Perhaps, as you’ve wandered along the banks of the Danube, or mused over a Roman fresco you’ve found yourself contemplating the individuals who masterminded your MRT tour. Who it was that put you in that place at that time, paired your wine with your dinner and negotiated that out of public hours visit. Well, allow me to provide you with a glimpse into a corner of the operations department.

This is by no means an introduction; I am certain that by now you will be well acquainted with many members of the team whether by email, over the phone or face to face during one of our MRT events.

Whilst based primarily in our Chiswick office, operators are frequently on the ground in locales specific to their expertise. They may be there to fine-tune well-trodden tours or to unlock new and exciting areas of interest. Domenico Laneve, Margherita De Fraja, Iona Godfrey-Faussett and Fred Gold and have all taken part in tours or familiarisation trips in 2024. Here they share their recent experiences and what it is that drives their interests.

Domenico Laneve – Product Manager`

You’ve specialised in lots of different locations during your time at MRT. What drove you to manage our Middle East tours?

My role as the Middle East product manager at MRT unfolded somewhat by chance: in the aftermath of the pandemic, we had to reorganise our operations with a fresh approach and a smaller team. Until then, my focus had primarily been on our Italian (obviously) and US tours, though I had also operated some tours in the Mediterranean area. In this evolving situation, I was offered the new role of Middle East and North Africa product manager, and I was immediately thrilled by the idea.

What is it that fascinates you about this part of the world?

If I had to condense my fascination for the Middle East into two words, it would be 'landscapes' and 'culture’. I love deserts, rugged mountains, plateaus and steppes. And their colours and extreme temperatures. There's something intrinsically alluring about the stark beauty and perceived harshness of a sea of sand or a barren rock. Probably it’s the emerging sensation of a situation in which you are left alone with yourself and your thoughts (desert derives from the Latin verb deserere, to forsake), something unusual to experience in our everyday life. And then, the Middle East is where history began. With the cuneiform writing of the Sumerians in Mesopotamia; with the first human settlements of Çatalhöyük and Jericho; with the birth of the three big monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). What's not to be fascinated by? 

Do you have a favourite memory to share from a recent trip?

I loved every bit of our tour to Oman. My favourite memory is probably from the day in Wahiba Sands, the desert camp. During the free afternoon I climbed up a dune and savoured some time alone amidst the vast desert landscape. Later that night, I repeated the experience with Peter Webb, the lecturer, in the pitch-dark night. 

Domenico's photograph of our tour group at Wahiba Sands, 2024.

Margherita De Fraja – Senior Product Manager

You grew up in a bilingual house, is there anything that makes you feel particularly Italian?

I’m half Italian and half English, and arguably growing up in a bilingual household is one of the early factors that has led to me finding my niche and thriving at MRT. I’ve always been surrounded by multilingual conversations (my dad speaks Italian to me, and I reply in English), and it still brings me a little spark of joy to be surrounded by that diversity in the office too; almost all of the operations department is bi–, tri– or even quadrilingual, and there’s always a bit of a linguistic cacophony going on – I love how while I’m trying to persuade a priest in some remote village in Umbria to tell me when the church is open, whoever I am sitting next to is chatting away in German or Spanish or French! I’ve always loved having ties to two countries, and perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the things that makes me feel most Italian is my connection to its food, nothing ties me to those roots more than slowing cooking my Nonna’s ragù recipe. But equally, I’m English too, and I would choose tea over coffee every time!

You will be operating this year’s Opera in Sicily having worked on the festival in 2019. What was your favourite part of that experience & what are you anticipating this year?

In 2019, Opera in Sicily was the first festival I’d ever attended with MRT, so it feels like I’ve come full circle, to now be managing the 2024 iteration, five years later! The last time the festival ran, it was a magical experience, it was an area of Italy I hadn’t been to before, and I fell in love with the little corner of Southern Sicily that we explore on the festival. I remember noticing how the magical light hit the sea and the stone of the beautiful architecture of these small towns and thinking what a world away from rainy autumn in England. Just as eye opening were the theatres we use. Tiny gems, hidden away in these quiet towns, they have the most incredible decorative detail, from the boxes to the frescoed ceilings. The music was a thrill last time, and it’s going to be just as exciting and diverse this time, with a totally different selection of artists, and just as wide a range of music! I can’t wait to be back there already. 

 Ragusa Ibla, Sicily – the Teatro Donnafugata in the heart of the city hosts Day 4's performances on Opera in Sicily.

Iona Godfrey-Faussett – Senior Operations Executive

Having grown up in a remote part of Scotland, how do you find the bustling atmosphere of Rome?

Absolutely – Rome couldn’t really be more different from my home in Scotland, and perhaps this is precisely why I find the city so exciting. However, I also think that below the infamous chaos and noise of it there is an incredibly welcoming, friendly city that opens up to those who want to give it a bit more time: I was surprised at how easy it was to feel at home after spending a little longer than a few days there. The passion that so often comes out in hubbub and chaos is also found everywhere in generosity, love for life (and, of course, most importantly, food). You quickly notice Romans’ determination to share with, and teach others about, their culture and cuisine (even if this is coupled with their belief it’s their way or no way…!). I also love how the River Tiber connects the never-ending chain of sites and landmarks: it gives space and respite, as well as the best views. Coupled with the peaceful corners offered by the gardens around the city, it is surprisingly easy to escape the crowds.

You spent the first few months of this year in Rome. Did you discover a new hidden gem, location, vista or restaurant?

Where to begin…?! It is difficult to name just a few, but some highlights were definitely:

Fontana dell’Acqua Paola. I stumbled across this early one morning as the sun was rising: a classic example of Rome hiding the most breath-taking vistas around every corner. Set up high above Trastevere on the Janiculum Hill, it requires a steep climb up relentless steps which suddenly deposit you on top of the city. The fountain, built to mark the end of the Acqua Paola viaduct, stands regally and peacefully overlooking the city, seemingly far from the crowds and noise.

Forno Monteforte: this was certainly my favourite bakery, mostly because it is so much more! Arrive for coffee and cornetti first thing in the morning, stay to savour some of the city’s best focaccie for lunch, move on to cake in the afternoon and settle into a bottle selected from their lovely wine collection in the evening…

Fontana dell’Acqua Paola at sunset, taken by Iona during her time in Rome this Winter.

Fred Gold – Product Manager

Why do you think you are drawn to Eastern Europe and Germany? Do you think this part of Europe is underrated? 

For me, part of the draw of Eastern Europe – and of working in travel more generally – is the opportunity for learning and discovery. I’m by no means suggesting that Eastern Europe is some terra incognita – Prague, for example, is hardly the ends of the Earth. Nonetheless, for most travellers, a greater sense of ‘discovery’ can be found when visiting Eastern Europe, whether that be the Baltics or the Balkans. While the histories and languages of what Eurovision dubs ‘The Big Five’ have been routinely beamed at us since our school days, Eastern Europe is typically reduced to an – often bloody – footnote in the stories of other nations. At a time when every nook and cranny of the Earth has been surveyed, photographed, and trod on, Eastern Europe can still invigorate our imaginations and sense of discovery.

All the more so as within this ‘Eastern Europe’ – an economical, if unhelpful, term – there is terrific diversity to be found stretching between the Oder and the Black Sea, the Adriatic and the Gulf of Finland. Such sweep is reflected in our tours too; on Bulgaria’s eastern coast we see the Gold of Varna, the oldest gold jewellery in the world, dating to the fifth millennium BC. While the remnants of Enver Hoxha’s totalitarian regime in Albania, his ubiquitous concrete bunkers, are today repurposed as history and contemporary art museums amid the country’s young and rapidly modernising capital.

You recently undertook a trip to Albania to prepare for this year’s departures. What would you recommend from your visit?

I was lucky enough to make a whistle-stop trip to central Albania in January, and I would certainly recommend a visit to Krujë and Berat especially. Two towns whose cultural significance and handsome Ottoman architecture is accentuated by their dramatic topography. Krujë, Albania’s medieval capital, is set high into the Albanian Alps with views stretching out to the horizon, reducing even the capital Tirana to a jagged speck, marooned among the hazy, verdant hills. 

No such wide-open horizons in Berat, which lies further south on the banks of the river Osum. Here the Ottoman houses scattered across the hills in this UNESCO World Heritage city are wedged between the two towering figures of Mt Shqirag and Mt Tomorr. In fact, while Albania is a country whose history has been defined by its position at the confluence of the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, these karst mountains are an ever-present backdrop, shielding Albania from the outside world. The formidable ‘Accursed Mountains’, as they are also known, still stand watch, but today, the country is as open and welcoming as never before.

Berat, Albania.

By Romey Kinsella.