Let’s get to know the Founders
Hi there, we are Elisabetta and Savio, a couple in both life and work, brought together by our shared passion for travel and discovery.
We met in London in 2016, and just a few months later, we began turning a dream we both had into reality: showcasing the lesser-known, off-the-beaten-path side of London for travelers who, like us, seek more than just the iconic and commercial spots when they go on vacation. That’s how Unexpected London was born - experiences for small groups that dive deep into the heart and soul of the city, becoming a go-to for responsible and regenerative tourism in the British capital. Everything was going wonderfully until the pandemic hit and kept us homebound for over 18 months.
While we were stuck at home, we started noticing the effects of the lockdown on the environment—the absence of traffic, flights, and tourism. As London transformed into a ghost town, we began breathing cleaner air, hearing the sound of birds, and spotting more wildlife roaming freely through the city. It all happened so quickly that it made us realize the incredible impact our daily lives had on the environment. We couldn’t ignore this wake-up call.
So, we decided to use the time we had on our hand to start developing a concrete strategy to turn what we had created in London into a responsible tourism model that used technology to put people and local communities at the core of travel. In order to do this we decided to start from our own country: Italy.
We returned to Italy in 2021 and combined everything we had learned in London with a meticulous analysis of the Italian territory, region by region, province by province, and town by town. This in-depth study is essential for showcasing the best of our country and promoting a new way of traveling in Italy as we can’t promote Italy if we don’t know it ourselves.
We therefore started promoting a tourism that respects the environment and the local communities, that travels in small groups (no more than 4-6 people), and that doesn’t overwhelm the cities but gently integrates into the local life in a harmonious way. It’s a tourism that fosters unique and authentic relationships between guests and hosts, one that enhances the places it visits rather than harming them. It’s a type of tourism that happens year-round, seeking out lesser-known and less-traveled destinations, not to invade them, but to respect and protect them.
Well, we might be slightly biased, but when it comes to local excellence, unique experiences, artisanal products, homemade food and seasonality, there’s no country quite like Italy. The fact that 70% of tourists visit only 1% of Italy is alarming and unacceptable. There’s a pressing need to redistribute tourist flows, and to do so, we need a nationwide presence and a targeted strategy to guide people towards destinations that best match travelers’ DNAs rather than fostering one-for-all kind of solutions. We are here to showcase a different Italy, focusing on people and their stories, because we believe in the power of relationships and human value.
We are on an Italian journey that started in 2021, but when it will end is still unknown. We are living across the entire country, getting to know it intimately, building networks, and weaving human connections to create a detailed map of Italy like never before. So far, it’s been an incredible experience, allowing us to meet people and hear stories that have touched our hearts forever and every destination opens an exciting and unexpected chapter of our life.
