Founded in 2001 as a small Italian tour company, Italian Gusto is now led by Deborah Patterson--visual artist, Italian teacher, art historian, and experienced tour guide--who has spent much of her life living the Italian dream and wants to help you live it too!

So that you know you are in capable hands, here’s a bit of Deborah’s background. Over thirty years ago, after completing her bachelor’s degree in art history and her studio art training in Philadelphia--and not speaking a word of Italian--she thew caution to the wind and moved to the Tuscan countryside just outside of Florence, where she painted and eventually became fluent in Italian. 

Like many, she quickly became enamored of Italy and its culture. In order to understand it more deeply--and since the majority of Italy’s art and architecture was created for churches--she went on to pursue a master’s degree at Yale University’s Institute of Sacred Music & the Arts in their groundbreaking Religion and the Arts program.

From there, she worked and taught for Elderhostel (now Road Scholar) in the U.S. and throughout Italy, and also led small private group tours of the Vatican Museums & St. Peter’s for the much esteemed tour company, Scala Reale--founded by architect, Tom Rankin--in Rome. From these experiences, she also gained insight into what makes a great tour: small groups, personalized attention, lovely hotels, excellent restaurants, outstanding guides, private transportation, and most of all, FUN!

For Deborah’s artwork, go to www.deborahpatterson.com

ITALIAN GUSTO    834 W. 36TH ST.    BALTIMORE, MARYLAND    21211

info@italiangusto.com