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Manuela Cardillo

Born in the heart of Naples, but now calling the northern beauty of Brescia home, I am a travel enthusiast on a mission to share the wonders of Italy with other explorers.

From Madrid and Tenerife's sun-drenched streets to Benidorm's lively shores, I have lived, worked, and explored some of Spain's most vibrant destinations.

I love planning Italian trips, it's not just my job, itā€™s my passion! From choosing the perfect destinations to organizing every detail, Iā€™m here to make sure your travels are as seamless and memorable as possible.

My goal? To visit as many places in the world as I can, but no matter where I go, Iā€™m always proud to call Italy home.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I design travel experiences to Italy and Spain, tailored to meet the unique preferences of each traveler."

How did you get involved in travel?

"My passion for travel inspired me to pursue a degree in Languages for Tourism, followed by a master's in Tourism Management, to deepen my expertise in the field."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"One of my most memorable travel moments was during a family trip to Capri. As we entered the Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto), I was overcome with emotion. The waterā€™s vibrant blue, glowing under the sunlight, was so surreal that I couldnā€™t help but cry. It was a breathtaking moment of pure wonder, reminding me how travel has the power to move you and create unforgettable memories."

Manuela is part of the following groups: Spain Travel Agents, Italy Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Best Time of Year to Visit Italy
The best time of year to visit Italy is the late spring, early summer, and September, when the weather is warm, the crowds are manageable (particularly along the coasts), and...
Road trip itineraries
Discover the Tastes of Salento & Southern Puglia - 10 Days
Discover Salento's culinary treasures with wine, burrata, and olive oil tastings while mastering the art of local cuisine and exploring several of southern Puglia's most...
Honeymoon itineraries
Sun-Soaked Escape to Naples, Capri & the Amalfi Coast - 8 Days
This eight-day Italy itinerary combines the authentic character of Naples with the glamour of Capri and the Amalfi Coast. Explore the ancient city's history through the eyes of...

Favorite experiences

Campo Dei Fiori Food Market Tour & Pasta Making Class in Rome
Campo Dei Fiori Food Market Tour & Pasta Making Class in Rome

Discover the Eternal City through its culinary traditions on a guided tour of Romeā€™s most important market. With a local chef leading the way, youā€™ll peruse the Campo dei Fiori Market, followed by a pasta-making class.Ā Enjoy strolling through the large, lively, and ancient market of Rome, Campo...

Colorful street cafes, Capri
Capri Island & Grotto Boat Tour

Explore the stunning island of Capri and its many surrounding caves from the comfort of a traditional Gozzo Sorrentino boat. Start in the morning from the port of Piano di Sorrento. As you sail along the coast, youā€™ll pass the ancient fishing village of Marina Grande, the Roman villa ruins near...

Colorful Village of Cinque Terre
Train & Walking Tour of Cinque Terre Villages

Enjoy a walking tour through the picturesque towns of Riomaggiore, Monterosso, Vernazza, and Manarola, four of the famous Cinque Terre villages. This moderate walking tour is the perfect compromise for those who want to hike in Cinque Terre but donā€™t have time for the lengthy trails between the...

Recent trip reviews for Manuela

A worry-free way of travelling!
Spain | Jul 6 - Jul 16, 2025

Chiara
Chiara G.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Jul 17, 2025
This was our first experience with KimKim, and overall, we found it to be quite positive, leading us to consider using their services again in the future. While we did encounter a minor issue, we were impressed by how promptly the agency addressed it. Throughout the planning, execution, and follow-up phases, we felt well-supported. The additional activities we participated inā€”such as the hike in the Basque region, the cooking class in Barcelona, and the catamaran sailing in Palmaā€”were... Read more

This was our first experience with KimKim, and overall, we found it to be quite positive, leading us to consider using their services again in the future. While we did encounter a minor issue, we were impressed by how promptly the agency addressed it. Throughout the planning, execution, and follow-up phases, we felt well-supported.

The additional activities we participated inā€”such as the hike in the Basque region, the cooking class in Barcelona, and the catamaran sailing in Palmaā€”were particularly memorable and added significant value to our trip. The choice of hotels was commendable, and the transportation arrangements were executed smoothly.

We believe that the extra expense was justified, as it alleviated the stress and burden of organizing the trip ourselves, allowing us to enjoy our experience fully. This approach can greatly enhance future travel planning and ensure a more relaxing journey for travelers.

Local specialist: Manuela Cardillo
Manuela
Manuela Cardillo
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Jul 18, 2025

Ciao Chiara!
Thank you for your kind words, I'm so glad your first experience with us was a great one and that you felt supported every step of the way. I hope the memories from this trip stay with you for a long time and don't hesitate to reach out when you're ready to plan your next adventure šŸ˜.

Read all Spain reviews

Taking the areas out of travel.
Spain | Jul 1 - Jul 7, 2025

A
Alison D.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Jul 14, 2025
Manuela and her team made everything so simple. And they were quick with help when we needed it. They took the stress out of planning to visit a place we hadnā€™t been before. Xavier, our guide in Barcelona, was amazing - I highly recommend his tour of the city and FamĆ­lia Sagrada. So happy we found Kimkim! Read more

Manuela and her team made everything so simple. And they were quick with help when we needed it. They took the stress out of planning to visit a place we hadnā€™t been before. Xavier, our guide in Barcelona, was amazing - I highly recommend his tour of the city and FamĆ­lia Sagrada. So happy we found Kimkim!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Cala Fornells
Peguera

Beautiful location, friendly staff, delicious breakfast. Watch the sunset from the patio. Swim on a lovely beach. Easy access to town with the shuttle bus. The rooftop pool was a delight. I would come back again!

Authenticity & Character
Historic feel with modern conveniences
Location
The beach out front and the views!
Staff
Friendly and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Alta House Begur
Begur, Girona

Great location in the historic town. Easy walkable access to shopping, restaurants and the beach shuttles. Such friendly and helpful staff. Lovely breakfast. Be aware you have to park outside of city center.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Honestly the best part of our stay
Cleanliness & Comfort
Andante Hotel
Barcelona

Good location with access to everything we wanted to see. Helpful team. Comfortable rooms.

Location
Staff
Since we would miss included breakfast they made us a picnic breakfast to take. So kind and delicious!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Private Visit of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia
Private Visit of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia
Barcelona

Xavier our guide was amazing. Such knowledge and so many stories. We got a great hint of life and history of Barcelona. And his tour of FamĆ­lia Sagrada was the best part of the tour.

Quality of Experience
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Transport
Local specialist: Manuela Cardillo
Manuela
Manuela Cardillo
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Jul 14, 2025

Hi Alison,
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! It was a real pleasure helping you bring this trip to life, and Iā€™m so glad to hear you enjoyed it. I hope youā€™ll carry these memories with you forever. And if you're ever planning your next adventure, Iā€™d be happy to help!

Best,
Manuela

Read all Spain reviews

The airport transfers were awesome. The hotel...
Italy | May 25 - May 30, 2025

R
Rene G.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Jun 06, 2025
The airport transfers were awesome. The hotel was ok. It was one block off a major avenue near a hospital. So, we heard sirens day and night. Paid extra for a balcony and rooftop bar. Being one block off major streets, we were surrounded by taller buildings blocking all views from balcony and roof top bar. No one ever used the rooftop bar in the evenings. Also, no severs were visible to order drinks from, ie useless. Never used! The rooftop bar area was used for breakfast area which was ok.... Read more

The airport transfers were awesome. The hotel was ok. It was one block off a major avenue near a hospital. So, we heard sirens day and night. Paid extra for a balcony and rooftop bar. Being one block off major streets, we were surrounded by taller buildings blocking all views from balcony and roof top bar. No one ever used the rooftop bar in the evenings. Also, no severs were visible to order drinks from, ie useless. Never used! The rooftop bar area was used for breakfast area which was ok. However, breakfast buffet was the same exact food every single morning. No variety or other options given.
The scheduled tours were provided by Liv Tours. All the guides and drivers were excellent and went above and beyond. One guide Ribal who was amazing, remembered us from our tour with him and came over to say Ā«Ā HiĀ Ā» the following day when we were with another guide from Liv Tours. He (Lou name?) was also great and at the end of our Collosseum tour with him , he summed up our time perfectly Ā“It was like spending time with family!ā€™
Our Day Trip to Pompeii and Positano was a delight. We were impressed by our guideā€™s knowledge of Pompeii and could tell she really enjoyed sharing her knowledge and experience with us. We were disappointed kimkim could not book us and advised us against a long day trip by van to Florence & Pisa. I personally donā€™t like the opaque pricing but I understand itā€™s typical of travel agencies.

Hotel Review
Hotel Monte Cenci
Rome

It is a nice boutique hotel. I would not say it was 5 stars but charge as one. It is located in a central location. Everything is walkable. However, the hotel has no views from balcony or rooftops bar. No one ever used rooftop bar as it had no servers. The breakfast buffet was identical every day. Staff was excellent! We had room serviced every day and turn down service too. Close to a hospital so sirens noise 24/7.

Authenticity & Character
Small but elevator limited to two guests at a time. Some long wait times.
Location
Walkable but no views!
Staff
Awesome staff and very helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Cleaning public areas all the time.
Activity Reviews
Colosseum & Roman Forum Visit: Arena Access, Gladiators Gate & Ancient City
Colosseum & Roman Forum Visit: Arena Access, Gladiators Gate & Ancient City
Italy

Awesome inside and out. Our guide was excellent and treated us like family. Also suggested the best spots for that prefect picture.

Quality of Experience
Just awesome!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guide was very knowledgeable and brought along a slide deck (paper PowerPoint) too help explain some items in more detail. I loved it!
Private Pompeii & Amalfi Coast Day Tour from Rome
Private Pompeii & Amalfi Coast Day Tour from Rome
Rome

As a private tour we could go at our own pasce and select where to stop for pictures.

Quality of Experience
Pompeii is huge could spent a whole day there.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Driver and guide were excellent and experienced. Made everything run smoothly.
Transport
Top notch Mercedes-Benz van. Very spacious and comfortable. Expert driver on tiny little roads.
Private Guided Visit of Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Private Guided Visit of Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Rome

Private tour is the way to visit. More time to ask questions and can spend more time in areas you enjoy. Very crowded so small group is easier to navigate around huge groups.

Quality of Experience
We could ask to see or find items that were of interest to us.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Ribal our guide was very knowledgeable and knew where to stand to take the best photos.
Local specialist: Manuela Cardillo
Manuela
Manuela Cardillo
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Jun 06, 2025
Hi Rene! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. Weā€™re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the airport transfers and had such positive experiences with our guides ā€” itā€™s wonderful that they made your tours feel like time spent with family! We truly appreciate your feedback about the hotel and will share your comments with the team to help improve the experience for future guests. Regarding the Florence and Pisa day trip, we generally donā€™t recommend it from Rome due to... Read more

Hi Rene! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. Weā€™re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the airport transfers and had such positive experiences with our guides ā€” itā€™s wonderful that they made your tours feel like time spent with family! We truly appreciate your feedback about the hotel and will share your comments with the team to help improve the experience for future guests. Regarding the Florence and Pisa day trip, we generally donā€™t recommend it from Rome due to the long travel times involved and we always strive to offer the best advice based on our knowledge and availability. Thanks again for sharing your experience ā€” we look forward to helping you plan your next adventure!

10 Year Anniversary in Italy
Italy | Apr 21 - Apr 26, 2025

Tessa
Tessa P.
France | Reviewed on May 07, 2025
We had the best trip in Italy for our 10 year anniversary thanks to the help of Manuela and her team! She helped us find the perfect balance of exploration and rest for our 6 day trip, visiting Rome, Florence and Cinque Terra. All of our tour guides she arranged for us; Gabriella at the Colosseum, Valentina at the Vatican, Emmanuela in Florence, and Tony at Cinque Terra were all amazing and so passionate and knowledgable about the history of the sites.
The hotels Manuela recommended and... Read more

We had the best trip in Italy for our 10 year anniversary thanks to the help of Manuela and her team! She helped us find the perfect balance of exploration and rest for our 6 day trip, visiting Rome, Florence and Cinque Terra. All of our tour guides she arranged for us; Gabriella at the Colosseum, Valentina at the Vatican, Emmanuela in Florence, and Tony at Cinque Terra were all amazing and so passionate and knowledgable about the history of the sites.
The hotels Manuela recommended and booked for us were perfect and incredibly located in the heart of Rome and Florence. The itinerary was flawless!
The trip plans app was easy to use, and if we had a question or concern the team was very responsive. Don't hesitate, use KimKim for your trip, you won't regret it!

Hotel Reviews
47 Boutique Hotel
Rome
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Grand Hotel Cavour
Florence
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Guided Visit of Florence Including David and Duomo
Guided Visit of Florence Including David and Duomo
Italy
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided Visit of the Colosseum & Roman Forum
Guided Visit of the Colosseum & Roman Forum
Rome
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Gabriella from LivTours was Amazing!
Transport
Wine & Food Tasting Delights
Wine & Food Tasting Delights
Rome
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guided Visit: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Guided Visit: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Italy
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day Excursion to Cinque Terre
Day Excursion to Cinque Terre
Florence
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Manuela Cardillo
Manuela
Manuela Cardillo
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on May 08, 2025

Hi Tessa!
It was truly a pleasure helping you plan such a special trip for your 10-year anniversary. I'm so happy to hear that you had an amazing experience! Iā€™m thrilled that you enjoyed your time with our passionate and knowledgeable guides, and that the hotels were a perfect fit!
If youā€™re ever planning another adventure, Iā€™d be absolutely delighted to work with you again!
Warm regards,
Manuela

Read all Italy reviews