How to Get Around in Venice, Florence and Rome?
Helpful New Prontopia App Turns Trip Days into Travel Days
Fellow Italianista Shannon Kenny loves getting lost walking in the city when time and logistics allow, but has faced the challenges of navigating foreign cities on a time crunch or traveling alone with 2 kids in tow.
She teamed up with fellow international traveler and social entrepreneur, Davis Brimer, to launch the new app Prontopia, so that travelers can request on-demand help in the city from a friendly local, in those troublesome, unanticipated moments.
Prontopia is a California-based company, that launched in Venice and is now available in Florence and Rome, where a growing community of Locals enjoy helping travelers with how to get around and sharing their beloved culture.
Shannon had previously collaborated on a social impact project at a tech start up. Traveling around the globe meeting intense deadlines, they shared travel stories of logistical problems on all types of journeys. They shared the opinion that hopping in an Uber or taxi as the “quick and easy” choice in areas that may have been walkabl
e or better navigated via public transportation was impersonal. It is also not always the best way to arrive.
More brainstorming about the benefits of walking in cities led to a vision of how great it would be to request on demand a friendly local to help with getting around the city, assist a bit with luggage or a package or two, and provide orienting practical advice about the best way to enjoy the area.
Launching in Venice meant somewhat of a commute for Shannon, who did a deep dive among the local community to ensure they were building something sustainable and of value to both Venetians and travelers. With an office in the Santa Croce sestiere of Venice, it was also fun to enjoy local culture in a great spot for less touristy dining, live music, and shopping. (In fact, they have some local tips for what to do in Santa Croce on the Prontopia blog.)
The service was launched initially in May 2018 in Venice. Prontopia is an app that enables travelers to connect with Locals for assistance in walkable city centers. Version 2 of the app will be available in January. Travelers can also request to connect with a Local on the Prontopia website with 24 hours advance notice, or pre-schedule assistance via the app. The cost is 20 euro per hour, with a minimum fee of 5 euro.
Prontopia recruits the Locals through partnerships with universities and organizations in Venice. Each Local goes through an interview process and a background check. The company is initially focused, on enabling a human connection to solve an immediate problem – requesting a Local on demand, as the need arises, for help getting around the city. Presently, if a traveler requests a tour guide or tourist accompanier, the Local will refer them to the official networks of licensed professionals.
In building the company as a community, Shannon discovered a meaningful synergy between alleviating stress during travel transitions, and a fun encounter between locals and travelers. This has value especially for Venice, where the problems of over tourism can lead to an environment of disrespect. Travelers report they initially use the service out of a desire to solve an immediate problem, but that ultimately they valued the chance to meet someone from Venice. The experience made them feel they are a part of something special. And the Locals of Prontopia Venice say something similar: They really feel the respect they generate from the traveler and have a sense that this respect carries over to the travelers’ feelings about the city.
This continent hopping entrepreneur has a vision for where to go from here, as she explains:
“I hope that by minimizing stress while getting around the city, this meaningful human encounter can steadily grow to open hearts and minds to be more respectful of the local culture of a place. We are excited to carry this model forward and see where our responsible travel adventure will take our community as we add more cities in Italy, and around the world. Come join us!”
About Founder, Shannon Kenny:
Chief Executive Officer Shannon Kenny is a historian and social entrepreneur with a background in Travel; Education; and Communications with over 20 years’ experience leading international, cross-cultural ventures to success. Shannon’s research on medieval Europe chronicled the rise of the city state, based on a fascination with urban planning concepts of conviviality — of ancient and early modern humanistic views on living together in harmony.
Shannon loves the freedom and invigoration of walking in the city wherever she goes. She dreams of reinventing ancient ideas of civitas through Prontopia as a location-based mobile solution for life in walkable cities that creates positive global-local impacts through meaningful human connections.
Some other helpful info from Prontopia:
I’m so pleased and honored that Shannon is a Contributor to the Bonus Section, More ExpertZ TipZ, of my Victoria’s Travel TipZ Italian Style!
8 thoughts on “Italy Travel Tip Update: Getting Around in Venice, Florence & Rome!”
What a great idea!
Definitely! In addition to reducing the anxiety of arriving and finding your way around, you get to meet locals!
I’ve heard about this company, but never knew exactly how what they do works. Thanks for the explanation! Good to know that they background check all those involved!
Prego! And I highly recommend their services! I know and work with Shannon personally and everything is done with complete integrity and thoroughness. Her Locals are fabulous. It’s a wonderful service for travelers!
I remember my first trip to Italy…how I fumbled around and felt somewhat isolated from the people and culture. This is such a positive way to deepen one’s experience and make a real connection with someone who lives there. I’m lovin’ this idea!
I so agree, Susan.It’s a humbling and disconcerting experience.The idea of immediately being met by and connecting with a local alleviates the anxiety of arriving, even in a familiar city! I arrived at Venice airport in October and it had changed so dramatically since my last time there, after a long day of flights, it would’ve been a bit of an ordeal to navigate the airport and how to get to my hotel without Prontopia locals to the rescue! 😀
It’s a great idea! If you don’t have contacts in a city to ask for information such a nice way to be able to get around and meet people in the process!
Phyllis,
Exactly! A great idea and a great service even for seasoned travelers!
V.
Comments are closed.