I grew up in Rome, where I graduated cum laude at La Sapienza University in History of Religions, with a focus on Christianity and Islam. Today I am a London Blue Badge Tourist Guide, guiding in both English and Italian, with a particular passion for the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), British Museum and Tate Britain.

History has always been the lens through which I see the world: as layers of stories, people and ideas shaping the places, and the objects, around us. I love using works of art and archaeology not simply as things to admire but as starting points for understanding the people who made, wore, treasured, worshipped, collected and sometimes fought over them.

This is perhaps why I particularly love guiding in museums. At the British Museum, my specialist interests include Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt and Roman archaeology. We can explore the great civilisations of Sumer, Assyria and Babylon, the extraordinary world of ancient Egypt, and the Roman Empire through the objects people left behind. My academic background in the history of religions gives me a particular interest in belief, mythology, ritual, death and the afterlife, and in the ways ancient societies tried to make sense of their world.

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is another favourite. I have a particular interest in fashion, textiles, costume and jewellery and the V&A provides an extraordinary opportunity to tell history through the things people made, wore, treasured and displayed. From medieval and Renaissance craftsmanship to historic dress, fashion, jewellery and decorative arts, I enjoy looking beyond beautiful objects to discover their makers and owners, because even the most extraordinary masterpiece becomes more memorable once we uncover the human story behind it.

At Tate Britain, I love following the story of British art through Hogarth, Gainsborough, Constable and Turner, and into the modern world of Lucian Freud and David Hockney. Paintings can tell us much more than the story of art: they open windows onto changing ideas about beauty, class, landscape, society, identity and what it has meant to be British.

Despite my academic background, I took a rather different path and built a career as a pastry chef, spending about 20 years working in some of Rome and London’s most prestigious institutions, from The Langham to Café Royal. Perhaps that is also where my fascination with craftsmanship comes from. I love understanding how beautiful things are actually made. Whether we are looking at an embroidered textile, a Renaissance jewel, a Turner watercolour or an elaborate afternoon tea. And yes, I know where excellent afternoon tea is to be found, and I can tell you how it’s made!

As a teenager, I used to travel to England for concerts, and over a decade ago I was delighted to make this exciting city my home. I never take it for granted: I chose to be here, and I still feel lucky on my daily route to the usual coffee shop.

When I’m alone, I walk everywhere, like Dickens did, thinking with my feet. With my guests, I enjoy uncovering the secret life of the city, connecting objects, buildings and people into stories and revealing details that are often hidden in plain sight.

Whether we are exploring the V&A, British Museum, Tate Britain or the streets of London, I believe a great tour should be knowledgeable without feeling like a lecture. I enjoy making connections, answering questions and adapting each visit to the interests of the people in front of me. I guide experienced art and history lovers, curious first-time visitors and families with children, always aiming to make complex subjects clear, engaging and memorable.

If you are looking for an English or Italian-speaking Blue Badge Guide for a private tour of London, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I look forward to showing you around!