Thank you for organizing a wonderful and unique trip.
It was very nice to have a driver meet us at the airport when we arrived and to get to our next destination along the tour. This was especially helpful at the airport in Rome and arriving in Venice. I can’t imagine getting to a Venice hotel without prearranged transportation! All of our drivers were very nice and helpful.
The hotel in Rome was very nice overall. Excellent location between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. We were able to walk everywhere in the heart of the city and never had to take a bus or subway. The bed was pretty comfortable. The guide gave us a wonderful tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum. My wife really enjoyed the tour. The Vatican was one of my favorite tours of the entire trip, even though it was not my main reason for going to Rome!
The one in Florence was a delightful hotel. Wonderful coffee and breakfast, excellent rooftop terrace! Nice sized room and bathroom. The cooking class was excellent! I was concerned that it might be wasted time because it was for 5+ hours, but this was one of the favorite parts of our trip. The food market tour was very informative and interesting and our primary chef was very interesting and fun as well. This cooking class, along with the Vatican tour, were probably my two favorite planned events on the trip. The Uffizi Gallery was also very nice. I think we would have enjoyed a guided tour of the Uffizi as well (you might consider that for future clients).
The little apartment and villa in Chianti were lovely, in the beautiful countryside. Very roomy apartment, gorgeous views of the countryside. The owner was very nice. We went to San Gimignano and then spent our last day in Tuscany with a day trip to Siena. The Cathedral in Siena was one of my favorite places. Beautiful mosaics on the floor, interesting statues and decoration in the cathedral and the amazing library of illustrated hymnal books in the church, plus the museum and the crypt. We did not make it to Volterra or Monteriggioni… maybe next time!
The hotel in Levanto was wonderful! The staff was very friendly and inviting. The location and view were breathtaking! The room was small but clean with a gorgeous view. Comfortable bed, friendly staff, excellent breakfast, beautiful location, good air conditioning. We visited all five villages of Cinque Terre. The train system was very easy to use. Before our trip, I was thinking we should stay in one of the villages instead of Levanto, but I am glad you chose the hotel for us. It was a wonderful hotel and staff, and I liked the fact that Levanto was a little bigger and slightly more spread out. It is easy to see that thousands of tourists pass from one Cinque Terre village to the next like a river of people. Levanto felt much more laid back and less crowded but we still got to spend time in each of the villages.
Getting to Bologna was relatively easy. Our tour guide was very nice but not as polished as our other guides. Neptune’s Fountain and the history of Bologna were interesting.
The hotel in Venice was in a wonderful location and had a nice staff. Good breakfast, excellent location, comfortable bed. Venice was a very unique city and we loved it! Our guide was one of my favorite guides on the trip. THANK YOU for arranging our final meal, which was wonderful. We also had some delicious cicchetti.
We really loved our trip! Each location was different and unique. Rome felt ancient and yet still a living city. Florence, Siena, and San Gimignano were beautiful. Next time, we would make an effort to go to the Boboli Gardens and perhaps a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Castellina in Chianti was a very cute little village with nice little art shops and history. Levanto and Cinque Terre were gorgeous and picturesque. Venice was the most unique city I have ever seen, though it is sad that the population is now small so it feels like the entire city is a large tourist attraction. We would happily go back to each location on our tour.
Thanks again for everything! GRAZIE MILLE!
Matthew J.
June 2013
