Exploring the True Italy
Come Explore the True Italy
by Kate Portanova, Truly Italy Travel Guide
Italy: The food, wine, language, architecture, history, beaches and so much more! I’m so excited to introduce you to one of my biggest passions: The Italian experience, my way.
My travel company Truly Italy was born out of the problem with most Italian guidebooks: The most authentic and special places are usually left out. The solution: Truly Italy guides visitors through the local experience with tours and hands-on experiences with small, family-run vineyards, artisans and more.
Finding Florence
How did this Chicago girl arrive in Italia? By getting lost. Literally (and on purpose)!
My journey living in Italy started in January 2002 when I was a study abroad student with Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minn. All I wanted to do was get lost. It was the only way I got to know the city. When I got lost, I found myself exactly where I needed to be: In the present moment. I always found the right street at the right time. This experience changed the whole trajectory of my life.
After that experience, at 24-years-old, I decided in 2005 to leave my corporate job stateside and spend the summer in Florence learning the language. From there, I found a job as a nanny for a local family in 2007 for nine months where I continued my study of the Italian language and surrounded myself with Florentines.
In 2008, I began a career as a travel writer for a few digital publications and spent yet another summer in Florence, trying to find a job that would keep me in Italy permanently. The fall of 2008 is when I decided to apply to be a British citizen. The process of becoming an Italian citizen through my Italian Nana was at a standstill. I started the application in January 2009, thanks to my mom who was born outside of London, and by May 2009, I was at the consulate in Chicago being sworn in as a UK citizen. Then, in July 2009, I had my UK passport in hand ready to declare my residency in Florence about nine months later.
From 2009 to 2013, I created a life as a resident of Florence and I had a steady job as an English as a Second Language teacher. My California yellow bike (called “Sole-Sun”) was my mode of transportation. This is when I finally felt like a local.
It was the biggest accomplishment of my life. I successfully moved to a new country all by myself.
Truly Italy was a vision I had in Florence 13 years ago. I remember talking to my best friend, Pasquale, telling him that I was going to bring tourists here and show the true, authentic Italy with the help of real Italians.
Truly Italy is a travel company where we share authentic, bespoke Italian experiences with our clients through Tuscany Travel Retreats, Tuscan Excursion Planning and Local Tuscan Wine-Tastings. Let’s dig in!
True Italy Experiences
Tuscany Travel Retreats are held in family-run villas & B&Bs in Florence & Tuscany. We pride ourselves on creating unique, authentic, bespoke Italian experiences that you will never forget. We specialize in small-group tours in Tuscany and Florence, where you can get a real taste of what life is like for a local. Our guests are travelers who value being off the beaten path. They trust in their guides who show them experiences they would never seek out on their own. We organize these retreats in detail.
Each day consists of 1 activity, i.e., a visit to a small town or vineyard and on our Truly Florence retreat, a walking tour or a cooking class. Then the rest of the day is yours to explore the scenery around you. I’m dedicated to providing an immersive and unique experience of Italy. My Florentine husband, Stefano, drives us around Tuscany and my amazing mother-in-law, Fernanda, cooks us her simple, delicious meals with her whole heart.
Our Tuscan Excursion Planning is for those who enjoy traveling authentically, in small groups, with real Italians. Our excursions are for small groups between 4-6 people maximum. We book activities like wine-tastings, cooking classes, hiking paired with an artisan activity, private tours through the Chianti region, workshops like marble paper-making, book-making classes and jewelry making. Let me do all the research and supply you with a plan that’s easy to follow and also already booked and paid for. Every experience is uniquely different and special. From the locals hosting you to the wine you’ll taste. A note, this service is for you if your departure date is six months out.
Tuscan Wine Tasting Parties are held locally in and around McHenry County. This is for wine enthusiasts who value the story of a vineyard and how the wine is made. I work with four small, family-run vineyards in Tuscany. Our Wine Tastings offers you the opportunity to taste three delicious Tuscan wines in the comfort of your own home. You, your friends and family can sample the finest Italian wines, all while learning about the world of Tuscany viticulture from me. I’ll share personal stories with the winemaker. There’s an opportunity to purchase bottles at the end of your tasting.
La Bella Vita!
I invite you to explore “la bella vita” – the beautiful life – with an authentic experience through Truly Italy. Come and experience the true beauty and culture of Italy with me! We provide an unparalleled, authentic experience guided by the locals I know and love who share their culture, language and craft! I know exactly where to take you to truly appreciate Italia.