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Out of Context: Going Underground in Europe
May 02, 2008
By Sarah Reiss
Imagine having at your group's disposal the accumulated knowledge of 160 European scholars and professionals with insider access to the after-hours and underground pockets of Paris, Rome, London, Venice, Naples and Florence. Named one of the top European tour companies of 2006 for its depth and innovation, Philadelphia-based Context Travel provides tailored walking tours that are both didactic and unique—many of them only accessible thanks to founders Paul Bennett and Lani Bevacqua's well-cultivated connections.
"We came up with the concept for Context at the conclusion of an 18-month voyage aboard a 38-foot sailboat during which we learned one very important lesson: What turns a good trip into a great trip is stumbling upon someone who really knows the place you are visiting, someone who knows the people, the institutions and how to get things done, and who can get you access to things that armchair travelers only dream about," explains Bennett.
Operating under the premise that local knowledge is priceless, Bennett forged deep relationships while working in Rome as a docent at the scholarly network, Scala Reale. From this initial connection, a pan-European web of guides and docents came together to lead learning expeditions from the Amalfi Coast to the Padua markets.
Unique, even among Context's most adventurous group offerings, are Context Rome’s subterranean explorations led by certified speleologists (urban cave explorers). Thirty feet below city streets, guests creep around the remnants of an ancient basilica beneath a medieval church, explore ruins under the Trevi fountain and gain access to the Crypta Balbi, a museum deep in the crypts of a Renaissance palace.
Above ground, Context's city experiences cater to incentive groups’ interests in everything from collections to confections. For Barclays Bank's corporate retreat in Rome, Context organized an after-hours visit to the Galleria Borghese for 50, pairing small groups with Ph.D.-level art historians from American universities and study-abroad programs in Rome.
For the first day of Ernst & Young's annual meeting in Florence, Context devised a special orientation walk called the Florence Transect, dividing the 80 consultants into small groups for an information-packed primer on Florentine history.
And just this April, John Hancock Insurance Group employees visiting Paris sated their collective sweet tooth during Context's signature Chocolate Walk. And while many of the 80-person group did opt for museum tours, those who chose to spend time among Paris' renowned confectioners found the experience made the trip even sweeter.
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