Mario Fortini
I am 42, born and bred in Rome and I love to travel; during my life I've had the chance to travel extensively around the world and came to the conclusion that Italy is a unique place, with endless attractive destinations; I live between Rome (my head office) and Cambridge (UK) where I have a company branch and when I don't work, I love to travel, playing football and everything food related!
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"Everywhere in Italy, in terms of location, I have in-depth knowledge of each of the 20 regions and I can offer assistance with the most diverse activity requests; My philosophy is to take the stress out of traveling. My work has taken me all around the world to countries where I don’t know the language or how the simplest things are done, like buying a bus or train ticket. Therefore, I bring every element of your trip into my direct responsibility - from flights to private taxis, to high-speed trains, to private tours, to the water taxis of Venice, and all types of accommodation in between. We can also include restaurant bookings as part of the itinerary and as a food-lover, I’m eager to share my own personal favorites. Every minute should feel like you are on the vacation of a lifetime, and we are at the end of the phone throughout the trip if there is anything you need to discuss. "
How did you get involved in travel?
"I started my own travel agency 8 years ago. I grew up in Rome and then worked in both tourism and international travel throughout my career. Despite Italy being one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, I genuinely believed that there was a lack of opportunity for travelers to truly experience its beauty, culture and Italian passion. I felt that too many people were experiencing vacations that are impersonal and mass-produced causing people to miss out on the stunning jewels that fill every region.
It was with this in my mind that I created Bellarome, and as we have grown it has proven to me that my intuition was right. Referrals by friends and family and repeat customers make up over 15% of our clients each year, which we feel is a great testimony for a young company that continues to grow. I created a team of specialists, including tour guides in each region, and each one of us enjoys sharing our knowledge to help our clients divert away from the well-trodden tourist routes to discover the hidden gems of our cities and countryside.
Italy genuinely has too much to discover in one lifetime. Even for focused trips to one or two of the most beautiful cities, 99% of the wonders of that city or region will go unseen. Even as a Roman, I continue to discover new treasures – a sculpture in a church or a family-run taverna, or even an entire museum.
It is for this reason that I work with clients to understand what their true passions are and tailor every element of the vacation to meet this. This includes listening to what pace they wish to take their trip and understanding the interests of each member of the party - whether it’s a couple, a family, or a group of friends.
This approach has led to unique requests and working in partnership with our clients has helped us to better shape what we can offer to others. I enjoy the challenge of making someone’s dream come true."
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"For those passionate about nature and food, we have arranged truffle hunting with Massimo and his dog in Tuscany, or fishing trips from the small Sicilian island of Favignana. These aren’t commercialized trips for hundreds of tourists, but real experiences joining skilled experts as they share their livelihood and craft.
These are also my own personal favorite vacation experiences as there is no better way to understand the natural beauty and see how Italian culture, people, and food have evolved with such variety and diversity across the regions. For those who love history, archaeology, art, and architecture (whether you are an expert or someone who simply enjoy seeing and learning), we work to understand your specific interests then build the itinerary to meet this. More than once I have been strolling through Rome with my tour director (acclaimed as the best tour guide in Rome) and he will point out an ancient Roman site that has only just been discovered. These are yet to be added to the places of interest where millions of tourists will visit in the future. Visiting Palermo, I’ve been blown away by the melting pot of cultures that have come together on this island - and the unique influence on the architecture, the food, the language and most of all the people. For me, the most satisfaction comes where we know we have created the memory of a lifetime.
Each year we will help a hundred newly-weds create their own unique experience as their first vacation as a married couple. We have arranged for more than a few couples to stay in an 1100-year-old Tuscan Castle surrounded by olive trees, overlooking Sienna. This still ranks as one of the most special places I’ve stayed myself while touring some of the smaller cities of Tuscany. We have also helped people discover the regions and heritage of their ancestors, sometimes meeting relatives for the first time as part of their trip. We work hard to ensure that off the beaten track you will still discover the beauties of a region, usually only known to the locals."
Mario's favorite itineraries and travel advice
Top itineraries and travel advice
Experience Sicily in all its glory by driving around the island in 2 weeks. Highlights of this tour include Palermo, a cultural melting pot with stunning monuments and vibrant...
Discover the sights and delights of Italy on this two-week highlights tour. Explore the floating city of Venice, the Renaissance jewel of Florence, and the Eternal City of Rome....
Explore the highlights of Sicily beginning in its capital of Palermo. In this cultural melting pot, the aromas of exotic spices carry from backstreet markets to cobbled...
Recent trip reviews for Mario
Exceptional
Italy
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Jul 16 - Jul 21, 2019
Exceptional
Italy
Italy
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Jul 14 - Jul 26, 2019
Also had some other highlights en route to those locations.
All in all--amazing cities, each with their own personalities.
I would recommend Taormina and Ortigia the most--since they were most authentic, less touristy (except Taormina does have a cruise ship terminal which makes the city swell at midday.) Our guides were all terrific. Salvatore showed us around a gorge that is north of the Noto... Read more
Discover Athens & the Cyclades - 7 Days
Greece
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Jun 9 - Jun 16, 2019
Italian Highlights from Venice to Sicily in 20 days
Italy
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Jun 18 - Jul 8, 2019
Mario was extremely helpful in suggesting places to go for our 3 week holiday in Italy.
He was invaluable while we were away and was on call the whole time. Of course, problems occur when you are overseas, and Mario was there to translate and fix problems for us..... which included a flight delay that meant we missed a tour!
Thank you Mario for all your help!
Italy trip
Italy
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May 28 - Jun 8, 2019
David in Venice was extremely knowledgeable and again, catered the tour to where and what we wanted to see.
Our Murano, Burano and Torcello tour out of Venice was awesome. A great way to explore the islands.
Loved our tour of... Read more
Tour of Italy
Italy
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Mar 25 - Mar 30, 2019
Italy trip
Italy
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Nov 13 - Nov 17, 2018
It was a wonderful experience. Mario & team assisted us to customise our trip to the needs of my 4yr old and 65yrs+ parents.
We were a bit pressed for time but our stay in Florence was the best.
Guide Paulo at Rome was very thorough and detailed at all the various historic sites.
Was a great trip.
One thing to note was at some point there was not transport arranged n we were a bit confused about it. Nonetheless arranging ourselves was not tough.