{"id":886324,"date":"2026-04-21T17:08:45","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T16:08:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=886324"},"modified":"2026-04-21T17:08:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T16:08:51","slug":"italy-unpacked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/italy-unpacked\/","title":{"rendered":"Italy Unpacked, with Travel Director Patrizia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Italy is a land of staggering contrasts where every province feels like its own world, where the sun-drenched coasts of Sicily contrast the mist-covered peaks of the Alps. To truly navigate this diverse peninsula, you need the perspective of someone who lives and breathes its winding backroads; someone like Patrizia, one of our expert Travel Directors. Born and raised in Sicily and now based in Milan, Patrizia spends her life traversing Italy from top to bottom, bringing a wealth of authentic “boots-on-the-ground” knowledge to every journey. In this candid interview, she debunks common misconceptions, shares her favorite corners of the country, and offers essential advice for first-time visitors looking to experience the real Italy beyond the postcards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What’s your personal personal connection to Italy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“So I’m Italian, born and raised in Sicily, but I’ve been living in Milan for the past four years. I love Piedmont a lot and it’s near Milan. I work in the Italian region, so I travel up and down Italy all the time. I also visit Italy on my own private account because Italy’s so diverse; every province is like another big world. So whenever I can, even now in the off time, I go visit.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What’s your favorite place to visit on tour and why?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“It’s like you asked me which I prefer between the children that I (don’t) have. And after a lot of thinking, I came up with Siena and Tuscany. I love the fact that there is like Medieval buildings and Renaissance buildings together. That means a lot of walking up and down. You know, history is the subject that I adore. History and art. Those are the two children I cannot choose from. And Tuscany has it all: beautiful history, beautiful cities. Also in Tuscany you can ski. A lot of people don’t realize that there are ski resorts! You can also go to the beach, even sandy beaches, and marine parks where the turtles go to nest. Siena, my favorite place, and Tuscany, just picture perfect. I love the hilly scenery.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tuscany’s rolling hills<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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If Italy were a person, how would you describe their personality?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Flamboyant is the first word, because we’re very creative and also very expressive. And I know whenever we see somebody, we always hug and give two kisses, one of both cheek. We also like to dress well, to appear well is very important, and there is a lot of creativity in it. So I think you can summarize it all in one word: flamboyance, which changes as you go from north to south. We are also happy and caring, like even during the Olympics in Milan, a lot of foreigners were saying how we were excited to see so many people visiting. We like to interact with people from all over the world. It’s for us a wow thing.”<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n Related blog<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
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\n 40 basic Italian phrases you need to learn before your next trip to Italy <\/h2>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What is the biggest misconception visitors have about Italy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Misconception…A lot of guests ask me, Patrizia, can you sing something for us? I know we have Bocelli and Pavarotti, but not all the Italians sing well! I mean, I do practice in the shower, but with no big results. And then a lot of people don’t realize that Italy is actually big; we travel a lot from place to place, so there’s the traveling time. When I say, oh, we’re going to Venice today, it’s going to take us five hours…they don’t realize how big it is! And then a lot of people think that Italy is warm and sunny all the time, but we get snow and we get rain and sometimes people are caught off guard.”<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n <\/i><\/span>\n Go on tour<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
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Best of Italy<\/p>\n\t\t\t
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