Laura Capitani

As a Europe expert, I can curate a trip that is designed just for you. Do you want to go behind the scenes at the Louvre or work with an artisan Carnival mask-maker in Venice? Would you enjoy an olive oil tasting in the fields where they are grown? I can arrange all that and more.

Italy is like my second home. I have family in Rome and have traveled there since I was a little girl, so it is no wonder I married an Italian. I also lived in Padua, outside Venice, for five years and took the opportunity to travel to many of Europe’s most interesting capitals and small towns.

Many clients turn to me to help them see Europe as an insider. I know where the best hotels are and which ones are within walking distance of what you want to see, so you can pop in and out of your “home” throughout the day as a local might do.

I also can suggest places off the usual tourist beat where you can become a part of local and small-town life. Lucca, in Tuscany, for example, is a walled city with a charming feel. Here, you might rent a villa situated amid the vineyards and go out on day trips to small family wineries and hilltop villages that specialize in particular wines and cheeses.

Puglia is another favorite region. It is still unspoiled and picturesque, with beaches, outstanding food, and unusual architecture, including its all-white towns. You can stay in wonderful “Masseria,” typical homes-turned-hotels that might be a fortified farmhouse or a country house on an estate. And as in Tuscany, the food is beyond belief.

Europe also has its active side. I have planned hiking and kayaking adventures in Norway and biking through the French, Italian and Austrian countryside. And in Spain, I sent a group on a golfing expedition. 

There are also some amazing spas, which are somewhat different from many U.S. spas in that they are very health-and wellness-oriented. Baden in Germany and the Dolomites in Italy are among my favorite spa areas, but there are wonderful spas throughout Europe. 

There are just a few of the wonders Europe has to offer. As a travel advisor who has lived in Italy and traveled extensively throughout the continent, I understand the best ways to get around, the best times to visit, and the best places to stay. If you are looking for a Europe expert, I hope you will think of me.