Listen to “285. VIP Experiences in Italy: Special Access to Iconic Sites” on Spreaker.
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Dreaming of a once-in-a-lifetime visit to Italy’s most iconic sights – without the crowds? Discover exclusive VIP experiences in Rome, Florence, and Venice, from unlocking the Vatican Museums at dawn to stepping inside St. Mark’s Basilica after dark. These unforgettable opportunities offer a new way to experience Italy’s treasures – elevating your next adventure to something truly extraordinary.
Summary
In this episode, we welcome Denyse Pantaleo of Walks of Italy and Devour Tours to explore Italy’s most extraordinary VIP experiences. From private dawn openings of the Vatican Museums to after-hours tours of Venice’s San Marco, Denyse shares how these exclusive, behind-the-scenes moments can turn iconic sights into unforgettable memories.
What you’ll learn in this episode
- Denyse Pantaleo has lived in Rome for 20 years and manages ground operations for Walks and Devour Tours, focusing on creating high-quality, meaningful guest experiences across Italy
- Walks offers immersive, storytelling-driven tours led by passionate guides whose personal expertise shapes each experience – whether in art, history, or culture
- VIP tours like the Key Masters Tour at the Vatican and after-hours visits to Florence’s Duomo and St. Mark’s Basilica provide rare, crowd-free access and emotional, once-in-a-lifetime moments
- These experiences cater to a wide range of interests, allow for peaceful exploration beyond peak hours, and can be booked via Walks of Italy or Take Walks websites
- Tours include: in Rome, the Vatican Key Master’s Tour, Alone in the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum Tour with VIP Caesar’s Palace, in Florence, Alone in the Duomo with private terrace access and in Venice, Alone in St Mark’s with Doge’s Palace
Timeline Overview
- 06:21 Crafting unforgettable experiences
- 07:33 Early morning Vatican tour with the Key Master
- 12:36 Sunrise, silence, and slow appreciation of art
- 14:58 Connecting with Florence through exclusive access
- 19:04 Giving the gift of meaningful Italian experiences
- 23:13 After-hours tour of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice
- 26:04 Making Italy’s cultural treasures more accessible
- 28:01 The importance of ritual in VIP experiences
- 30:54 Exploring historic cities with passion and depth
- 35:39 Guides as storytellers who bring history to life – going beyond the textbook
About our guest – Denyse Pantaleo
Denyse, a native of foggy Treviso – the hometown of tiramisu – is a professional chef and passionate food enthusiast.
She joined Walks of Italy in 2014 and has since shared her culinary expertise by teaching cooking classes both in person and online for eight years.
In 2022, Denyse took on the role of Devour product developer for Italy and is currently the ground operations manager for Walks and Devour in Rome and Pompeii.
For Denyse, a recipe is more than just a list of ingredients and steps; it’s a living tradition, a secret passed down through generations, or a cherished experiment documented in a recipe notebook. Her love for pasta is unmatched, but she occasionally craves Asian cuisine, which serves as her comfort food and a flavorful reminder of her travels.
When she’s not developing new culinary experiences, Denyse enjoys revisiting the flavors of her journeys through her favorite dishes and discovering new places to eat and drink in Rome.
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Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned
Places
- Brunelleschi’s Dome – the dome of the Santa Maria Cathedral. Begun in 1296, in the time of the Medici and completed by 1436 – a feat of engineering by Filippo Brunelleschi
- St Mark’s Basilica – magnificent church in Venice on the eastern end of St Mark’s Square/Piazza San Marco
- Pala d’Oro – the high altar table in St Mark’s Basilica
- Hall of Maps – a gallery in the Vatican containing a series of painted topographical maps of Italy based on drawings by friar and geographer Ignazio Danti
- House of Augustus – found on Palentine Hill in Rome, it was the primary place of residence for the emperor Augustus (27 BC – AD 14)
- House of Livia – also on Palentine Hill, this was the residence of the infamous Livia, wife of Augustus
Food / Drink
- carbonara – one of the pasta dishes of the city of Rome. A true carbonara should never, ever contain cream
Words / Concepts
- Nasoni – the free drinking water fountains that can be found all over Rome
- Michelangelo – master painter whose work is found across the Vatican Museums and in particular in the wondrous Sistine Chapel
- Conclaves – meaning ‘with the keys’, a conclave is part of the more famous imagery we get from the Vatican every once in a while (like this year!) when a Pope is chosen after the passing (or a very rare abdication) of the previous Pope. So passing the baton to a new Pope while still being in office
Related content on Untold Italy
Podcasts
- Ep 244 – How to eat like a Roman
- Ep 142 – A Tale of 3 cities – a food tour adventure in Italy with Devour Tours
- Ep 098 – Vatican Museums: Tips and Highlights for Your Visit
- Ep 235 – Visiting the Colosseum – A slow travel guide
- Ep 228 – Top 5 Experiences to try in Florence
- Ep 222 – Must have experiences in Venice
- Ep 217 – Must have experiences in Rome
- Ep 214 – Rome’s best kept secrets to explore
- Ep 201 – Beyond the Colosseum – Hidden secrets of Rome
- Ep 185 – Venetian Cicchetti – A food lovers guide
- Ep 132 – Why you need to spend at least 3 days in Venice
- Ep 109 – Women of Ancient Rome and Italy – the untold story
- Ep 101 – Tales from the Pantheon
- Ep 098 – Vatican museums – tips and highlights for your visit
- Ep 049 – Exploring Florence
Articles
- Rome travel guide
- 3-day Rome itinerary
- 5-day Rome itinerary
- How to buy tickets for the Colosseum
- How to buy tickets for the Vatican museums
- Best Vatican tours
- The Pantheon: Facts and History to enliven your visit
- Famous Roman dishes to try in Rome
- 15 Fascinating Ancient Sites in Rome for History Lovers
- Florence travel guide
- Best Tours in Florence
- Main Attractions in Florence
- 3 Days in Florence: Itinerary Ideas for Visiting the Renaissance City
- Venice travel guide
- Best Tours in Venice
- Main Attractions in Venice
- 3 Day Itinerary for Venice: Explore The Lagoon City
- How to Buy Tickets for the Doge’s Palace Venice
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