Meet Enrico, your expert in Northeastern Italy & the Dolomites
🌍 Lives in: Venice and the Dolomites
Regions of Expertise: Northeastern Italy & the Dolomites: Venice and the Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige, Sudtyrol, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and the Italian Lakes. Also advises generally on Tuscany and Sardinia.
Experience: 15 years as a cycling, hiking, and cultural guide/tour leader
Languages: English, Italiano, Español, Deutsch, Français
Enrico’s Specialties:
Get to know Enrico!
A note from Enrico
"Buongiorno viaggatori (Hello travelers)! I am Enrico, and I'm a born and raised Venetian. When I'm not guiding, I now split my time between Venice and the Dolomite mountains, which I consider my second home. I have been working in the active and cultural tourism industry for 15 years now, leading and planning trips in Europe, Morocco and South America.
Prior to embarking on a career in tourism, my background was purely academic - I'm a linguist -, and I enjoy being a cultural facilitator as well as an outdoor guide and active tourism tour leader. For me, traveling is a combo of many different things, and this is what I aim to show my clients and guests: Italy is not just food and art (although it has both of those in spades) and I hope to help you experience a multifaceted side to me country!
When not on tour, I am an avid cyclist, climber, and snowboarder, and I love spending time in the mountains, mainly the Dolomites or around the area of Friuli with my bike and some books.
Read more
What we call the Triveneto (northeastern Italy) is a cultural area which includes different cultures, languages, customs, food, and sceneries. This area incorporates componenents of both northwestern and northeastern Italian culture, and it represents something between the east and the west, having a strong Venetian identity with a touch of Mittel Europe.
It is also a perfect area to practice all kind of sports, from biking to climbing, and hiking to kite surfing, so you will never be bored here, especially if planning an active vacation.
This is a wonderful area of Italy and one that I love helping visitors discover, so don't hesitate to contact me if you're planning a trip here!"
Q&A with Enrico
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So I love Venice and the other cities of the Veneto for their incredible art, architecture, and the fantastic cultural scene that they offer (theaters, museums, galleries, etc.).
But right outside these cities and easily accessible to them are incredible mountains, beautiful natural areas, and truly breathtaking landscapes.
So I think it's this combination of culture and refined urban life mixed with raw, unspoiled nature that makes northeastern Italy so special. -
Being a Venetian, I love having a coffee in one of the city's "campi" (squares) while reading the newspaper, and then going for an early aperitivo and diving into a good book.
In the afternoon, maybe I'd grab my bike and head out for a ride, or, if I have enough time, why not head into the nearby mountains and do some rock climbing?!
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As I mentioned above, northeastern Italy offers great art & culture and wonderful wildernesses, so when here you should absolutely experience both.
I recommend planning some hikes, especially in some of the less visited parks and mountains, as well as visiting some smaller towns that you may never have heard of, but where you'll likely discover little pleasures that are the true joy of traveling.
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There are just too many to pick one "top" place! But if I had to, I would say that Anice Stellato in Venice, which is run by some friends of mine, is a wonderful choice.
And off in the Dolomites in the little town of Recoaro Terme, Paradiso is a blast from the past, taking you back in time to the '70's and serving up wonderful food. -
Fegato alla Veneziana (Venetian style liver) - a fairly simple dish consisting of thinly sliced liver served with caramelized onions and a splash of vinegar, lemon juice, or white wine, this is a classic Venetian staple.
Baccalà mantencato - soaked & poached salt cod that is then whipped with olive oil, garlic, and cream. When ready, it's usually served on crunchy toast or over polenta.
Bigoli in salsa - Bigoli is a typical pasta of Venice, similar to spaghetti but thicker and a bit chewier. To this, we add the "salsa", which is made of onions slowly simmered in olive oil and anchovies, with a bit of fresh parsley on top.
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Reading, cycling, climbing, skiing and snowboarding, a bit of cinema, and some good live music.
I also have a deep interest in ancient Latin and Greek texts.
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In general, I travel very light. I love bike packing and bringing my tent and all my gear with me, and making camp wherever I find a beautiful spot.
I'm also very interested in history, so I always seek out historic sights, ruins, and historical museums.
Beyond that, I love getting a taste for daily life wherever I go, and really enjoy just sitting in a cafe and listening to and watching locals go about their lives. I think this often gives you the best understanding of a place, its rhythms, and culture.
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I travelled by bike in Iran on my own some years ago and I found the people to be fascinating,
Despite living in a "difficult" country, they were extremely educated and very well informed and passionate about what was going on around the world. It was an eye opening and unique experience!
Italy Travel Consultations
Plan a better trip with some help from Enrico
Sit down with Enrico for a one-hour planning session to get his expert advice and the best local tips and recommendations.
Our travel consultations are the perfect solution for do-it-yourself travelers who want to plan on their own, but could use some expert local advice. Each consultation is personalized, and Enrico is available to help in whatever way you need.
From working on your itinerary and advising on routes and transportation, to ideas for off the beaten path destinations and truly authentic experiences, he's got you covered.
For the best local advice, go ask a local!
Why plan with Enrico
Spend 60 minutes tapping into Enrico’s hyperlocal expertise to plan a better trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Consultations cost $150 USD.
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Consultations are held over Google Meet.
Once you’ve scheduled your call, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing the link for your video call.
On the scheduled day and time, just click that link to join the call.
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Each consultation is different, but here are some common things that our experts typically help with:
Itinerary planning
Transportation, driving routes, and tips for how to get around
Practical travel information; culture, safety, weather, language, money/tipping, etc.
Suggested hotels/accommodations and advice on where to base yourself
Local recommendations for restaurants, activities, and unique experiences
Advice on reputable tour guides, tour operators, and excursions
Pro tips on how to best visit popular sights and attractions
Ways to avoid overcrowded destinations and tourist traps
Insider ideas on off the beaten path places, authentic experiences, and ways to connect with locals
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What you can get done in an hour depends on your goals for the consultation and how organized you are coming into it.
In most cases, an hour is ample time to create a solid itinerary, answer your major travel questions, get practical advice on how to travel in your destination, and discuss lots of great local tips and recommendations.
To ensure that the hour is used efficiently, when you schedule your call, our pre-consultation questionnaire will ask you what your primary goals for the consultation are. Prior to the call, your Local Expert will review your questionnaire and prepare detailed information addressing those goals.
They’ll come into the call ready to share specific advice, recommendations, itinerary ideas/revisions, and useful links and resources for you to review together.
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Yes! Each consultation is guided by a comprehensive pre-consultation questionnaire that you fill out immediately upon booking.
We’ll ask you a series of 30+ detailed questions that really dig into you, your trip, your interests and travel style, and what you want to discuss with your Local Expert.
The questionnaire will cover things like: the dynamics of your group, the things you enjoy while traveling, your budget, how early you want to start your day and how late you want to end it, whether you want to hit the highlights or roam the back streets, and even what types of restaurants you want to eat at.
Your Local Expert will focus only on your interests and travel style.
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Our Local Experts are seasoned travel professionals who have spent decades working in their countries/regions. While their personal interests may be different from yours, they’ve worked with thousands of travelers and have recommendations and advice for every type of individual.
They know their destinations in-depth and can help plan a trip for every traveler and taste.
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No, this is not a part of our service. Your Local Expert will share lots of links, notes, and other written resources via the Chat Box during the call, but they cannot provide post-call notes, documents, or ongoing planning assistance via email.
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No. Our service is geared toward independent, do-it-yourself travelers who intend to make bookings on their own.
Our goal is not to plan your trip for you, but rather to help you plan a better trip independently. To that end, our Local Experts will give you all of the information that you need to confidently put your trip together yourself.
When Local Experts recommend things like restaurants, hotels, excursions/activities, tours, drivers, etc., they’ll provide you with contact details and links so that you can make the final arrangements on your own.
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Almost every Go Ask A Local expert has at least 10 years of professional travel experience as a guide or trip planner in their country/region.
We work with a vetted team of seasoned professionals who know their destinations inside and out.
Unlike other companies, when you book a call, you’ll always be connected directly with your chosen Local Expert. We never pass anyone on to a junior sales associate or some anonymous back office team. With us, what you see is what you get.
Ready to plan with Enrico?
Here’s how to schedule your consultation:
