Kimkim Trip Reviews for Italy

I am finally getting my life back to order after our whirlwind 10 day tour in Italy with our young adult grandchildren.
Overall, It was a good travel experience but there were some glitches.
Because we are seniors it was sometimes a challenge to do some activities together but we were able to find middle ground and had some wonderful experiences. The kids enjoyed having free time to explore the cities. We had wonderful dinners together and enjoyed taking in the unique architecture and vibe of each city.
On our arrival to Venice we had some confusion about how find the Water Taxi and had to walk very far with our baggage at the dock. But, it was finally resolved by a phone call to Maria. Thankfully our rooms were ready when we arrived! Time to rest before a private tour of the St Mark's area that was very good.
We had free time on the first evening and I had reserved tickets for the opera at Palazzo Musica. Fabulous . A highlight of our trip!! Also , traveling by Vaporetto and Seeing San Marco lit up at night is magical.
The Gondola ride was not what I would call romantic but, a lot of fun for all of us to experience once in one's life!
Our Private Tour guide, Frederica , in Venice was wonderful and had great rapport with all of us. Going to Murano, Burana and then a Bacari evening was especially good because of her knowledge of the area, her enthusiasm and flexibility.
The afternoon private tour at the Jewish Ghetto was very interesting and moving with a well informed docent. . Another guide accompanied us to go there on the water taxi and then she left. She never told us when or where to get the taxi back. A call to Maria resolved that.

On to Florence;
The train ride was comfortable and short. The hotel was well situated to walk to most things.
The tours in Florence to the Uffizi and Accademia would have been better if the groups were smaller. The museums were very crowded. My husband had trouble keeping up with the groups fast pace and had to drop out. We would have preferred private tours.
The dinner at which we had planned to celebrate our grandson's Birthday at the winery was not exactly what I had hoped for . The tour of the facility was interesting but it was a very big group and the dinner was very focused on the selling of wine with order blanks and pens at table settings. . Food was good but, the birthday cake I had ordered was served too late , after the sales pitch was over, and people had left the tables. The waiters had cut up the beautiful fruit tart for everyone and hardly anyone stayed to eat it. It was disappointingly served as an afterthought .
After our evening bus ride back to Florence we needed to get a Taxi which was a very far distance from where we were dropped off. It was quite late and very difficult , especially for my husband , to walk there. The tour guide showed us the way but she walked very fast. I think the bus should have dropped us off at the Bus station.

By comparison, the wine tasting lunch in Chianti ,where we met the kids on their Bike Tour bike tour stop, was delightful. We were a small group of 7 and there was no pressure to buy wine. Lunch was good and relaxing. It would have been a better venue to celebrate our grandson's birthday. They enjoyed the bike tour as well.
The next day , a planned private tour to Tuscany with a taxi driver was more focused on yet another wine tasting than seeing the area and towns of Sienna and San Gimignano in depth. The tour guide was with us for about an hour in Sienna. My granddaughter and I toured the interesting church while my grandson went to climb the tower and my husband sat alone in the Palio space. We were surprised that the guide did not continue with us on to Sean Gimignano. The driver left us to explore the souvenir shops on our own for about 40 minutes. I suspect there was more to see and know about than we did .
The food market tour and cooking class in Florence was fun. Nice people. Good teacher. We made great pasta . We were supposed to receive the recipes by e-mail but they have not yet come.
We visited the Ferragamo Museum on our own . It was just the right size , not crowded, and very interesting, especially for my designer granddaughter!
Unfortunately our last morning did not go well. We had written instructions to meet the driver to go the airport at 7:30 AM.
We gulped down fast cups of coffee and took our bags , one at a time , in a tiny elevator down 4 flights to the street.
The taxi didn't show up so I called Maria and she said it was scheduled for 8:30 pickup. She suggested we go back inside. That was not a good idea to make the difficult trip back up 4 flights. We were quite upset.
The Taxi finally did arrive at 8:30 .
Overall I think there needed to be better communication with the taxi services we used.

Our trip from the Dolomites to Venice was wonderful. We started in Bolzano with a stay at the Goldenstern, which is a very lovely and well situated hotel. After several days we drove to Ortisei in the Val Gardena. We stayed at an apartment within walking distance to all of the activities we wanted. After hiking for three days, and enjoying the wonderful mountains we drove to Padua. Here we stayed in an apartment that was centrally located for our tours. Lara was our guide around the city, she was very knowledgeable, and gave good suggestions for other attractions and restaurants. Our arranged cooking class in the countryside was wonderful - a garden tour, pasta making and chickens. Our next stop was Venice and our bed and breakfast, Cima Rosa, located on the Grand Canal was fantastic - wonderful people, good advice and a very good breakfast. It was great to skip the line for our arranged tour of St Marks and the Doges Palace. Venice is a very walkable city.

The trip was really outstanding overall. I was very impressed with how seamlessly everything went. All the drivers and guides were right on time and they were all polite, knowledgable and welcoming. Some of the highlights;

1) the location of the hotel in Capri -- while the room was quite small, the hotel itself and the location was outstanding.
2) The best hotel by far was Villa Mary in Positano! Great room and balcony, amazing breakfast brought right to the balcony, the view from the pool -- amazing hosts.
3) The boat trip in Capri was excellent -- the You Know group was fantastic -- especially Ross and Francisco. Liked that it was only 12 people. Need to provide a picture of where to meet the group though. We did not have the name of the tour group and was only told to meet at the white umbrella at Marina Grande -- there are tons of white umbrellas there! We almost missed our trip even though we were 20 minutes early. I sent Barbara a picture of where to meet and suggest you add it to the files like the picture of where to meet boat in Positano.
4) The Path of the Gods trip and our guide - both the hike and the guide were terrific
5) the guide at Pompeii was also great, but two hours was definitely NOT enough time in Pompeii -- would have liked to have had another two-three hours there with some time to explore on our own.
6) Loved Ravello - so glad our driver told us to spend more time there than Amalfi -- would highlight Ravello more.

Things that could have been better:
1) While we very much liked our boat captain in Positano, the trip to the "Hidden Beach" was not as advertised and was frankly disappointing. It was extremely crowded at the beach (packed us in like sardines) and we could not get lunch at the restaurant (they could not get us a table until 4:30 and our return trip was at 4:15...). We thought we would be going somewhere pretty quiet -- I was really pretty upset about it at the time given the extra expense of adding this experience. Very disappointing.
2) While the overall hotel in Sorrento was very good -- amazing location and breakfast, the actual mattress and linens were not up to the standards of the other places we stayed.
3) Pompeii - as described above - it was very disappointing not to have more time here. According to the itinerary, we thought we could have the driver stay longer if we were willing to pay, but when we asked, we were told it wasn't possible. Two hours is NOT enough time there -- especially with large crowds and lines to get into the more popular spaces.
4) the hotel in Naples -- while the hotel itself was quite lovely, the location in the building is quite rundown.
5) Didn't quite understand why we did not take the ferry directly from Capri to Positano? Why to Sorrento and then drive?

Hotel Reviews

Villa Mary Suites - Positano

Positano

LOVED everything about the Villa Mary! The wonderful location away from the craziness of Positano, the amazing view from the plunge pool, delicious breakfast on your private balcony and the warmth of the hotel staff. Stay here!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Tizania is a gracious, warm and incredible host!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maison il Conservatorio

Sorrento

Loved the location and the breakfast! And, the staff was very friendly. The mattresses and the linens need an upgrade.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Need better mattresses, linens and towels. Also, USB port did now work and even popped/sparked one time --

Rinuccini Relais Hotel

Naples

Actual hotel is lovely and kind of funky, but the overall building/elevator is a bit suspect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Piazzetta Diefenbach

Capri

Great location and lovely hotel. Room was quite small though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The best of Capri – Around the island by boat

Italy

You Know is a great tour company -- Ross in particular did an amazing job.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Path of the Gods Hike with Private transfer

Amalfi Coast

Amazing hike -- tour guide was very knowlegable. Think his name was Guiseppe?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Beach Experience in Amalfi Coast

Amalfi Coast

Already wrote about it -- NOT a hidden bead -- totally overcrowded and not at all what was advertised.

Quality of Experience

The boat ride part was great -- the beach not so much

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The boat captain was excellent and felt badly we had not have a good experience at the beach -- and seemed surprised that the travel agent had not made us reservations at the beach restaurant when we told him we were able to get a good lunch at the beach. luckily there was a small snack bar so we got something to eat.

Transport

Day Tour to Amalfi and Ravello from Positano

Italy

Highlight by far was Ravello - glad the driver recommended to spend most of the time there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver was great -- maybe Alessandro? Gave us great tips.

Pizza School at Agriturismo

Italy

Great family run business! Had a blast!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naples to the Amalfi Coast or Amalfi Coast to Naples - Pompeii en Route

Italy

Definitely NOT enough time in Pompeii -- was pretty disappointed we could not stay and explore more. There are huge lines with tour groups from Cruise ships so you need to build in more time to accomodate for this. Would have wanted more time on our own to explore after tour ended.

Quality of Experience

Great - but cut way too short.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vincenzo provided outstanding travel service, creating an amazing experience for our highly customized southern Italy journey (Sicily, Amalfi Coast, Puglia). He was very attentive to our desires and crafted a perfect itinerary to fulfill all our trip goals. We were extremely happy with the choice of destinations, the activities and the accommodations. He was very responsive to our inquiries before and during the trip, providing answers and solutions within a very short time, so we always felt well supported during the planning process and during the development of our journey. Vincenzo did an excellent job coordinating the local guides and hotels, and documented all local contact information for all activities providers. This was important for small adjustments during the itinerary, i.e. due to weather related changes. We are very thankful to Vincenzo and the local guides and activities providers and hotel staff that we encountered during our trip. Everything went as planned with zero issues. The kimkim travel service model is excellent and the app is very competent. We will be back with other trips for sure.

Hotel Reviews

Boutique Hotel Re Federico

Ortigia

A fantastic boutique hotel in the historical island of Ortigia, walking distance to waterfront and Duomo piazza. Great breakfast in the apartment or in the adjacent cafe. Valet parking

Authenticity & Character

a huge beautiful apartment with art and large terrace

Location

historical town and next to the waterfront of Ortigia

Staff

very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Hotel Miramare

Sorrento

Very tasteful boutique hotel, a huge apartment with sea view and private terrace. Swimming pool overlooking the sea. Walking possible to town and marina (1.2 miles). Good breakfast. Parking available on premises.

Authenticity & Character

boutique attributes, old flair feeling, marble checkered floor in the apartment

Location

Overlooking the sea

Staff

respectful and courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept, minor issue on the bed sheet, resolved immediately

Il Nido

Amalfi

A family and quaint hotel overlooking the sea. Room with enormous terrace with fantastic sea view. Walking to Amalfi center (1 mile). Very good breakfast. Parking on premises.

Authenticity & Character

a family hotel, old Mediterranean flair

Location

sea view, walking distance to historical center

Staff

Extremely friendly and courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Ai Terrazzini

Matera

In the historical center, a beautiful renovation that brings you to the diverse past of Matera. Our apartment room was likely an old round ceiling grotto. Very good breakfast. Only parking garage outside the old city (walk to hotel 1 mile)

Authenticity & Character

perfect match of the town's white stone and grottos

Location

in the center of old Materal

Staff

friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Hotel La Pensione Svizzera

Taormina

Great Sea view room, walking distance to the pedestrian historical town full of restaurants. Rooms slightly dated, but not a detractor. Personalized very good breakfast service and happy hour. Coordinated parking nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Old fashioned Mediterranean flair

Location

Sea view, next to historical town, Greek theater, top of castle trail

Staff

all friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Hotel Politeama

Palermo

The hotel is very professional, in a perfect location next to the pedestrian zone and close to the main Palermo attractions (Norman palace, Duomo, Opera, Quatri-Canti). The breakfast is excellent, one of the best we experienced. Rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking the Politeama. Valet parking.

Authenticity & Character

professional

Location

a perfect location next to the pedestrian zone

Staff

great service

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Viacolvento Boutique Hotel

Marsala

A beautiful boutique hotel in the center of the pedestrian historical center and near restaurants. Excellent breakfast. Tight free parking in front of the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

a boutique hotel with great taste layout

Location

in the historical center and close to the pedestrian zone with restaurants

Staff

great touristic information and recommendations

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Palazzo de Noha

Lecce

Amazing boutique hotel with very personalized treatment. In the Lecce historical town, this renovation yielded a great comfortable room and facilities. Art and designer objects. Minibar with water, soda and juice complimentary. Excellent breakfast with very fresh local food and juice. Rooftop bar with sun/shade lounge and mini pool. Valet parking.

Authenticity & Character

beautiful art, tasteful facilities

Location

in the historical heart of Lecce

Staff

the best we met in Italy, personalized caring

Cleanliness & Comfort

well kept and clean

Hotel Piazza Bellini & Apartments

Naples

Professional and modern - young and fresh, no frills. Walking to the pedestrian historical zone and pizza places. Good breakfast in the open courtyard. I wish our balcony was renovated like others we saw, so was not really usable. Staff said no other was available. No parking and restricted driving zone.

Authenticity & Character

young and modern in the historical neighborhood

Location

next to historical town

Staff

courteous and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had one of the balconies which were not renovated, so its floor looked molded, ugly and run-down, not usable. Room inside was clean

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Sicily!

Italy

Sicily was a Beautiful place. From Palermo be sure to visit CEFALU (incredible historical town, water and hike to the Castelo)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Walking Tour of Palermo

Palermo

Martina is a local and she provided an amazing experience. She is very knowledgeable and was able to connect the diverse cultural history of Palermo (Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Norman, Modern) in a very thoughtful and witty manner. We visited all the historical highlights and market, and felt we got to know well this beautiful and interesting city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to the Valle dei Templi

Italy

You get to walk around the awesome monuments

Quality of Experience

Guided tour of Valle dei Templi

Italy

Enza was an incredible guide and provided a lot of the history and context for the greek culture in Agrigento and all around Sicily.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Tour of Syracuse

Syracuse

Thanks Giuzy for being flexible as we had to move the tour. Professional and efficient tour. Unfortunately we did not get to go inside many of the sites with her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mount Etna Tour

Italy

We had a great hike and lunch with Emiliano and learned all about this active volcano. He is a local and a geologist and displayed his great knowledge and passion. They had a car trouble and much delay before we could start, but in the end all was well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Capri Boat Tour

Italy

Our captain Pepe was excellent - we visited all highlights around the island and got to sail through the Faraglione di Mezzo: The middle rock, which has an arch. Beautiful trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Boat Tour around Ortigia

Syracuse

Francesco and Gianni provided a wonderful experience. Due to weather we had to move the trip, which was accomplished flawless. An amazing way to see Ortigia and swim on the sea next to the Byzantine castle. Excellent boat and service!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided tour of Modica - the Baroque town of chocolate

Italy

Graziella was incredible. She is also a restaurant and Olive plantation owner and we learned so much not only about the town and churches history, but much about the wonderful Italian food (olives, pasta, capers, etc). What a creative way to show the local culture and history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Welcome to Sorrento!

Sorrento

Very interesting town, larger than the others in the coast, but less expensive, with an extensive street market (buy here rather than other places like Capri or Positano) and a nice beach and Marina area with great restaurants. Our hotel with sea view was excellent

Quality of Experience

Half day group boat tour of the Amalfi Coast

Italy

Beautiful boat trip, we hugged the coast all the way to Positano and learned about all the most significant places of this amazing coast. We go to take incredible pictures, especially from the sloped hill of Positano and its quaint houses.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Matera guided tour

Matera

This ancient grotto and white stone town is incredible and is perched on the hill overlooking the beautiful valley. It is a very unique destination with a history that dates back 8,000 years. Renato is a local and shared his family history, and made it interesting (though at times a little repetitive). It was interesting to say the least.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Welcome to Puglia!

Italy

An incredible beautiful and interesting region, with still relatively low key tourism and without the crowds. Great service everywhere and high quality of boutique hotels and restaurants

Quality of Experience

Welcome to Lecce!

Lecce

Amazing historical town - it is called, deservedly, the Florence of the South. Towns to visit from this base include: Alberobello - home the Trulli Ostuni - the Citta Bianca Otranto - beautiful seaside Polignamo-al-Mare - another beautiful historical coast town. And drive the Adriatic blue sea view road from Santa Maria di Leuca to Otranto - beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Andrea planned the trip of a lifetime! Our guides, especially Lucia in Florence and Mariapaola in Rome were so knowledgeable and clearly had pride and love for their city! The winery and olive oil tour in Tuscany was fabulous, such a great experience. Our cooking class with Cecelia was so memorable, it was lovely to be warmly welcomed into her home to learn and share a meal. The boat to Capri, with Angelo as our captain, was lovely. He made sure we saw beautiful and interesting sites along the way.

Every transfer was seamless and on time. The detailed itinerary that Andrea provided ahead of time answered all our questions and was so accurate! We would recommend Kimkim highly!

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Veneziano Venice

Venice

Staff was friendly, breakfast buffet is absolutely amazing!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Residence

Amalfi

Staff was so friendly, and service was wonderful. Room was cleaned twice daily. Location was beautiful. With terrace overlooking the water

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Spadai Florence

Florence

Beautiful room, great location, breakfast buffet was lavish and delicious!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Martis Palace Hotel Rome

Rome

Friendly staff, beautiful room. Bathroom shower was a little difficult to figure out, as was the room temperature.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hidden Venice and cicchetti experience

Italy

This was a fun activity to see the hidden streets and taste some local foods. Guide was a little difficult to understand.

Florence private guided walk including Accademia Gallery

Florence

Must do! Seeing the statue of David was truly awe-inspiring. Lucia was a wonderful guide, knowledgeable, friendly, a pleasure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chianti Full Immersive Wine & Olive Oil Experience from Florence (small group)

Florence

Enjoyed this immensely! Our driver was excellent, and the wineries were beautiful, informative. Wine was delicious, as was the food. Small group was delightful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pompeii ruin visit with a private guide

Italy

Such an interesting side trip, definitely worth doing! It was a little tiring after the visit and lunch at the winery right before, but glad we did it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

Good way to start our time in Rome. The Parthenon especially was amazing. It gave us the sites before we really dug into the rest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Colosseum and Roman Forum - Private guide

Rome

So incredible to actually see and hear about these area that you’ve always heard about. Our guide was so knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cooking Class

Italy

This was so special as we were warmly welcomed into the instructor’s home and the cooking class was just for us. We loved every minute of it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day trip to Capri Island from The Amalfi Coast - small group

Italy

Absolutely the way to see Capri, rather than the regular ferry boat. It was fun with a small group, had the opportunity to swim, saw beautiful sites along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - private guide

Rome

This was the most awe-inspiring visit ever. Our guide, Mariapaola, was so very knowledgeable, and took great care to make sure we got to see everything that was important to us. Truly a special visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Irene Lappa worked with me to create a wonderful trip for my granddaughter, her mother, and me. We visited Venice, Rome, and Sorrento in early June, 2024. Irene was always responsive to my many questions, listened to my ideas, and eventually a thorough and detailed itinerary for us. Every detailed was considered. The included train travel between our destinations, transfers, hotels, and guides, even restaurant and things to do suggestions. Our tours were either private or small group and the guides were wonderful. My granddaughter especially loved her glass blowing class on Murano, our cooking class in Rome, and our tour to Capri and swim. It was great having contact people in each place in case we had issues. The whole trip was perfect. The only thing I might have changed was not as many early morning tours! My many and heartfelt thanks to Irene and the KimKim team.

Hotel Review

Ai Reali Hotel Venice

Venice

Perfect! Getting dropped off at the hotel's dock off the Grand Canal in Venice was magical. The hotel was immaculate, breakfast yummy, and staff wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to everything

Staff

Answered all our questions and concerns.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Grand Canal Private Orientation Tour

Italy

This was alright, but we were very tired and it was hard to take everything in.

Venice Night Walking Tour

Venice

I always think a walking tour in a new place is a great way to get a lay of the land. This is a good activity for arrival.

Private St. Mark's Basilica & Doge’s Palace Tour with Exclusive Access to Secret Rooms

Venice

We had a private tour and our guide was wonderful.

Murano Glass Demonstration & Walking Tour

Venice

The real focus of this experience was the glass demonstration for my granddaughter, which she loved. The walking tour was fine.

Early Morning Vatican Tour

Rome

Express Colosseum Tour

Rome

This was a small group tour and our guide was, again, wonderful. My only complaint was our start time was very early and we missed breakfast again!

Pasta & Tiramisu Making Class

Rome

LOVED this

Private Pompeii Tour

Pompeii

Again this was a private tour. We were met at the Naples train station by our guide and driver and transferred to Pompeii. Our guide did a great job bringing meaning to the huge area and keeping us out of the sun!

Capri Island & Grottos Boat Tour from Sorrento

Sorrento

This was one of our favorite tours. Although the Blue Grotto was closed my granddaughter was able to swim from the boat. Drinks were served on the way back to Sorrento and it was a lovely day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Amalfi Coast Driving Tour

Italy

Although my husband and I have driven the Amalfi coast years ago it was wonderful having a driver for this tour. It was also a good way to see more of that area. The driver was great at finding places to park and making sure we had enough time in each stop. After very busy Positano and Amalfi it was lovely reaching quiet Ravello and having lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Harris was helpful and listened to everything I wanted out of the trip. He even took the extra step to call and walk me through some questions I had

Hotel Reviews

Volcano View Hotel

Santorini

Amazing view and good !

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Editor Hotel Athens

Athens

Great location and nice room. No view from our room though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Saint Andrea Paros Seaside Resort

Naousa

Beautiful room and ambiance throughout. Friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

A bit far from town but we had scheduled a private driver so it worked out

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Local Transfer in Paros

Paros

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour in the Blue Lagoon

Paros

Food was absolutely incredible ! Staff were friendly, fun, knowledgable, and engaging

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Catamaran Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Food was absolutely incredible ! Staff were friendly, fun, knowledgable, and engaging

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour

Athens

Knowledgable guide !

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved the agent who took our ideas for the trip.
Francesca and Maria were great! Lucy was amazing as were her friends who guided us in Pompeii and Naples.
Yes, Kimkim is expensive but ALL your needs, wants and every transfer is perfect!!
I used them for Madrid and Barcelona with the same perfect results.

Giulia was very responsive but I was not very happy with my trip.

- shuttles only run once an hour to/from the hotel, the shuttles stopped running at 23:30 so we had to pay 50+ euros if we wanted to enjoy a full night out. One morning our travel agency booked excursion was booked at an early morning time and the shuttles were not running yet so we had to pay for transportation
- the hotel itself catered to an much older crowd (average age was about 70 years old) this wasn’t ideal for two women in their 30s and I really wish there was more thought put into that since we relied on the travel agency to have a better idea of the ideal place based on what I shared with the company (this was the biggest point of frustration for us)
- the path of the gods were very far and I wish we knew how difficult and costly it would be just to get to the start of the path. It was mentioned that this would be a “half day” excursion but getting there and back plus the hike would have been 8+ hours.
- the boat excursion to Capri only shared a limited amount of alcohol. I could understand wanting to ensure no one was drunk or unsafe while swimming but there shouldn’t have been any limitations on the way back to Sorrento. If there is a set amount of drinks allowed per person with the excursion then that should be laid out beforehand.

Kim Kim was fantastic. Very helpful with some minor and not so minor traveling hiccups. VERY responsive. I would highly recommend.

Hotel Reviews

Albergo Firenze

Como

Location

Located right in the center of town. Easy to access and navigate...plus they had an ice machine!

Alfieri9 Boutique Hotel Florence

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Was a bit off the beaten path

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Starace

Sorrento

Quaint B&B right in the heart of downtown sorrento

Authenticity & Character

The staff were fantastic

Location

Fantastic

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daily room service was great

Relais Le Clarisse Rome

Rome

Quaint hotel centrally located. Nice green space to enjoy morning coffee out doors

Authenticity & Character

⁹

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Como Food & Wine Tour

Lake Como

The guide Michela (sp?) was exceptional. A lovely experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Lake Como Boat Tour on a Venetian Limousine

Lake Como

Guide was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence

Florence

LONG drive.

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch was so so

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff were great.

Transport

Punctual

Chianti Wine & Olive Oil Tour from Florence

Florence

Guide was fantastic. The rather intimate small group we had made it more fun

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch at the tuscany villa was awesome

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very punctual

Transport

Morning Florence Highlights Walking Tour

Florence

Very good tour. Helped to see more of Florence and ubderstand its history

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pasta and Gelato Making Class in Florence

Florence

Absolutely loved this class. Super fun. Great chef/teacher

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Boat Tour From Sorrento

Sorrento

Fantastic day trip around amalfi coast

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very personable

Transport

Capri Island & Grottos Boat Tour from Sorrento

Sorrento

I'm glad I went there but probably wouldn't ho back

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local transfer in Rome

Rome

Very punctual

Vincenzo was responsive and very helpful in creating an Italy dream trip for my partner and I. I had a rough vision and he fleshed it out with hotels, transfers, and tickets as needed. We hit Rome (5 nights), Naples (2 nights), Amalfi Coast (4 nights, including Positano, Ravello, a boat trip, and Path of the Gods), as well as Sorrento (2 nights) and Capri (1 night). I could relay a hundred amazing moments, but if in Naples be sure to give the Archaeological Museum the time it deserves before setting out for Pompeii. The only wrinkle: my sister had a health issue come up and could not attend after we payed, so we lost a *significant* amount of money on her portion of the trip. The kimkim refund policies are honestly not the most flexible. They should directly sell travel insurance contextually within the interface to protect people against these types of things. Basically, the hotels were able to sell her room twice! Aside from that bummer, the trip came together fantastically and had nothing to do with Vincenzo's level of service in the end.

This is my second trip with kimkim in 2 years. I just recommended them to my sister who booked her first trip. That should give insight into how I feel about their services.

Irene was my advisor. She planned a 14 day trip for destinations surrounding Milan that included Genoa, Camogli, Bologna, Verona and Lake Como. The only place I specifically requested was Lake Como; the others she selected for me. ALL were worthwhile & some I never would have thought of on my own. So glad I got the chance to experience them.

The time was compressed to get the itinerary in order. Irene worked quickly and efficiently and proactively communicated when it was imperative that I make a decision in order not to foreclose an opportunity. Much appreciated.

She was a good listener to my reactions to suggestions and happily modified plans based on such input. She went out of her way to ensure I had help with my overpacked luggage.

The accommodations were clean, safe & well-located with helpful staff. Standouts were Hotel Palazzo Grillo in Genoa, Sublimis Boutique Hotel in Camogli and Palace Hotel Lake Como in Como. These 3 were just gorgeous and authentic to the location.

Excursions were all to my liking: either private or small group, led by engaging and knowledgeable guides, entertaining and educational. I could not have selected better.

And the during trip travel team - always available by WhatsApp - deserve special recognition. They were always responsive, resourceful and patient.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Palazzo Grillo

Genova

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Porta San Mamolo

Bologna

Location a bit out of the way. Staff at front desk upon arrival not particularly welcoming or informative. Room was dusty - particularly AC when turned on & vent opened.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Escalus Luxury Suites Verona

Verona

Fabulous location. Amazing space in room. Just a bit sterile and lacking in charm or character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palace Hotel Lake Como

Como

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sublimis Boutique Hotel Camogli - Adults Only

Camogli

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Genoa Highlights Private Tour

Italy

Loved my guide and content of tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tasting Tour in Santa Margherita & Camogli

Italy

My favorite guide of the trip. Would book any tour she was leading.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Classic Bologna Food Tour

Bologna

Thoughtful and highly knowledgeable guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sirmione & Lake Garda Tour from Verona

Verona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valpolicella Wine tour

Italy

Wonderful activity. 2 wineries were great selections and very interesting juxtaposition. Onsite guides outstanding.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Verona Walking Tour

Italy

So much more to see than I realized.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local transfer in Milan

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Slow Travel In Como, Brunate & Torno

Lake Como

I signed up for this without properly reading what it was! Nonetheless, it turned out great. Fabia was excellent. At this point, I am in moderate fitness shape, and I found several points of relatively flat hike a bit strenuous. Had lunch at hike-in only restaurant that was charming.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Andrea and Guiliana arranged an amazing 9 day trip of Italy.

We have two Adult sons (19 & 23) and we wanted to take them to Europe as a family before out oldest started full time work. After deciding on Italy we were happily assigned to Andrea & Guiliana (they work as a team, it's really quite seamless between the two of them)

It seems like Guiliana did most of the specific planning for us (and she was the one we did the video chat with) so I'll refer to her mostly for the rest of this review (even though I know Andrea was working on it also)

After an initial back and forth she put together a initial itinerary - it's tough because we have two parents who would be happy sipping wine in a terrace, or who don't mind strolling through a church or museum and learning the history and two boys who want to 'do things'.

Anyway after we were sort of back and forth on the initial itinerary she set up a video conference -- this worked REALLY well, I think she was better able to understand our situation and she did a great job explaining what she was thinking. After another few weeks of back and forth we had settled on a plan.

You put a lot of faith in a travel agent like this -- You can read the descriptions of where you are staying and what you are doing but it's really hard to know how special it will be. Suffice to say it was incredibly special. The guides they arranged were extremely knowledgeable and super accommodating, the hotels were much nicer than we were expecting and the arrangements were perfect (the timing of trains, pickups, etc)

we mostly did private tours (a few small groups) and the folks they arranged for us were a delight (I get the sense that they have some good deep connections with really good guides who take on smaller groups)

The only little hiccup was weather related (which obviously no one can control) and our trip to Capris was cancelled due Andrea was in contact with me throughout the morning (we weren't certain until the last moment if it would happen or not) and he promptly issued a refund for that activity.

One little tip -- make sure you have whatsapp installed and linked to your number -- it's the best way to get ahold of them while traveling.

Hotel Reviews

Ca' Pozzo Inn

Venice

cool little hidden hotel that is pretty central and easy walking to everything in Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Navona Essence Hotel

Roma

Very nice small hotel that is centrally located with a nice breakfast and staff

Antica Residenza Amalfitana - Rooms

Amalfi

Fun place in almafi Almafi is a small city and this little hotel is for old school. It's impossible to find so the manager meets you in the town square and walks you up to the room, the rooms are cute and quiet.

Activity Reviews

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel skip the line ticket

Rome

Our guide (Mariapaola) has an archeology background (but probably also an art history!?1) -- she is incredibly knowledgeable and has amazing energy. The Vatican is huge, what I really appreciated was her ability to point out a few small things to focus on (either a small collection or some small part of a statue or picture) and how she can put it in a greater context.

Sunset E-bike tour of Florence and Piazzale Michelangelo with gelato in a small group

Florence

This is a must do -- you get out of the city and ride bikes in the hills around Florence. The day we went the weather was amazing.

Hidden Venice and cicchetti experience

Italy

Super fun local guide shows you around Venice and let's you sample food... what's not to like?

We had a lovely time in Italy and really did appreciate all the pre-planning done. Our logistics and travel in between locations was very thorough and understandable.
ROME- Our guided tour in Rome was fabulous due to Marco, our guide and our getting it done early before the crowds/heat. Getting our daughter delivered to the hotel was seamless as well. The hotel was nice but a little small as far as space goes. The elevator was hit or miss. The best part was the rooftop area where we could escape the crazy crowds. The included breakfast was nice but nothing great. We stumbled onto several good restaurants but would have liked maybe more recommendations and actual reservations due to said crowds.
FLORENCE-The cooking class was our favorite part and Thomasso our chef was superb. Some of our best meals were in that class. Our wine tour was also excellent and Christina was fun. Great locations and not too far from city center. Our hotel was great…again the gathering space was very small for us but we found a little bar right across the street that made up for that. Very centrally located and was VERY LOUD Saturday night until the early morning hours. One room smelled strongly of cigar smoke but we made it work. Better breakfast at this hotel. As in Rome, you really need reservations for both food and tours which we didn’t have enough of. The Duomo line was around the building everytime we passed and it wasn’t’ open often enough for us to go through with the time we had.
LAKE COMO-Beautiful location and much less crowded than other two locales. We didn’t really have any set plans for Como and that was probably a mistake. I arranged a private boat tour of the lake and it was lovely…Lake Como Boat Tours was responsible and Ricardo was very thorough and sweet. We rode the funicular up to Brunate and would have liked to know more about this area as it was right near our hotel. We got on it very early in the morning so we didn’t get in the crazy lines but nothing was really open at the top. However, the views were fabulous and so was the weather. I guess the takeaway from saying you want to go to Lake Como is that is a huge area and I wasn’t aware that the Villas were so far from the town of Como. WE did not see either Balbianello or Villa Carlotta due to their distance away and no tickets available. The ferry, which we were told would be the best way to get around the lake, had ridiculously long lines every morning and it was very hard to figure out where you really needed to go. I think more planning would have been helpful as far as that goes. Restaurants were easier in Como but we did try to go to one that was simply the rudest we have been treated in a while so I suggest not even trying at Numeronove…they have great reviews but it was very obvious that they did not want Americans in their establishment. One place that we really enjoyed in COMO was Vineria Vitani…very nice kid behind the bar and lovely atmosphere for wine tasting.
Overall, it was a fantastic trip and not having to worry about traveling between cities was great. We did run into terrible delays at Milan airport on the way out and would advise not to use that airport no matter the cost. We missed our connecting flight into London, had to scramble to get on a flight to another state inside the US then had to drive home from there. It was brutal. I suggest connecting in the states to an airport that goes straight to your destination. Lessons learned!!

Martina planned the perfect trip for us! Our hotel accommodations were almost perfect. Our only issue was one hotel that we were late to checking in to. Other than that, they were in the perfect location with great amenities. Our sightseeing tours were timed perfectly with breaks for things in between. Our tours in Rome gave us enough history and knowledge without exhausting us. Our boat tour of the island of Capri in the Amalfi coast was the highlight of the trip for me. Martina also organized our transportation so well. We were nervous about having multiple drivers, trains, and ferries to catch. She provided us the best timing to arrive at the train station, and all of the correct information on where to go. I will definitely be recommending Kim Kim and Martina to any friends looking to go to Italy.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Navona Colors

Rome

Great location within the city. Close to a plaza with lots of shops and restaurants. Daily breakfast was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Floridiana

Amalfi

Great location in the middle of Amalfi. The rooms were clean and spacious with a cute balcony. The rooftop jacuzzi was amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Galatea

Rome

We had a difficult time checking into this hotel. We were late in the evening so no one was at the desk. We called the number listed outside the hotel and it was not working. Since no one was at the desk to greet us, there was a random key to a room that we assumed was ours.

Activity Reviews

Guided Group Tour of the Colosseum

Rome

Great tour! Perfect timing and we loved our beautiful tour guide, Luana!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Train service and private transfer from {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} with visit of Pompeii

Italy

Capri Half-Day Boat Tour

Italy

The highlight of the tour for me! Absolutely stunning landscape. Our driver was amazing and showed us a ton of different caves and grottos. We were able to swim in one cave! We also swam in a beautiful area where we did some snorkeling. I would recommend this to anyone!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We worked with Vincenzo for 6 months planning our dream vacation and it was better than anything I could have imagined. Every place we went was perfect! There was no stress involved at all in country, our transfers were all seamless and timely. It was truly a fantastic experience and I will definitely use KimKim again when planning my next trip abroad!

This was my first experience traveling to Europe & it was made extra special through support from KimKim. They listened to what our interests and goals for the trip were & curated special experiences that we thoroughly enjoyed.
The hotel selections were perfectly situated, included lovely breakfasts, and were , overall, quite nice.
The KimKim staff handled details such as transfers & transportation that relieved us of much stress & afforded us opportunity to explore unique areas that we would not have been able to if navigated on our own. Their daily communication with us via their app was very helpful & appreciated.
Overall, we felt it to be a very personalized & thoughtful job by KimKim, which resulted in a trip that exceeded our expectations. I hope to have the opportunity to use their service again in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Monti Palace Hotel Rome

Rome

Great location, lovely room & bathroom, nice rooftop bar (open @ night) w/ great views, & lovely breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to many of the “main” sights

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Residenza Fiorentina

Firenze

Unique “residence” style setting with spacious room in a great location. Large breakfast spread. Water was available in community space which was much appreciated . The shower was “odd” in that 2 different glass doors opened & did not “seal,” causing MUCH water to get on bathroom floor

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shower, otherwise quite nice

Ca' dei Proverbi Suites

Venice

Lovely, spacious room with high ceilings on a quiet street in a great location (which felt very “local”). Wonderful breakfast included.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Abelonas Retreat Sunset & Sunrise Lodgings

Santorini

VIEWS!!!! Overall, good location. A spacious room w/ a large balcony (caldera view). We could view the sunrise from either the opposite side of the balcony or from the room entrance. A rooftop access from the room’s loft area. Breakfast served to the room to enjoy on our balcony. The shower was a bit tricky. It was quite small with short glass shower “walls” which resulted in water easily getting all over the bathroom .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Stella did a great job helping us

Cleanliness & Comfort

Athens Manor Houses

Athens

A nice, modern room situated amongst a “bustling” area of shopping & dining.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rome Food Tour

Rome

Roberta was our guide & she was GREAT! We loved the small, local spots she took us for authentic food. She shared info about the history of different spots of Trastevere as we strolled. She shared genuine interest in those of us on the tour & made recommendations for other great food & culture. It was an experience I definitely recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Siena & San Gimignano

Florence

WONDERFUL!! Our driver/guide (Francesco) was terrific! The winery was quaint & beautiful w/ one of the owners providing us the information/education. Lunch was lovely w/ perfect parings in a gorgeous setting. We spent time in the small towns of San Gimingnano & Siena which were so picturesque. The only “complaint” was that we wished we had more time. It really was a perfect day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Florence | City Highlights with David & Duomo

Italy

A wonderful guide (Laura) and experience that included just the right amount of historical sights/overview & local culture for our interest. Highlight for me was The David & learning that the store fronts on the Ponte Vecchio bridge look like treasure chests when closed up each night

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a walking tour

Private Venice Murano & Burano Islands Excursion

Venice

Wow!! This was one of the best excursions overall. Our guide for the day, Sarah, was wonderful! The glassblowing demo w/ Andrea as our “docent” was mesmerizing. We could have watched them all day. The colorful island of Burano was so quaint. It was relaxing to stroll the streets & pop in to small shops for homemade biscuits/cookies, etc

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luxury Catamaran Cruise around Santorini

Santorini

This started off rough. Our info re our pick up spot was either incorrect or the transport van was in the incorrect place. Once we arrived to the transport van, the driver was clearly annoyed with us & maintained that attitude. His van was extremely hot & he drove rather “recklessly” (likely in effort to make up lost time). The winding, narrow roads, the heat, & his driving caused much anxiety & motion sickness for all 4 of us. HOWEVER, once on the boat, everything was GREAT! The others on the excursion were such fun to spend the day with & the crew were great. We had a tasty meal of authentic food, good music was played, plenty of opportunity to swim & relax & the sunset was gorgeous. It was special for sure

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Crew on boat were great. This review for them

Transport

To have an Air conditioned van, a driver who is friendly & drives safely

Elena, our guide, did a fantastic itinerary for us that was not super touristy but also got us to see the special parts of each city. We had free time and also planned tours. Food tours were excellent! We had a Cesarine food experience in Florence in Barbara’s home which was just amazing!! What a delight! Our guide in Florence, Elvira, was phenomenal! We had most of our time well managed in Bologna, Turin, Verona, and Venice. However, we should have listened to Elena and stayed extra day in Turin instead of Bologna. We will definitely visit Turin again. It was beautiful and unexpected! All of the tours that were set up were either private or small group and worked well for us. Only slightly disappointing tour was Murano/Burano due to the fact that we didn’t have time to walk around much there. But it was still a great tour that I wouldn’t have anyone miss. The cichetti tour was something we would never have done or found and was super. I must say that all the tour guides that were chosen and the drivers, etc were excellent! We will use KimKim again for sure and would love to work with Elena again on our next trip to Italy! Thank you!!

Our trip would have been better had we stayed in one town eg Ostuni and done day trips from there. It was quite exhausting moving every day. Our accommodation was excellent except for Alberobello where we were required to climb up a high staircase. As we had informed you, one of our group was incapacitated and this caused us much angst but luckily the 2 men in charge of the hotel came to the rescue & organised dinner for us in our rooms. Also none of our drivers had much English although I had asked for English speaking drivers. All our guides were wonderful. Also the only meal included was dinner on the first night, apart from breakfast every day. Don’t think I would rebook

From start to finish, working with the KimKim team was easy and personalized. Giulia was so incredibly informative, responsive, and helpful every step of the way. Once we were actually on the trip, Marta and Valentina were available 24/7 via WhatsApp and helped us with a couple of small issues that arose. Both were due to things that arose on our end and nothing to do with any problems with the travel plan. They helped us make some adjustments and correct some mistakes we made allowing us to enjoy our trip stress free. Every hotel Giulia booked for us was absolutely perfect. We wanted boutique style accommodations and each hotel was unique and intimate. The hotels were each staffed with attentive, friendly, and helpful people as well as being immaculate in their cleanliness. The private drivers were absolutely indulgent, allowing us to travel the new country from the back seat of a luxury car with zero concern. Each one was timely, professional, and hospitable. The tours Giulia selected for us were exactly what we wanted and skipping the lines at incredibly busy places helped us make the most of our time. The train tickets and other travel arrangements were perfectly plotted and explained in our paperwork making our transitions from one destination to the next exceptionally smooth. This was a first class experience. I have only one tiny wish and that is for an itemized invoice when booking. Even so, I would recommend KimKim to anyone asking for a luxurious and pampering travel experience!