Everything you planned was amazing. We absolutely loved all of the city tours (Genoa, Parma, and Turin). The guides you chose for those tours were incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and courteous. The food tasting was also delicious. The tour of Genoa was also excellent, and I enjoyed our visit to two antique book shops. I held a book from 1503… difficult for someone from the US to imagine. Our guide was very helpful in translating with the book shop owners on my behalf. The tour of Turin was also fabulous. And our guide got us in to see the shroud with only a five-minute wait! What a bonus that was!
We absolutely loved the tour of the Borromean Islands. Our guide was excellent. I could not believe the stunning beauty of those islands. I was particularly struck by the Botanic Gardens, and by the grottos in the palace. Again, our tour guide was so knowledgeable, and we learned so much about the history of the region and the influence of the Borromeo family.
We adored Sestri Levante, and our only regret there was that we missed Cinque Terre (a good reason to go back). We loved the hotel’s location on the beach, and wish we had had a bit more time there.
We struggled a bit the day we were on our own to find our way to Switzerland and back. We relied quite a bit on the brochure and hand gestures to find where we needed to go. But it was quite an adventure! The train ride back took us through some breathtaking scenery (I now have added incentive to learn the language).
All in all, you created an amazing trip for us, which allowed us to learn so much about the region’s history and rich culture. We will treasure the memories we made while in Italy.
With gratitude,
Diane D.
June 2015
