Kimkim Trip Reviews for Italy

Our recent trip to Italy from Venice, Florence, and Rome to Positano went better than I ever could have imagined! My mother and I planned this trip with Eirini’s expert help. She provided invaluable experience and suggestions. I found her to be very thorough and quick to reply when I had questions. Every tour, accommodation and transfer met or exceeded our expectations! Even more important than the pre-trip planning, I found the responsiveness during our trip the best part. Each day, I was sent a message with the itinerary for the next day with links to each ticket we might need. When I had questions or concerns, my messages were answered immediately and expertly. I would not hesitate to use this service again and wholeheartedly recommend them!

There are a few outstanding people and tours I want to specifically mention. First, our tour guide in Venice was absolutely amazing! Sarah was so friendly and hospitable. We felt like family by the time we were finished! We came to love Venice thanks to her unique insight. She was top notch!

Next, our tour guide in Florence—Elena from Walks Italy—did an excellent job. Even better was our cooking class with Alberto! This was probably the highlight of the trip and most definitely one of our best meals. We so thoroughly enjoyed this experience and loved our interaction with him!

In Rome, we considered ourselves so fortunate to meet Linda from Liv Tours, the tour guide for the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. She was phenomenal and gave a tour with the perfect balance of humor, personality and information. I felt like the size of this group was perfect (only 6 of us).

In Pompeii, our tour guide was also incredible, although his name eludes me. We loved our time in Pompeii!

Last but not least, our suite in Positano was absolutely amazing! I was dubious about it since I had had my heart set on a really upscale hotel that I couldn’t afford. But the Imperati Suites exceeded every expectation I had. It was the cutest place I’ve ever stayed with the most amazing view, the most relaxing shower and a breakfast that blew us away. As if that were not enough, the host, Katia, made it even better. She was so attentive and helpful throughout our stay. I can not sing the praises of this place enough. And the little restaurant nearby (Mediterranio) was our favorite of the whole trip, so we went twice! I am so grateful that Eirini recommended this accommodation as a more budget friendly option. I can’t imagine we would have enjoyed anywhere else as much as we enjoyed our stay here!

As I said before, each transfer and train ride went flawlessly and we were so appreciative that we had all those logistics worked out ahead of time! Thank you so much for providing excellent service and clear communication throughout so we were free to enjoy every moment of this spectacular trip! We will treasure our time in Italy forever!

Hotel Reviews

Imperati Suites

Positano

Absolutely the star of the trip in terms of accommodations! So cute, incredible views, amazing breakfast, and wonderful hostess, Katia. My mom said it was the best shower she’s ever had! We could’ve stayed here all week!

Authenticity & Character

Charm galore!

Location

10 minute stroll into town with cute shops along the way. Our favorite restaurant right outside.

Staff

Katia was amazing and so lovely!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Five star breakfast!

Casa Montani Hotel

Rome

This room was nice, bigger than expected and very clean. The breakfast was lovely and we found the host to be exceptionally kind and informative. We appreciated the elevator and would not have enjoyed lugging our suitcases up those steps! The location was perhaps the only drawback, as it was a good 40-45 minute walk from both the Colosseum and the Vatican. I’m not sure if there is a better location, but we ended up needing taxis and Ubers several times.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Something slightly more centrally located

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ca' dei Proverbi Suites

Venice

This was probably our least favorite accommodation, although there was nothing too much to complain about. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the breakfast was delicious! The breakfast attendant/housekeeper was so friendly and we enjoyed her hospitality. The steps up to the suite were a challenge and the room was a little stuffy and warm. That necessitated we open the windows, which let in some insects that bit me during the night. I had a 8 bites on my hand and two on my face. I didn’t feel like it was a big deal, it a fan could’ve helped a bit instead of leaving the windows open. We asked for a fan but never got it. We liked the location and the shower. Felt the room decor was just blah. All in all, just not our favorite, but not bad either.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It felt like it was in an authentic location, and not in the touristy part of the city

Staff

They were friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Italy

Our driver and tour guide were both top notch. I have forgotten our guide’s name (I want to say Mario, but I’m not sure).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Italy

We loved our guide, Linda! She was amazing at her job. So funny, informative and kept us at a great pace the whole time. Would definitely do a tour with her anytime!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Colosseum Tour Including Roman Forum

Rome

This was our least favorite tour. I don’t want to be harsh because it was mostly due to a crisis back home we were dealing with. We really could t enjoy the tour or focus on it bc we were so consumed with worry about the crisis at home. Filomena was super knowledgeable and accommodating to our needs. We found her accent sometimes hard to understand and it required a lot of attention and effort to keep up. We enjoyed our time, it just was a bad day for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Uffizi Gallery Skip the Line Entrance Tickets

Florence

We enjoyed the gallery. I downloaded an app that provided information which we enjoyed and I thought enhanced the visit since we didn’t have a guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Best of Florence Walking Tour with David & the Duomo

Florence

We really enjoyed this tour! Elena was a great guide. She was informative and insightful. The group was a bit too large for our taste, but now we know!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cooking Class with Dinner in the heart of Florence

Florence

This was the highlight of the trip! We had our chef, Alberto, all to ourselves and made the most delicious and authentic meal. We will treasure this experience but years to come!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Venice Walking Tour with St. Marks Basilica Access

Italy

Sarah was an exceptional guide! We felt like family by the time it was over and fell in love with Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Venice Gondola Ride

Venice

Easy to find, lovely and enjoyable ride. There wasn’t any narration provided but it was fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This is the third trip we've taken with Kim Kim and possibly the most enjoyable. We took this trip with our friends Abby and Robert Belafsky. Having read their review we echo all of the positive things they said. The trip was essentially seamless. And, to the extent there were minor bumps in the road, handled quickly and efficiently by Sabrina.
As stated in the Belafsky review, we were disappointed in the "tour" of the Ferrari factory, which was merely a drive around many buildings. Should others put the Ferrari museum-which was interesting and well laid out- on their itinerary they should be aware that they will be unable to see the inside of the factory.
All of the guides were fine with our two favorites being the guides in Parma and Turin.

Hotel Reviews

Turin Palace Hotel

Turin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cascina Galarej Villaggio Narrante

Alba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Corona D'oro

Bologna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Manzoni

Milano

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Museo Egizio

Turin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Turin Walking Tour

Turin

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Synagogue of Turin

Turin

Quality of Experience

Transport

Free afternoon in Alba

Alba

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Modena Walking Tour

Italy

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Parma: Parma Food Walking Tour with Parmesan and Balsamic Vinegar tasting

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bologna cooking class

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking food tour of Milano

Milan

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Theatre La Scala

Milan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided-walking tour

Milan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Milan!

Milan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We used KimKim and worked with Melanie and her team to plan our honeymoon in Italy, and it was truly the trip of a lifetime! We started in the north and made our way down south, stopping at several incredible destinations along the way — every detail was perfectly thought out.

What we loved most was how customizable everything was. Melanie took the time to understand what we wanted, worked within our budget, and helped us design an itinerary that felt completely us. From hotels and excursions to transportation between cities, everything was seamless and stress-free.

Melanie and her team were always available to assist, checking in from time to time and even sending helpful reminders about our next day’s itinerary. Their attention to detail and care made us feel so supported throughout the entire trip.

We never had to worry about a thing — we just got to enjoy our honeymoon and soak in all the beauty Italy has to offer. We can’t recommend Melanie and her team enough for anyone planning a special trip!

Amazing trip. The daily communication is outstanding (story walking team) they were very responsive to all of our questions and helped us with trip details like restaurants and side excursions. This kind of service really differentiate kim kim from other travel firms we have used. Our driver for most of the trip was Ezio. Very kind and responsive. We learned how to bridge the language barrier eventually. Our one snafu was handled very well with reimbursement for the expense we incurred processed quickly. Our guide for the Mt etna was fabulous as was the boat trip captain. Hotels were beautiful
This is the 4th time we have used kim kim and won't be our last!!

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Rome Airport Hotel

Fiumicino

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel

Syracuse

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel De La Ville

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condominio Monti Boutique Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Doric Boutique Hotel

Agrigento

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Valley of the Temples Tour

Italy

Our guide was very informative and spoke English very well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Driver at your Disposal

Taormina

Ezio was able to get us through some very narrow streets

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Trip along the Taormina Coast

Taormina

Very enjoyable day. We were able to change the time to avoid weather. Captain was very nice and accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mount Etna Wine Tour – Etna Wine Tasting

Italy

Quality of Experience

U

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fabulous guide

Transport

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

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Appian Way & Catacombs By E-Bike

Rome

. Not what I expected. Had to ride through traffic to get there. Very stressful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome in a Day Tour: Including Vatican, Colosseum & Historic Center

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our group of 4 had never been to Rome before and the kimkim team put us in an excellent well positioned hotel, suggested and booked all encompassing tours and worked with us to fine tune our time in Rome. It was a very pleasant and easy way to introduce ourselves to a city we have always wanted to visit.

Hotel Review

Hotel Navona Colors

Rome

Excellent location, we were able to walk to almost all the major areas. Comfortable rooms and extremely helpful and friendly staff. Lots of restaurants right outside their doors and even more less than a 5 minute walk away. This was a great choice for our group.

Location

Central to everything

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit to the Colosseum, Palatin Hill and Roman Forum

Rome

Great overview of the areas, our guide was personable and knowledgeable.

Late Entrance Tour of the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel

Rome

Sec was extremely knowledgeable about the Vatican. However his manner is more of a college professor than a tour guide, aloof and stern. It was a fairly large group and at times he seemed irritated. That said, his knowledge was incredible and we were shown a lot the area with a lot of detail in a very short time.

Private guided tour of Rome in Golf Cart

Rome

Alex was a very personable and knowledgeable guide for a panoramic tour of the sights around the city. He asked what areas we had already seen and found different and interesting places to show us. We took some really beautiful photos from some of the great vantage points around the old city.

Transport

It’s really nice to hop on and off a golf cart at the different spots. Easy on and off. Excellent way to get a feel for Rome.

Small group Testaccio Market food tour

Rome

Julia was a great guide, knowledgeable of the area and fun to chat with. We experienced several delightful food choices and were introduced to different types of establishments from a pastry shop to street food stalls to sit down restaurant. Excellent experience. I do wish the tour was closer to our hotel, so we could revisit, but getting away from the tourist hustle and bustle made for a more relaxed time.

My family and I had a wonderful time in Italy thanks to kimkim and our travel specialist, Manuela. This was our third time using kimkim for a vacation and, as before, everything went swimmingly. Manuela was incredibly helpful in curating an itinerary for us based on our schedule and preferences. She was prompt with her communication and insightful with her recommendations. Our itinerary including stays in Rome, Florence, Venice and Amalfi, with travel via train between regions.

In Rome, our local guides, Giulia and Valentina, were terrific for our visits to the ancient Roman Forum and Vatican. They also provided great insight into other local, off the beaten path, places to visit. Manuela helped us pick an ideal hotel location that was walking distance to most of the main attractions.

Later, we had a splendid time in Florence, and our local guide Paola was amazing. She offered us a rich history of the city as we walked around explored the sights. Manuela also helped us with planning a daytime road trip to Siena and Montergionni. Our driver for the day, Marco, was very accommodating given that we were traveling with a toddler, and provided us ample time to explore the Tuscan countryside.

We did a short stay in Venice, which was a very charming experience. Our local guide gave us a wonderful tour of St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's palace.

After a long train ride to Naples, we stayed in Sorrento for our Amalfi experience. Which, as per Manuela's accurate advice, is definitely more family friendly than the smaller locales. Here, Manuela arranged a driving tour of Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. All locations were superb, and our driver was terrific.

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Italy, and Manuela and her colleagues were instrumental in helping us with our experience. We would wholeheartedly recommend their services to those looking to book a trip to Italy.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Plaza Sorrento

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Carnival Palace

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Horto Convento Florence

Firenze

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Glam

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Day Along the Amalfi Coast

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Sorrento

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Venice: From St. Mark's Basilica to the Doge’s Palace

Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Through the Renaissance: Florence & Michelangelo’s David

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Vatican Unveiled: From Vatican Museum to Sistine Chapel

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome Unearthed: Guided Walk of Colosseum & Ancient City

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are so happy we found KimKim and got connected with Melanie!! We were planning for our honeymoon, and trying to make our way through all of the details on top of getting ready for our big day was so stressful for us. Having a local be able to help us with suggestions and give us genuine feedback and recommendations on where to stay and what to do was incredible. Melanie really went above and beyond. I kind of went overboard with questions and we pivoted our original plan for cities to visit, but she was so accommodating and flexible. It was such a relief to be able to iron out all the details, including accommodations, tours, and transportation, (transportation was a big one for us). We’d highly recommend using KimKim for your next trip. Thank you, Melanie!! We had such an amazing trip!

I have 2 complaints. First was the water taxi was 15 minutes late in Venice and we didn’t know if we would make our train. We tried to contact you, you didn’t answer. We tried to get another water taxi through the hotel and then the taxi you booked showed up, so we cancelled the hotel water taxi that was 80 euro. After we cancelled the hotel called Christine at least 5 times wanting a cancellation payment of 50 euro, that was ridiculous!

Second complaint, when we got to Naples we asked Marcello to take us to the best pizza place in Naples, as I wanted pizza there and it was lunch time. He repeatedly stated he was taking us somewhere for lunch after Pompeii and the place was great. We went along with it. Apparently he has a friend or a winery he likes there, he took us there for a wine tasting and food, while he ate in the other room and I’m sure he has a deal with them. Then at the end of the tasting I didn’t need after being in Tuscany for 4 days, they tell us it’s 75 euro per person. The people at the winery were great and Marcello was a good driver but I felt like he forced this on us, never stated what the cost would be and I wasn’t happy to say the least.

Other than those 2 things I’d say your planning was flawless, all of the other transfers were spot on and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip but I didn’t need to be aggravated by the decision of a driver who decided he was taking us to a winery that I’m sure he got a free meal at.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Onda Verde

Praiano

Authenticity & Character

Location

Views were incredible.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had a room with a great view but sometimes a smell when we got back to it. We probably should’ve advised them but didn’t.

Salvadonica - Borgo del Chianti

San Casciano in Val di pesa

Beautiful location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

You’re secluded here, obviously and the restaurant staff was just not great.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Hotel Argento

Levanto

Awesome place!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo San Lorenzo

Venice

The staff was not understanding of the water taxi cancellation and wanted a ridiculous fee.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cooking Experience with Donna Rita in Sorrento & Free Time for Self-Guided Exploration [From Praiano]

Italy

One of the highlights of the trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day on the Amalfi Coast

Amalfi Coast

Praiano is awesome but secluded, when you’re there, you’re there! A ride to another town is 65 euro each way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Amalfi Coast & Capri Island Boat Excursion | Stop in Capri Island

Amalfi Coast

Carlo was a great guide/capfain!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Val D’Orcia & Brunello Wine Tour with Lunch and Two Wine Tastings

Italy

Both wineries were spectacular. The host at Ercolani was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuscany Day Trip to Siena & Monteriggioni With Lunch and Cheese Tasting | Private Tour

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

2-day Pass | Venice Public Boat Service

Venice

My pass didn’t print out and you had no real answer except stating we should go to a ticket counter. The person there advised us to file an online refund request and wouldn’t give me a ticket. So that money for the purchase of my ticket was wasted!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

An on time water taxi for our transfer to the rail station.

Overall the trip was fabulous. For the most part all the places we got to experience were great. Of particular note was the back up support we got from Giorgia and her team. Anytime we had a question, concern, or just plain help, they were always there for us. We could not have done this trip the way we did with so much complexity and details on our own. We have been to Europe on our own before, but not for this long (45 days) and to so many locations ( I counted 31). Our tours were great with private tours more personal. We did enjoy all of the tours, of special mention these are the tour guides that made a lasting impression of the places they took us through. In Cinque Terre- Marta, Perugia -Michael, Pompeii-Alfonso, Matera-Vito, Valley of the Temples-Lorenzo. In looking back on accommodations, the stays we really enjoyed: Giardastelle Agriturismo- and Vinyard (Perseo Cottage), Park Hotel Argento Levanto, Hotel Ristorante Locanda Stella, Re-Federico Boutique Hotel. The one miss I should mention is B&B Il Leone Blu in Catania. This B&B was advertised as a 5 star, no way was barely comfortable, no lift leaving 3 flights of stairs to carry luggage. Breakfast was hardly passable and the location while close to central was gritty with lots of trash and graffiti. Catania itself is on the gritty side, however we really liked the city. Also worth while mentioning is estimation of driving time. Given unfamiliarity of the roads and frequent construction delays, you may need to add 30 to 60 minutes to drive times, depending on distance, in order to arrive on time. We didn’t rate the planning and booking a “5” due to the short time, approximately 5 days given to us to review the final plan prior to leaving. Again do to the complexity of this trip Giorgia did a great job, in addition she suggested places to go that turned out to be highlights of our trip, such as Matera.

Our trip to Milan and northern Italy was fantastic. I arranged the itinerary with Eirini over time, and she was most helpful and accommodating. All our guides were just great! In addition to being licensed and professional, they were all engaging and personable and knowledgeable--Laura in Bergamo, Eleanor in Brescia, Patrizia in Lake Como, Salvatore in Turin and Beatrice at the Palace of Venaria. We had no problems with train tickets and museum and ferry passes. The trip went very well, so I highly recommend Kim Kim, and will likely use them again. Thank you Kim Kim!

This is the second time we used KimKim. We used KimKim a second time because we had such a wonderful experience the first time! Sonia was very nice, helpful and knowledgeable. She accommodated all of our needs, changes and tweaks with grace and patience. We had such a wonderful trip to Italy! Our itinerary was perfectly balanced and there were no hiccups. WE LOVED EVERY PART OF OUR TRIP!! The private guided tours of the Florence art museums and Pompeii were exceptional. Our day trip to Sienna and to two vineyards in Chianti were beautiful and the perfect pace after busy Rome. Our VERY favorite parts of the trip were 1) the private golf cart tour in Rome with Emanuele!! He was the GREATEST guide we have ever had, and our tour was very special, intimate and provided great access to Rome in a way we never would have had on our own, and by foot, and 2) the private sunset boat cruise from Sorrento to Capri was a memory we will NEVER forget! It was so special and intimate and access up close and around Capri was spectacular. We can't wait to schedule our next trip. Thank you, Sonia! We love KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cristina

Sorrento

Palazzo Castri 1874

Florence

CC Palace Hotel

Roma

Activity Reviews

Private sunset boat cruise to the Faraglioni from Sorrento

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Private Excursion to Siena & Chianti Wine Region

Florence

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private guided tour of the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries (3 hours)

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private golf cart tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything happened flawlessly. Andrea Simone helped us set up a very customized experience. The travel between different cities was fantastic and occurred without a hitch. I liked having our train and driver reservations pre booked We went to 4 cities ( Milan, Verona, Venice, Rome). I must say that all the tour guides were so knowledgeable. Many times we did a private tour and we really got to know the local guides and their local experiences. I really enjoyed seeing the Last Supper and taking a day trip to Lake Como. Highlight in Verona was the arena. The tours of Murano and Burano in Venice were very special and should not be missed. Before entering the Sistine Chapel we had a 15 minute discussion with our tour guide Arianna that really helped understand all the various paintings. The Vamoos app was the best. All our tour and train tickets were could be found there. It was also so nice that Andrea checked in a few times to see how we were doing. I am so very happy that we used KimKim.

Activity Reviews

Colosseum & Roman Forum skip the line ticket

Rome

Mariapaola was a trained archeologist and was extremely knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - private guide

Rome

Great experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exclusive Murano & Burano islands visit (private service)

Venice

We had a private tour of glass factory and were able to spend about 2 hours with the owner. This tour was a real highlight

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milan Duomo and Last Supper guided tour - Small Group

Milan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Jewels of Venice (St. Mark & Doge Palace)

Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hidden Venice and cicchetti experience

Italy

It was wonderful to experience the local cuisine. Sebastiano was our guide and he was so nice to talk with

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Verona guided walk - private guide

Italy

Loved the arena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lake Como Guided Visit (Varenna, Bellagio and Villa Melzi Gardens)

Italy

Very relaxing train ride to the lake and such a beautiful place

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I liked having our train scheduled and tickets purchased

The Duomo Terraces in Milan (by lift)

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great service by Andrea
Transports were on time
Hotels as expected
Great experience

Hotel Reviews

Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel

Syracuse

Great location Friendly staff Excellent breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Belvedere

Taormina

Perfect hotel Amazing views Great pool Friendly and helpful staff The best

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel et Des Palmes

Palermo

Amazing hotel and location Super friendly staff Great breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Doglio

Cagliari

Great location and accessibility to restaurants and main sights Love the courtyard

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Almar Timi Ama Resort & SPA

Villasimius

Simply amazing Friendly and helpful staff We will be back

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided visit to the Ancient Theatre of Taormina (private guide)

Italy

Fantastic tour Our favorite guide Length was perfect Highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cagliari Guided Tour (private guide)

Italy

Great tour Great guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Palermo guided walk insight on the anti-mafia movement and street food tour (private guide)

Italy

Great tour and guide Food stop was fantastic

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Umberto, the guide whom we met day one in Naples was very, very professional and knowledgeable. He was fluent in English, was patient, helpful and always pointed us to the right direction in terms of questions on history of Naples, local culture and where best to see and dine. Although he only spent with us for half a day, he left a great positive. impression.

Hotel Reviews

Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa

Conca dei Marini

It's an amazing property with lots of history. The views are unbeatable and overall service is good.

Authenticity & Character

One has to learn a bit of the history to appreciate the intrinsic value of the property. Staying there is an experience... you would travel back to the past and get you much wanted peace of mind.

Location

Though a bit remote, it is hard to beat because it is exceptionally quiet and peaceful. You move your camera around, each angle will give you amazing postcard shot.

Staff

We dined at the Michelin Starred Ristorante il Reflettorio with high expectations. I ordered from the tasting menu for two plus a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. When the waitress brought me the wine, I made a point it wasn't chilled enough. The waitress looked surprised with my comment and reiterated that the bottle (half bottle, not freshly opened) was just taken out from the fridge, suggesting it should be cold enough. I didn't want to embarrass her by teaching her what's chilled (with the right temperature) and cold. I just signaled her I wanted the wine to be cooler. She look unhappy and took the wine away. It was only until I wave my hand than she brought me back a new glass. And when I finished the glass, nobody was unaware and came ask me if I wanted another glass. A huge disappointment for a restaurant at this price point.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Expect the room is relatively small and there is little space to swing a cat. But in here, you don't stay in the room. Go out and feel the air and sunshine.

Hotel Plaza Sorrento

Sorrento

Good location. Staff very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Excellent reception staff. Christiana is exceptional and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Scalinatella

Capri

A very classy property hidden in a quiet location with expansive views. Rooms are bright and staff are very friendly. Unfortunately, our overall feeling is that it is more form than substance for a hotel at this price point. A few negatives to share: 1. Its location, positive aside, may also be negative as it is not accessible by vehicles and the walk to the centre is quite long, though pleasant; 2. Due to the way it is built - all rooms are located on lower floors with two lifts. None of these two lifts will take you to your floor, you have to change lift. Not convenient. 3. Despite the brightness of the room, the main door (wooden) is old and soft. When I tried to lock it from inside, the small metal bar of the lock pierced through the wood frame! On the other hand, the mercury behind the mirror on the bathroom door was coming off with patches of ugly marks. 4. TV - Couldn't find a channel with English. Consider the number of international travelers coming to Capri, this has to improve. Finally, there are two SOS alarms in the bathroom. We accidentally activated the alarms in two occasions. The alarm inside out rang and nobody came. We had to go up to the Reception and inform the duty manager to fix it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Alabardieri Hotel Napoli

Naples

Location is great but as there is a walking distance from the main road where cars can stop and wait, it will be inconvenient for travelers if they have big luggage to carry. Remember most pedestrian walks are layered with rough pebble stones.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing. Very traditional. Keep it that well. The one issue is that it is a bit old and the amenities may not be up-to-date.

Location

Within walking distance to a few places of interests.

Staff

Generally fine.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sailing the Amalfi Coast: From Sorrento to Amalfi & Positano

Italy

Unfortuntately, we didn't start well as two passengers were missing at the meeting point. The driver had to wait and spent much time communicating with You Know Boat on the phone. Eventually we had to go another location to pick up these two passengers. Any hour of time was kind of wasted. However, as for us, we were cool and because of the things we had learnt the day before, we enjoyed hugely all the spots of interests the crew wanted us to see. The Cap, who was a great singer, sang on board some great traditional Neapolitan songs for us. Enjoyable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Day to Explore Sorrento

Italy

We were on our own on this day. We enjoyed walking on the side streets in Sorrento town centre.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Not Applicable

Transport

Not applicable

The Best of Capri: Scenery Boat Tour around The Island

Capri

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Capri & Anacapri Experience

Capri

On this day we had a person guide - Vincenzo - and on our itinerary a visit to the Blue Grotto. Unfortunately, due to poor weather conditions the latter was closed, and instead Vincenzo put us on a quick boat tour around the island. We were skeptical at first as we had another boat trip lined up the next day. But at the end, it turned out to be an amazing day for us. First, Vincenzo made everything easy and comfortable for us. He was fluent in English, soft spoken and funny. He had lived in Capri for a few years. He knew the place and people in and out. Furthermore, he didn't push us to shop, and he followed our pace instead of us following his. The boat tour, for new comers to Capri, is a great "intro". Without this intro, we wouldn't have found our boat trip next day meaningful as we had already acquired certain knowledge to appreciate better what Capri's scenic coastline could offer. The most memorable part though is the local restaurant - Ristorante Da Giorgio (near the Funicular station in town centre) which Vincenzo introduced to us. This is a gem - from service to food and environment, it far exceeded our expectations. Forget other restaurants nearby, this is a MUST-try.

Quality of Experience

The short group boat tour on "You Know Boat" had our thumbs up. Both the Captain and the on-board guide were amazing and helpful. Our big regret that we didn't know how to express our gratitude. But the time we thought they deserve a recognition we had already bidden farewell to them.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Taste of Naples: Guided Walk with Food Tastings

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

What made the people helpful? They are born helpful. Umberto the guide was simply unbeatable. Culturally sensitive and patient.

Transport

Not applicable. It was a tour on foot.

Eirini was very helpful and very responsive throughout the entire planning process. She was able to make changes to our trip without trouble and provided excellent suggestions and guidance for our trip to Italy. Eirini connected us to a local guide while we were in Italy and although we were a little confused as to why we were connected to a different person, Eirini still was there to answer our questions, along with Francesca from StoryWalking who was our more direct contact during our trip. Eirini chose great accommodations and food tours for us to be a part of and it was so nice to have all of the accommodations and reservations taken care of for us. We did run into a problem on our trip, that was out of both KimKim/StoryWalking's control and our control. We were a little stressed out at having to spend more money because of this issue however, Francesca from StoryWalking was able to help us out throughout the process and helped to ease us and provide us with private transportation, even though it was originally not going to be possible.

Hotel Reviews

Una Villa - Amalfi Boutique B&B

Amalfi

This B&B was breathtaking! The B&B had someone carry our bags down the stairs to our room and the entire staff was very friendly and helpful. The common space at the hotel was absolutely gorgeous and very peaceful. Our room was very beautiful with an incredible balcony and view. The bathroom was a little tight and strangely did not have much privacy however, it was still very nice. Breakfast was so nicely served to our room each morning and we got to choose as much food as we wanted! It was so nice to sit out on our balcony and eat every morning. I was surprised when we walked in the room that it was different from what was pictured on the itinerary however, it was still very nice. A wonderful surprise at the end of our stay was a gift of lemon pasta from the staff as we checked out. It was just one of the many impressive touches this B&B had.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful aesthetic!

Location

It was a bit of a walk to the center of Amalfi however, all of Amalfi coast was a lot of walking so this really wasn't too bad of a location.

Staff

Very very nice and helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was incredibly comfortable and the room was cleaned and organized every day.

Artemisia Domus Napoli

Naples

This hotel was a little confusing to get to but it was beautiful and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The bed was the comfiest bed we slept in all vacation. The room had a great view of Mount Vesuvius and was nice and spacious. Breakfast in the morning was very good and the gentleman serving the breakfast was very nice.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel itself doesn't necessarily have what I would call "Napoli character" however, it was very uniquely decorated and very nice and comfy.

Location

Great location within easy walking distance to all the restaurants and night-life. When the driver initially pulled up to the gate for the hotel, it was a little confusing and concerning however, the location really was great.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfiest bed!!

Alfieri9 Boutique Hotel

Florence

We are so sad we only got to spend one night at this amazing boutique hotel. Silvia, took AMAZING care of us from the second we walked in the door. She greeted us with such kindness and provided us with local recommendations for food and shopping. The room was beautiful and very large. The common area was beautiful and nice and quiet. Breakfast in the morning was intimate and very good! The cappuccino was the absolute best we had in all of Italy! When we return some day back to Florence, we will absolutely be staying at this boutique hotel again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

This location was nice and quiet and very safe as it is a residential area. It made it a little further of a walk than expected, to all of the action of the city however, it was still walking distance to everything.

Staff

Silvia was the absolute best!! She was so friendly and helpful from the moment we walked in the door.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ca' dei Proverbi Suites

Venice

This hotel was absolutely perfect! We were blown away when we walked into this beautiful suite. We couldn't believe how big the room was and how nice all the accessories in the room were. The staff was so nice and helpful and the breakfast included each morning was intimate and very good. The location of the hotel was great and the water taxi was able to pick us up right next to the check-out location.

Authenticity & Character

It has 2 floors in your room!

Location

Right next to a bunch of great restaurants and not a super busy area with tourists

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boat tour to Li Galli islands and Capri from Amalfi

Italy

This boat tour was a once in a lifetime experience!! The boat was comfortable and the driver of the boat, Enzo, was very good! He made the ride super smooth and even when navigating some waves, I never felt like the boat ride was choppy. Guilia, our guide, was extremely informative and very helpful throughout. She communicated via WhatsApp with us and this helped us to feel super comfortable and confident in being in the correct spot for the boat. We were able to stop in Capri for 3 hours and then we were able to go for a quick swim in a great, secluded spot, near the coast. There was a champagne toast during the ride and a limoncello toast with a biscuit. We were lucky and ended up meeting the nicest people on the boat with us that day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guilia and Enzo were great!

Transport

Very comfortable and good sized boat.

Naples Street Food Tour

Italy

This tour was very unique and unexpected! This tour helped us to see the beauty and the amazing culture and history of Naples. All the stops were delicious and there were plenty of them, including a nice surprise of a limoncello stop. Very unique food items that we would never have thought to stop at if we didn't have this tour. The timing of the tour was perfect with it being at night-time. The streets of Naples really come alive at night!! My only "negative" comment is that some of the stops felt a bit "tourist trappy" and at 2 of the stops, the workers there were trying to get us to buy other stuff instead of just letting us be on the tour. What we were alerted to as "tourist traps" from locals appeared to fit the bill at the fried pizza and the regular pizza stops. Despite this, all the food was still very delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide was very knowledgable and did a good job managing such a large group.

Transport

Walking along the streets of Naples was magical!

Florence Traditional Food tour

Florence

What an awesome experience this was!! Our main guide was Mara and she was training a guide named, Viola, during our private tour. Both ladies were absolutely amazing and so friendly. They provided us with so much history and local tips along the way. They were both so enjoyable to spend this time with and the stops along this tour were all incredible and delicious! The stops were all very special to Florence culture and it was the most different and delicious food we had on our trip. I would do this tour again and would highly recommend either Mara or Viola!

Quality of Experience

It was just me, my husband, and the tour guides and it was so intimate at each stop. Our first stop the wine bar was closed to the public and was just us inside, which was very special.

Food

Every single stop was delicious and I honestly couldn't even choose a favorite stop.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mara and Viola were top notch! Very friendly, informative, and just a genuine pleasure to be around.

Transport

It was all on foot but that was perfect to digest in between each stop.

Venice Gondola Ride

Venice

This was a very short ride and it was a little confusing trying to find the correct gondola meeting point. The guide was fun and provided history along the way. I do wish the ride was a little longer however, it was very memorable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide was an excellent "driver".

We are so glad we made the decision to go through kimkim for our trip to Italy. It was very daunting to coordinate all the accommodations, excursions, and transportation in four different cities in a different country but Manuela did a great job easing our worries. Manuela curated an exact experience we were looking for with safe and comfortable accommodations, seamless transportation, and desirable experiences that brought in history, romance, and adventure. Any questions we had were answered promptly. There were many logistics to plan out with our itinerary and every single one happened without an issue. The only recommendation we have is to include the name of the company for any of the excursion to make finding who we need to meet easier. Oftentimes there were multiple tour companies at the same meeting spot and the same time and when we didn’t have a name of the guide, it would’ve been helpful to know the name of the company to ask around. Thank you so much, Manuela and the kimkim team for making our 5 year anniversary a trip of a lifetime.

Trip was amazing and Francesco and the team was ideal to work with from beginning to end! Highly recommend!

All of the tours guides were knowledgeable and simply amazing. All the historical sites were easy to access with a booked tour.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Genova Roma

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Palazzo Decumani

Naples

A nice hotel in a great location. However, the beds were tremendously uncomfortable. The hotel is great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Ok

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds

Rialto Hotel & Suites

Venise

Hotel was nice but you cannot use any hair styling tools since it was against hotel standards. The location was great and the staff was wonderful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ability to plug Devices

Trevi Collection Hotel

Rome

Great location to the historical sites, provided a variety of foods for breakfast, and was comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vatican & Sistine Chapel - Small Group Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum, Roman Forums and Palatine Hill

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge

Transport

You walked through all the amazing sites

There were many helpful things that Leslie and the KimKim team did, especially when schedules changed or connections missed, for example. The team helped us to pivot and fulfill tours as planned, as we had some flexibility in our week to do so. They helped find accommodations in Milan, train tickets, and a driver during the train strike, as well new train tickets when we missed another train for Bologna. Also, the daily reminders for the next day was extremely helpful, as we had to navigate a lot and there were six people in our group, so everyone was on the same page, and it was all so new and different territory! I would recommend KimKim to anyone who is considering, as their experience and resourcefulness was appreciated!

Hotel Review

Palazzo Talamo

Positano

The accommodations were beautiful, clean, and authentic to the area! The instructions to get in were good, and the videos for outside, key retreival, and then inside, were essential! I would add to the instructions about the uneven terrain, especially the first half of the 73+ steps, and to be prepared for that! The bus schedule was helpful but maybe more clear instructions for that would help. It was great that the bus stop was right there at the location!

Authenticity & Character

The Design inside and out!

Location

The view and bus stop.

Staff

There were no staff as it was an apartment

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds and the bathroom and shower....

Activity Reviews

Olivia - La Residenza Dell'Orafo Hotel in Florence

Italy

Olivia really liked the accommodations and the location as well!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Olivia - Train service from Naples to Florence

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Olivia - Private Transfer from Positano to Naples Station

Italy

Olivias driver was very kind and stopped to get her a water, as she wasn't feeling well on her departure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Tour to Amalfi and Ravello from Positano

Italy

The tour was great and Pasqual our tour guide was classy, patient, and funny too! We did ask him to take us to the beach, especially for my daughter who wanted to swim in the Amalfi sea, but he didn't do that, and we did have an extra hour to spare, as he dropped us off one hour early. Perhaps he didn't want sand in the car which was beautiful and comfortable. Aside from that it was great and we had beautiful weather!

Quality of Experience

We haf a helpful navigator throughout our trip!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were positive, patient,knowledgeable, and professional.

Transport

Positive, patient, helpful, personable

Anita Was amazing to nowt only to work but out in the three cities that we visited, there were no hitches no gotchas, no surprises. It was extremely well coordinated with the guides that she set up being so good and so knowledgeable. We will use her again and again for any trips that we make back to Italy and we are trying to coordinate one for the next couple years. Outstanding.