Laura
Senior Travel Advisor
Hailing from central Arkansas, Laura first fell in love with Italy by experiencing the charm of its smaller hidden gems with her husband before tackling Rome, Florence, or Venice. She’s run out of fingers and now also has to use toes to count the number of times she’s visited Bella Italia. Some of her top memories include an epic seven-course cheese-based meal in a Pugliese forest while staying in nearby Matera, an Emilian cooking class at an agriturismo outside Bologna that’s been in the same family since the 1100s, and learning about the art of Sicilian puppetmaking through a century’s old family-run business in Palermo.
Laura is one of the trip builders on the US-based team, responsible for listening intently to clients’ desires and translating them into custom curated itineraries. She delights in finding independent boutiques and local artisans that carry on family traditions by hand, hunting for the best enotecas for local wines and rare champagnes, comparing Michelin restaurants against old-school holes in the wall, and savoring the breathtaking views on hiking trails or boat tours so she can recommend them to Italy With Bella clients. As a professional soccer referee in the States, Laura is also the resident calcio expert along with Leonardo from the Italy-based team.
Preferring calm, uncrowded places, Laura was shocked to discover that Rome and Venice completely captured her heart. Now, she has to visit one of those cities at least every six months or else she lapses into despondency. The variety of things to tour, the beauty in the hidden corners, and the rich histories of the Roman and Venetian empires spanning from ancient times to medieval to Renaissance to modern history keep her dreaming about her next visit. Her trick is to visit the major Italian cities in the winter when tourism is low and save nature-focused trips for spring and fall for the best weather and smaller crowds. She prefers spending a minimum of three or four nights at a luxury boutique property with flawless service, top-notch pillows, high-end toiletries, elegant design, and a real sense of place. Bonus points if it has a phenomenal spa or a thoughtfully equipped gym with a view.
The first few times Laura traveled to Italy, she thought her guides and restaurant servers were phenomenal at remembering her name. It took her entirely too long to realize what they were actually saying was the ubiquitous filler word “Allora.” Luckily it didn’t take her too many trips to Italy to realize the best way to enjoy the country is to leave plenty of unscheduled time in her itinerary. The free time makes it a joy to explore at whatever pace feels right. If you’re sprinting from place to place to check off a long list, travel becomes a chore rather than a delight. Some of the best memories come from a long chat with locals at the table next to you during aperitivo, or doing laundry at the local laundromat, or getting a straight razor shave at the neighborhood barber (a personal favorite of Laura’s husband).
One of Laura’s favorite things about Italy is the variety and freshness of the food. Some of her most cherished gastronomic experiences include the parmigiano-filled tortelli with Mora prosciutto from a trattoria in the Emilian countryside, the saffron and zucchini flower paccheri from her favorite restaurant in Florence, the raw shrimp with strawberry and mint starter at a tiny place in Sorrento, and a nine-course meal consisting of the greatest retired hits from the world-famous Osteria Francescana. She can’t decide if the chinotto sorbet in Bologna, the panettone gelato in Palermo, or the cassata siciliana gelato in Lacco Ameno is her favorite. But, without a doubt, her favorite wine is franciacorta and her favorite cocktail is a Select spritz.
Coming from a long line of world travelers, exploring new cultures and landscapes has shaped Laura’s outlook on life. That’s why it’s such a rewarding experience for her to help clients’ vision come to life while helping them foster personal connections with Italy With Bella’s genuine, kind-hearted partners who are proud to share their beautiful culture and point of view. Time is even more precious than money, and it means the world to Laura when clients trust her with their Italian holiday. Nothing is better than seeing photos of clients enjoying a private tour or a special dinner at a local’s house. After all, the history, the food, and the monuments might be what initially attracts someone to Italy, but it’s the warmth and sincerity of the people that compel you to return again and again.
