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Marianne Lopez

I was born in France from a half Spanish family so was used to traveling for my very first age between France and Spain. I learned to love discovering new places and learning different habits and languages. After living in Ireland and Spain, I dropped my luggage in Sicily 12 years ago and started working in making people discover Sicily and Italy.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"Sicily, Amalfi Coast, Naples, Apulia, Rome, Venice, Tuscany
Wine experience, Self-drive tours, active trips, Classics"

How did you get involved in travel?

"My first experience was being a tour leader for trekking tours on Aeolian Islands and Etna. After 4 years leading groups around Italian countryside and volcanoes, I started planning trips for people who want to visit Italy, and know it from inside."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"The first time I saw Rome and Venice and the impression that a lifetime would be enough to see all the wonders they hold."

Marianne is part of the following groups: Switzerland Travel Agents, Malta Travel Agents, Italy Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice

Recent trip reviews for Marianne

3 days in Florence
Italy | Jul 8 - Jul 11, 2023

T
Tim S.
Wilmington, NC | Reviewed on Jul 18, 2023
Both local guides in Florence were very knowledgeable. Had to adjust some due to the heat and crowds at museum. But all in all great service provided. Read more

Both local guides in Florence were very knowledgeable. Had to adjust some due to the heat and crowds at museum. But all in all great service provided.

Hotel Review
Hotel Porta Faenza
Florence
Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to train station, but far from historical district, but still walkable
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Small room
Local specialist: Marianne Lopez

13 Day Sicilian Trip of a Life Time
Italy | Sep 15 - Sep 27, 2022

L
Lori S.
Fayetteville, NC | Reviewed on Oct 10, 2022
Marianne, our agent with Kim Kim begin planning our trip to Sicily almost 3 years ago but then 2020 brought Covid and we were continually delayed. Through it all Marianne was very helpful, patient, kind and very understanding explaining how to work thru the delays and with our concerns even after travel was reopened. I have to say ALL of our guides Captain Marco from Lionel Ritchie in Casslemare Del Golfo provided an amazing boat ride in the clear blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea,... Read more

Marianne, our agent with Kim Kim begin planning our trip to Sicily almost 3 years ago but then 2020 brought Covid and we were continually delayed. Through it all Marianne was very helpful, patient, kind and very understanding explaining how to work thru the delays and with our concerns even after travel was reopened.

I have to say ALL of our guides Captain Marco from Lionel Ritchie in Casslemare Del Golfo provided an amazing boat ride in the clear blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Lorenzo in Agrigento shared his incredible love and knowledge of his home town and of the Valley of the Temples, in Modica Professor Onofrio Prestifilippo’s exuberance sharing his knowledge of the excavation at the Villa Roamana Del Casale Villa’s and what’s more to be found was contagious, our guide in Syracuse was Fausto at the Archaeological Park where he shared his knowledge of the history of the caves and surrounding area, we had an amazing tour and lunch at the Tenuta San Michele winery then Marco Saprenza our guide at Mount Etna shared we were blessed because we could see Mount Vesuvius it was so clear, we couldn’t have had a more beautiful day and tour, we did a nice relaxing boat ride in Taromina in the Ionian Sea, we ended our travels in Palermo where our guide Lara Guida Turistica with her big smile and love of the city provided us a knowledgeable walking tour even though it was an unusually wet rainy day. Sicily is a MUST see destination!

Local specialist: Marianne Lopez

3-day Rome adventure to start our Travel!
Italy | Sep 12 - Sep 15, 2022

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Lori S.
Fayetteville, NC | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2022
Our agent from KimKim, Marianne was incredible and made our visit a seamless experience, we are so grateful. She provided wonderful suggestions, constant support, and coordination. Vincent was our guide for our 3 days in Rome was nothing short of exceptional! Vincent’s enthusiasm and knowledge of the history of Rome plus his visible love and pride for his home made each day exciting and so worthwhile. We will never forget our experience with him.
Ciao for now Roma, we will see you again 🥰
Read more

Our agent from KimKim, Marianne was incredible and made our visit a seamless experience, we are so grateful. She provided wonderful suggestions, constant support, and coordination.

Vincent was our guide for our 3 days in Rome was nothing short of exceptional! Vincent’s enthusiasm and knowledge of the history of Rome plus his visible love and pride for his home made each day exciting and so worthwhile. We will never forget our experience with him.
Ciao for now Roma, we will see you again 🥰

Hotel Review
Hotel Teatro Pace
Rome
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Local specialist: Marianne Lopez

from organizing to the real trip, everything ...
Italy | Sep 20 - Sep 27, 2022

Diana
Diana S.
Irvine, CA | Reviewed on Sep 28, 2022
from organizing to the real trip, everything is going smoothly Read more

from organizing to the real trip, everything is going smoothly

Hotel Reviews
Rivoli Boutique Hotel
Florence

charming hotel, good services

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Villa La Francigena
San Gimignano

amazing views, super helpful management, ample living areas,

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Marianne Lopez

Every guide we had was special, as was each o...
Italy | Sep 15 - Sep 27, 2022

C
Cecilia M.
Fort Myers, FL | Reviewed on Sep 28, 2022
Every guide we had was special, as was each of the tours we partook in. We especially enjoyed boat ride to the Zingaro Reserve. Boat company the Lionel Ritchie was great!
We thought Lorenzo Capraro delivered a wonderful guided tour of Agrigento.
We loved Professor Onofrio Prestifilippo at the Casale of Villa Romana.
Our tour of Ortigia and the Neapolis Archaeological Park with was amazing with Fausto Mignelo
Our tour with Marco Saprenza was awesome on Mt. Etna.
We enjoyed the energy of...
Read more

Every guide we had was special, as was each of the tours we partook in. We especially enjoyed boat ride to the Zingaro Reserve. Boat company the Lionel Ritchie was great!
We thought Lorenzo Capraro delivered a wonderful guided tour of Agrigento.
We loved Professor Onofrio Prestifilippo at the Casale of Villa Romana.
Our tour of Ortigia and the Neapolis Archaeological Park with was amazing with Fausto Mignelo
Our tour with Marco Saprenza was awesome on Mt. Etna.
We enjoyed the energy of Lara Guida Turistica on our very rainy excursion through Palermo.
All of our Hotel professionals were very capable, we especially loved Hotel Failla’s accommodation.
Overall we were very pleased with all the arrangements that were made by Marianne. It was especially comforting to be able to reach out to her whenever we were not sure of a given situation. Of course our drivers were timely and very professional as well.
We will definitely recommend Kim Kim and hope to do another excursion in the future ourselves.

Hotel Reviews
Agriturismo Casale del Golfo
Castellammare del Golfo

We loved the setting for the Hotel but felt it was slightly in a poorer location for touring purposes. Unfortunately the A/C was not functioning very well, so night time sleep was difficult,

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Failla
Modica (RG)

Loved this Hotel, excellent room, excellent staff, excellent location!!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Gargallo
Syracuse

Very small room, but it was the location that was so excellent for seeing Ortega.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Baia delle Sirene
Taormina

A little too far from Taormina, though we did not take advantage of using the cable car.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Tonic
Palermo

Excellent location in Palermo

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Marianne Lopez

Our trip to Italy was a long time coming!
Italy | Jun 11 - Jun 23, 2022

Michele
Michele F.
Santa Monica, CA | Reviewed on Jul 20, 2022
Our trip to Italy was a long time coming! I worked with KimKim Travel and Marianne for over 2.5 years, through the cancellation and uncertainty of the pandemic. We finally were able to go in June 2022. We went to Venice, Florence, Rome, and Amalfi.
I most appreciated coordinating all of the transport among cities. We took trains, private cars, boats, taxis! We had a hiccup with one of our drivers and the employees on the ground helped us in real time to rebook our train. It's really amazing...
Read more

Our trip to Italy was a long time coming! I worked with KimKim Travel and Marianne for over 2.5 years, through the cancellation and uncertainty of the pandemic. We finally were able to go in June 2022. We went to Venice, Florence, Rome, and Amalfi.
I most appreciated coordinating all of the transport among cities. We took trains, private cars, boats, taxis! We had a hiccup with one of our drivers and the employees on the ground helped us in real time to rebook our train. It's really amazing to have real time support when (not if) things don't go according to plan.

We loved the pace of the trip- I would definitely recommend spending 3 nights in each place, but definitely no fewer than 2 nights. Otherwise, you will really feel rushed. They scheduled tours of the Vatican museums (note- St. Peter's Basilica is no longer included in the Vatican Museum tour, so get separate skip-the-line tickets for that). Our tour guide Martina was amazing!
Our guides in general were all very good. We really enjoyed our golf cart tour of Rome- definitely a good way to see a lot in a short amount of time.
Our hotels were in very central locations and all included breakfast- a must when in Europe in my opinion.
Overall, I would highly recommend KimKim travel to book your Italian vacation!

Local specialist: Marianne Lopez

This was our first time using KimKim, but we absolutely loved it!
Italy | Jun 4 - Jun 10, 2022

B
Britton D.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Jul 05, 2022
This was our first time using KimKim, but we plan to use the service again in the future. It was so easy to communicate with out agent, Marianne, and we had a wonderful trip to Italy. We were easily able to share what our desires/plans were, including specific dates and locations, and what types of activities we wanted to do. Marianne and her team put together a great itinerary that covered what we requested. We were able to stay in contact with Marianne even after booking to make small... Read more

This was our first time using KimKim, but we plan to use the service again in the future. It was so easy to communicate with out agent, Marianne, and we had a wonderful trip to Italy.

We were easily able to share what our desires/plans were, including specific dates and locations, and what types of activities we wanted to do. Marianne and her team put together a great itinerary that covered what we requested. We were able to stay in contact with Marianne even after booking to make small changes (our flights were changed so that we arrived earlier and were able to request an additional tour the afternoon we arrived). Additionally, when one tour was canceled due to the leader testing positive for COVID, Marianne immediately contacted me with new arrangements for another tour. We were greeted at our first hotel with our printed vouchers, itinerary, and even souvenir books for the two areas we visited in Italy. One of the easiest parts of the trip was that our hotels and train travel was booked, as well as private tours, so we didn't have to worry at all about these details once we were in the country. Additionally, with the private tours, we skipped the long lines, which in addition to the phenomenal tour guides, was well worth the cost. We look forward to using KimKim to book a similar trip in the future!

Hotel Reviews
Culture Hotel Centro Storico
Naples

We were so grateful to the helpful staff and the air conditioning! The breakfast was delicious, and the atmosphere of the hotel overall was welcoming and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character
Modern furnishings and bathroom
Location
Easy to get to the marina and the centro storico
Staff
Helpful and shared great information about Naples
Cleanliness & Comfort
We noticed ants the last day we were there
Impero Hotel Rome
Rome

The location of the hotel was great- very close to the train station, and within walking distance of many of the central Rome attractions, and even had a variety of restaurants all around the block. The toilet didn't flush well, and didn't improve after we informed staff, but there happened to be an extra bathroom near our room for the meeting rooms, so it was fine. The breakfast was large, and erred on the side of boring and Americanized, but was good enough to start the day. The air conditioning was very welcome!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Centrally located
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
My husband thought the bed was lacking in softness.
Activity Reviews
Private guided tour on Naples
Private guided tour on Naples
Naples

Ludovica was absolutely phenomenal! She was extremely knowledgeable and did a wonderful job showing us around the centro storico. She answered our questions and shared details about history and architecture that kept us readily engaged for the whole tour.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
There is no way to experience the heart of Naples except on foot.
Tour the Colosseum and Forum area with a private guide
Tour the Colosseum and Forum area with a private guide
Rome

Martina from RomeGuides was phenomenal! Her husband, who we were originally scheduled with, had an emergency, so Martina conducted our tour. We are so happy she did! She was extremely knowledgable and engaging, and did a wonderful job of helping us better understand the history of Rome (there's SO much history!)

Quality of Experience
Everything!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Seeing and hearing the history and architecture
Transport
This kind of tour can only be enjoyed on foot!
Visit the Vatican Museums and Sixtine Chapel with a private guide
Visit the Vatican Museums and Sixtine Chapel with a private guide
Rome

Martina did an amazing job! We had a tour with Martina from RomeGuides the day before at the Colosseum and Forum, and touring with her a second time was a great experience. She was able to connect the history we had experienced at the Colosseum and Forum with all (SO much) we were seeing at the Vatican. Rather than just going through room by room and pointing out art, she wove a story that pulled everything together, culminating in the papal suites. We do wish we had had more time to see the modern art collection at the Vatican museums (which we didn't know existed until Martina briefly walked us through), but there was so much to take in, we would have probably needed another tour!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Marianne Lopez

My First Trip to Italy and...WOW!!!
Italy | Dec 15 - Jan 2, 2020

Tiana
Tiana B.
the United Arab Emirates | Reviewed on Jan 28, 2020
This is my 2nd time using kimkim to book a trip and I am so glad I did! This was my first time to go to Italy and I wanted to do/see all the highlights. Marianne created the ideal itinerary for me and I was able to do everything I wanted and more. I had the most amazing 19 days touring Italy-Venice (Murano and Burano), Florence (Sienna, Pisa), Naples (Amalfi coast, Sorrento, Pompeii), and Rome-with great tours and days to saunter and wander on my own. I mean, it was PERFECT! I did have... Read more

This is my 2nd time using kimkim to book a trip and I am so glad I did! This was my first time to go to Italy and I wanted to do/see all the highlights. Marianne created the ideal itinerary for me and I was able to do everything I wanted and more. I had the most amazing 19 days touring Italy-Venice (Murano and Burano), Florence (Sienna, Pisa), Naples (Amalfi coast, Sorrento, Pompeii), and Rome-with great tours and days to saunter and wander on my own. I mean, it was PERFECT! I did have a few hiccups but Marianne was readily and immediately available via WhatsApp to help and get things sorted for me and she did. Everything from hotels, tours, and transportation (private car and train tickets) were all booked ahead of time and I received all of that information before I even headed to Italy. Not having to worry about those things allowed me to relax and enjoy my entire trip. Marianne even offered great suggestions for things to do in each location during my days I had to explore on my own. I'm really grateful that those exploration days were part of my itinerary. I was able to revisit some sites as well as see things I encountered along the way. I didn't feel like I missed out on anything! I highly recommend Marianne to help you plan your Italy trip!

Local specialist: Marianne Lopez
Marianne
Marianne Lopez
Local specialist in Catania | Replied on Jan 28, 2020

Hi Tiana,
I'm really happy you had such a great time exploring our country and a great experience using Kimkim.

We had an amazing trip to Italy. The plannin...
Italy | Oct 12 - Oct 30, 2019

J
Judi W.
Yuba City, CA | Reviewed on Nov 06, 2019
We had an amazing trip to Italy. The planning went very smoothly with my contact taking into consideration the type of activities we were interested in and arranging for guides that were knowledgeable and excited to share their information. Marianne was a text or phone call away and very helpful in making last minute changes for us. We especially enjoyed Matilde’s pasta making class in Lecce, instructional and fun, delicious too! I think they could have done better with the mostly average... Read more

We had an amazing trip to Italy. The planning went very smoothly with my contact taking into consideration the type of activities we were interested in and arranging for guides that were knowledgeable and excited to share their information. Marianne was a text or phone call away and very helpful in making last minute changes for us. We especially enjoyed Matilde’s pasta making class in Lecce, instructional and fun, delicious too! I think they could have done better with the mostly average accommodations. The two agriturismo stays we had were delightful. B & B Conti Luna in Sciacca, Hotel Palazzo Failla in Modica and Hotel Baia Delle Sirene in Taormina were among the better. The people we met along the way made our trip an adventure we will never forget! Thank you KimKim, overall, great job!

Local specialist: Marianne Lopez
Marianne
Marianne Lopez
Local specialist in Catania | Replied on Nov 14, 2019

Hi Judi,
Thank you for your comment.
We're happy you had a great time in our country.
We hope to see you again soon in Italy!
Marianne

Experience the Best of Sicily - 7 Days
Italy | Jun 7 - Jun 23, 2019

I
ingrid B.
Canada | Reviewed on Jul 01, 2019
We had a wonderful 17 days in Sicily. Marianne and Alexandra where great. Communication while in Sicily was immediate. The guides they booked for us were knowledgeable and made our tours interesting. Each place we went to were memorable in different ways. Palermo, was the capital. We spent 3 days there which was enough. Had a great food tour with Streaty Tours. Trapani was a great little Port Town with lots to see and do near by. We cycled to the Salt pans, went to a winery ‘Baguio Soria’.... Read more

We had a wonderful 17 days in Sicily. Marianne and Alexandra where great. Communication while in Sicily was immediate. The guides they booked for us were knowledgeable and made our tours interesting. Each place we went to were memorable in different ways. Palermo, was the capital. We spent 3 days there which was enough. Had a great food tour with Streaty Tours. Trapani was a great little Port Town with lots to see and do near by. We cycled to the Salt pans, went to a winery ‘Baguio Soria’. The service was not very good, as we waited for well over an hour for our tasting and when we went to buy wine, there was no one to sell us the wine. However we meet some really nice people at the wine tasting and decided to join them for a tasty lunch. One of our highlights was taking the ferry to Panarea and Stromboli. Two of the Aeolian Islands. On Stromboli there is an active volcano which we hiked part way up. Upon leaving, from the boat, we saw it shooting up lava. The captain waited along time for us to watch this. Amazing!! We also had a fun time at our cooking class in Taormina, at Ristorante Porta Messina. We loved!!! Taormina. We spent 4 days at Grand Hotel Miramare. The views from our room were spectacular! The itinerary that Marianne put together was very detailed. It was helpful to included how long, time wise and distance one place was from the next. Most of the accommodations were as expected. The tours we requested, had great guides. And if I had a question during our trip. A quick text via what’s app worked perfectly. I would definitely book with KimKim tours again. Thanks for planning our fun trip to Sicily Marianne.

Local specialist: Marianne Lopez
Marianne
Marianne Lopez
Local specialist in Catania | Replied on Aug 04, 2019

Thank you Ingrid for coming to visit Sicily with us! We are happy you liked our island and had a great time here and agree with you that Stromboli has a special place in the Sicilian highlights!