I have been working in tourism since I finished my studies at the age of 19. I have always wanted to meet people from all over the world, to be able to tell stories, to show my hometown Bellagio and the surroundings and to share my passion for all that is local, traditional, and our culture. I am quite precise, so I like to organize all the details of a visit for my guests, to be able to leave with unforgettable memories. 

Year after year, thanks to word of mouth, I built my career with lots of requests from different Italian and foreign travel agencies, hotels, wedding planners and private travellers. By coincidence, I started to officiate weddings for foreign couples. The celebrant we were waiting for had an accident and I replaced him; the wedding planner was extremely happy with the job I did, as I captivated the audience with my boundless enthusiasm, which I also think is contagious! Before Covid, I had officiated more than 100 weddings, among them also civil ceremonies. 

Many times, my dear friend Andrea Grisdale, IC Bellagio CEO, gave me the great opportunity to work with her VIP clients to show them the beauty of Lake Como. I met Andrea in Bellagio when she first arrived in 1986 and we have worked together since; we were working together as local guides and I still remember the day she asked me why no one had ever opened a travel agency in Bellagio. I did not know how to answer… I just told her to not let me work in the office, I wanted to stay outside in contact with the guests, making them feel special, showing them the beauties of our region, so I became IC Bellagio’s head guide on Lake Como! I am so proud that Andrea chose the name of my hometown for her company, this is truly a great honour and a unique added value!

Before the pandemic, I was able to distribute at least 3 services per day to other colleagues in addition to the ones I worked personally. Nowadays the requests are very rare, and services are currently postponed to the end of the current season or more often moved to next year. To keep me busy I can honestly tell you that during the last months I have accepted and took into consideration many different or strange ideas. I took part in a lot of updated zoom meetings to study different subjects, I have been doing a lot of different activities. I prepared short visual tours to introduce the area to new clients and I did a few virtual tours around the lake using just my iPhone! I created presentations and promotional videos to present my area, to keep the Dream of Italy and Lake Como alive. 

I even oversaw a blessing online from my garden with the spouses in their home and guests watching from different part of the US.  I still remember that the day before what should have been the best moment of their life, the couple was very sad, so the wedding planner had the idea to do a short virtual ceremony to ensure that the day was memorable. It was a romantic and emotional experience and even the local newspapers wrote about it! 

Every Friday morning, I show an area of my lake with a direct video for a local radio station “RadioCiacomo"; we have a lot of followers as I introduce corners that people have probably never visited, I encourage them to come and see these masterpieces, these true gems as soon as it is possible… I have shown corners of the lake including a lot of curiosities that only locals know! Also, TVunica, a local TV much followed by locals, came to my area on different occasions and I took them around showing them and talking about the beautiful lake Como.

I was able to organise the early opening of the local botanical gardens through special guided tours to allow locals to become better acquainted with their hometown and at the same time creating work opportunities for the local guides. 

Since 2018, I have been President of the biggest association of local tour guides and tour leaders on Lake Como and I do my best to keep the association alive, engaging my colleagues and involving them in meetings, new projects etc. 

Finally, during this period I became the President of a local tourism association in the small village of Lezzeno, next to where I live; this association aims to support the growth of local tourism and assist the local properties, companies, restaurants and other operators through this. Not an easy moment to start this new role but easy is probably not for me…

Life is full of exciting projects and new ideas… I also have a family, but my children are now grown up; I am sure sometimes they think they would have preferred a housewife mother!!! 

I can honestly tell you that I am really missing my job as a tour guide; I don’t believe I could do anything as well and I cannot wait to start showing my beautiful lake Como again. I also miss travelling, and discovering this beautiful world; with my friend Claudia, we started to travel alone a few years ago - we went to Australia and the year after to California; just the two of us, no planning with just a Mustang driving though country…we are ready for another journey through Texas… I am sure It will come!  

One thing I will never forget in the future is to stop more frequently and to look around, to breathe, to drink an aperitif with friends, to laugh more and I really cannot wait to embrace all my family members, friends and guests.

WTTC thanks Rita for sharing her story from Lake Como, Italy!