Joyce Falcone

 
“In Italy, Leave no road untraveled.”

In the mid 90’s, at the onset of the internet, and the proliferation of home computers, and cell phones invading the space in our lives, that a quirk of fate changed my direction, and I became a tour manager and guide for American travel companies providing walking and hiking vacations throughout Italy. Prior to 9/11, it was not unusual to have large groups of travelers numbering 20-28 on walking tours all over Italy, but this would soon change.

As a guide, often, we had only two hours between trips in Firenze, just enough time to drop one group and run to pick up picnic supplies near Porta Romana in Firenze, and then meet the next group, and off we would go into the countryside of Toscana once again walking the same trails and repeating the entire experience. The hotel owners, the drivers, the historic guides became our friends, as we would see them time and again during travel season. This experience we repeated in Sicily, the Cinque Terre, The Lake Region, the Amalfi Coast and Puglia and wherever else our assignments took us. The job of tour manager was fun, exciting, rewarding, and low paying. There was so much to learn about Italy. During down time between trips, I would select a place to stay Panarea for two months, Palermo for a month, Roma for a few weeks, etc., and go and meet the next group.

While my Italian improved with every bite of pasta and sip of Nero d’Troia, Sciacchetra` or Friuliano, it was during this decade that I worked for a succession of travel companies; Country Walkers, Wilderness Travel, Smithsonian Study Tours (later Smithsonian Journeys) REI, Cucina Italiana, The Cooking School of Aspen. Eventually, after escorting one hundred and fifty +/- more tours, I decided to form Joyce Falcone-The Italian Concierge.

Joyce’s Black Book has been 26+ years in the making. Started in a Filofax and directed by a few worn out Michelin spiral bound maps on my lap as I drove, eventually these notes migrated to Apple Time Machine, and have become a cherished resource of favorite hotels, preferred spots, scenic driving routes, walking trails, and dining venues.

As a follower of Slow Food’s philosophy, and founder of Slow Food Roaring Fork – Aspen, Colorado Convivium of “Foodies” in the 90’s, I continue to this day to follow the snail, and still enjoy combining that with a hike Italy.

I am very thankful to have found what some call a “dream job” inspired by the beauty and bounty of Italy which enabled me to utilize a mixture of curiosity, fearlessness and a special gift of a keen sense of direction. Though my birth rite gave me the possibility of Italian Citizenship, University of Colorado taught me the Italian language, and GrandaMa instructed me how to make ravioli by hand at age 5, it was not until spending decades there, that I better understand the culture that calls the Italian peninsula home.

I consider myself an Italy specialist. I did not learn from a book, I learned by traveling the country and experiencing it firsthand. It is my belief, that one cannot truly be a specialist if one has not experienced the hotels, seen the sites, and struggled with logistics time and again. In Italian it is said: “Ci vuole tempo”- It takes time.

I now have culled lists of “the best of the best”, and it is this information that I personally share with my clients. I can give you an honest testimony because I have recently been there.

As a recent addition to her broad knowledge. of Italy, in 2020 Joyce was certified as an Italian Wine Scholar ( IWS) from The Wine Scholar Guild, based in Washington DC. The Italian Wine Scholar class covered all the 77 DOCG wines and 330 DOCs produced in Italy.

At present she is studying to take the Vinitaly International Wine Ambassador Certification exam. Vinitaly based in Verona seeks to promote the diversity of Italian wines through education around the world. Upon completion, she will receive the IWA, Italian Wine ambassador certification. The course will be completed by June 1, 2021. Stay tuned.