P.iero and Katie Pagliardini met in 2006 while Katie was teaching English abroad in Le Marche, a region in eastern Italy. Katie, a Dallas native, said she was only going to stay for one semester, but she ended up staying for four years after falling in love with clowns and Italian culture.
After getting married, the couple moved to Dallas. They lived in the Lake Highlands on Edge Cove Road and started a family, but they couldn’t help but feel a gap in their lives.
“When we first moved to the states, Clown always wanted to do something that would connect Dallas with the culture of his hometown,” says Katie.
Pierrot started importing and selling wine and truffles from Le Marche. After he met the famous cake maker Margaret Brown and had the opportunity to organize a trip to Italy for her, he decided to launch his services for tours.
He lacked business experience, so he signed up for the class.
Clown and Katie Palialdini with family. Family photo photo courtesy of Dark Horse Photography LLC
“I want to take the best of America, the business side, and combine it with the best of Italy, the food and wine.
of In 2015 Pagliardinis launched Italiana Tours. Over the past seven years, Piero and Katie have expanded their tour offerings to include immersive food and wine tours dedicated to providing an authentic Italian experience at Le He Marché, where they first met their customers. is created.
“Tourists who come here can discover the real Italy,” says Piero.
For most people the place is unfamiliar, but for the clown it’s his home. He describes it as very similar to Tuscany, except without the overwhelming number of tourists.
Food is central to the tour. All meals start with appetizers of local cured meats and cheeses, salads and pastas. According to him, his second course in Italy is dedicated to meat such as slow-cooked veal served with red wine. The grand him finale is served with homemade mascarpone or biscotti and cherry wine for dessert.
“There are typically 11 meals on a week-long tour, and my strength is making sure each one is unique with different wine pairings,” says Piero.
When travelers aren’t eating, they’re learning about food — Cooking classes with local chefs, wine and olive oil tastings, and autumn tours include truffle hunting with local guides and dogs.
“Our constant big complaint is that there is too much food on tours,” jokes Katie.
Visits to historic sites such as the Doge’s Palace and the Church of the Dead, as well as excursions to the Metauro River are interspersed in the itinerary. Le Marche also hosts local festivals. The biggest is his October Truffle He Festival, a favorite of the Italian Natur.
Art and writing workshops are also offered for those interested in finding inspiration at Le Marche. These classes are taught by successful authors and artists, some of whom are Italian locals. Writer Jen Knox and artist Mary White.
The Pagliardini family returned to Le Marche last year as the business grew in popularity. Because I was able to stay on the ground for the tour. However, it remains based in Lake Highland.
When asked why he chose to keep his business in Dallas, Piero explained that he thought it would be a good idea to have it in a familiar location since most of his customers are from the United States.
“Dreams are still alive on Highland Lakes,” says Piero.
Pagliardinis thanked Dallas for giving him the opportunity to grow his family and business.
Piero and Katie say they are always on the lookout for new customers interested in the tour, and they also offer neighborhood discounts for Highland Lakes residents interested in the tour.
“This October, we hope you will join us for a creative retreat with author and Dallas local Suzanne Frank,” says Piero.
“It is open to a wide variety of artists at all levels (painters, writers, photographers) as well as non-artists looking to find their own inspiration away. Join us this October and hope you can rejuvenate your soul at Le Marche on this unparalleled cultural, food and wine tour. ”
For more information on Italiana Tours, visit italianatours.com.
