There is a definite distinction between tourists and travelers. Tourists go and see the museums, the big landmarks and don’t often stray off the beaten path. Travelers, however, seek to learn a place, to see it as the locals do.
If you've ever wanted to travel around Italy and see what it's really like, now is your chance. All you have to do is try a slice of Il Carpaccio’s pizza and then call Lorella Colla of Lo's Tracks.
Colla, owner and tour guide for Lo’s Tracks, wants to help people travel through the northern Italian countryside and see what it means to live like an Italian. She’s also the sister of Maurizio Colla, owner of Il Carpaccio’s, so she knows her stuff.
Colla began this venture five years ago and has helped more than 3,000 people experience Italy. It began with showing friends around, then friends of friends and her business began to blossom. Colla was inspired to start the company after she had traveled on her own. After returning home she remembered what her father had taught her about traditions. She is passionate about appreciating the simple pleasures in life, especially in her home region near Venice.
On her tours, the travelers dine, explore and even live as the Italians do. The tours are conducted primarily in all the little towns around Treviso, a mere 30 minutes away from Venice. Since Colla lives in the area, she knows the ins and outs of the city and has developed lasting relationships with the restaurants, wineries and shopkeepers.
The beauty of her tours is that visitors don’t have to think about anything, they simply travel. Guests are responsible for making their own flight arrangements, but after arriving in Italy, Colla takes care of the rest.
“You get to live an emotion,” said Colla.
After being picked up from the airport, guests are escorted to a lovely bed and breakfast or farm holiday in the countryside. The quaint accommodations provide a more intimate feel.
Every meal is taken care of as well. Since each region of Italy provides a very different culinary flair, Colla wants to ensure that her guests get to savor great food from her region. From fish to foul, each meal is truly an experience. With wine, bread, salad, soup, an entrée and dessert included with practically every meal, if nothing else, Colla’s guests will eat well.
You're not truly traveling in Italy without wine tastings. Colla arranges for small private tours of wine cellars where travelers can taste the famed Prosecco that originates from this region.
Not only will the travelers dine on delectable dishes, but they tour Treviso as well. While each trip depends on the season, guests can expect to walk through vineyards, hear classical music, watch artisans at work and tour the streets, seeing the preserved, ancient buildings.
Colla arranges a small, private concert for each of her tour groups. The concerts are held in historic churches in the countryside. Guests have the chance to interact with the musicians and really feel the music that is being played.
She also has connections with many local craftsmen. Travelers can go to small art galleries and workshops to see artwork in the making. Whether it's famed Murano glass or simple paintings, group members can simply observe and ask questions. Colla said participants truly gain an appreciation for how things are made on these visits.
Treviso and its provinces are areas full of history — including buildings from the famous architect Palladio and streets that haven’t changed in centuries. Colla shows her groups a side of Italy that the typical tourists will never get to see. While speaking the language has been seen as optional, to truly experience Italy, Italian is a must. Everything changes when groups are with someone speaking Italian, a world of opportunities open up and guests gain access to “locals only” information.
Each tour is customizable and Colla can work to accommodate the needs and interests of her group. She too knows the weather conditions, season variations and the nature of the towns.
Traveling with Colla makes Italy more affordable. Since the accommodations are often smaller, the restaurants more intimate and arrangements are made locally, guests can save money by travelling better. With the cost of a four-day trip ranging from 600 to 800 Euro ($800-$1,100 U.S. dollars), Lo’s Tracks is truly a deal. But more importantly than saving money, is saving the experiences created in Italy.
You feel that you were not a tourist,” said Colla. “You were a person immersed in the culture.”
For more information, visit www.sentieridilo.com; e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; or call 39-0422-969457.
