Italy Travel Agents

From the time we stepped off the plane in Rome until we re-boarded for home 12 days later, we were well cared for by KimKim for a trip that was to celebrate my 70th birthday. Kimkim was our guardian angel to provide quick remedies to on-the-spot queries that often will occur, like, "We're here but where's our guide?"

Speaking of guides; Francisco, who called himself "The Mayor" of the food market, provided a very entertaining and tasteful tour with the food vendors that allowed an inside peek of what grocery shopping was like for the Florentines: Pastries, Schiacciata (bread), Bolita di manzo (boiled beef), wine, olive oil that ended with gelato, of course. He was knowledgeable about the history and of each establishment and was delightfully engaging.

Special thanks to Sylvia, who guided us through Florence to the "Academy" where opulent art awaited. Michelangelo's David cannot be described in words alone.

We have travelled enough to know that problems often occur (i.e., with communication and location drop-off points, but KimKim was diligent to check and double-check details. Julio was a young, skilled chef providing nstruction for preparing a dinner of pasta (made from scratch), saltimbocca and tiramisu. Moreover, his gracious demeanor after he learned we were misdirected by a miscue, was impressive. Afterward, the KimKim team was gracious to compensate us for the miscommunication.

The hotels were unique with expansive views yet cozy and comfortable, both in Florence and Sorrento. Day 5, I fell on the steps of our hotel room and luckily, only broke the fifth digit on my right foot. Instead of cancelling the rest of the trip, I was determined to tape the toe and go. KimKim provided alternate activities to minimize the last three days in Rome, such as a Vespa tour to replace the heavy walking requirements originally scheduled. Can't say enough about Grant and his cohort, Chinh who helped facilitate our schedule after the mishap.

If there is anything that could be improved, it was our accommodation in Rome. The beds were not comfortable, the elevators were ancient (small and slow) and the breakfast vibe felt more like a budget hotel than a celebration of sorts.

Thank you Kimkim for a memorable time and the work it took to put this trip together!

Guilia was very helpful in planning the trip to meet our needs. She was always responsive despite the time difference, She worked with our budget and gave us great restaurant tips, and made it easy for us to enjoy our vacation. She also advised us well on the balance between seeing sites and having time to explore the cities. She picked great hotels in excellent locations for us and picked amazing tour guides. We highly recommend Giulia if anyone is planning a trip to Italy.

Thank you, Rita, for the trip you set up for my Granddaughter Maddie, Grandson Nate, and me. Everything worked as it should. All the accommodations were great, especially Matera. You had very nice drivers for us and wonderful guides here and there. Roberta at Pompeii was so informative and that was a great experience for Nate and me. Maddie and I enjoyed the experience cooking with Madia done through Loliv.com and Claudio, and the golf cart experience at Alberobella. i have already recommended both to friends who are traveling to Puglia in May and in October. The October couple has used KimKim in the past -- in fact, they were the couple who recommended the agency to me years ago. It was great fun to explore --an amazing experience to be with Nate driving the Amafi coast (!) -- so wonderful to be in Puglia with Italians, rather than tourists from all over the world. And I learned that I can, indeed, get myself through airports, trains and cities by myself when I have to . Altogether a satisfying trip for me, one I hope the grandkids will remember fondly, and one that has taught me that I will be able to travel without my late husband. Thank you for all your input, planning and execution!

Hotel Reviews

Unico Relais

Napoli

Very nice once inside. the street entrance was not well labeled and took some scrutiny

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boston Hotel

Bari

Well located business-type hotel right next to the old part of Bari. Comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dimora Storica Muratore

Lecce

Fascinating to be here. Location was right next to the old city and had a peaceful garden surrounding the villa. Hostess was wonderful, especially when she saved a little breakfast for my sleepy granddaughter!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Miramare Sorrento

Sorrento

Very pleasant place away from the crowds but within walking distance of all the shops, restaurants and activity

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel and Spa

Matera

Wow! great place with fabulous ambiance! Loved seeing the construction of a modern hotel in old caves right in the middle of old Matera.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Rome Airport Hotel

Fiumicino

It was a Hilton Garden Inn. Good for the night before travel. shuttle every 15 minutes to the airport. Not much airport traffic noise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover Naples: Guided Walk & the Veiled Christ

Naples

Excellent guide, great fun to walk around Naples

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Pompeii with an Archaeologist

Italy

Excellent Guide named Roberta. Very informative, very impressive to see the engineering of the place, so much more that I expected.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Authentic Apulian Cooking with a Local

Italy

Restaurant had exceptional character, and a wonderful, charismatic owner who taught us to make some Puglian dishes. Very patient with me -- I had a hard time mirroring her quick hands making orecchiette. The story of her place and strategy in having a vegan restaurant was so interesting. Having someone there to translate made a huge difference to what turned out to be a very genuine experience. Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great conversation on the way

Guided Experience in Alberobello: Trulli, Countryside & Picnic

Italy

Great fun to move around with the golf cart. The guide was on a Segway, and had grown up in the town. He had wonderful stories and experiences to share. Have the transportation made is possible to see just about the whole area in the 3 hours, as well as stops for a little shopping and lunch. Lunch was at a local's home, with a cooking demonstration and stories about the couple who lived there shared by the guide. We were also able to see the inside of a house that had been brought up to date and was currently a residence on the Unesco side of the town, as well as a house recreating what the former residents had for living space.

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

I think my review would be more succinct using bullets:
*Overall: Fabio Ilardi did many things that preceded the final plan and were crucial to its success. He was knowledgeable, patient, he LISTENED to all my suggestions and concerns, he conveyed an enthusiasm for the task following through at every juncture resulting in a near flawless itinerary that was easy to navigate and access.

*Transportation: From planes to trains to vans, all went so smooth. Even though he had nothing to do with the airline reservations, he knew the details and incorporated into the itinerary. Vans were there without fail and drivers clearly communicated pick-up locations when access to certain areas was restricted or inconvenient. Trains were great. Having been to Italy 9 times (most of those trips doing my own driving), I was really pleased with the convenience of train travel.

*Accommodations:
Venice, Ca Negra Lagoon Resort. convenient location although the difficulties in trying to convert a 400 year old villa to a modern hotel were evident. No air conditioning as we were told the city did not allow it until May. That made for a stuffy room so we opened windows where possible. Shower plumbing was difficult to figure out (I wish hotels everywhere would opt for the simplest plumbing fixtures instead of fancy and complex.)
Florence: Frame Hotel. Great place. Great location. Loved the provenance associated with the Mona Lisa, discovered there after its theft in 1911.
Naples. Eurostars Hotel Excelsior. What a jewel! Way past expectations. Beautiful rooms. Elegant throughout. While all the included breakfasts were very good to great, here it was over the top...... buffet was 75 long! Waterfront construction made it a little tricky to negotiate but when completed, this will be quite a gem on the waterfront in the shadow of Vesuvius .
Rome. Terrace Pantheon Relais. Again, great location. Convenient to many of the common sites. Rooftop lounge.

*Activities:
Mask painting in Venice. We all had a ball and the kids loved it. Nice people.
Gondola Ride: Wonderful guide (Giada, as I recall) who commented that the traffic on the Grand Canal was unusually light making for a very relaxing excursion. Lots of fun facts.
Murano: all enjoyed the tour and demonstration. Very pleased that a family run business continues to thrive.
Burano: an unexpected treat. Had never been there. Lonardo(?) was fun to be with and seemed to know everyone. The only disappointment was that we had no real time to spend in the beautiful and unusual shops. We did visit a lace making shop and were amazed at the short demonstration and the intracacies of the goods on display.
Truffle hunt in Florence: Probably the highlight of the trip especially for the kids. Out for close to two hours and back with 3-4 lbs of truffles. Guide was a lot of fun and informative. Roberto and his dog, Dora, stole the show and everyone got a shot with the shovel. The luncheon at La Cantina dei Tartufi was, hands down, the best meal we had on the trip. Beautifully presented with wine pairings and exquisite food. Paola and his wife were the kind of people you'd want to be friends with. It was clearly evident they love what they do. I would go back there in a heartbeat.
Leonardo Da Vinci Interactive Museum. This was described as an "interactive" exhibit and it was. Not as impressive as the one we visited in the town of Vinci but fascinating none the less.
Herculaneum: Having been to Pompei on two other occasions, this was the more perfect initial introduction to the tragedy of Vesuvius. It was much more manageable and not at all crowded. Our guide, Veronica, was terrific, a wellspring of information and great at fielding questions from the kids.
Galleria Spada in Rome: My wife and I had been here twice before. Even though this is not a typical stop on most itineraries, everyone found it fascinating.
Pizza and Tiramisu making in the "In Rome Cooking School" . Gianlucca was a talented, captivating host. Everyone's creation passed the test for deliciousness especially the Tiramisu. Would not have missed this for sure. Tricky to find. No signage, only a discreet number and an unmarked door. Walked right passed it twice.
Rome Tour: Definitely a marathon but worth the craziness. Did not expect the crowds. Giorgio, our guide, had his challenges. The Vatican was a zoo and they wouldn't accept the bar code for the group tour. We had to email all our individual tickets to each other's phones before they would allow entry. Different lines for different groups and we weren't the only ones caught in the confusion. Giorgio, an excellent guide, did his best despite the lack of accommodation on the part of the Vatican personnel. Can't imagine that place in the summer during high season. The first time I was in the Sistine, 56 years ago, I was able to lay down on the floor and photograph the ceiling. This time, I would have been crushed under foot. They wouldn't have found me until closing! Our other stops (Coliseum, etc.) were much less difficult.

All in all, a great trip enjoyed in different ways by a diverse family group. I don't believe any one of us will be forgetting this one any time soon. Thank you to Fabio for his patience, resourcefulness and for delivering the goods. I am blessed that I had the luxury of not having to be overly conscious of the total cost (including airfare, three times that of my first home). And you know the old saying, "You can't take it with you!"

Hotel Reviews

Ca' Nigra Lagoon Resort

Venice

Authenticity & Character

As I recall, this place was over 400 years old.

Location

Convenient to the arrival area. 20 minute walk, or less, to just about everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Terrace Pantheon Relais

Rome

This was a good fit. Close to a lot realizing Rome is a difficult city to navigate. The transportation people made that easy despite oppressive traffic everywhere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Frame Hotel Florence

Florence

The building was formerly an apartment hotel where Vincenzo Perugia (the Louvre employee who stole the Mona Lisa in 1911) hid the painting under his bed until 1917. The Mona Lisa was a repeated presence throughout the hotel. Great job converting this structure to a comfy modern hotel. Great location in the antique section of Florence, a stone's throw from the Duomo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the old section of Florence, a short walk to most of the high points.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eurostars Hotel Excelsior

Napoli NA

I asked for clean, comfortable, well located hotels in safe locations. This place was over the top. Luxury and provenance evident everywhere despite its age (108 years). Exquisite rooms and location, right on the water. Rooftop restaurant and bar with breathtaking views. Breakfast buffet was 75 feet long and delicious served in an elegant ballroom.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Learn How To Decorate Venetian Masks - Families And Small Groups

Venice

Lots of fun. Helpful instruction. Many choices and the freedom to be creative. The introduction into the history of the Venetian mask was new to all of us and very interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Murano and Burano Tour: Discover the Magic of Venice's Islands

Venice

Great to see a very old family business thriving. Beautiful factory and showrooms. Excellent explanations. Fascinating demonstration. Burano was an unexpected gem. Wish we had more time to explore the beautiful shops.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vaporetto ride was reasonably comfortable. Someone prone to seasickness might want to prepare.

Evening Gondola Ride with Guided Tour

Venice

Our guide, Giada, was great, although while tooling down the Grand Canal with motor craft around, hearing her was a challenge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Truffle Hunting Experience With Lunch and Wine Tasting

Italy

Start to finish, this was great. It was good to be out in the country wandering between vineyards and olive groves. Our guide was informative and amusing with a great sense of humor. Roberto and his dog, Dora were the stars. 3-4 lbs of black truffles in and hour and a half. Kids loved it. The Luncheon at La Cantina dei Tartufi was the best food we had on the trip and that's saying a lot as we had some fabulous meals. The owner/host, Paolo and his wife, were perfect hosts.

Quality of Experience

The outdoors, exquisite countryside, a fun activity and a fabulous luncheon

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fun and educational at the same time

Transport

Afternoon Visit to Herculaneum Archaeological Site

Naples

A much smaller version of Pompei but much more easy to negotiate and not as overwhelming. Veronica was a great guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Galleria Spada Timed Entry (self-guided), Including Borromini’s Perspective

Rome

This is an "off the beaten path" site which is not on any standard list but is fascinating none the less. The Boromini perspective is amazing and a shock to the viewer. You have to see it to appreciate it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No real staff or guide. Pretty much self guided.

Transport

They were always on time!

Roman-Style Pizza Making Masterclas with Tiramisù

Rome

Making your own pizza and tiramisu with the guidance of a trained chef. Then, to dine on the results of your labors. What's not to love. Appetizers, wine, pizza and tiramisu.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Luxury Tour: Explore Rome’s Wonders in a Day

Rome

full day, whirlwind tour but a must if you only have the one day like we had. Crowds were unexpected for this time of year (April). Lines everywhere but this is Rome so you have to deal with it or stay home.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport