Introduction:
Welcome back to the Top 100 Local Guides Spotlight! For this 11th edition, we find ourselves walking along ancient cobblestones, guided by a man who views the map not just as a tool, but as a living canvas of human connection.
Meet AT_Rome (known offline as Tagliabue). Born in the fast-paced, innovative hub of Milan, with a youth enriched by the romantic twilights of Paris, he has spent the last thirty years letting his heart beat to the rhythm of Rome. His life story reads like an epic novel: he has read the skies for the Italian Air Force, managed complex human networks across a 40-year career in global HR and Telecom, and built valve radios from scratch.
Today, he applies that lifetime of observation to Google Maps, tracking over 107 million photo views and mapping ancient roads. He calls himself a “modern legionary of knowledge,” and once you read his words, you’ll see exactly why.
The Spotlight Interview: AT_Rome
1. Where on Earth do you call home?
Italy has always been my compass. I was born and raised in Milan—a city whose fast-paced energy sparked my love for innovation. However, for the past thirty years, Rome has been my sanctuary. Here, every stone whispers history, teaching me the beauty of contemplation over haste.
I see myself as a “Digital Bridge” between the efficiency of Northern Italy and the timeless heritage of Rome. I also spent a meaningful chapter of my youth living in Paris; wandering the Marais left me with a poetic, lifelong appreciation for European beauty.
Caption: MILAN Railway Station (Photo by @AT_Rome)
Caption: Saint Peter’s Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro), Piazza San Pietro, Città del Vaticano, Vatican City (Photo by @AT_Rome)
2. What do you do when you’re not rocking the Local Guides world?
My professional life has been all about the art of communication. I started out in the Italian Air Force’s meteorology department, learning the discipline of literally “reading the sky.”
From there, I spent over four decades in Telecommunications and Human Resources for a major global company. Navigating everything from talent acquisition to executive compensation taught me how to manage the most intricate networks of all: human ecosystems. This background gives me my secret edge as a Local Guide; I don’t just see a physical space, I see a living environment of human interaction.
3. How and when did you dive into the Local Guides adventure?
My love for technology started early—I still remember building circuits with valves and marveling at the first transistor radios! In 2012, I became obsessed with Google Earth, virtually traveling for hours. When I discovered the Local Guides program in 2015, it felt like a total homecoming. I still have that original welcome email saved!
4. What gets you fired up about being a Local Guide?
The power of Digital Altruism. Whether it’s a hidden trattoria tucked away in Trastevere or a breathtaking panoramic view most tourists miss, I love shining a light on places that deserve to be seen. To me, the global community is a beautiful constellation of people united by a shared desire to leave a helpful footprint wherever we go.
5. Is there a special meaning behind your Connect username?
I follow the “less is more” philosophy. @AT_Rome is a perfect synthesis of my identity: “AT” represents the initials of my name and surname, and “Rome” is the magnificent city that adopted me. It’s a signature that connects my personal history to the geographical stage where I live and contribute.
6. What epic message would you love to share with your fellow Local Guides?
“We are the modern legionaries of knowledge.” Just as the ancients built physical roads to connect the empire, we are building the digital paths of the future. We aren’t just mapmakers; we are ambassadors and guardians of memory. Never underestimate the impact of a single contribution—you aren’t just uploading data, you are creating freedom and accessibility for others.
7. What’s your absolute favorite type of contribution, and why does it rock?
Photography with a Narrative. I believe that while a photo captures the soul of a place, a review provides its heart. I love finding that specific, hidden angle—like the sun setting directly behind St. Peter’s Dome—and pairing it with a review that reads like a story. Capturing those fleeting feelings so that someone across the world can step into the moment with me is pure joy.
8. Which is your favorite all-time contribution, and why?
I hold a very special place in my heart for my contributions along the Appian Way (Via Appia). Walking in the footsteps of history while using the technology of the future to document the “Queen of Roads” is a unique thrill. It feels like completing a beautiful circle of history, connecting antiquity to our digital present.
9. Spill the beans! What gear do you use?
I’ve lived through the entire technological evolution, but today I rely exclusively on my smartphone. For me, it’s not about megapixels; it’s about presence. Being agile allows me to catch unexpected, timeless moments.
For example, I recently caught a rare, unplanned shot of three Cardinals walking together near the Basilica. I didn’t have heavy equipment to slow me down—just the right tool in my pocket at the perfect moment.
10. What do you like most about the Local Guides Community, Connect?
The Global Synergy. Connect is a rare corner of the internet where diversity is truly celebrated. It’s a laboratory of ideas where I can learn from a guide in Tokyo just as easily as one in New York. And I follow the leaderboard updates—with a big hat tip to @AdamGT!—with the exact same passion that others reserve for football scores!
11. Which Top 100 Leaderboard is your favorite?
The Photo Views Leaderboards. For me, it’s not a race; it’s about the sheer wonder of impact. Seeing that my contributions have reached over 107 million views is breathtaking. It is a marvelous reminder of how much a single person can help the world.
12. Any features you’d like to see?
I would love to see a “Hidden Gem Hunter” leaderboard to reward guides who bring light to off-the-beaten-path spots that genuinely need help to be discovered.
13. What are your favorite holiday destinations?
The quiet, unglamorous stretches of the Italian coast. Give me a secluded cove, the scent of the sea, a good book, and the sound of the waves. It’s a reflective kind of holiday focused on reconnecting with the present moment.
14. What destination would you love to visit one day?
North America. The sheer contrasts fascinate me—cities that rise like steel forests side-by-side with vast, silent natural parks. I dream of walking through the giant redwoods, sitting in a New Orleans jazz club, and standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon.
15. What’s a super fun fact about you?
My surname, Tagliabue, has traveled much further than I have! Thanks to 19th-century Italian emigrants, it has been carved into the global map. There is a Tagliabue Island and Mountain in Greenland, a street in Long Island, New York, and a Tagliabue Road in Victoria, Australia! My dream is to one day leave a Local Guide review on a street that bears my name.
Also, I recently got to handle an authentic Roman pilum (spear) and scutum (shield) inside the Circus Maximus. Holding them made me realize: those ancient legionaries were truly the Local Guides of antiquity!
Conclusion
What an absolutely masterful perspective! AT_Rome beautifully reminds us that every time we pin a location, correct a route, or upload a photo, we are marching in a long, historic tradition of human exploration. From reading the skies to mapping the ancient Appian Way, his journey proves that a great Local Guide doesn’t just show people where to go—they show them how to feel when they get there.
That wraps up an unforgettable Spotlight #11! The bar remains incredibly high as we navigate our second decade of features. Who will step up to the forum next month for Spotlight #12? Keep exploring, keep writing your stories, and we’ll see you on the next map!
|
Previous spotlight: | |
|
Next spotlight: |
??? |
