M I C H A E L

Michael has a colourful past as a former soldier, Carthusian monk, and night porter, as well as a former member of the Tower Hamlets branch of the British Communist Party. 

Michael's degree is in Politics & history from the University of London and he went on to study acting for two years. A highly experienced guide, Michael has a broad historical knowledge in general and of the history of art in particular. 

He also has a qualification in archaeology from the University of Oxford's Department for Continuing Education, and led a wide variety of tours in Berlin for ten years for a highly diverse clientele, from British Army top brass and a US ambassador to irritating English teenagers. All left Berlin very happy customers. Michael continues to lead tours throughout German speaking Europe from Hamburg to Vienna, from Dresden to Munich. 

Since 2018, Michael has been living in the Italian Alps and has become a licenced guide in the Valley of Aosta. Never heard of Aosta, 'The Rome of the Alps'? That's good, let's keep it a secret together. 

In fact, Michael has been finishing his history of the Aosta Valley, 'The Valley of a Hundred Castles' for three years now. Michael lives with his highly civilised German wife, Katja, and two barbaric cats in a small alpine village. Katja is also a qualified International Mountain Leader and is not only very experienced in guiding walkers in and around the Valley of Aosta but also a wine lover and skilled cocktail bartender. 

Michael is originally from London and is an Englishman born and bred. His mother happens to be an Australian living in Munich, with Irish ancestry on both sides of the family. 

He was raised a Catholic and his ex-wife is Polish. Michael has dual British and German citizenship, is a convinced European and has several souls.