Let’s plan your gluten free Italian adventure!

As a native English speaker who’s also fluent in Italian, I’ve navigated all these challenges and discovered the local, insider secrets for traveling gluten-free in Italy.

Planning travel as a celiac can be overwhelming…

  • You find yourself buried in blog posts, hunting for reliable gluten-free restaurant options.

  • You have to figure out how to communicate your dietary needs in a different language and spend time on the phone, trying to explain your situation to restaurant staff who might not fully understand.

  • It can be exhausting and stressful, taking away from the excitement of your trip.

But it doesn’t have to be this way

I’m here to take the stress out of your planning and help you enjoy a fun, safe, and delicious gluten-free adventure in Italy!

As a native English speaker who’s also fluent in Italian, I’ve navigated all these challenges and discovered the local, insider secrets for traveling gluten-free in Italy.

PICK YOUR PACKAGE

Standard

30-minute consult video call

Premium

  • 60-minute consult video call

  • Email follow-up with notes from our consult

  • Up to 3 reservations made on your behalf

Luxe

  • 60-minute consult call

  • Email follow-up with notes from our consult

  • 1 additional email exchange for any further questions

  • Up to 5 reservations made on your behalf

  • 20% discount on all pre-curated Italy travel guides

What clients have to say…

  • "Catalin was sooooo super warm and friendly and answered all of my questions. I’m going to 9 cities and she helped give recommendations in each one for meals. She also gave me some other tips & insights to ensure I have the most fabulous trip ever. I cannot thank her enough, and I haven’t even gone on my trip yet!"

  • "Catalin was full of specific and extremely helpful details as we reviewed our travel plans with her. It will be our first time in Italy traveling as celiac's. She understood our inability to eat dairy as she explained the details of how to navigate accurately. Her recommendations of areas of city and most importantly food - was absolutely worth the price of the consult. She is lovely and I look forward to eating well during our upcoming trip!"

  • "Catalin was an absolute joy to speak with. She was prepared and knowledgeable and genuinely just a good person. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to have a meeting, a lot of my stress/anxiousness was alleviated after asking a local my questions. 100/10 would recommend this to anyone!!"

  • "Catalin is a wealth of information for anyone with Celiac disease who is traveling to Italy! She knows all the best restaurants (and the ones to avoid that you may have read about as safe!) She also offers great suggestions for areas to explore and museums to visit, as well as tips for off-the-beaten-path gems that don't have long lines. After speaking with Catalin, we feel so much more confident and comfortable about our upcoming trip and can't wait to safely explore Italy!"

  • "I would give Catalin 10 stars if I could. She really listened and met me where I was and worked with our unique needs."

  • "We are in the planning stages of a trip to Italy and really glad we had a consult with Catalin. Being able to talk with someone so knowledgeable about Italy and traveling with celiac disease is invaluable. Plus, she’s a pleasure to talk to."

  • "Very knowledgeable. She made recommendations for bakeries, gelato, restaurants in Rome and Florence, and made all the reservations. Great to work with."

  • "Catalin was wonderful. She helped me to find safe, delicious places for our family to eat. When there was not enough information on a website to determine if it was safe for us to eat there, she'd email the restaurant. She made our reservations. Catalin recommended a small town to me that was celiac friendly. She helped me to find restaurants close to our apartment or close to the places we are going to tour. She told me about apps so we could order online and have gluten free meals delivered to our apartment. I'm actually excited now about our trip!"

  • "Catalin was very knowledgeable about gluten free eating in Italy. She has a reassuring demeanor, a great sense of humor, and is amazing at connecting with her clients. I felt confident about booking my trip and making dining reservations for safe gluten free eating after consulting with Catalin."

  • "Catalin was very helpful for me planning my first trip to Italy. I am feeling much more confident about international travel now that I have celiac disease. Whew. What a great resource she is, and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend her for your travel planning."

  • "Catalin is fantastic. She answered all of my questions regarding our upcoming trip to Italy. She reached out to restaurants to find out if they will be open during our stay. She gave me some awesome restaurant and grocery store recommendations plus tips on traveling in Italy.”

  • "Ciao Catalin – thank you SO much for all of your guidance and advice. You made the overwhelming process of planning our time and our meals feel totally manageable and now we are extremely excited to explore the GF cuisine of Italy!!"

  • “Catalin was so helpful in planning my safe celiac experiences in Italy. She was open to any questions we had, even if they had nothing to do with celiac eating. She followed our conversation with a thorough email that outlined everything we talked about. She even included links to all her recommendations. DEFINITELY take advantage of Catalin’s knowledge and experience.”

  • "It was so great speaking with Catalin. I have been so anxious about eating while I travel and not only did Catalin provide me with so many great tips, she suggested must see places and definitely eased my stress.  Thank you for providing such a great service to help fellow celiacs enjoy their stay in Italy!"

  • “We had a Zoom call with Catalin. She is so well informed about celiac in Italy and in Florence specifically. She gave us so many wonderful suggestions as well as helpful information about places to go and try out. Highly recommend.”

  • "Catalin est une ressource précieuse afin de planifier un voyage de rêve en Italie comme cœliaque. Elle a répondu à toutes mes questions concernant notre prochain voyage, et m'a donné d'excellentes recommandations de restaurants et d'épiceries ainsi que des conseils généraux de voyage. Elle peut même contacter des restaurants pour vous. Je recommande chaudement les services de Catalin afin de vivre un magnifique séjour en Italie."

FAQ

  • Every consultation is personalized to the client’s needs so each one looks different! We’ll discuss your specific travel plans, and I’ll provide tailored advice to make your trip as seamless as possible. Whether it's restaurant recommendations, tips for understanding Italian gluten-free labeling, advice on communicating your needs, or a crash course in navigating Italian train travel, I am here to answer any and all questions. And you should expect a few jokes:)

  • Working with a celiac travel consultant takes the stress and guesswork out of planning your trip. Instead of spending hours online searching through blog posts and Facebook groups, you can rely on my expertise and firsthand experience. I’ve already done the research and vetted the best gluten-free dining options, so you can travel confidently and enjoy your trip without the worry of cross-contact or misinformation. During our consultation, you’ll have my undivided attention for either a half-hour or full-hour session, where we can address all your questions and concerns. The consultation is completely personalized, ensuring that you set off on your adventure with peace of mind and a plan tailored specifically to your needs.

  • It depends on how much support you’re looking for! I often have clients do a half-hour consultation right when they book their trip to get an initial lay of the land and then we meet for a full-hour consult when they have more details nailed down. Usually 1-3 months is the sweet spot…but you’re welcome to book whenever works best for you!

  • Yes! I’m happy to equip you with the applicable Italian vocabulary and resources to navigate other dietary restrictions. That said, I focus on celiac safety when it comes to my restaurant recommendations (because that’s what I know best!) so please keep that in mind.

  • Great question! Here’s why I’m uniquely qualified to help you:

    • Local Knowledge: I’ve lived in Italy for years, immersing myself in the local gluten-free scene and understanding it thoroughly. Not only can I give you tons of recommendations, but I can also tell you if that popular spot you’ve seen all over Instagram is worth a visit or overhyped.

    • Bilingual Advantage: Being a native English speaker fluent in Italian, there is no language barrier between you and me (so you can feel 100% confident we’re on the same page) and there’s no language barrier between me and restaurants, hotels, guides, etc.

    • Strong Industry Connections: I have established personal relationships with chefs at many top gluten-free restaurants across Italy. Need a reservation? Consider it done!

    • AIC Collaboration: I work directly with the Italian Celiac Association as their English-language consultant for tourism initiatives. Rest assured you are getting your information straight from the source!

    • Personal Experience: Having been diagnosed with celiac disease for over eight years, along with other food intolerances and chronic illnesses, I bring firsthand experience and effective travel strategies. My background as a full-time digital nomad has honed my celiac travel skills, which I’m eager to share with you.

    • Degree in Medical Anthropology: I wrote my thesis about how different cultures handle gluten-free dining and what sort of impact that has on our quality of life as celiacs. I understand how it important it is to connect over food and I’m here to make the journey as seamless as possible.