« I understood that I liked being a guide from an early age, ever since my teacher of Art Education took the class to the Temples of Paestum and let me explain to my classmates the sights we were admiring.”
These first experiences led Francesco to complete a master’s degree in Conservation of Cultural Heritage in 2006, at the Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples, followed by a Specialization in Medieval Archeology at the « Aldo Moro » University of Bari.
His passion for archeology concretizes in 2000, with his first participation in an archaeological excavation campaign: the medieval site of the Abbey of San Vincenzo, in Castel San Vincenzo al Volturno, in Molise. This was the first one of many, such as the excavation of Mote Sannace (BA) or the Manfredi Hypogeum of Polignano a Mare (BA). The love for his region of origin, Irpinia, and for the southern region of Italy led him to win scholarships at the CESN (European Center of Norman Studies). In 2009 he was selected to be part of the team of archaeologists in charge of following, from an archaeological point of view, the construction of a major work: the Massafra-Biccari pipeline.
The numerous excavations in which he participated involved many trips and stays between Northern and Southern Italy, such as Valle d’Aosta and Puglia.
In 2011, as a good medievalist, he organized his first trip to Belgium. Charles the Great, Joan of Arc, Charles the Fifth, the great Gothic cathedrals, the abbeys and the books of Henry Pirenne had fueled his imagination for years and finally everything was coming to fruition. And it was love at first sight.
On a cold day in 2012, Francesco landed in Brussels and without hesitation made of this city his permanent home.
Francesco is convinced of the fact that, if shared, the journey from an intimate and personal experience becomes a common good, an excellent practice to find ourselves through places, customs and history. He therefore decided to transform his passion into his profession, by following trainings as a tour guide, thanks to which he not only acquired a knowledge of the secrets of the job but was also able to discover other passions such as Industrial Archeology and Botany.
In 2014 he officially started to give his guided tours. Thanks to his diploma he became part of the team of important associations like Itinéraires SH and of various museums in the country. But most important of all, he faces himself with unexpected and unthinkable opportunities.
His enthusiasm, his desire to discover and share, his smile and his gab did not go unnoticed at the Meise Botanical Garden, where he was invited to join the team of guides and animators of the Plantentuin van Meise. For the past 6 years he has never ceased to amaze his tourists, through walks in urban and peri-urban nature.
The love for the country that welcomed him shines through in every gesture, in every story. Whether on foot, by bus, by bike or by train, let yourself be guided and you will discover that this small country hides great riches.