Our Team and Guides in Europe

Arzu is an ex-tour guide, tourism professional, and entrepreneur living in Istanbul and Tallinn. She is an expert at creating themed walks in urban areas with a network of professional guides. Arzu has an exceptional knack at brainstorming new projects and an expert’s eye for details.

Arzu prides herself in her rapid response to queries, her organizational skills, and her ability to handle special or extraordinary projects. She is responsible for running and expanding all business in Europe.

Aside from work, Arzu enjoys writing, traveling, storytelling, rock’n roll, and good wine with good company.

Our clients love Chiara! Not only because she has an art history degree, but because she’s a superb guide (who is also a very pleasant person to spend a day with).

Chiara’s ability to read her audience means her presentation, pace, and personal touch are always spot on. She provides great explanations and backstories throughout different museums in Florence, helping our clients get up close and personal with the art.

Aside from guiding, Chiara is also the Italy country manager. Her detailed way of thinking helps us organize our daily operations and guides, and she’s always ready to lend a hand at the last minute.

Dilek is from Istanbul but, after teaching English in Istanbul for many years, she moved to Toronto, Canada to seek new adventures. She now divides her time between Tallinn, Estonia and Toronto.

Dilek is an outdoor enthusiast who loves hiking, cycling, and exploring. She is also a coffee lover, and is always seeking the best cafes while traveling.

Currently, she is supporting our awesome teams in Athens and Istanbul as Operations Team Leader.When she not at work, Dilek can most likely be found in the Canadian Rockies visiting her daughter, Yasemin.

Elvan has been a tourism professional since 2010. Today, she manages her own Destination Management Company, operating tours all across France, offering beautiful, unique tours off the beaten track.

Although she grew up in Turkey, Elvan has called the City of Light her home for almost 30 years. 

Work stuff aside, Elvan enjoys admiring art, dancing the Argentinian tango, acting, having fun, and drinking good wine! 

Anna is our admin manager. She graduated in Management from a university in Brazil, where she lived for 8 years.

She has a passion for excel spreadsheets. But who doesn’t?

After living in big cities like New York and São Paulo, Anna now lives in a town in central Italy.

Anna speaks Russian, English, Italian, and Portuguese.

In her free time, Anna enjoys going to rock concerts with her international group of friends, hiking, and diving.

Talya is an English teacher, writer, and baker when not leading the Customer Happiness Team at Walks in Europe. She has years of experience working in customer service and tourism. 

Talya spends most of her time making sure our customers have an enjoyable experience, through calls, emails, and texts. Incidentally, she also has the smoothest, most soothing voice on earth.

Talya is currently based in Turkey.

Born in Wales and raised in a little town in Turkey, Asya is our multi-lingual/national customer happiness manager. 

Asya graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science from Exeter University, after which she worked for several years in customer service. Her passions include languages, arts, music, and sports. 

Asya has traveled to 16 countries and counting. She desires to work and travel across all of Europe, improving her French while doing so.

Kian is our bi-lingual, multinational Customer Happiness Agent. Kian grew up in California with French-Persian parents and now lives in France on the Côte D’Azur. He spent the last 6 years working in Los Angeles as a Production Coordinator across Hollywood Blockbusters and is now enjoying life in Europe.

Kian loves to travel and be integrated into a new culture, and has brought his energy, people skills and project coordination skills to the tourism world.

His passions include film, football, music, and meeting new people. He is also the first to reference film quotes and the last to get off the karaoke stage

Sarah is from California and has called Italy home for the last five years. She has traveled all over the world in search of adventure, and knows the value of a great tour guide! 

As a professionally trained chef, Sarah loves to share all that Italy has to offer, including delicious local foods and wine. Sarah speaks Italian and spends her free time hiking in the nearby mountains, teaching English as a second language to Italians, cooking, and planning her next trip.

Quentin graduated from Exeter University with Honours and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Management. He speaks German, French and English as he has a French father and a German mother.

Quentin has experience in startups, and is currently a city manager and financial advisor for WIE in Italy.

When off work, Quentin loves taking pictures and traveling. One of his greatest achievements is completing a double marathon at age 19. He also coaches and plays for the main team of Exeter volleyball club (BUCS).

Rebecca is an art historian who lives in the most perfect town to be a medievalist… Siena! She owns a PhD in History of Art and has worked for several years as an Italian language and culture teacher and as a History of Art professor for American Universities study abroad programs. Together with Italian and English, she also speaks French. She absolutely loves Siena, but she has also lived in Venice, Paris, London, and York (UK). Indeed, she identifies herself as a citizen of the world.

When not working, Rebecca likes to enjoy her spare time with her loved ones and her dog Pollock, travel around the world, and… of course… study and observe medieval works of art!

Devrim is a full-stack founder who writes code, non-fiction, and fiction. He’s a master at building everything from scratch and is responsible for taking care of whatever is technically necessary to serve and improve the operations and business.

After spending a decade in the tourism industry, Devrim moved to fintech for a second decade. Now he’s yo-yoed back to tourism again working with Walks in Europe. 

Outside the professional sphere, Devrim is married with two kids, and he triangulates between Tampere (FI), Tallinn (EE) and Ephesus (TR).

Monica is incredibly passionate about art and history, which is why she decided to become an official tour guide. She has been working in tourism since 1977, when she got her degree in Foreign Languages.

Currently, Monica guides in English and Italian in Siena, Florence, and the surrounding areas. She is an expert on local traditions, like the Palio (Siena’s famous and fascinating horse race).

Monica lives in Castellina in Chianti, a small village perched on a hilltop halfway between Siena and Florence.

Meet Elisa! She is very knowledgeable and a pleasure to be around–and not only because she has a degree from Bologna University and did her thesis on public art in Tuscany. Elisa also has has work experience in Milan in journalism and communication.

After some years living abroad in London and Malta, Elisa returned to Florence. She is delighted to be back, sharing her passion for Florence, combining art, history, literature, and humorous “behind the scenes” local stories. She also has plenty of suggestions of where to eat and drink wine, as she is a qualified sommelier.

Michela is a hundred percent Tuscan born in Pistoia – a lovely medieval town near Florence – she is a professional tour guide and tour leader.
She has studied foreign languages and has lived in London for a while.

Michela is very passionate about art, history, fashion, and food!
She loves to share her passion for the Italian lifestyle providing also vital information about where to eat the best steak in town or the best gelato for an unforgettable Tuscan experience!

Jelena is a true local, as she was born and raised in Tallinn. Therefore, she knows all the must-see places, be they trendy or historical. Jelena has a degree in Written Translation from Tallinn University and has been a guide for 12 years.

When guiding, Jelena loves to share lots of fun stories and her own personal experiences in Tallinn. She does her best to introduce her native country in a way that makes her clients fall in love with Estonia like she has.

Jelena is a guide in both English and Russian.

Duccio makes the gems of historical art accessible to  visitors from all over the world. He is a true Florentine,  born and raised in Florence, attracted to the beauty surrounding him, and happy to share it with others.

Because he likes traveling, Duccio is curious about other cultures and their stories. Maybe because of that, he lived in Germany for three years after he finished studying history at University.

Duccio is a musician and manages to excel in that area as well. He guides in German, English, and French.

Why is Rosella one of our favorites to lead people around Florence? Because she studied the history of art in Florence and has a way of transferring her knowledge to people which is at once accessible, informative, and fun!

Rossella is a very busy guide, and so she knows how important and precious vacation time is. That’s why it’s her pleasure to efficiently guide you through the masterpieces hidden all over Florence in German, English, Spanish, and French.

Mauro  was born in Bolzano in the Dolomites area and when he was a child he started his studies at the Music Conservatory of Pesaro playing the violin. After some years playing in lyric orchestras Mauro became a licensed tour leader and later a local city guide in Verona and Bolzano.
He loves both his cities but Verona remains in his heart since when he was a tour leader.

Don’t hesitate to visit this amazing romantic town, Mauro will make you feel like not a tourist but a friend he has known for a long time. Click the button and come!!!

Mauro is also multi lingual. He speaks German, French, English, Romanian, Turkish, and Portuguese.

Roberto is a local boy from Pisa, home of the world-famous leaning tower! He’s been a guide since he was 20 years old, and he speaks several European languages including Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English.

Roberto graduated from Pisa University where he was probably already figuring out how to entertain customers. He’s a client favorite for his in-depth knowledge of the monuments of Miracle Square and the history of Pisa. Roberto is a great communicator whose knowledge also extends past Pisa to Lucca and the surrounding areas.

People love discovering the city with Josquin, because he knows Paris more than anyone else; when Wikipedia or Google Maps have a question, they call Josquin. 

Josquin studied political science and history in the university of Lausanne, and he has also a bachelor’s degree in theater. Therefore, he knows how to bring accurate knowledge in an entertaining way, always adapting the tour to the wishes of his guests.

Aside from guiding, Josquin loves cooking French dishes and hiking in the Alps.

Ludovica attended the German school of Rome from kindergarten until graduation. She then moved to Berlin to study French and Russian at Humboldt University, and has also been to Russia several times.

After moving to Siena, Ludovica studied to become a tour guide and is authorized in Italian, English, German, French, and Spanish.

Her passion for Tuscany’s artistic and cultural heritage easily infects her customers!

Roberta decided to be a guide during her early life, but she had no chance to graduate. So when she turned 40 she enrolled in the university of tourism, with a full time job and two children she graduated after six years with honors. Finally, with her degree she was able to take the exam to qualify as a tourist guide in Italian, English, French, and German! Her dream came true!

Her motto is: Do what you love and you will never work another day in your life.

During a tour with Roberta you can feel her passion, love for art, Florence and the pleasure to explain her beloved city to people from all over the world!

Martina was born and raised in Florence and has been a tour guide since 2015. She has a degree in Art History, studied set and costume design, and was a theater actress for 15 years. She loves getting to know new people and making new connections.

Martina believes the best way to visit a city is to get an authentic perspective from a local, and that is exactly what she does with tourists when they come to Florence and book a tour with her. She is passionate about sharing the lesser-known details of her home town!

Passionate about Paris, art and history, Jérôme spends hours strolling, observing, and studying before sharing his secrets with his guests. Although he was born in the south of France, he became a Parisian when he took a job as teacher in Paris more than 25 years ago. 

Teaching is now a thing of the past, however, as Jérôme truly enjoys guiding those who want to discover and understand the City of Light. 

Gianmarco, born in Pisa and currently living in Livorno, has been interested in the humanities since childhood.

After finishing high school, he studied Medieval History at the University of Pisa. In 2017, he decided to live for a few months in Dublin. He still remembers his time there quite fondly. The following year Gianmarco became certified as an official tourist guide in English, French, and his mother tongue (Italian).

Gianmarco loves sports and good food, and can’t wait until he can share it all with a family of his own.

Pierino was born in seaside Livorno and he still lives there today. He graduated with a degree in Foreign Literatures and Languages from the University of Pisa, and has been working as a qualified guide since 2007.

Guiding is the job Pierino enjoys most of all, because he can meet different people from all over the world every day. He likes learning languages and this job also allows him to improve his skills. Pierino guides in German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.

Carolina was born in Florence where she studied at the school for tourism. She loves to travel and meet people. She has been working as a qualified tour guide since 2012. She took her first steps as a tour leader and during this period she learned a lot. She likes art, music, history and foreign languages. Now her passion for discovering the beauty of her country has become her job and she loves to share her knowledge with her guests. 

Fiorenza was raised in the Chianti countryside near gorgeous, medieval Siena. She grew up in a charming, family-run charming B&B. Hospitality, as well as enthusiasm about sharing the beauty of Tuscany, has always been part of her life.

Fiorenza has a background in cultural anthropology and loves to share the magical intertwining of cultures, traditions, art, food, and wine in her incredible part of the world. She especially loves to share it with her Walks in Europe guests!

Giulia is a lucky soul who lives in Siena, where she was born and still lives with great contentedness. She studied art history, after which she decided to become a tour guide. She currently guides in English and French.

Giulia’s passion for Tuscany always makes an impression on our customers as she explains all about the beauty of the local art, history, nature, and landscapes.

Bettina is German, but she moved to Italy because she wanted to enrich her knowledge in art and history. Just before moving, she got her master’s degree in social pedagogy at the University of Hamburg .

Bettina settled in Siena, where it’s written above one of the city gates, “Siena opens its heart to visitors.” Indeed, she found love in all senses, including art, history, and family. She first worked various export companies before getting her herbalist diploma and opening a herbalist shop with a friend.

When German tourism came to Siena in the 1980s, Bettina decided to change paths. She now guides in German, English and Italian and is specialized in food and wine, theology, mineralogy and geology, iconography, and artistic techniques. She loves the history of the Middle Ages, of which Siena is very rich. 

Originally from Verona, Martina has PhD in Archaeology from the University of Birmingham (UK). She worked as a field archaeologist, carried out research and provided consultation in Museums, and taught University students. She has an international perspective, having worked and lived in the UK, France, Croatia, Africa, and the US.

An incurable optimist and addicted night-time learner, she is a mum of 2 young children and step-mum of 2 grown-up ones. Martina loves walking along the ancient Roman aqueduct at Tor Fiscale, cycling the Appian way, being taken to museums by her children, and indulging in Roman cuisine.

Dony holds a Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Granada, Spain, and an MA in Communication and Culture from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

A traveller, art historian, documentary photographer, and visual archaeologist, Dony has written 3 books about history and music. He regularly contributes to books and periodicals such as The Ecologist, Traveler magazine, Cambio 16, and Lozzy maps and guides.

Dony is an independent scholar who has traveled to more than 38 countries and approximately 200 cities, particularly in Spain, England, Brazil, and Italy. He is now based in Rome, where he leads our walking tours.

Alessandra is a former station manager at Venice airport (Italy), with a vast experience in commercial aviation. Her passion for travel and recreational navigation has taken her along the Greek shores each year, with her husband and their sailboat, following the trade routes of ancient Venetian merchants.  

In her world travels, Alessandra became a tour guide for the Australian Maritime National Museum and the Sydney Heritage Fleet in Sydney, NSW. There, her focus steered towards Australian history connected to maritime exploration.

Her love for Venetian history and art, alongside her outspoken personality and cosmopolitan experience, led her to her current path: working as a tour guide in her hometown of Venice, Italy.

Venetian born and Italian in every way, Elisabetta loves appreciating art, reading a good book, finding innovative ideas, and being surrounded by beauty.

Elisabetta lived abroad for many years, starting her tourism career in London before returning to Venice in 2000 to become a tour leader and private tour guide. In her current profession, she can’t help but impart her passion for art history with a theatrical flair.

Elisabetta has limitless curiosity, although never enough time, which pushes her to discover and share the many hidden gems of her island city.

Ich bin Nicoletta, eine begeisterte Stadtführerin, die Ihrem Beruf wirklich  liebt. Kurz etwas über mich:

Nachdem ich im Ausland gelebt und studiert habe (an der LMU ) und um die Welt gereist bin, habe ich mit erneuten Neugier  mein Land zu betrachten und meine Kentisse davon zu vertiefen angefangen.

Ich liebe meine Stadt und diese Liebe mȍchte ich, zusammen mit den Informationen und Hintergrundwissen, meinen Gȁsten vermitteln, damit die Reise oder die Besichtigung  zu einem Erlebniss der Sinnen und vor alle der Seele wird.

Noch heute bin ich jedes mal gerüht vor dem goldenen Licht der Mosaiken der Markusbasilika, vor den vechselhaften Farben der Lagune und ganz einfach zerzaubert von der Schönheit, die als Geist meine Stadt prägt.

Chiara is a true Venetian! She is an expert guide who knows her city like the back of her hand, and as such is highly appreciated by our customers.

She loves sharing her magical city with them, helping them discover special, hidden corners, and taking them to visit its marvelous monuments. Her motto is, “come on and have fun!”

Since Chiara speaks English and Spanish, she also guides in those languages.

Arianna is a professional tourist guide in Venice and its hinterlands (particularly, Venetian villas).

She studied English, German, and art history at the University of Venice. Since high school, Arianna knew she wanted to become a tourist guide in this amazing city.

She will help you find your way in Venice or help you get lost! Arianna is an expert in delivering joy to our customers while understanding what they really want to see in Venice.

A native Parisian, Alban has been passionate about the history of France since he was a kid.

His work as a concierge in a cozy left bank hotel was what first showed him how much he loved sharing this passion with his guests. Therefore, in 2015, he decided to return to University and get his degree in art and history.

Today, as he does what he loves best, Alban enjoys bringing history to life through his stories.

Anne-Marie moved to Paris 15 years ago from Brittany, in western France, and fell in love. As a licensed tour guide, she quickly became enamored of its architecture and the richness of its heritage, which she can’t help but show off on every one of her guided tours.

Nothing makes her happier than sharing her passion for art in a way that is not only educational, but friendly and interactive. 

Born in a Parisian faubourg (or Parisian suburb), Maëlle got her master’s degree in cultural politics and then began taking art history classes at The Louvre. She is now a licensed guide in her hometown of Paris.

Passionate about urban history, Maëlle would love to share with you the lesser-known spots around town, making sure you connect with both Paris and its museums in your own personal way.

When she isn’t guiding, Maëlle spends her free time writing.

Italian Margherita has always been passionate about cultural heritage, which spurred her to obtain a PhD in Art History at the University of Siena. She lived and worked in this enchanting little Tuscan town before making Paris her adopted home.

As a French National Licensed Guide, it is a pleasure for Margherita to help visitors to the City of Light discover its museums and historical monuments. More importantly, she relishes sharing memorable and fun moments with each of the people she guides.

Nadia is passionate about history, art and gastronomy, and she can’t help but share all of these passions as a licensed guide. She graduated with a master’s in history, and has been living and guiding in Paris for over 20 years.

Convivial and dynamic, Nadia enjoys meeting new people and guiding her guests through prestigious Parisian museums, all while making history and art come alive for them. A guided tour will always be joyful and lively with Nadia, an enriching experience for both her and those she guides.

Patrick is Parisian, although his family has roots in Brittany. He loves showing off his city and helping people understand it; perhaps this need of his to share what he’s learned about Paris is both logical and inherited, as his father is a lecturer.

Patrick has traveled the world extensively, and is grateful to those who helped him discover their countries. He’s paying them back every time he takes visitors on a tour in Paris.

Patrick loves French gastronomy, the French art of living, history, and architecture. His clients won’t escape learning a bit about historical contexts, French monuments, and architectural styles.

Stéphane was born and raised in Paris, so he’s about as Parisian as they come. However, he really fell head over heels for the city when he was studying geography and history at Sorbonne University.

Since that moment, he has never lost his passion for either Paris or art history.

As a guide, Stéphane is eager to share his love and passion for Paris with every guest on his tours. He prides himself on being informative but also quite fun.

Mathieu really is a local: he was born in the maternity ward right next to Notre-Dame!

Because he’s passionate about history, Mathieu first became a history teacher. Then, he decided he wanted to share his passion for his city with travelers as a guide. He loves wandering around Paris and inside its museums, looking for hidden gems and curious stories to tell t0 his clients.

When he is not guiding, Mathieu loves traveling, both in France and abroad.

Passionate about the Middle-Ages since childhood, Vanina decided her passion would become her everyday life! Born and raised in Paris, she studied history, archeology, and history of art. Vanina worked in the field of heritage development for many years, alongside artists and craftsmen, before finally becoming a licensed tour guide.

Guiding is a real pleasure for Vanina, as she enjoys sharing her love of Paris’ history, evolution, and endless beauty with everyone on her tours.

Stan treats our guests as his friends, not only because he loves Tallinn, but because he is a super nice person with a big heart. In short, he can’t help but want to give every client a very memorable and personable experience.

Thanks to his ability to make people feel comfortable with a mixture of conversation, generosity, and humility, Stan has become a crowd favorite. He also has extensive knowledge of Tallinn’s history and culture.

Come visit Stan in Tallinn for an unforgettable visit to this well-preserved, UNESCO-protected city!

Denis is a graduate of Tallinn University, where he got his MA degrees in Educational Sciences and Conference Interpreting. He was born and raised in Tallinn, Estonia.

Guiding is Denis’ passion and it also is something he is very good at! He has been working as a guide for 17 years, so he may honestly say that he knows every nook and cranny of Tallinn. He also has plenty of knowledge about Estonian culture and history to share with his guests.

Currently, Denis guides in English and Russian.

Julia was born and raised in Tallinn, and has a degree in Tourism and Hospitality from Tartu University of Estonia. She’s been working as a tour guide since her graduation 15 years ago.

Julia takes great interest in history, art, and cultural heritage. This passion comes out when it comes to guiding her guests in beautiful Estonia. She’s got a gentle personality and is an easy going guide, so it isn’t surprising that repeat clients ask for her to be their guide again!

Since she speaks both English and in Russian, Julia enjoys guiding in both languages as well.

As she originally studied forest science, Josann knows everything about Helsinki and the vast landscapes of Finland, from lakes and forests to bears and berries.

Josann also created a city walk through which visitors can discover attractions in Helsinki accompanied by music from Finland. Because Finnish music has always inspired her, she also does radio programs in Finland. As such, her musical tours open a fascinating dimension of Finnish culture to deepen your experience in Helsinki in a very unique way.

Josann currently guides in English and German

Janis is a man of the mind… Meaning, he is very organized and good with numbers thanks to his master’s degree in economics.

While Janis is a finance analyst, he likes to spend his free time leading our tours in Riga. He is well versed in the history of the Baltics, particularly in Riga (where he also lives).

Janis is very attentive to our customers and is accessible to all types of learners while staying fresh and engaging.

Kristupas hails from a wide variety of disciplines including art history, environmental science, archaeology, and classical studies.

He also has the ability to unite all of the aforementioned topics with deep knowledge and passion for Vilnius and its cultural heritage.

Because he is genuinely a passionate guide, he loves loves expounding upon topics he really cares about and meeting travelers who are genuinely interested in Vilnius.