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active 8 hours ago

Maria Grazia Rubino

Born and raised in Southern Italy, I had the privilege to travel a lot, both in Italy and abroad. As a matter of fact, for me, travel is an all-consuming passion that started during my first trip in London. Since then, it grew more and more, especially when I had the chance to travel abroad by myself being lucky enough to meet people from all around the world. I thoroughly enjoyed tasting the local delicacies and getting to make new and fun experiences that I'd only previously dreamed of.

Of course, I want that travelers who visit my beloved country can make the same experiences and feel the same joy I felt. That is why, I enjoy planning a precise itinerary for them, so that they can live their best experience in the smoothest way possible.

How did you get involved in travel?

"I have always loved traveling and I started doing it since I was a teenager. I enjoyed the planning part and had a lot of fun organizing accurately the trip for myself and the people I traveled with, so that we could discover the hidden gems of each destination.
My love for traveling brought me to accept a job at the local InfoPoint, where I could help people exploring the beauty of my region, Calabria, and that was the perfect occasion to do what I loved the most: share the beauty of an amazing Italian region. After that, I started collaborating with Storywalking, an Italian tour operator that organizes FITs and small group tours throughout Italy. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"Without any doubt, my trip to Japan a life-changing experience for me!
I decided to travel completely on my own and went to Tokyo, where I met a lot of people of my age and lived this unique experience with them. Not only I visited Tokyo, but also Kyoto, Kamakura and other Japanese cities. Moreover, I had the chance to participate in different cultural activities.
I always felt like I was visiting a futuristic city, but the amazing thing is that as soon as I turned any corner, I would found myself in front a beautiful and ancient temple. I think this is one of the most peculiar trait of this country. "

Maria Grazia is part of the following groups: Italy Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Luxury itineraries
Road trip itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Maria Grazia

We worked with KimKim on our honeymoon and th...
Italy | Aug 30 - Sep 11, 2025

V
vanessa k.
South Salt Lake, UT | Reviewed on Sep 24, 2025
We worked with KimKim on our honeymoon and they were wonderful! They really customized the itinerary to our preferences and built the perfect trip for our specific personalities. We also appreciated how much free time we had as we like to explore on our own, it was the perfect balance of relaxation and activity. We would recommend KimKim to anyone planning a big trip who wants to truly enjoy it and not have to think about the little details. Read more

We worked with KimKim on our honeymoon and they were wonderful! They really customized the itinerary to our preferences and built the perfect trip for our specific personalities. We also appreciated how much free time we had as we like to explore on our own, it was the perfect balance of relaxation and activity. We would recommend KimKim to anyone planning a big trip who wants to truly enjoy it and not have to think about the little details.

Activity Reviews
Orientation Tour of the Cinque Terre - Half Day Private Group
Orientation Tour of the Cinque Terre - Half Day Private Group
Italy

Such an amazing time, we loved Heidi!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Portofino Paddle & Pesto
Portofino Paddle & Pesto
Italy

Filipo was great, it was a super fun tour!

Cinque Terre sunset tour: visit, aperitif and snorkeling*
Cinque Terre sunset tour: visit, aperitif and snorkeling*
Italy

This tour was awesome, we loved Chiara and Marco. We really enjoyed swimming and enjoying local food and wine.

Amalfi coast boat tour from Sorrento (Amalfi & Positano)
Amalfi coast boat tour from Sorrento (Amalfi & Positano)
Italy

One of the best days we had!

Secrets Walks of Sorrento: Street food by Locals*
Secrets Walks of Sorrento: Street food by Locals*
Italy

This was not a food tour, it was more of an orientation to the city. It wasn't what we expected and I wouldn't categorize it as a food tour to avoid dissapointment.

Highlights of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour
Highlights of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour
Rome

Loved Luca and his robust knowledge of the Vatican.

The Best of Colosseum & Ancient Rome With Exclusive Arena Access
The Best of Colosseum & Ancient Rome With Exclusive Arena Access
Rome

We had a wonderful tour with Valentina, one of our favorite guides. She was so knoweledgable and fun to hang out with!

Local specialist: Maria Grazia Rubino
Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia Rubino
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Sep 24, 2025

Ciao Vanessa,
We’re thrilled to hear that your honeymoon was everything you hoped for!
We’re so glad you could simply enjoy your trip without worrying about the details, that’s exactly what we aim for.
Warm wishes for many more amazing journeys together,
Maria Grazia & Storywalking Team

KimKim’s local expertise and responsiveness will make your trip abroad easy and very enjoyable!
Italy | Aug 30 - Sep 11, 2025

A
Andrew G.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Sep 12, 2025
Kimkim and our local specialist, Maria Grazia, made our trip to Italy spectacular! They provided us with a fantastic itinerary and put together a great trip plan for our honeymoon. The places and activities they recommended were perfect for our wishes, and they were able to make adjustments to the initially provided itinerary to make our honeymoon truly the trip of a lifetime.
They created a plan to stay in four different Italian cities - Santa Margherita Ligure, Levanto, Sorrento, and Rome...
Read more

Kimkim and our local specialist, Maria Grazia, made our trip to Italy spectacular! They provided us with a fantastic itinerary and put together a great trip plan for our honeymoon. The places and activities they recommended were perfect for our wishes, and they were able to make adjustments to the initially provided itinerary to make our honeymoon truly the trip of a lifetime.
They created a plan to stay in four different Italian cities - Santa Margherita Ligure, Levanto, Sorrento, and Rome - and see many more during our two week trip. They connected us with excellent local guides in each place, and were very responsive whenever we had any questions or needed additional information. They also made our transportation from location to location seamless, making travel quite easy when it could have been one of the biggest challenges of moving through much of Italy.
Overall we would highly recommend Kimkim for a trip to a place you are not very familiar with - they will be able to create a great itinerary for you and make your trip easy so you can just enjoy your vacation. Maria Grazia was also great, and she provided an excellent list of activities and locations for us to visit. Overall we are very happy with the entire experience and will definitely use Kimkim for any similar trips abroad in the future.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Tigullio et de Milan
Santa Margherita Ligure

This hotel is centrally located and has helpful, friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Easy to get to all of town but not located in an overly busy location
Staff
Staff, especially the waitstaff at breakfast, were very friendly and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
No issues at all, was very good
Hotel Carla
Levanto

This was our favorite hotel - the staff here were amazing and the hotel offered great services including free bike rentals, free beach towels, and an ice machine for our cooler.

Authenticity & Character
Everything was great
Location
Location was great - easy to get to all of town as well as the train station
Staff
The staff here were spectacular - very friendly and willing to help. They were great
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything was perfect
Maison Kalea
Sorrento

This hotel is located up the hill from the main portion of town, which was perfect for us as it helped us avoid the crowds near the main part of town. We also had a nice balcony to look out over town and relax after a day exploring the area.

Authenticity & Character
Was a cool and unique building with nice tiling
Location
We liked that the location was a bit away from the main tourist parts of town, but still very easy to make it down to the main square and access the sea and beach clubs
Staff
Everyone here was great as well
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything was nice and clean and comfortable
Relais Donna Lucrezia
Rome

This hotel was nice as well, but a bit trickier to identify since it is part of a larger building with additional businesses in it. However the hotel itself was great, with big rooms and a nice locally sourced breakfast each day.

Authenticity & Character
The hotel is owned by a family that has roots in the area and operates a family farm nearby, which provides the breakfast supplies and can be visited by purchasing a trip at the hotel as well.
Location
The location is good but was a bit of a distance from many of our activities, so we ended up walking quite a bit. This is fine as we don’t mind walking, but be prepared to walk a ways or take a cab to places like the Vatican
Staff
The staff was very helpful and personable, and the owning family has history in the area as well as a local farm with products available for purchase in the hotel.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything was great
Local specialist: Maria Grazia Rubino
Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia Rubino
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Sep 15, 2025

Ciao Andrew,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed your honeymoon and that the itinerary, hotels, and guides made the trip special. It was a real pleasure helping you plan such an important journey, and I’m delighted it became the trip of a lifetime. Wishing you both many more amazing adventures ahead! :)
Best,
Maria Grazia % Storywalking Team

Jacobo on the boat trip was excellent in lake...
Italy | Aug 19 - Aug 28, 2025

A
Andrew S.
Nicetown-Tioga, PA | Reviewed on Sep 04, 2025
Jacobo on the boat trip was excellent in lake Garda, he crafted us the perfect day. Read more

Jacobo on the boat trip was excellent in lake Garda, he crafted us the perfect day.

Activity Reviews
Milan Aperitivo & Street Food Tour
Milan Aperitivo & Street Food Tour
Milan

The Milan Aperitivo & Street Food Tour was an excellent experience. Our guide was knowledgeable and entertained us with stories about the places we visited. We tried a variety of delicious Italian foods and enjoyed discovering unique spots in Milan. It was a delightful tour that satisfied our culinary curiosity.

Half-Day E-Bike Tour
Half-Day E-Bike Tour
Dolomites

The Half-Day E-Bike Tour in the Dolomites didn't meet our expectations. We assumed it was suitable for a family with a young child, but it turned out to be more of a mountain biking experience. Our guide did his best, and his English was good, but the e-bikes weren't available for children, leading to my child having to be towed, which was concerning and scary for my child. The description needs clarity to avoid confusion for future travelers. However, we adapted by hiking to the mountain top, which turned out to be pleasant but not what we initially expected.

Local specialist: Maria Grazia Rubino
Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia Rubino
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Sep 24, 2025
Ciao Andrew,
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback across your experiences with us. We’re delighted to hear that your boat trip on Lake Garda was so special and that you enjoyed the Milan Aperitivo & Street Food Tour with its mix of stories, flavors, and hidden gems.
We’re truly sorry, however, that the Half-Day E-Bike Tour in the Dolomites didn’t meet your expectations. Your feedback is very valuable, and safety and comfort are very important to us.
Thank you again for taking the time...
Read more

Ciao Andrew,
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback across your experiences with us. We’re delighted to hear that your boat trip on Lake Garda was so special and that you enjoyed the Milan Aperitivo & Street Food Tour with its mix of stories, flavors, and hidden gems.
We’re truly sorry, however, that the Half-Day E-Bike Tour in the Dolomites didn’t meet your expectations. Your feedback is very valuable, and safety and comfort are very important to us.
Thank you again for taking the time to share such thoughtful and detailed feedback. We hope to welcome you back on another adventure soon.
Warm regards,
Maria Grazia & Storywalking Team

Everything was just as we had hoped. Chiara o...
Italy | Aug 29 - Sep 2, 2025

Erin
Erin B.
Kansas City, MO | Reviewed on Sep 03, 2025
Everything was just as we had hoped. Chiara on what’s app was a great resource and responded quickly. Read more

Everything was just as we had hoped. Chiara on what’s app was a great resource and responded quickly.

Hotel Review
Hotel Palazzo Squarcialupi
Castellina in Chianti

Medieval castle charm with modern amenities and wonderful staff

Authenticity & Character
Location
Perfect for Italy off the beaten path
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Driver at disposal in Tuscany
Driver at disposal in Tuscany
Italy
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wine Tasting with Tuscan Meal
Wine Tasting with Tuscan Meal
Italy
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Winery tour in Chianti Area
Winery tour in Chianti Area
Italy
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Terrace Lunch with Vineyard View and Wine Tasting
Terrace Lunch with Vineyard View and Wine Tasting
Italy
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Maria Grazia Rubino
Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia Rubino
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Sep 03, 2025

Ciao Erin,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your kind words! I’m delighted to hear that you enjoyed your trip and that everything went smoothly. It was such a pleasure helping you plan this journey, and I’m so glad it created wonderful memories for you.
I look forward to helping you plan your next adventure whenever the time feels right.
Warm regards,
Maria Grazia & Storywalking team

Sardinia trip...
Italy | May 18 - May 24, 2025

J
Jon C.
Mansfield, MA | Reviewed on May 25, 2025
Sardinia is beautiful and we loved the activities scheduled for us. The hotels were lovely and well situated. The guides for all our activities were knowledgeable and personable. There were a few minor glitches-our driver was given the wrong address for the car rental center which caused some stress. Our driver from the airport had some difficulty finding the hotel in Cagliari and did not speak any English so there were some communication challenges. We had previously booked a trip to... Read more

Sardinia is beautiful and we loved the activities scheduled for us. The hotels were lovely and well situated. The guides for all our activities were knowledgeable and personable. There were a few minor glitches-our driver was given the wrong address for the car rental center which caused some stress. Our driver from the airport had some difficulty finding the hotel in Cagliari and did not speak any English so there were some communication challenges. We had previously booked a trip to Portugal with KimKim and it was flawless, so we were expecting the same for this trip. Overall the trip was great and we will likely book through KimKim again for future travel.

Local specialist: Maria Grazia Rubino
Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia Rubino
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on May 27, 2025

Ciao Jon,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback!
We’re thrilled to hear that you loved Sardinia, enjoyed the scheduled activities, and found the hotels well located and comfortable. It's also wonderful to know that the guides made a positive impression.
We’ll work closely with our local partners to ensure this kind of confusion is avoided in the future.
Thank you again. We’d love the opportunity to plan your next adventure!
Best,
Maria Grazia & Storywalking Team

Maria-you exceeded all our expectations for o...
Italy | Dec 23 - Dec 30, 2024

L
Laura G.
Surprise, AZ | Reviewed on Jan 01, 2025
Maria-you exceeded all our expectations for our family trip to Rome and Florence to celebrate Chris holidays. The tours, restaurants and recommendations for walking while we had down time on our own were perfect and we cannot wait to come back and experience even more (hopefully soon!). Thank you for everything!
Laura
Read more

Maria-you exceeded all our expectations for our family trip to Rome and Florence to celebrate Chris holidays. The tours, restaurants and recommendations for walking while we had down time on our own were perfect and we cannot wait to come back and experience even more (hopefully soon!). Thank you for everything!
Laura

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Glance
Firenze

Perfectly located to walk everywhere and experience all the amazing streets of Florence!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
GCF Luxury Suites
Roma

Centrally located, clean and grey space for us and our two older kids. Walked to everything nearby.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Private Walking Tour of Florence | City Highlights with David & Duomo
Private Walking Tour of Florence | City Highlights with David & Duomo
Italy

Very detailed history tour!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Central Food Market & Tuscan Cooking Class
Central Food Market & Tuscan Cooking Class
Florence

The best family-friendly class with great people from all over the world. What we made and ate exceeded our expectations and we had so much fun!! Jon-our chef-was superb and taught us a lot o about Florentine life.

Quality of Experience
Food
All of it!!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Vatican Tour & Sistine Chapel
Vatican Tour & Sistine Chapel
Rome

Learned a lot and loved seeing everything thru the eyes of our guide.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
2 Restaurant Reservations
Rome

Delicious!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Colosseum Tour Including Roman Forum
Private Colosseum Tour Including Roman Forum
Rome

Julia is amazing!! We learned so much!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Maria Grazia Rubino
Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia Rubino
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Jan 02, 2025

Hi Laura,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that your family trip to Rome and Florence was everything you hoped for—and more. It was such a pleasure helping you celebrate the holidays in these beautiful cities!
There’s so much more to explore, and we'd love to help you plan your next adventure whenever you're ready (hopefully soon!).

Wishing you all the best and looking forward to your return!

Warm regards,
Maria Grazia & Storywalking Team

Kimkim did a great job of finding us rooms th...
Italy | Oct 3 - Oct 13, 2024

Lynn
Lynn R.
San Diego, CA | Reviewed on Oct 20, 2024

Kimkim did a great job of finding us rooms that were very centrally located for walking and getting to the places we wanted to go to. All of the guides were exceptional. The pick ups were always on time and easy to locate. Maria hooked us up with Storywalking in Sicily and they did a great job and were very responsive This was my second trip using Kimkim and I have referred many people to them and plan on using their services again in the future.

Local specialist: Maria Grazia Rubino
Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia Rubino
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Oct 21, 2024

Ciao Lynn,
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled that me and my Storywalking ream helped make your trip so memorable :)
It's great to hear the centrally located accommodations and guides met your expectations, and that everything went smoothly.
We look forward to helping with your future adventures!

Best,
Maria Grazia & Storywalking Team

We had an amazing trip to Sicily. Everything ...
Italy | Oct 3 - Oct 13, 2024

Bobbie
Bobbie X.
San Diego, CA | Reviewed on Oct 15, 2024

We had an amazing trip to Sicily. Everything was so well planned. Each guide was fun, knowledgeable and perfect! The street food tour with Valeri was a highlight. As was the urban winery- mt Etna. The wine pairing was absolutely delicious!
Hotels were clean and so well located and welcoming. Flexibility was appreciated.
When 4 travelers agree - you know they must be doing right!

Local specialist: Maria Grazia Rubino
Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia Rubino
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Oct 22, 2024

Ciao Bobbie,
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback!
We're happy to know that you had such a memorable time in Sicily. Our local connections and expertise are key to making each experience special, and it's great to hear that the street food tour and the Mt. Etna winery stood out for you.
Looking forward to helping with your next adventure!

Best,
Maria Grazia & Storywalking Team

Sicily October 2024 with Kim Kim/Storywalking
Italy | Oct 3 - Oct 13, 2024

Jean
Jean S.
Scarsdale, NY | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2024

Maria/Barbara of Kim Kim/Storywalking did an outstanding job of organizing our trip to Sicily. Accommodations were lovely and extremely well located.

Local guides, drivers and events were all punctual, very interesting and knowledgeable.

Storywalking was very attentive to any minor issues and questions that arose during the trip.

In summary, I highly recommend Kim Kim/Storywalking and would absolutely work with them in the future. We worked with Kim Kim last year for a trip to Portugal and were also very pleased, hence the booking for Sicily.

Local specialist: Maria Grazia Rubino
Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia Rubino
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Oct 14, 2024

Dear Jean,
Grazie mille for your wonderful review! We're happy to hear that you enjoyed your trip to Sicily.
At Storywalking, we take pride in our meticulous planning and attention to detail, ensuring that every aspect of our travelers' journey is seamless and enriching.
We look forward to helping you create more unforgettable experiences in the future!
Best,
Maria Grazia

Maria did a great job.
Italy | Sep 18 - Sep 27, 2024

Tatiana
Tatiana F.
Hollywood, FL | Reviewed on Oct 06, 2024
Maria did a great job. There were a few misunderstandings due to language barrier between italian and english but it was a great experience overall. All of our guides we loved just maybe a different guide for the colosseum because even though she was informative, there were many times that we couldn't really understand too well cause of her very strong accent. Our private drivers were amazing as well and the conversation between Maria and the Storywalking team was excellent. Also, restaurant... Read more

Maria did a great job. There were a few misunderstandings due to language barrier between italian and english but it was a great experience overall. All of our guides we loved just maybe a different guide for the colosseum because even though she was informative, there were many times that we couldn't really understand too well cause of her very strong accent. Our private drivers were amazing as well and the conversation between Maria and the Storywalking team was excellent. Also, restaurant recommendations would be extremely helpful because it's not easy to find an amazing restaurant even when you search on google.

Hotel Reviews
Ca' dei Proverbi Suites
Venice

This was our favorite hotel experience so far! Beautiful, modern and luxurious shower

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Unconventional Hotel Sorrento 3* Sant'Agnello
Sant'Agnello

It was a great experience here. We loved our view and the shuttle service they provide is very helpful as well.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Donna Laura Palace
Roma

It's a great hotel with good breakfast selection.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Venice Walking Tour with St. Marks Basilica Access
Venice Walking Tour with St. Marks Basilica Access
Italy

Omg! We loved this experience and our guide so much!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Amalfi Coast Private Boat Tour with Skipper
Amalfi Coast Private Boat Tour with Skipper
Italy
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Dinner Experience in a Local Home Restaurant
Dinner Experience in a Local Home Restaurant
Rome

We loved it!!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Colosseum Tour Including Roman Forum
Private Colosseum Tour Including Roman Forum
Rome

It was a great experience, just wish we had a different guide

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very strong accent, couldn't really understand everything she was saying. She was very kind and accommodating but the language barrier was a bit of a let down
Transport
Rome Street Food Tour
Rome Street Food Tour
Rome

DO IT! So worth it!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Vatican Tour & Sistine Chapel
Vatican Tour & Sistine Chapel
Rome
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Maria Grazia Rubino
Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia Rubino
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on Oct 09, 2024

Ciao Tatiana,
Thank you for this review!
We're thrilled that you had a great experience with Storywalking and appreciated the excellent communication with our team throughout your trip.
We're also glad that you had a great experience with our private drivers and that they helped make your journey smooth and enjoyable. We pride ourselves on providing seamless transportation to ensure our travelers' trip is as comfortable as possible.

I wish you all the best,
Maria Grazia