Italy has been considered one of the most romantic places in the world. (walang kokontra!) No wonder there are some Pinoy love story themed films which were shot there like "Dolce Amore" of Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano, "Imagine You and Me" of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza and the classic "Milan" of Piolo Pascual and Claudine Barretto. (mahal mo ba ako dahil kailangan mo ako, o kailangan mo ko dahil mahal mo ko?!) We have also seen celebrities who got married in Italy (well either afam ang napangasawa o sadyang may budget sila!) like Adrien Semblat and Isabelle Daza in Tuscany and Justin Pitt and Cristalle Belo in Como. (soon Fu and.. basta!)
I will not forget the moment we attended the wedding of our friends Vincenzo and Cindy De Laurentiis in Molfetta in 2017. It was a well-organized grand wedding. (daming ganap! paglamon, paglalasing and more pero maayos!) They even combined the Italian and Filipino traditions, making the celebration more special. (Italian si Vinz, Pinay si Cindy at ako ang Filipino representative sa hosting sa reception ha!)
Years later, they thought of putting up Authentic Puglia Tours, which deals with special travel destinations and events. (bilang mga metikuloso at systematic silang mag-asawa keri nila yan!)
“Everything is done with a local touch and every trip we create for our guests are personalized and carved to their needs, pace and interests. We select the best partners to work with, from Car rental to Private drivers, from traditional accommodations such as Masserie (farm stays), Historical villas, Agriturismi and B&Bs in Old Towns to Authentic experiences such as wine tastings, cooking classes, olive oil tastings, kayak, trekking, ceramics and papier mache laboratories, guided tours with selected local guides. Our objective is for our guests to enjoy their trip and get amazed by what an authentic Italian region has to offer," Vinz shares (basta request ko poging escort. Este tour guide!)
Tours and events are not new for the couple. They have worked in several countries, and travel became an instrument in their love story. (so pagnagtravel, isabay ang paghanap ng jowa ganyan!)
“Our jobs kept us busy, but we managed to carve out some time to jet off to beautiful locations across the world. We went to many adventures together in faraway lands, all the while Vincenzo couldn’t stop talking about where he grew up, the Italian region of Puglia. When he decided to move back home, I followed him and our new life as a married couple began," Cindy recalls. (ganda-ganda ni ate gurl!)
They chose Puglia to be the first location of their business venture because it has a special connection to them as a couple/ (ay ako malapit heart ko sa afam!)
“When Cindy who is originally from the Philippines joined me in Puglia I was excited to show her my roots and how beautiful Puglia really is. We would get in the car whenever we could and just drove to my favourite places in Puglia. Along the way, we found new spots, as one often does when on a road trip. These serendipitous finds were added to the ever-growing list of recommended places we would share with Cindy’s family when they came over and our friends who visited us from other countries," Vinz narrates. ( ako at ilang friends ang nambulabog sa kanila!)
The couple admits that Puglia is not as popular as other destinations in Italy, but they are optimistic in promoting this place. (pa-experience nga po ulit!)
“You will be amazed by the white city of Polignano (romantic and perfect for couples), by the nice sandy beaches of Otranto, Gallipoli and Salento (ideal for families), by the hills and natural landscapes of Murgia (perfect for trekkers and hikers) and the picturesque village with tiny buildings all carved with stones of Alberobello . And yes, the local people, the people that live in Puglia are very friendly and will welcome you always with a smile.” Vinz says. (sa sobra nilang friendly, may muntik nakong iuwing Italyano!)
Since Cindy is from Manila, they hope to bring more Filipino tourists in Puglia. They are also willing to help in organizing celebrity weddings and even film shoots that will raise awareness for this place that is truly close to their heart and soul. (raraket na akong location manager para sa inyo!)
“They can contact us at [email protected] or write on whatsapp at +39 3466044787 or contact us through Facebook or Instagram.We work only with VIPs (couples, small groups and families). Everything we do is customized. We pay a lot of attention to details and we put our guest at the center of the attention. We are not a commercial tour operator, we believe that quality is better than quantity. Last but not least, we are from here! So we will do our best to let you live an authentic Italian experience!” Vinz explains. (game na! miss ko na mga Italian boys!)
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