Itinerari Speciali
is a project I started in 2020 to present a new Dubai, distinct from the usual representation of the city, by helping people discover hidden corners away from typical tourist routes. The goal of Itinerari Speciali is to change the common perception of the city and reveal its authenticity and uniqueness.
I am Michela Spugnini, welcome!
Cose
means things in Italian. This is the blog of Itinerari Speciali.
These are inspirations and insights that I then use in my storytelling, during my tours. They start as notes and scattered ideas, and here they finally come to life…
I’m
Michela Spugnini,
I live in Dubai, and since 2018, I have been a tour guide and expert in creating tailor-made vacations in the United Arab Emirates!
How can I help?
Is the phrase I repeat most often each day, and it is the essence of my work! My goal is to make your travel experience the best it can be. I aim to make the UAE more understandable, to dismantle common stereotypes, and to share its history, traditions, art and culture.
Write to me and share your dream of visiting this wonderful destination! Together, we can create your trip based on your needs and preferences. You can email me to schedule a free consultation video call or start exploring the experiences I’ve already selected and book the one you like most!
I look forward to seeing you in Dubai,
Enjoy your trip!
They Say About Me
Your opinion matters to me. Your feedback will help me improve and ensure that my products and services consistently meet your expectations. In the meantime, feel free to see what others who have experienced my services have to say about me.
★★★★★
We discovered Michela through her social media profile and are so happy we chose her! Even though we only contacted her a few days before leaving for Dubai, she was impeccable. She carefully listened to our needs, especially those related to our small child, and created a tailor-made itinerary for us. She also gave us excellent advice on times and places to visit, making every moment perfect for us. Throughout the trip, she was always kind and helpful. An experience we highly recommend!
Serena M.
★★★★★
Discovering Al Seef with Michela was a truly wonderful experience. Recommended if you want to forget the idea that Dubai is just skyscrapers and luxury without history!
Listening to Michela allows you to take a "journey within a journey," transporting you to where everything we see today—skyscrapers, flying taxis, and ski slopes in shopping malls—began: a pearl diving village. Through Michela's in-depth knowledge and the ease with which she moves among the Wind Towers, connections are forged with others and with the place, becoming part of that reality and not just a mere spectator. I could almost imagine the stories she told!
She's the kind of guide who doesn't just explain, but also conveys passion, curiosity, and respect for what she's sharing. It's an experience I'd recommend to anyone who wants to experience Dubai in a more authentic, human, and informed way. After a tour like this, the city stays with you in a different and decidedly deeper way.
Sara Kessair
★★★★★
We took the tour of Old Dubai with Michela: it was an interesting and very informative morning!!! Michela is a perfect guide!!
A must-do!
Alessandra Carisio
★★★★★
I took a tour of Old Dubai, and it was an experience I recommend to anyone who wants to discover the most authentic side of the city.
Michela has created a truly unique experience: she guides people with expertise, sensitivity, and a rare attention to detail, making each stop interesting and meaningful.
Thanks to her, I experienced a different Dubai: full of history, traditions, colors, and stories that only those who truly know this place can convey.
It's not your typical tourist tour: it's a thoughtful, in-depth journey that makes you feel part of the place.
I absolutely recommend Itineraries Specials to anyone who wants to experience Dubai through new eyes, guided by a knowledgeable, passionate, and authentic professional like Michela.
Wonderful experience.
Rossella Viola
★★★★★
Michela is fantastic!
Her tours offer a genuine and profound insight into the UAE, far removed from the usual superficial itineraries designed for tourists.
During her tours, the connection with this wonderful country becomes intense: curiosity grows, empathy for the people and their traditions grows, and you let yourself be enveloped by the colors, flavors, and scents of these desert places... In short, everything stays in your heart.
I absolutely recommend relying on her for truly unique and special experiences and itineraries!
Federica Gallerani
★★★★★
She showed us a different side of Dubai: the historic one! Excellent, professional, and engaging. I was looking for a different activity for my children visiting during the Christmas holidays, and the half-day with Michela was very interesting. I will definitely be using her again very soon 😊
Francesca Massani
★★★★★
We took a tour of Dubai's Old Town: the Jumeirah archaeological site, the Shindhaga Open-Air Museum (gorgeous!), and then finished with an excellent lunch at Mazmi Caffè. It was an incredible experience. Michela describes Dubai and the Emirates with passion and expertise, making everyone feel at ease and adapting to the needs of those she accompanies (she even brought pashminas because she knew the air conditioning in some rooms was strong and she imagined that not everyone—like me—would be equipped for it).
Luca Cupani
★★★★★
I've participated in a few of Michela's tours and can't wait to do more!!
Michela is an exceptional person; she immediately conveys her love for culture, history, beauty, and art. She captivates you with her stories and her always curious, cheerful, and genuine manner.
I highly recommend participating in these events because they enrich you not only culturally, allowing you to discover incredible places, but above all, personally, allowing you to meet new and different people and making you feel part of a big family!
Thank you, Michela ❤️
Annalaura Rossi
★★★★★
I've lived in Dubai for almost twelve years, yet I've only been able to appreciate some of this city's most beautiful aspects thanks to Michela from Itinerari Speciali. With tenacity and passion, she has been able to research and then share with us the art and culture of this country, revealing authentic gems. Tireless and always available, Michela is a guarantee for anyone who wants to return from a trip to the Emirates with a wealth of experiences.
Sonia Brogi
★★★★★
Michela is an extraordinary guide! Competent, knowledgeable, and always up-to-date, she always manages to help you discover something new and surprising about Dubai, even if you’re a resident rather than a tourist! With her enthusiasm and cheerfulness, she transforms every visit into a pleasant and insightful experience. She encourages you to see the city through different eyes, exploring curiosity, culture, and beauty. Always proactive and attentive, she manages to combine professionalism and passion!
Highly recommended for anyone who wants to truly experience the soul of Dubai! 🇮🇹✨🌴
Mariavittoria Caovilla
★★★★★
Thanks to Michela and her team. The tour she organized for our guests was perfect, exactly what we needed. Highly recommended.
Stefania Serra
★★★★★
It's an understatement to call Itinerari Speciali, in the person of Michela, a tour guide.
I describe her as a lover of knowledge, a "curious" person who catapults herself wherever there is beauty and art. She's a brilliant communicator. A special companion in new discoveries.
I can only wish a Michela Spugnini to anyone who yearns for knowledge and memorable experiences. 🫶
Giusi Caponetto
★★★★★
You're doing a great job and everyone is falling in love with you because you have some great, simple ideas that are accessible to everyone but have great cultural richness and are so different from the usual proposals... the places you show me on each of your special itineraries always enrich me because they are special like you and your passionate storytelling... I will never tire of telling you that you are a force of nature! ❤️
Arianna Di Stefano
★★★★★
Friendly and very knowledgeable...always a pleasure to be part of her trips in which she combines culture and a very friendly atmosphere!!
Gloria Mazza
★★★★★
If you’re planning a trip to Dubai or anywhere in the UAE, ask Michela Spugnini — seriously, she’s the best! She knows all the real spots, the local places you’d never find in a guidebook, and she’ll help you avoid the tourist traps. Michela’s been here since before Dubai was “Dubai”, so she really knows the country inside out. You can trust her 100%!
Luciana Azzimonti
★★★★★
An incredible discovery just arrived in Dubai. Not only is she a wonderful guide who shows you this modern city through different eyes, but above all, she has become a point of reference and a special friend who helps you discover the “beautiful” Dubai!
Thank you, Michela, for the immense passion you share with us! ❤️
Valeria Arcangeli
★★★★★
I've already followed Michela on her itineraries and initiatives more than once... she's never disappointed my expectations, she's always satisfied my curiosity... and she's taught me and helped me understand and get to know better a country where I live, which is so different from my own... and why not... to establish a slightly deeper connection with it. I'll never stop following your initiatives because your professionalism, built over the years, gives us days of learning, yet wrapped in a family and fun atmosphere!
Thank you, Michela, for all the work you put into this project!!!
Barbara Marchioli
★★★★★
Michela is incredibly creative, helpful, knowledgeable, and always looking for new itineraries and events to offer. I've lived in Dubai for years, and thanks to her, I've learned more about the culture of my host country, without prejudice, without filters. Thank you, Michela!
Nicoletta Modelli
★★★★★
Michela is the best! Always available, extremely knowledgeable, and original!
I recommend her to all my friends who come to visit me here in Dubai because she offers all kinds of tours, even "special itineraries" for those who want a different experience!
And for those of us who live here, there are so many opportunities to discover hidden corners and unique stories about our host country!
Thanks for everything, always!
Monia Melli
★★★★★
I never imagined I'd discover Dubai this way. Thanks to Michela's extraordinary guide, I was able to see the city through completely different eyes: not just skyscrapers and modernity, but a world rich in history, traditions, and culture I was completely unaware of.
With her infectious enthusiasm and profound passion, she managed to open up treasure troves of knowledge and curiosity, sharing anecdotes and details that made me fall in love with this city even more.
The "Shindaga mon amour" tour was a journey through time: from the birth of the Emirates to the magic of perfumes and spices, each stop was a unique sensory and cultural experience.
An experience I recommend to anyone who wants to discover the true soul of Dubai, the one hidden behind the lights and glittering shop windows.
Debora Fusco
★★★★★
Michela is a tireless source of inspiration. Her advice is always thoughtful, tailored, and grounded in firsthand experiences she’s tested herself before sharing with us.
She has “rescued” me more than once by creating personalized paths for friends, relatives, and children—always with the same enthusiasm, hands-on experience, and kindness. Among the many things I value about her is that nothing she does is ever improvised; everything stems from careful research. Her ability to understand people’s needs and provide tailored solutions is invaluable.
Well done, Michela! And thank you!!!
Anna Fondrieschi
★★★★★
Michela has been a shining beam of light for me since I started exploring Emirates culture. Even during the dark ages of Covid she found a way for us to discover and appreciate the history, culture and rich heritage of our hosting country. I remember fondly joining her tours as a real treat at a time when travelling was complicated and human interaction scarce. Thank you for bringing such an interesting, dynamic and pleasant presence in Dubai 💚
Simona Spazzini
★★★★★
With Michela Spugnini, every itinerary becomes a story.
It's not just about visiting places, but entering them on tiptoe, with curiosity and respect, discovering details and nuances that escape a distracted glance.
Her expertise is solid, but what makes her unique is the passion with which she intertwines history, culture, and personal anecdotes, transforming each tour into a living dialogue with Dubai and the Emirates.
What elsewhere would be a simple excursion, with Special Itineraries becomes an authentic and profound experience of discovery.
Michela manages to convey the soul of the places, with a perfect balance of information, emotion, and lightheartedness.
I recommend her tours to those visiting Dubai for the first time, as well as to those who have lived there for years: you'll realize that there's always something new to see... or rather, to feel.
Thank you, Michela, for making us travel with fresh eyes every time!
Marialuisa Acquaviva
★★★★★
A special guide for an authentic Dubai
When I arrived in Dubai, knowing I'd be living there for a few years, I was looking for someone to help me discover its most authentic side, beyond the usual stereotypes.
I entrusted myself to Michela from Itinerari Speciali, and from that first tour I immediately realized I'd found much more than a guide: a passionate, attentive professional capable of describing the city with depth, sensitivity, and a truly unique perspective.
Two years have passed since then, and every time family or friends come to visit me, I entrust her—without hesitation—with organizing their experiences. Everyone returns enthusiastic, impressed by the stories, the details, and the beauty of the places they visit.
Whether it's a cultural tour, a desert experience, or a more exclusive itinerary, Michela always manages to create something special, tailor-made, with intelligence and great care.
I recommend Itinerari Speciali to first-time visitors, as well as to those who live here and want to rediscover Dubai in a new light. Thanks Michela!
Milena Bonomi
★★★★★
Michela is introducing me to cultural gems that only a true tourism and Emirates expert can share. Her tours are absolutely unique and highly recommended.
Valeria Cardillo Piccolino
★★★★★
Authentic, expert, passionate, cheerful, generous... what more can I say about Michela? The best guide ever! I follow her, listen to her, call her. I've been in Dubai for 22 years and I still discover hidden beauties thanks to the Special Itineraries!
Olimpia Mascolo
★★★★★
Michela, with her professionalism and experience, manages to find true gems that allow you to appreciate the purest Emirates.
Thank you for your dedication and the quality you offer.
Federica Maraldo
★★★★★
Extremely efficient service, great professionalism, congratulations!
Diego Benedetti
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This website has been designed in Italian but if you are interested in my services I will be happy to help you. Contact me to enquire about my tours or check the blog to get inspired!
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