Name: Mario and Viny Vitellone
Business: Vita Italian Tours www.vitaitaliantours.com.au
How long has your business been operating? We have conducted private tours to Italy since 1975. In 2002 was the birth of Vita Italian Tours as a small group tour company.
What inspired you to start the business? It was an idea we had for a long time but it was hard to raise a family and combine it with spending a fair bit of time away from home. So we waited until the time was right for all our family members. Now they can all join in our love of Italy.
We were both born in Italy and still have very strong connections with our extended families who were all supportive of our venture. Finally, we both have studied and worked in Italy for extended periods, gaining extensive knowledge of the history, culture and the Italian way of life. We have developed very strong and intimate relationships with local communities. It was natural that we wanted others to see and experience the Italy we love.
Do you travel regularly to Europe? As we offer a number of tours from May to October we spend quite a considerable time In Italy. When not in Melbourne we make our base in the beautiful township of Pesaro on the Adriatic coast in Le Marche Region.
Are any other family members involved in the business? All our family members are involved. Nina, our eldest daughter, is based in Florence. She assists us with bookings and the school tours. She also assists in leading the groups through Tuscany which is her specialty.
Gianni and Nadia, our family twins, both look after enquiries and other administrative duties in Melbourne. At times, Gianni drives the other mini bus on certain tours.
Of course, the groups get the chance to meet members of our family in Italy and some of the interesting characters of the local community. Some groups get invited to zia’s place for a family Sunday lunch and that is a memorable experience.
What do you enjoy most about running this kind of business? People often ask us if we get bored taking groups to the same places. We are always thrilled taking both first time travellers or repeat customers on tour. We love people to experience Italy not as a tourist but as a traveller: engaging and participating in the history, the culture and the life in the places we visit.
Of course, we take pride in our personalized and friendly service. Our groups are small, intimate and friendly.
Do you have any funny/memorable/inspirational memories of the business to share with us? There are many great stories to share but we have chosen the following since it ended with a powerful message.
Several years on our Grand Tour, we stopped at Positano. I drove down to the centre of the town and dropped the group off whilst I looked for a parking spot, which is always a difficult task along the Amalfi Coast.
By the time I walked down to meet them, one member of the travelling group had disappeared. We looked for him everywhere without much luck. How could anyone get lost in Positano? But it happened. Was I worried? You bet, I was! I got the police, the fire brigade and virtually all of Positano looking for an 84 year old Australian man.
After searching all afternoon, he was nowhere to be found. It was getting dusk and we decided to return to Sorrento where we were staying and make it our base. On arrival in Sorrento I got a phone call from the Police Station in Sorrento with the information that they had an Australian man who was lost and fitted the description. The fun started when I was met by the “maresciallo”/superintendent who was magnificently dressed in his blue uniform and jokingly reprimanded me about not looking after my customers. He was a Neapolitan and he turned a difficult situation into a very funny encounter.
He said to me that all afternoon he had been asking my lost companion in his broken English, “What is your name?” and the response he got every time was “Watt?” My lost friend’s name was Watt and due to language barriers, a classic misunderstanding developed which ended in a very humorous way.
The morale of the story is that Mr. Watt did not carry any form of identification nor money. He left all these important things with his wife. Also, Mr. Watt did not remember the hotel where we were staying.
We now tell this story at the start of every tour to remind people to carry with them at all times some form of identification and some money. We also give them again a hotel brochure and our local mobile number. Fortunately, we have not lost any more people!
By the way, Mr. Watt walked from the beach front in Positano to the highway at the top of the mountain where he was picked up by a couple of Italian tourists who took him to the Sorrento Police Station. But that is another story.
Why should travellers consider Vita Italian Tours for their next holiday to Italy? We can use all the beautiful adjectives to describe about us and our tours: personalised, fully guided, all inclusive, authentic, hassle free holidays, exciting tourist destinations, leisurely and memorable, excellent accommodation, quaint hotels and villas, breathtaking views, cultural immersion, experience the real Italy, great food and excellent wines and the list goes on.
But the true measure of our tours is best described by our customers:
“I had yearned for a tour of Italy that I, as a mature, lone female would find secure, comfortable, engrossing, affordable and comprised of kindred spirits. I have just returned from such a tour…..”
J. Stewart, Mentone, Vic
“Thank you, we have enjoyed the tour tremendously……………a very relaxed time without too many extended car rides……………we have had the pleasure of seeing off the track Italy. The last day being a memorable day amongst so many.”
C & J Payne, WA
“I had a truly wonderful holiday. I have fallen in love with Italy and have a strong desire to return. Thank you so much for taking such good care of us. Nobody could have done it better.”
J Robinson, WA
“Mario and Viny are a great team. They have imparted their great love of Italy, its culture, history and art in such a way that we have truly experienced Italy at a deeper level than one might expect on a 17 day tour. Their extensive knowledge has given us an authentic experience of regional culture and cuisine.”
S & B Pitt, Vic
“Thank you for a marvelous few days in Italy and for giving us a greater understanding of the people and the culture. …..As an experience of ‘Italian life, culture and heritage’ the tour of Le Marche was spot-on. As guides both of you were excellent.”
C & P Oakley, Vic
“I’ve had a wonderful experience indulging in the Italian lifestyle and history…………All terrific including Rossini hotel which was comfortable with good food and friendly staff…….many thanks for sharing Pesaro with us…”
S Strachan, Vic
“Un giro molto fabuloso!! You gave such a good overall insight to history, culture, FOOD (and wine), scenery, everything including gelati.
The attention to detail was admirable and lead to a very good tour.”
Jenny & Andrew Kirkham, Vic
“What a positive experience. Great towns, fantastic food, amazing scenery and best of all being based in Pesaro a gem being hidden away from the rest of the world. I would not hesitate in recommending this tour to all my friends and family and even strangers I meet along my life’s journey.
F Crapis, NSW
“Le Marche Region was quite outstanding. Mario’s love for the country and his ancestors knows no bounds. His deep appreciation of the historic sites, the galleries, the castles and all the wonderful legends and stories attached to them made it a magic journey. Nothing but the best- food, accommodation plus the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted.”
E Scalzo-Harper, Vic
“The careful planning by Mario and Viny was evident. Various places of interest and significance were included in the itinerary and I was impressed with the attention to detail…”
D. Brown, Vic.
“Never having visited Italy our expectations were indeed met. We loved your stimulating, effervescent company and your obvious passion for Italy”
V & C Power, Vic
“Thanks for showing us ‘your Italy’. Our intimate group was special and I don’t think we would travel in any other way.”
G & G Mangan, Vic
“You did a brilliant job planning so we were able to see so many things in a relaxed and leisurely pace”
J & J Watt, NSW
“An unforgettable and rewarding travel experience – the joy of discovering small walled villages and towns, the history, the culture, the art, sampling delicious regional food and wine and all this in a small intimate group.”
C & A Aquino, Vic
“It was an amazing week with you Mario – without your knowledge, expertise and personality it would not have been so memorable, enjoyable or easy.”
A & J Downs, NSW
“How wonderful to experience local regional foods and wines at ‘long lunches’ and dinners in intimate restaurants, shared with local people.”
G Knox, Vic
“Our trip was a relaxing and enjoyable experience, and it appealed to the whole family across a wide variety of ages. We had a very memorable wine tasting of local wine in Pesaro, but also enjoyed great gelato…..We experienced “L’Italia Vera” in Le Marche.”
Mullins Family, Brisbane, Qld
