Mary Cook, founder of Alegria Destination and Events says: “Italy is not just Rome, Florence and Venice.”
“Florence because of the arts”
ItaliAbsolutely met Mary Cook at the Las Vegas Teavel Agent Forum 2026 and asker her some impressions about Italy. Based in Roseville, California, Alegria Destination and Events is an agency specialized in Italy vacations with a professional focus that reflects a personal passion for the country.
Favourite Hotel: Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
While the combination of art, culture and gastronomy makes the Tuscan capital a favourite, more recently she has discovered another Italian city that has captured her imagination: Venice. “I recently fell in love with Venice,” she says, describing the strong impression the lagoon city made on her. Venice is also home to what she considers “my favourite hotel in the whole world”: the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice a historic 5-star luxury hotel on Giudecca Island.
The importance of the smaller cities
While her clients continue to favour Italy’s best-known destinations, “Rome, Florence, Venice, the Amalfi Coast, ” Cook is eager to look beyond the traditional itinerary. She wants to explore more of the country herself, particularly areas that she can then introduce to her clients. “I wanted to explore more areas of Italy myself to learn more about the southern region of Italy and the most northern parts of Italy as well,” she explains. For Cook, discovering these lesser-known destinations is essential to showing travellers a different side of the country. “Italy’s appeal also lies in the smaller towns and less familiar regions that can offer a more local and authentic experience.It is not only the main destination, but all the small cities, the South of Italy.”
Food and wine tastings
Food is another major part of Cook’s connection with Italy. “Italian food is my very favourite food to eat on a regular basis.” Her passion extends beyond travelling: she cooks Italian food at home and enjoys introducing her clients to culinary experiences in Italy. Although she has not personally taken an Italian cooking class, she says her clients particularly enjoy them as part of their travels. Wine is another favourite. “I love wine tasting,” she says, recalling wine-tasting experiences in Tuscany. Her connection with Italian wine is perhaps unsurprising given her California background. “I am from Napa Valley, so it reminds me of home.”
Beyond the iconic destinations
For Cook, promoting Italy means much more than creating itineraries around its most famous cities. It is about continuing to discover the country’s food, wine, smaller towns and diverse regions and sharing those discoveries with travellers. Her message is simple: Italy’s greatest experiences can be found not only in its iconic destinations, but also beyond them.
