From Venice to Verona with our CTO Paolo

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Name: Paolo Donà

Position: Chief Technical Officer and Director of Homestay.com

Hometown: Belluno, Italy


Our CTO Paolo is without doubt proud of his home country. In spite of having lived abroad for several years, Italy is still very much home with our CTO frequently waxing lyrical about the better food, weather and amenities in Italy compared to Ireland. Naturally then when I told Paolo I wanted to create a blog post all about his love for Italy, he was only too happy to oblige and has given his top tips for his region in the north east of the country and for Verona, the city he now calls home.

Tell us about where you grew up in Italy.

I am originally from a little town up in the Alps called Belluno which is about one hour north of Venice, and very close to Cortina D'Ampezzo, a famous ski resort and site of the 1956 Winter Olympics - which incidentally also gave the name to the famous car the Ford Cortina. The region I grew up in is called Veneto, famous because of Venice and for the production of Prosecco Wine. Over time I've lived in different cities in northern Italy, I went to university in Padua, and I had the graduation ceremony in the very room where Galileo used to teach! Now I have an apartment in Verona that my wife and I spend our time in where we’re not in Dublin.

clock tower at the university of Padua, Italy

What's your favourite thing about Italy?

Things about all of Italy? I absolutely love the food and weather. In terms of food though, every region of Italy has specific recipes so it's easy to get very different dishes by just moving to the next town and region. Being from northern Italy, I favour meat and wine dishes, such as: patissada de caval – which is a Veronese horse stew made with amarone wine. I know some people find this offensive but horse meat is acceptable to eat in Italy. Another dish I love is salama da sugo, which is a pig’s bladder stuffed with pork meat and spices and matured for several months.

For Italian people, meals are an opportunity to socialise and spend time with friends and loved ones. One of the things I miss the most is the long lunches or dinners with friends where you eat great food, and chat and laugh for hours, without having waiters breathing down your neck to free the table!

Paolo enjoying the open road on tour

What's your favourite thing do to when you're at home in Verona?

I love cycling so when I get some free time I pick my bike up and wander around the hills for hours. The area around Verona is perfect for cycling as you can get a mix of flat terrain, hills or full blown mountains at a short distance from home. The best way to do it is with friends and with a food stop in between - especially if it's in one of the typical Agriturismo, which are a kind of homestay run by farmers and local producers in rural regions.

What’s your favourite bar or restaurant in Verona that everyone should try?

My favourite restaurant is the Enoteca Segreta which literally means "Secret Wine Shop" even if it's a restaurant, not a shop. There you can get the best local cured meats, cheese, and of course sample the local wines and locally brewed beers. All the ingredients are locally sourced and give you a great taste of northern Italy in a cosy little square in the city centre.

What’s something everyone has to eat when they go to Italy?

There are so many things that it's difficult to choose! But I would say try a real Pizza Napoletana to see how different it is from what you get abroad. Also pasta dishes are top-notch, when you eat pasta in Italy you understand why Italians love it so much!

Paolo on holidays in Sardinia and enjoying pizza at home

What's your top insider tip for anyone travelling to Italy?

Do all you can to get advice from a local, on where to dine and on the wine. For example in Venice, tourists go to spots that are not the same as for the locals, and don't get the same treatment and quality that local people do. Just knowing where to go, or even better, going with an Italian, can totally change your experience and your outlook on the country!

What and where was your most memorable holiday?

My most memorable holiday was in Japan, where I visited a childhood friend who has become a successful opera singer and was performing in Tokyo. The Japanese culture, in Tokyo particularly, is so different from what I've seen that I felt like stepping into the set of "Blade Runner". I also got an opportunity to sleep in a "Capsule Hotel” which was cool!

Where in the world will you go on your next trip?

I always loved tropical islands so I think it'll be somewhere in the middle of the Pacific, if I can find the time to do it! I've already been to Hawaii, but I would like to try something smaller and more authentic - the fisherman village kind of thing.


Do you want to book a homestay in Italy? Visit our listings page to find the host that is right for you.

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