Written by Valeria Ravani

Since the pandemic began, travel has been restricted to help curb the spread of COVID-19. We’re all eager for the days when we can travel again – for work, or for pleasure!

Until that time comes, we’re going to take you on a virtual world tour, narrow the digital divide, and hopefully pique your curiosity about employees and countries around the globe. Through this travel series, SAS employees from around the world will be serving as tour guides to give you a little taste of what it’s like to live, work and play in their countries.

Meet your tour guide: Valeria Ravani, Marketing Manager

Hello, I am Valeria, Regional Marketing Communication Manager at SAS Italy. I am mum of an amazing 3-year old daughter, and I love cooking and travelling.

I love Italy for its delicious food and amazing countryside. And, because every city or village is a hidden gem. Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy your trip to Italy!

Get to know Italy

The food

Do I have enough space here to highlight all the wonderful food in Italy?

• You can’t miss the real “pizza margherita” (eaten in Naples watching the Vulcano) and then a Babà and a Caffè Espresso.
• “Pasta alla carbonara or Pasta all’amatriciana” living la “Bella Vita” in Rome, by the Fontana di Trevi.
• A good “Spaghetti alle Vongole” or “Spaghetti agli Scampi” in a nice restaurant by the beach.
• La “Cotoletta alla Milanese” and “Risotto alla Milanese with Ossobuco” on a sunny Sunday afternoon by the Navigli canal.
• Breakfast with pistachio or almond “granita” in Taormina, lunch with a super fried “arancino” in Palermo and finish with a delicious “cassata”.

The sights

• Colosseum in Rome
  • This huge amphitheater, the largest of its kind ever built by the Roman Empire and the largest of their constructions to survive, remained a model for sports facilities right up to modern times.
• The Uffizi Gallery in Florence
  • One of the oldest museums in the world, it is a must-see for any art lover and contains some of the most famous masterpieces of Western art.
• The Duomo in Milan
  • The Cathedral at the heart of the city, is an architectural masterpiece that remains imprinted in the memory of all those who visit Milano. The Duomo is also the largest Gothic building in the world.
• Pompeii
  • The ruins of this doomed ancient town, buried by lava and ashes from the erupting Vesuvius volcano, are a marvel to explore.
• Museo Ferrari in Maranello
  • A dream destination for car fans, the Ferrari Museum is dedicated to motor racing and the cars produced by the world famous sports-car manufacturer.
• Amalfi Coast
  • It is known for its extraordinary beauty that makes it one of Italy’s top tourist destinations.
• Porto Venere and Cinque Terre
  • Five quaint fishing villages awash with colors of blue, yellow and pink all hug cliffsides that slope down to the sea. These villages and the surrounding green hills make up the Cinque Terre National Park, one of Italy’s popular tourist destinations
• Sistine Chapel
  • The Sistine Chapel is without doubt one of the greatest art treasures of all time, one of the most celebrated masterpieces in the world.
• San Galgano
  • Enter this abbey in the amazing Tuscan countryside and be impressed by the first gothic church built in Tuscany, which is now without its roof.
• The Grand Canal in Venice
  • A gondola ride through the canals of Venice is a tradition that travelers have been enjoying for centuries. Venice is a city of islands, and the canals have long been the city’s main streets, connected by a labyrinth of narrow passageways.
  • Left to right: The Duomo in Milano, Porto Vener
• Leaning Tower of Pisa
  • The most famous tilted building in the world with a height of 56 meters and a weight of 14,453 tons.
• The Museo del Novecento
  • It is located inside the Palazzo dell’Arengario in Piazza del Duomo, hosts a collection of over four thousand works that catalyze the development of 20th century Italian art.

Off the beaten path

• Spot one hidden beach in Puglia. Surely, I am not to share my favorite and secret one (it is a real secret, isn’t it?)
• Enjoy an Aperitivo with an Aperol Spritz by the Navigli Canal in Milan watching the sunset or in Porto Venere.
• Saturnia and its hidden hot thermal spring. You can go there also during the night, bring some gym shoes because the path is a bit muddy.
• Enjoy a nice breakfast in Versilia by the sea.

The SAS life

In Italy there are about 350 SAS employees based in Milan, Rome, Venice and Turin. The Rome and Milan offices have an historical background:

• The Milan office is located in the building that once was the “Istituto Sieroterapico” — one of the most prestigious centers of medical research and production of medical drugs from 1800 to 1960. It is now part of a campus with design schools, agencies and young students. The best part of the year is during “Salone del Mobile” where even the campus becomes a modern design installation en plen air.
• The Rome office is located in the huge thermal complex of Emperor Diocletian, dating back to 298!S office building in Milan

A fun fact

How could I pick only one?

• Italy has the most UNESCO sites in the world. Packed with important sights, Italy has 55 world heritage sites!
• The first ever bank started in Italy: The Bank of San Giorgia in Genoa opened its doors in 1149.
• Italians invented eyeglasses in the late 13th century. Don’t be surprised, the world’s most stylish eyeglasses are still designed here.

.

Thank you, Valeria, for a whirlwind tour of beautiful Italy! Interested in a career at SAS? We're a global company, with offices all over the world. Check out open roles and learn more about our culture.