Nello is a geologist, a passionate environmental guide, a well travelled, a curious foodie and wine lover (who chose to be a tour guide). The passion for open spaces and nature came out (early as a teenager) exploring the countryside on a bicycle, feeding of fruits from the trees when he got lost.
During his field work, he always managed to work travelling, and outdoors: a short time in the Navy, then geology, the missions abroad and in Italy, the passion of walking, and wine tours also. His field work showed him how much food and wine tell about environment and history, as well as books and monuments.
He can travel feeling the places, tasting them in many ways, and he loves sharing all that with ease.
Nello explored the Italian countryside and its backroads at depth, with bycicle, Vespa, jeeps, on foot. As a geologist, he looks at the “les vins du terroir”, and the picture-perfect locations around them, like living habitats. All these places, especially in Italy, are marked and designed by centuries of history, but also by the stories about wine and food.
Nello led and designed walking and food and wine tours for première Tour Operators (Andiamo, Classic Journeys, Countrywalkers, Wilderness among others) in Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, Liguria, Veneto, Puglia across Italy, until 2000.
Then in 2001, tired of fixed programs, menus and itineraries, and of groups put together by chance, he designed Italian Wine Tours, based on the encouragement and requests of many demanding travellers.
The purpose is to create tailor-made tours (based on the guests’ interests and passions), following seasonal events, sharing Nello’s expertise and travel style. That means a full immersion experience in the local world, in the most beautiful panoramas, taking les vins du terroirs, and the estates with more character and history as guidelines. It means to savour wine and food with a native’s palate. Nello can bind together, in a fun and casual style, the wine in the glass, the dish on the table, with the land outside and its history. This turns the tour in a fulfilling, multi-sensorial experience to remember, not just a checklist of places to cross day by day. The experience has to stimulate senses, with colors, aromas, and flavours, like a wine tasting sequence!
Birthplace Bari, Dec 9th, 1952
1972 Italian Naval Academy
1984-1992 Geology Degree in the Florence University, Field Geologist in Italy, Hydrogeologist in Africa and Middle East. Italian and EU water projects in Djbouti and Mali. Water research in the Iraqi desert. Geological exploration in Dominican Republic. All jobs developed through connections and negotiation with locals, exploration and logistics problem-solving skills.
1990-1993 PhD in Structural Geology at the Bologna University, with research stages in the University of Santa Cruz, California.
2011 Hydrogeological mission in Kenya, Victoria Lake area.
1994-2017 Tour Leader, or tour planner, for active tours with American, German, and French tour operators and for Cooking and wine tasting tours. Main companies: Andiamo Adventours, Bikeriders, Classic Journeys, Countrywalkers, Dragonpath, Earthbound Exp., VBT.
2000 Excursion Guide License, n°10 in Tuscany.
2012 Public Driving License.
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