Travel has always been a passion for Silvia’s family, ever since her great-grandfather Ruggero Galli, an opera singer and close friend of Giacomo Puccini, travelled the world in the 1900s to perform at the premiere of operas such as Turandot, La Bohème and Tosca. Years later, her maternal grandfather set sail from the north-west of Italy to establish one of Australia’s first pasta production plants. It went on to become a preferred supplier for the allied forces in 1943.

Then, in the late 1950s Silvia’s father embarked on a series of road trips throughout Italy,  discovering off-the-beaten track locations and getting to know the customs and culture of each Italian region.  Silvia herself has travelled extensively across the whole of Italy, as well as in many other countries, including Australia, the Middle East, The Americas, Asia and Europe. Growing up in Florence and Rome has made it virtually impossible to pin down which of the two is her favourite city. When it comes to soccer though, there’s no doubt that it’s ‘Forza Roma’!