I am a professional journalist with twenty years of experience in finance, economics and lifestyle. My work revolves around large figures, complex transactions and high-level negotiations. For more than a decade, however, my passion has led me to observe, experience and write about the way we choose food, travel, spend our time and enjoy life.

It is from this dual perspective — professional rigour and a curiosity for the art of good living — that my most personal project was born: Gugsto.it.

Don’t simply call it a “blog”.

Gugsto is my travel journal. It is neither a tourist guide nor a collection of reviews, but a point of view. Here I write about places, people, flavours, atmospheres and experiences that I consider authentic, original or simply capable of leaving a lasting impression.

My work is never based solely on press releases; it is always rooted in experiences I have lived first-hand.

The name “Gugsto” combines the beginning of my name, Guglielmo, with the Italian word gusto — taste. It is my personal way of expressing the pleasure of living well: Gusto with a “G” in the middle.

I am not interested in showing what everyone else already sees. I am interested in discovering what often remains hidden — the door that others may not even know exists.

That is why, alongside the things I appreciate, you may also find those that convince me less. I have never considered Gugsto a commercial showcase. First and foremost, it is a journal of discoveries, experiences and impressions gathered first-hand.

Also out of passion, I curate the Lifestyle pages of “SIGARI!/CIGARS!”, the quarterly bilingual Italian-English magazine published by the Cigar Club Association (CCA), continuing to closely observe the evolution of tastes, lifestyles and new expressions of luxury.

Today, I have transformed this experience into a professional activity.

I work as a “Dolce Vita Curator — Private Experience Curator” for people who wish to discover Rome and, more broadly, Italy from a more personal, authentic and private perspective.

I am not a tourist guide.
I am not a concierge.
I am not a tour operator.

I am an experience curator.

My role is to listen to your wishes, interests and personal sensibilities and turn them into experiences designed around you.

A Different Idea of Luxury: Your “Dolce Vita”

I believe contemporary luxury is not necessarily defined by price.

True privilege increasingly lies in having the freedom to choose: how to spend your time, who to share it with, which places to discover and which experiences are genuinely worth living.

That is why I might suggest a family-run trattoria rather than an exceptionally refined restaurant, a small boutique hotel or a five-star property, a little-known exhibition or a private collection, a meeting with an artisan or producer, a private visit to a small winery, an intimate cultural event, a place that normally stays off the radar, or simply an evening built around the right people and the right atmosphere.

There is no predetermined hierarchy.

What matters is the quality of the experience.

I do not select a place because it is expensive.
I select it because it has value.

If you would like to experience your own “Dolce Vita”, simply tell me what you are looking for, how much time you have and the budget you would like to dedicate to the experience.

From these elements, I will begin creating something personal, consistent with your interests and unique to you.

I cannot promise you a place in Heaven. But if you are looking for your own paradise on Earth, I can help you open doors to rare experiences, distinctive atmospheres, interesting people and authentic connections.

You may already have seen Rome, the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and its great landmarks.

The more interesting question then becomes:

“What could I experience in Rome that I could not experience anywhere else?”

For one person, it might mean a day devoted to contemporary art, a visit to an atelier and a private dinner. For someone else, an archaeological walk away from the usual routes, a tasting with a producer and a meal at a family-run trattoria. For another, a slow day spent between a historic garden, a hidden spa and an evening concert.

There is no such thing as the ideal experience.

There is only the right experience for the right person.

My goal is not simply to show you Rome. It is to find the most personal way for you to experience it.

I don’t sell Rome. I offer you a version of Rome created just for you.

I don’t sell sightseeing tours of Rome. I offer you the opportunity to experience your own “Dolce Vita” and your own “Roman Holiday”.

For information and enquiries: valiag@hotmail.it