Italy Hidden Experiences

What Italy Hidden Experiences does

Hidden Experiences, doing business as Italy Hidden Experiences, is a Milan-based private tourism company founded in 2019 by co-founders Carlotta Busatta and Eleonora Zanon. The company operates a curated marketplace of guided cultural tours, food and wine experiences, and cooking classes across eight Italian regions (Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, plus the cities of Turin, Milan, and Florence). Its value proposition centers on small group sizes, authentic "hidden" experiences away from overcrowded tourist circuits, free 24-hour cancellation, and monolingual delivery by certified guides in up to eight languages (Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Polish).

The underlying platform is a WordPress website integrated with FareHarbor for booking and payment processing, supplemented by Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google reCAPTCHA, and YouTube video widgets. The product catalog spans five core categories — guided tours (Visite Guidate), food and wine tours (Tour Enogastronomici), cooking classes (Lezioni di Cucina), art and culture tours (Arte & Cultura), and tailor-made experiences (Esperienze Personalizzate) — alongside digital gift cards (Carte Regalo). Pricing is per-person, ranging from approximately €15.90 for basic wine tastings (e.g., Montepulciano) to €219.90 for private guides and deluxe villa cooking classes.

Revenue is generated through three streams: per-person experience bookings (transaction fee model), digital gift card sales, and bespoke customized experiences quoted individually. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer online booking supported by content marketing (an Italian-language blog covering destinations, seasonal activities, and travel tips across eight categories), an email newsletter with a 10% first-purchase discount, and verified TripAdvisor reviews. The company lists its offerings through minor channel partnerships with evendo and Tripduck, maintains a minor partner relationship with Coverflex, and operates a close partnership with Tricerchi Winery in Montalcino for exclusive castle and wine experiences. The company employs approximately 10 people and is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding.

Name

Italy Hidden Experiences

Legal name

Hidden Experiences

Website

https://italyhiddenexperiences.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Italy Hidden Experiences is a Milan-based tourism company founded in 2019 that curates and sells guided cultural tours, food and wine tastings, and cooking classes across eight Italian regions to international travelers via direct online booking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism and Cultural Experiences

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Food, Market & Culinary Culture Tours (THAJAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Culinary Walking & Market Tours (THAJAGAA), Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH), Private Guided Tours & Personal Tour Guides (THAJALAA)

Keywords

• Guided tours
• Cooking classes
• Wine tastings
• Cultural tourism
• Food experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Experience Bookings: Per-person pricing for guided tours, cooking classes, wine tastings, and cultural experiences across Italian destinations. Customers pay per experience with pricing ranging from approximately €15 to €210 depending on experience type and duration.
2. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in configurable amounts, delivered via email with optional personalized messages. Gift cards are non-refundable.
3. Customized Experiences: Bespoke experiences created on-demand based on customer preferences, quoted individually based on requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Italy Hidden Experiences curates and sells small-group, locally hosted tourism experiences across Italian regions, including guided cultural tours, food and wine tastings, hands-on cooking classes, and art and history tours. The portfolio also features tailor-made/customized private experiences designed around individual client requests and gift cards redeemable against the company's experience catalogue. All offerings are bookable directly through the company's website.

Product overview

Italy Hidden Experiences is a curated Italian tourism experience platform offering guided tours, food and wine tours, and cooking classes across eight Italian regions (Piedmont, Veneto, Lombardy, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, and more). The core offering consists of shared and private guided visits to museums, historical sites, and cultural landmarks; enogastronomic experiences including winery visits, wine tastings, and vineyard picnics; and professional Italian cooking lessons. Additional offerings include tailor-made customized experiences and gift cards. The company operates primarily in Italian and English language markets, providing monolingual experiences in Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, and other languages. Key destinations include Turin, Florence, Milan, Tuscany, Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guided Tours Small-group guided sightseeing tours across Italian regions, led by multilingual local guides, designed for individual travelers and small private groups visiting Italy.
• Food and Wine Tours Curated food and wine tasting experiences at partnered local venues, wineries, and eateries across Italian regions, targeted at leisure travelers interested in gastronomy.
• Cooking Classes Hands-on cooking classes hosted by local chefs, teaching regional Italian cuisine to small groups of travelers.
• Art and Culture Tours Cultural and art-focused tours across Italian regions, exploring history, art, and heritage sites with local guides.
• Tailor-Made / Customized Experiences Bespoke, customized Italian itineraries designed around individual client requests, arranged through direct consultation with the company for families, couples, or small private groups.
• Gift Cards Fixed-denomination gift cards redeemable across the Italy Hidden Experiences catalogue of tours, classes, and tastings, sold directly via the company website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Verified positive reviews on TripAdvisor from multiple international customers

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationBooking platform integration used for processing experience reservations and gift card purchases. FareHarbor handles the booking flow and payment processing for the website.
• CoverflexminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner platform visible in footer - appears to be a benefits/platform partner for employee perks or corporate bookings.
• evendominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorActivity marketplace platform listing Hidden Experiences tours as part of their experience marketplace.
• TripduckminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel discovery platform partner for listing and promoting experiences.
• Tricerchi WinerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner winery in Montalcino for exclusive castle visits, wine tastings, and dining experiences. Tricerchi logo appears on site indicating a close operational partnership for experience delivery.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Walks (Walks of Italy): Italy-specialist tour operator offering skip-the-line museum access, food tours, and small-group experiences in Rome, Florence, Venice, and other destinations — a close product overlap with IHE's core markets.
• Context Travel: Small-group, expert-led cultural and culinary tours with deep Italy coverage. Comparable to IHE in tour format, premium positioning, and focus on art/history/food experiences in Italian cities.
• Withlocals: Marketplace for local-led tours and experiences with strong emphasis on authentic, off-the-beaten-path offerings and multilingual guides — a near-direct conceptual and product overlap with Italy Hidden Experiences.
• ToursByLocals: Private-guide platform focused on small-group and custom tours led by local experts, structurally similar to IHE's private guided tour and tailor-made experience offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Viator: TripAdvisor-owned experience marketplace offering thousands of bookable tours, including extensive Italy coverage in food, wine, and cultural categories directly overlapping IHE's portfolio.
• GetYourGuide: Global OTA aggregating tours, attractions, and experiences across hundreds of destinations including Italy. Competes for the same international tourist demand and operates a marketplace that lists third-party experiences similar to Italy Hidden Experiences' curated catalog.
• Airbnb Experiences: Online experience marketplace attached to Airbnb's accommodation platform, hosting thousands of locally-led Italy experiences including cooking classes and wine tastings that compete directly with IHE.

Regional players

• Select Italy: Italy-focused luxury travel specialist offering customized itineraries, private tours, and culinary experiences. Comparable in regional focus and bespoke orientation, primarily serving North American clientele.
• Tuscany Tour Company: Tuscany-based tour operator running wine tours, cooking classes, and cultural day trips from Florence. Directly comparable to IHE's Tuscan product line and overlapping guide/venue ecosystem.

Others

• Evendo: Activity marketplace that already lists Italy Hidden Experiences tours as a channel partner. Operates as a distribution/reseller relationship rather than a direct competitor, providing incremental discovery for IHE's catalog.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/italyhiddenexperiences

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Italy Hidden Experiences