Ciao!

Nice to meet you!

I was born and grew up in Riomaggiore, one of the Cinque Terre, five villages not far from Genoa, in North West Italy, famous for their amazing landscape, made by steep mountains falling down in the deep blue of Ligurian sea.

I lived in Pisa, where I studied and got my PhD in philosophy, and in Perugia, where I taught Italian language and culture at University for Foreigners.

Now I live in Padua, in North East Italy, very close to Venice, where I work in the central bank of Italy. Even if I know very well what I'd like to do in my life and that is coming back to teach. And I'm working to realise a dream: a summer school of Italian language and culture in Cinque Terre...

www.cinqueterresummerschool.it

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I like meeting people from different countries and cultures, it is always a chance of growth. And I do think that spending an unusual day or evening with travelling people makes life more interesting!

I like so much showing the beauty of my village, city and country to other people and help them to discover the most authentic spirit of the place. It's so gratifying to see their enthusiasm and their eyes shining in front of a fragment of beauty!

I love travelling and I do prefer a warm and cosy flat than an impersonal hotel.

Interests

Searcher for meaning and authenticity.

I like spontaneity, open-mind, nature, cinema, music, literature, art, history, photography, slow food, travelling, feeling beauty around me, telling and listening stories. In general, what gives sense to life.

I am president of a cultural association, artistic director of a music festival and I have a band for which I am a kind of manager and I write lyrics. Lately I have become responsible of culture and hiking trails in the local administration of my village.

• arts
• culture
• literature
• photography
• beauty
• dining
• wine
• drinking
• movies
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• hiking
• history
• mountains
• food
• storytelling
• sea
• tapas
• songwriting

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Italian singer and songwriter like Fabrizio De André, Francesco Guccini, Francesco De Gregori, Davide Van de Sfroos, Franco Battiato.

Movies: European cinema and indipendent cinema in general. My favourite Italian directors are Giorgio Diritti and Gabriele Salvatores.

Books: Novels by Andrea De Carlo, Beppe Fenoglio, Mario Rigoni Stern, Richard Mason, Nick Hornby, Franz Kafka and travel reportages by Paolo Rumiz.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can help you to discovery the spirit and the secrets of Padua and Venice, that is only 25 minutes of regional train from Padua. I like art and history and I know very well the ones of Venice Republic.

I can also help you to discover the most authentic Venice, exploring the amazing labyrinth of little streets and bridges far from the touristic itineraries. If you like, we can organise a route of «bacari», the ancient and tradional Venetian wine bar, where it's possible to drink a glass of wine («ombra», shadow) and eat delicious snacks («cicheti») of typical food.

Thanks to my job I can also offer you free lessons of Italian! ;)

Or just a coffee or a drink on my terrace.

In Cinque Terre I can't host, but I come bak often there and I'm willing to be your guide, as I know every secrets of my native village!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Poland, Russian Federation, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, Vatican City State, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, Ireland, Italy