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<v Speaker 1>Have you ever thought about the reasons why you travel?

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<v Speaker 1>Are you motivated by history, new experiences, or all of

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<v Speaker 1>the above. In today's episode, I'm sharing the philosophy that

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<v Speaker 1>we bring to Untold Italy. It's an approach that has

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<v Speaker 1>been developed over time and it's something that we reference

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<v Speaker 1>to help you plan your trips to Italy so that

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<v Speaker 1>you feel part of the country, not just passing through.

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<v Speaker 2>Tawatuti and Benvenuti Tuan Told Italy the travel podcast to

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<v Speaker 2>where you go to the towns and villages, mountains and lakes,

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<v Speaker 2>hills and coastlines of Beli, Italia. Each week, your host

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<v Speaker 2>Katie Clark takes you on a journey in a search

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<v Speaker 2>of magical landscapes, history, culture, wine, gelato, and of course

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<v Speaker 2>a whole lot of pasta. If you're dreaming of Italy

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<v Speaker 2>and planning future adventures there, you've come to the right place.

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<v Speaker 1>When you're to chow, everyone you are listening to the

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<v Speaker 1>Untold Italy podcast, I'm your host, Katie Clark, and it's

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<v Speaker 1>my absolute pleasure to take you on a virtual trip

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<v Speaker 1>to Italy each and every week with my friends old

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<v Speaker 1>and you who are based in Italy or who travel

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<v Speaker 1>there often. Our goal is to help travelers move beyond

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<v Speaker 1>the checklist so they really feel part of Italy and

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<v Speaker 1>that they're not just passing through. Today, I wanted to

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<v Speaker 1>share something a little different that was triggered by a

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<v Speaker 1>conversation that I had recently where someone asked me, what

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<v Speaker 1>is your travel philosophy, Katie? And to admit that initially

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<v Speaker 1>I was a little bit taken aback and lost for words,

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<v Speaker 1>which is not really like me, as you can imagine,

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<v Speaker 1>but that's only because I hadn't really taken time to

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<v Speaker 1>consolidate my thoughts. And I'm so glad that I was

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<v Speaker 1>prompted because it made me stop and consider that I

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<v Speaker 1>wanted to communicate this travel philosophy and what I would

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<v Speaker 1>like Untold Italy's impact and legacy to be, which is

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<v Speaker 1>kind of a lofty statement, but I think when you've

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<v Speaker 1>created over three hundred podcasts, then it's something that I

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<v Speaker 1>really wanted to consolidate and really communicate as a proper philosophy.

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<v Speaker 1>So if you've been listening for a while, I think

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<v Speaker 1>and I hope that the values and beliefs that I

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<v Speaker 1>have and that Untold Italy has around life and travel

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<v Speaker 1>are very clear. But today I wanted to really spell

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<v Speaker 1>out what those values and beliefs are, how I got

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<v Speaker 1>to the place that I understood them, and how they

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<v Speaker 1>drive the way that I travel in Italy and around

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<v Speaker 1>the world, and also how we approach everything that we

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<v Speaker 1>do at Untold Italy, from this podcast and all the

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<v Speaker 1>free resources on our website, to our Untold Italy app

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<v Speaker 1>our trip planning services and of course our tours in Italy.

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<v Speaker 1>In a nutshell, this philosophy can be distilled into the following.

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<v Speaker 1>Exploring Italy or any other place for that matter, is

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<v Speaker 1>a relationship. It's not a destination. Your trip is personal

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<v Speaker 1>and it's part of your journey as an individual, and

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<v Speaker 1>it's not a checklist to complete.

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<v Speaker 3>We see, our job at.

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<v Speaker 1>Untold Italy is to open the door to the version

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<v Speaker 1>of Italy that belongs to you, so that you come.

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<v Speaker 3>Home changed and craving more, rather.

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<v Speaker 1>Than just having seen a bunch of places. And we

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<v Speaker 1>do this the best way that we know how, and

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<v Speaker 1>that's through respecting the land, the culture, traditions, language, and

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<v Speaker 1>most of all the people of Italy. So the first

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<v Speaker 1>principle that I want to share is around the art

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<v Speaker 1>of travel. I believe the art of travel is putting

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<v Speaker 1>yourself in situations that help you see the world through

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<v Speaker 1>a different lens. The great thing about travel is that

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<v Speaker 1>it tends to trigger feelings that are overwhelmingly positive. But

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<v Speaker 1>there's sometimes there's challenges, and that's okay too, But in

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<v Speaker 1>any case, over coming these challenges helps build confidence and perspective,

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<v Speaker 1>which I think is overwhelmingly positive for me. Travel is

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<v Speaker 1>not a list of places or experiences to be checked off.

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<v Speaker 1>It is not a checklist, and I have to admit

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<v Speaker 1>that it has taken me a little while to get

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<v Speaker 1>to that point, and I'll talk a little bit more

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<v Speaker 1>about that later, but here is where I'm at right now.

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<v Speaker 1>The art of travel is the rush of delight when

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<v Speaker 1>you turn a corner and find a little piazza with

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<v Speaker 1>a table waiting just for you in a small village

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<v Speaker 1>somewhere in the countryside, and even better, just as the

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<v Speaker 1>church bells toll, Or when you taste your first proper

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<v Speaker 1>bite of proper napoli pizza.

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<v Speaker 3>It's feeling of awe and wonder.

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<v Speaker 1>When you walk down the Via Appia in Rome in

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<v Speaker 1>the footsteps of senators and generals Julius Caesar or Augustus,

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<v Speaker 1>or when you're looking out of a window from the

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<v Speaker 1>Palazzo Vecchio in Florence at Brunelleski's Dome, just as Cosmo

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<v Speaker 1>de Medici had done hundreds of years, or as you

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<v Speaker 1>take in the natural beauty of the alpine meadows of

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<v Speaker 1>Alpa Diseusi, or the stunning coastline of the Amalfi Coast.

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<v Speaker 1>It's the sense of pride that you get when you

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<v Speaker 1>order your first gelato or you tell your first joke

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<v Speaker 1>in Italian. And it's also the feeling of relief when

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<v Speaker 1>you work out how to get to your hotel when

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<v Speaker 1>you got off the train at the wrong spot in Naples.

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<v Speaker 1>It's also the sense of aberration you feel as you

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<v Speaker 1>watch someone who has spent decades perfecting a technique to

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<v Speaker 1>make the most beautiful jewels, or as a community comes

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<v Speaker 1>together to celebrate their local traditions and produce as they

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<v Speaker 1>have for centuries now. Our daily lives have similar moments,

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<v Speaker 1>but I think when we travel, these feelings are heightened

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<v Speaker 1>and more intense, and that's why so many of us

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<v Speaker 1>love to travel to capture those feelings and that sense

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<v Speaker 1>of excitement. But there's one thing that I really want

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<v Speaker 1>to say. There is no right or wrong way to travel,

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<v Speaker 1>and your travel style is an evolution and it's a

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<v Speaker 1>journey of its own, its own right that no one

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<v Speaker 1>has the right to critique. It really bugs me when

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<v Speaker 1>people judge others for how they want to see the world.

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<v Speaker 1>Everyone is working from a different baseline in terms of

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<v Speaker 1>availability of time, financial resources, and experiences. And you know,

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<v Speaker 1>my approach has changed over time based on my maturity

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<v Speaker 1>and experience in the world. As a young woman in

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<v Speaker 1>my twenties, I had a totally different outlook on the world.

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<v Speaker 1>I wanted to soak everything up and experience everything that

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<v Speaker 1>I could.

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<v Speaker 3>I was in a rush and it was exciting.

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<v Speaker 1>These days, I've got less time, but I've now got

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<v Speaker 1>more resources and I prefer to take things slower and

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<v Speaker 1>enjoy the moment. And I've accepted that I cannot and

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<v Speaker 1>we'll never see and experience everything. I have definitely been

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<v Speaker 1>a budget traveler in the past, and I had so

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<v Speaker 1>much fun traveling that way. But in this season of

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<v Speaker 1>my life, I prefer to spend a little more on

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<v Speaker 1>accommodation and experiences. Neither is better, it's it's just different

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<v Speaker 1>now and untold Italy, we have a preferred style of

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<v Speaker 1>traveling and I'll share that with you in a few minutes.

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<v Speaker 1>But we will never judge you for the way that

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<v Speaker 1>you want to see the world. There is one thing though,

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<v Speaker 1>that I think is really important for everyone to do,

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<v Speaker 1>regardless of their travel style, and that's to think about

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<v Speaker 1>the reasons why you travel. So it's much more important

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<v Speaker 1>than the speed or the pace at which you go.

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<v Speaker 1>I think if you really stop to consider the reasons

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<v Speaker 1>you travel, you will have a more deeper trip. And

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<v Speaker 1>once again, this is intensely personal, or it should be.

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<v Speaker 1>I love talking to people about this and justice. Last

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<v Speaker 1>weekend I chatted to one of the other moms at

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<v Speaker 1>my son's soccer match who had just returned from Rome.

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<v Speaker 1>She was just so excited about the history and architecture

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<v Speaker 1>and art of the city, and she said that three

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<v Speaker 1>days was just not enough for her. She wanted to

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<v Speaker 1>go back soon and really delve into some of the

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<v Speaker 1>lesser no museums and sites that brought the ancient and

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<v Speaker 1>Renaissance city to life. Feeling part of history and understanding

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<v Speaker 1>its context in our modern world is a big part

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<v Speaker 1>of my personal wife. I love admiring architecture and art

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<v Speaker 1>from a time where details and symbolism were valued. Some

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<v Speaker 1>people couldn't care less about this, and you know what,

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<v Speaker 1>that's absolutely fine. About ten years ago, I was shocked,

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<v Speaker 1>i have to say, at that time a little bit

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<v Speaker 1>outraged when a fellow travel blogger who was going to

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<v Speaker 1>Florence told me she was not really interested in art

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<v Speaker 1>and history. Shout out to you, Laura, because I have

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<v Speaker 1>never forgotten that conversation. Laura is a travel blogger who

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<v Speaker 1>loves food and wine. That is her passion. And when

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<v Speaker 1>I took the time to think about that's more. After

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<v Speaker 1>my initial outrage and shock, I had to really respect

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<v Speaker 1>that she was true to herself and not moving to

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<v Speaker 1>the beat of anyone else's drum. She was going to

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<v Speaker 1>Florence to taste the food and the wine.

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<v Speaker 3>And you know what, there's worst places in the world

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<v Speaker 3>to do that. For sure.

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<v Speaker 1>Florence has got some amazing restaurants and some really delicious

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<v Speaker 1>local dishes. I'm sure everyone knows Bisteka a la Florentina,

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<v Speaker 1>which is the classic that you have when you're in Florence.

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<v Speaker 3>And I also travel for food and wine.

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<v Speaker 1>I love hearing about the provenance of dishes, how they

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<v Speaker 1>relate to the local lendscapes the history and the culture

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<v Speaker 1>and in Italy, the pride people take in their region

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<v Speaker 1>is something that I find so inspiring. There is not

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<v Speaker 1>one place that you will go to that they will

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<v Speaker 1>not champion their local olive oil as the absolute best

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<v Speaker 1>in the world. I love that they are hyper competitive too.

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<v Speaker 1>One of my favorite conversations from the past five years

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<v Speaker 1>was with a young balsamic vinegar maker from near Moderna.

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<v Speaker 1>He is shaking up the traditional world of the consortium,

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<v Speaker 1>which is the local group that manages the quality and

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<v Speaker 1>output of the balsamic vinegar. And how he's doing that

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<v Speaker 1>is he's trying out new and I find quite exciting techniques.

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<v Speaker 3>The traditionals are a little bit.

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<v Speaker 1>Shocked by Francesco and some of his antics, but they

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<v Speaker 1>could never say that he doesn't respect the traditions that

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<v Speaker 1>underpin this experimentation. It's a really fun and interesting way

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<v Speaker 1>to understand the culture of a country by talking to

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<v Speaker 1>people like this. We will return in a moment with

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<v Speaker 1>the rest of the episode. For daily travel tips and

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<v Speaker 1>behind the scenes content from our tours, make sure to

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<v Speaker 1>follow us on Instagram at Untold Italy Tours. Other travelers

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<v Speaker 1>love nature hiking, and biking, or they travel for spiritual

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<v Speaker 1>reason and of course this can change over time. I

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<v Speaker 1>know I've got a lot of friends' parents that love

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<v Speaker 1>going to Italy to paint, and that's another wonderful way

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<v Speaker 1>to see the countries, to go and indulge your artistic passions.

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<v Speaker 1>So if you know your why and what you love

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<v Speaker 1>to experience, making decisions about where to go and what

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<v Speaker 1>to do become so much easier instead of reaching for

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<v Speaker 1>someone's lists must season doth. Really, it takes some time

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<v Speaker 1>to think about what you want out of your trip,

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<v Speaker 1>and that way you will have the most wonderful time ever.

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<v Speaker 1>So how all of this informed the way that we

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<v Speaker 1>help you travel at Untold Italy. One of the concepts

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<v Speaker 1>that I'd love to explore is the concept of slow travel.

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<v Speaker 1>At Untold Italy, we do believe in a slow travel approach.

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<v Speaker 1>Slow travel is a bit of a buzzword, so what

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<v Speaker 1>does that mean practically?

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<v Speaker 3>For us?

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<v Speaker 1>It means taking the time to get to know a

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<v Speaker 1>place beyond the obvious checklist of highlights. We advocate for

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<v Speaker 1>a minimum of three nights at every stop where possible.

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<v Speaker 1>But as you've heard from my friend who recently visited Rome,

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<v Speaker 1>that would not be enough time in the eternal city

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<v Speaker 1>for her. The second point is to plan what is

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<v Speaker 1>necessary and leave lots of space to explore. There is

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<v Speaker 1>no doubt that some things need to be planned these days,

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<v Speaker 1>but that does not mean you need to schedule and

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<v Speaker 1>book every minute of your days. Yes, you will need

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<v Speaker 1>to book your coliseum tickets and the villa that you've

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<v Speaker 1>had your eye on to staying in Tuscany or down

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<v Speaker 1>in Pulia well in advance, but you should also equally

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<v Speaker 1>leave room for serendipity, curiosity, and time for exploring. I

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<v Speaker 1>just love hearing from you, our listeners, about all your

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<v Speaker 1>new discoveries and the delight that you have in them.

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<v Speaker 1>It is simply not possible for one person, or even

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<v Speaker 1>a team of people like we have here it Untold

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<v Speaker 1>Italy to cover every little nook of the country.

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<v Speaker 3>So I just love it.

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<v Speaker 1>When you share them with me too, and you're always

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<v Speaker 1>so excited. The next point that I love to make

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<v Speaker 1>is except that mistakes will be made, and that they

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<v Speaker 1>actually can be quite fun. Most people who have a

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<v Speaker 1>long history of traveling to Italy have a crazy car

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<v Speaker 1>driving story or two.

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<v Speaker 3>We all learned and laugh a lot about those now.

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<v Speaker 1>Or maybe you ordered the awful pasta completely by accident

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<v Speaker 1>but discovered it was quite delicious. It's happened to us,

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<v Speaker 1>and these are the moments that you always remember, and

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<v Speaker 1>I love to recount them and laugh about them with

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<v Speaker 1>my family. Another major principle that we have at Untold

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<v Speaker 1>Italy is seeking out local insights and experiences. This is

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<v Speaker 1>core to everything that we do in fact and the

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<v Speaker 1>way that we like to travel now. The terms like

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<v Speaker 1>a local and authentic are completely overused in travel writing

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<v Speaker 1>and marketing, in my opinion, so we try to use

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<v Speaker 1>them here. And that's because the reality is our experience

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<v Speaker 1>as travelers is really nothing like the everyday experience of

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<v Speaker 1>most Italians. I always say, if you want authentic, go

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<v Speaker 1>to Roma Tamany or Milano's Centale station on a Monday

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<v Speaker 1>morning and immerse yourself in the weekday commute. It's not

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<v Speaker 1>that different to ours. I mean, there are some differences.

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<v Speaker 1>Everyone's standing at the bar drinking a coffee, but you

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<v Speaker 1>get the idea. We're not all wandering the countryside just

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<v Speaker 1>sitting in piazzas all day. People have jobs and they

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<v Speaker 1>have things to do. What I do think is important

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<v Speaker 1>is hearing from local Italian voices where possible.

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<v Speaker 3>Many of the people.

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<v Speaker 1>Online who talk about traveling and living in Italy are

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<v Speaker 1>native English language speakers like myself, and there's nothing wrong

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<v Speaker 1>with that. But an immigrant or a traveler's perspective is

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<v Speaker 1>completely different to that of someone who has grown up

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<v Speaker 1>in a culture and in a place. My friend Andrea

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<v Speaker 1>is from Piedmont in the north of Italy, and he's

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<v Speaker 1>a really smart and educated person. But if you get

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<v Speaker 1>him talking on the subject of rivalry with the Milanaires,

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<v Speaker 1>in the people from Milan, he shows a passion that

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<v Speaker 1>is rooted in centuries of fighting and animosity that might

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<v Speaker 1>seem a little bit over the top to a foreigner,

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<v Speaker 1>and definitely coming from someone as gentle as kind as Andrea,

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<v Speaker 1>especially when he gets his hands and arms moving as

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<v Speaker 1>part of his expression. This is a sense of culture

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<v Speaker 1>that evolved from history and as foreign as we can

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<v Speaker 1>intellectually under standard perhaps, but we don't feel it in

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<v Speaker 1>our core. And this is the experience I love to

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<v Speaker 1>have when I'm traveling. Understanding the pride, the passions, and

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<v Speaker 1>even the prejudices of local people can help us appreciate

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<v Speaker 1>places in a much deeper way.

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<v Speaker 3>In our case.

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<v Speaker 1>Here at Untold Italy, we choose to raise the profile

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<v Speaker 1>of women in the travel and food industry as much

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<v Speaker 1>as we can. That's because it is very difficult for

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<v Speaker 1>women to run businesses in Italy compared to many English

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<v Speaker 1>speaking countries. Not that it is easier for women in

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<v Speaker 1>our countries, but there is an additional layer of struggle

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<v Speaker 1>that happens in Italy, which is a highly patriarchal society.

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<v Speaker 1>So that's why we try on this podcast to introduce

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<v Speaker 1>you to local, mainly female voices, so you have their

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<v Speaker 1>perspective and insights. After all, this is their country and

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<v Speaker 1>they know it best. We carry that same principle on

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<v Speaker 1>our small group tours, where our goal is to support

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<v Speaker 1>as many female run local businesses as we can. So

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<v Speaker 1>if you join us on tour, we'll visit a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of female run wineries.

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<v Speaker 3>We will have.

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<v Speaker 1>Many female tour guides, and this is the way that

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<v Speaker 1>we can show our support for the people that make

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<v Speaker 1>the country the brilliant way that it is. Hiring local

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<v Speaker 1>guides for our tours and recommending them to our clients

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<v Speaker 1>is an important part of our services, and if you

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<v Speaker 1>have the means, a local guide will bring your experience

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<v Speaker 1>to life, especially if you are curious and you ask

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of questions. Italians love to tell stories, especially

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<v Speaker 1>about where they grew up, so make sure you do

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<v Speaker 1>us lots of questions, get curious and you will find

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<v Speaker 1>a whole new world opens up to you. We also

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<v Speaker 1>prefer smaller family run businesses to internationally own corporations. Our

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<v Speaker 1>friends that Live Tours are a great example of this.

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<v Speaker 1>Based in Rome and run by an Italian family. The

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<v Speaker 1>profits stay in the country and they support local people.

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<v Speaker 1>Italy also has upwards of sixty thousand small we run hotels,

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<v Speaker 1>and we love to recommend those two. These places are

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<v Speaker 1>focused on delivering great hospitality and they're not always so

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<v Speaker 1>good at marketing, and so they may not have the

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<v Speaker 1>best up to date or even working websites, especially in

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<v Speaker 1>the budget category. So in this case you might find

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<v Speaker 1>us giving you booking dot Com recommendation or link so

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<v Speaker 1>you can take a deeper look at the properties. But

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<v Speaker 1>you can always book direct via email or WhatsApp if

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<v Speaker 1>you are comfortable with that. The next principle that I'd

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<v Speaker 1>like to discuss is about treading lightly and being curious.

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<v Speaker 1>As travelers, we believe in showing the utmost respect to

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<v Speaker 1>Italian culture, nature.

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<v Speaker 3>And its people.

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<v Speaker 1>This could be as simple as learning a few words

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<v Speaker 1>of Italian before you go, trying new dishes outside of

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<v Speaker 1>your comfort zone when offered, and making sure that you

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<v Speaker 1>understand cultural norms. I discussed this in more detail with

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<v Speaker 1>my friend Nazim in last week's episode of the podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>If you'd like to take a listen, Italians love of

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<v Speaker 1>both culture and nature, so it's important to show respect

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<v Speaker 1>for those two. Sadly, every year a tourist decides to

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<v Speaker 1>do something really silly like jump in the Venetian Canals

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<v Speaker 1>or a centuries old fountain in Rome, or cut their

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<v Speaker 1>name into a priceless building, or not dealing with their

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<v Speaker 1>rubbish or treasure appropriately.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm quite sure.

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<v Speaker 1>Anyone listening to this podcast is not doing any of that,

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<v Speaker 1>but you get the idea. Let's always show respect, and

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<v Speaker 1>I think if we are curious travelers that we naturally

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<v Speaker 1>show respect. And as I've said before, Italians love to

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<v Speaker 1>share their passion for the small patch of Italy where

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<v Speaker 1>they are from through stories, food and wine, so make

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<v Speaker 1>sure to ask lots of questions of your local guide

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<v Speaker 1>and ask for the dishes of the day when you're

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<v Speaker 1>in a small village somewhere in the countryside. In that way,

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<v Speaker 1>you will have the best opportunity to soak up the

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<v Speaker 1>magic that is Italy. So, my friends, that is the

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<v Speaker 1>untold Italy way. Travel slow, seacout and support locals, tread lightly,

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<v Speaker 1>and stay curious. It's the way that we like to

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<v Speaker 1>see and explore Italy and the world. And if that

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<v Speaker 1>resonates with you, you're in the right place. We have

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<v Speaker 1>hundreds of free podcast episodes and articles to explore and

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<v Speaker 1>ways to work with us if you're looking for more

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<v Speaker 1>personalized support. At the end of the day, we simply

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<v Speaker 1>want all travelers to experience your own version of Italy,

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<v Speaker 1>be inspired, and travel a little deeper each time that

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<v Speaker 1>you leave.

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<v Speaker 3>Your home country.

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<v Speaker 1>Traveling internationally for leisure is a gift that is not

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<v Speaker 1>open to many people in this world. Maybe only ten

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<v Speaker 1>to fifteen percent of people can do this. So I

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<v Speaker 1>always say, if you can travel, go see the world.

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<v Speaker 1>Can't a DM seize the day, open your eyes and

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<v Speaker 1>keep an open mind and take every opportunity to see

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<v Speaker 1>the world, connect with people and challenge your ideas, your beliefs,

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<v Speaker 1>and go on an evolutionary journey that will have the

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<v Speaker 1>biggest most positive impact on your life.

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<v Speaker 3>That's all for today.

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<v Speaker 1>If you enjoyed this episode, it will be be wonderful

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<v Speaker 1>if you shared a rating or review in your favorite

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<v Speaker 1>podcast app that helps us reach more thoughtful Italy loving travelers.

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<v Speaker 3>Just like you.

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<v Speaker 1>Next week on Untold Italy, we are headed back to

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<v Speaker 1>Pulia to hear some of the local stories, myths and

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<v Speaker 1>legends that are an important part of local culture.

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<v Speaker 3>But until then, it's chow for now.

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<v Speaker 1>The Untold Italy podcast is an independent production podcast editing,

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<v Speaker 1>audio production and website development by Mark Hatter, Production assistance

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<v Speaker 1>and content writing by the are they Kat Clark?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, there are two of us.

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<v Speaker 1>For more information about Untold Italy, please visit Untold Italy

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<v Speaker 1>dot com