Sandro Cittolin likes things to be elegant – even in his Actros 1853

RoadStars meets

Una bella macchina.

Italian design is highly sought-after. Sandro Cittolin transports luxurious furnishings from his home country on tours throughout Europe. Always on-board with him is his little "Befana" mascot.


"Buongiorno!" Morning has just dawned. Sandro, still a little bit tired, stands next to his truck on a rest area near Innsbruck. He still hasn't had his first espresso of the day, and yet it still immediately occurs to him why he appreciates his German vehicle so much. "It's just a perfect combination: transporting elegant yet functional Italian furnishings in such a reliable, high-quality truck." That's what it boils down to. He laughs.

And almost as a symbolic attestation to this perfectly harmonious combination, Sandro's German truck sports an Italian flag. The sticker is affixed on the left underneath the windscreen – not far from the Mercedes star. Sandro works for Gugel from Veneto and transports high-quality interior furnishings to almost every single country in Europe.



"I love things to be simple, classic, light and friendly."

Sandro Cittolin talks about his workplace in the Actros


A man made for long distances.

Today, Sandro is heading north. He is delivering chic settees to Scandinavia. Long tours don't phase him. It's part of his way of life: long tours away from home get balanced out by long spells of time relaxing at home in Falzè di Piave, around 60 kilometres north of Venice.

Here in the Lombardy region, especially in and around the fashion and design paradise that is Milan, there are lots of workshops which produce elegant, internationally sought-after hand-made furniture. The traditional family-run businesses have been producing design icons for many generations now.


Team spirit and a whole lot of fun.

Sandro is a rather calm, comfortable type of person. But that in no way means that he can't get passionate or loud about certain things. For example, when he plays sports. "My big hobby is volleyball. It's an exciting game which requires a good deal of team spirit and which is guaranteed to be good fun."

The equipment of his Actros is also pretty fun. He particularly likes the comfortable standing room and the various stowage compartments in the cab: "I love things to be simple, classic, light and friendly."

He always has a passenger on-board with him – his little wooden witch. "Befana" is a well-known figure in Italian folklore, according to which, she flies from house to house on the eve of January 6th, handing out sweets. "You have to have a mascot," says Sandro. But that's the only bit of paraphernalia he has on-board.


Photos: Alexander Rihhi

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