Our mission at Zelano Travel is to curate and provide a unique experience to intimate groups of travelers, who’s wish is to be immersed in the Italian culture. The backdrop of our tours are based within a small village in Southern Italy. We provide tailored excursions to places such as; Capri, Naples, Alberobello, Vieste, as well as other neighboring villages. We immerse our travelers in the local culture by handcrafting experiences that include classes in pasta, pizza, and gelato making. With additional offerings of Italian language lessons, and tastings of local wine and cheese. Our tours are also designed to give guests the freedom to roam and embrace the day to day life amongst the locals in Southern Italy.

Maria was born and raised in California with an everlasting love for Italy. As a child her father would often depict the sweet little village named Panni, in the south of Italy where their roots had begun. Maria dreamt of this village throughout her childhood and how her grandparents left this village to sail to America in the early 1900’s.

In 2003 Maria joined a Panni website trying to research family members and gather more information. She began correspondence with a woman, who shared charming details of this village. Understanding Maria’s passion for learning more about this village, the woman arranged for Maria to meet her parents who were born in Panni. After chaperoning her son's high school European tour, Maria and her son made the trip Panni to meet Teresa and Carlo Gesuald. This was a life changing introduction for Maria. Teresa and Carlo opened their home and showed Maria Panni through the eyes of a local. Once Maria arrived in Panni, she saw people who shared her resemblance, and who shared her last name. She quickly realized she was walking the same cobblestones as her grandparents once did. At this moment an overwhelming sense of belonging began to sink in.

Shortly thereafter, Maria bought the family home of the Gesualdi Family. Her love for this village and all of its culture began to grow exponentially. In the time since she has discovered family, fostered dear friendships, and has since become a dual citizen of her home country of the United States and Italy. Maria’s on going wish has been to share this gem with others and to give back to this village where her grandparents had left over 100 years ago. In 2016 Maria began leading customized tours to southern and more specifically Panni in order to fulfill her dream of sharing her love of this beautiful village.