unique about it to create that unforgettable memory.
“What we're realizing each year since COVID, is that we have to stay on our toes and present the quieter places to our clients so that they come away de-stressed,” says Denise. “I don't think the average tour agency knows or cares enough to do that because they haven’t experienced Italy and/or don’t focus on one country.”
4. Think critically about reviews, influencers, and bloggers
Reviews certainly have value. Keep in mind many of these reviews are written by tourists who don’t have a frame of reference to know if something is authentic. Certain places benefit from a reinforcing loop where tourists/bloggers recommend the same handful of spots to each other. Many of these spots are indeed good. But why wait an hour in line at a specific sandwich shop when there is one just as good or even better around the corner that hasn’t been “discovered” yet? These hidden gems are the places the locals and Bella’s clients enjoy.
When things go viral, it’s common for the experience to drop in quality because the restaurant or tour isn’t equipped to keep up with the demand. You’ve invested valuable time and money for this trip. The last thing you want is to unwittingly book a subpar experience because three years ago a blogger had a phenomenal experience at a place before it “blew up” on social media.
Anthony and Denise and the entire Bella team are in Italy many times a year for weeks at a time, revisiting their recommendations and investigating and personally approving new finds. “Bloggers are usually going to the tourist spots,” he says. “Instead, our team goes to local ristorantes, bars, spas, lodging and other places of interest.”
Influencers, he explains, may not know the culture or be familiar with the regions. “They're getting paid and they're looking for likes. We don't post any of the restaurants or any of the hotels we recommend on social media; we only tell our clients.”
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