Rita Pagano

Thank you, Rita, for the trip you set up for my Granddaughter Maddie, Grandson Nate, and me. Everything worked as it should. All the accommodations were great, especially Matera. You had very nice drivers for us and wonderful guides here and there. Roberta at Pompeii was so informative and that was a great experience for Nate and me. Maddie and I enjoyed the experience cooking with Madia done through Loliv.com and Claudio, and the golf cart experience at Alberobella. i have already recommended both to friends who are traveling to Puglia in May and in October. The October couple has used KimKim in the past -- in fact, they were the couple who recommended the agency to me years ago. It was great fun to explore --an amazing experience to be with Nate driving the Amafi coast (!) -- so wonderful to be in Puglia with Italians, rather than tourists from all over the world. And I learned that I can, indeed, get myself through airports, trains and cities by myself when I have to . Altogether a satisfying trip for me, one I hope the grandkids will remember fondly, and one that has taught me that I will be able to travel without my late husband. Thank you for all your input, planning and execution!

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Rome Airport Hotel

Fiumicino

It was a Hilton Garden Inn. Good for the night before travel. shuttle every 15 minutes to the airport. Not much airport traffic noise

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Dimora Storica Muratore

Lecce

Fascinating to be here. Location was right next to the old city and had a peaceful garden surrounding the villa. Hostess was wonderful, especially when she saved a little breakfast for my sleepy granddaughter!

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Boston Hotel

Bari

Well located business-type hotel right next to the old part of Bari. Comfortable.

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Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel and Spa

Matera

Wow! great place with fabulous ambiance! Loved seeing the construction of a modern hotel in old caves right in the middle of old Matera.

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Hotel Miramare Sorrento

Sorrento

Very pleasant place away from the crowds but within walking distance of all the shops, restaurants and activity

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Unico Relais

Napoli

Very nice once inside. the street entrance was not well labeled and took some scrutiny

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Activity Reviews

Guided Experience in Alberobello: Trulli, Countryside & Picnic

Italy

Great fun to move around with the golf cart. The guide was on a Segway, and had grown up in the town. He had wonderful stories and experiences to share. Have the transportation made is possible to see just about the whole area in the 3 hours, as well as stops for a little shopping and lunch. Lunch was at a local's home, with a cooking demonstration and stories about the couple who lived there shared by the guide. We were also able to see the inside of a house that had been brought up to date and was currently a residence on the Unesco side of the town, as well as a house recreating what the former residents had for living space.

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Food

Transport

Discover Authentic Apulian Cooking with a Local

Italy

Restaurant had exceptional character, and a wonderful, charismatic owner who taught us to make some Puglian dishes. Very patient with me -- I had a hard time mirroring her quick hands making orecchiette. The story of her place and strategy in having a vegan restaurant was so interesting. Having someone there to translate made a huge difference to what turned out to be a very genuine experience. Loved it!

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Great conversation on the way

Explore Pompeii with an Archaeologist

Italy

Excellent Guide named Roberta. Very informative, very impressive to see the engineering of the place, so much more that I expected.

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Discover Naples: Guided Walk & the Veiled Christ

Naples

Excellent guide, great fun to walk around Naples

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

* We really enjoyed our stay at The Glam. The hotel was ideally located and close to many historic sites which allowed us easy access by walking or taxi. The hotel was comfortable and the breakfast was very good.
* Campo de Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience was an excellent, memorable experience. Our guide, Lisa, was outstanding.
* Private Guided Tour of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum was another wonderful experience. Our guide was able to navigate us through the crowds and provide us with the history we needed to bring the surroundings to their former glory. She was a very knowledgable and personable guide.
* Taking the train to Sorrento was a little overwhelming if you aren’t an experienced train traveler. We were targeted by a young person who impersonated a railway employee offering to help us. She showed us how to read the schedule and grabbed our bags to take to the appropriate platform. When the train arrived, she carried them onto the train. Then she demanded that we pay her 20 euros per person for the “service I provided.” We were all tired and flabbergasted at this point, so we gave it to her. Later we realized, we had been scammed. I recommend that you warn others to watch for this type of con at train stations. Most 70 year old Americans don’t travel by train, so they aren’t accustomed to the machinations of train stations. We are perfect targets.
* Sorrento - the town is quaint, but very, very over crowded. This part of the journey did not start well. Our driver dropped us off at the wrong apartment, so we stood outside of it with our luggage trying to communicate with the apartment caretakers via cell phone about where we were. When he finally figured out that the apartment was the wrong one, he told us to grab our luggage, and he told us where to walk . He met us along the way.
* Villa Sofia - I cannot recommend it to anyone. The beds were extremely hard and left the four of us with back aches. Frankly, it was like sleeping on a board. There was no shampoo, no bath soap and one large towel per adult for a three-day stay. Every Air B&B where I have stayed has basic amenities. The decor was authentic Italian style which would be a plus for some travelers. It did not compensate for the negative aspects of the villa.
* Private driver along the Amalfi Coast - excellent! Our driver deserves a medal for his skills in navigating the twists and turns of those steep mountain roads!! He provided us with interesting facts and history about the towns along the Amalfi Coast, and reserved a restaurant for us where we had an incredible meal overlooking the Mediterranean. We stopped in two of the towns where we had sufficient time to explore and shop. He crafted the time according to our needs. He was an outstanding guide.
* Capri Islnd and Anacapri - beautiful island, but the day was overloaded. There were too many activities planned for this day. By the time we took a boat to the island, rode a jeep to the top, jumped on a cable car, took a tram, etc., we were exhausted. There was no down time to explore on our own. The guide was pushing us to the next activity. She was good friends with the other guides; they kept telling us how good our guide was. It was like attending a sorority party of guides. The chosen restaurant was terrible. We were stuck in a corner with no view and our waiter was the rudest server I have ever encountered. I asked if I could have my dressing on the side. He yelled out, “IMPOSSIBLE!” He never came back to the table. The next waiter was not much better. Our guide had to intervene because the waiters could not understand basic English. I recommend a different restaurant for future travelers!
* Free day - we really appreciated a free day to roam around!
* Hotel Palazzo Vannoni - we loved this hotel! The original frescos on the ceilings were magnificent! The owners were so welcoming and hospitable. Levanto is the perfect place to stay. It is not overly crowded and allows easy access to the rail system connecting the villages of Cinque Terre. Exploring the villages is a unique and incredible experience; those memories will last a lifetime.
* Hiking and Wine Experience - this was an exhilarating experience! My husband and I cannot give enough kudos to our guide, Elizabeth. She was the best of the best!! There were several moments when my courage lagged on those mountain trails, and she rallied the adventurer in me. Our hike was followed by a delicious wine and food tasting experience. Elizabeth made sure we were returned safely back to our hotel. She wins the prize for most outstanding guide in our journey.
* Connection to Florence - I’m not sure how there was no advanced knowledge that a railway connection was closed causing a last minute change in the itinerary to be made that ended up costing over $500. Usually railway construction projects are communicated far in advance. Regardless, two railroad connections schlepping luggage is too much for most American senior citizens.
* Hotel ll Guelfo Bianca - great hotel centrally located in Florence. We were able to support the local economy in the central market, view the Duomo, and walk among the beautiful pieces of art and architecture that is found everywhere in this amazing city. The hotel prepared an early breakfast for us because we were picked up at 3:30 a.m. to be taken to the airport.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco

Florence

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Hotel Palazzo Vannoni

Levanto

Authentic frescos on the ceiling. Warm and friendly staff. Fantastic location.

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Villa Sofia

Sorrento

The beds were extremely hard. The amenities provided were sparse. Be prepared to bring your own shampoo and bar soap. Only one large towel was provided per adult for a three-day stay.

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The Glam

Rome

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Activity Reviews

Cinque Terre Hike: From Vineyards to Sea

Italy

The Pearl of the Mediterranean: A Day on Capri Island & Anacapri

Italy

OVERCROWDED itinerary

A Day Along the Amalfi Coast

Italy

Rome Unearthed: Guided Walk of Colosseum & Ancient City

Rome

A Food Lover’s Rome: Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto & Trastevere

Rome

Our trip to Portugal was incredible. We loved the walking tour, led by Alex who was well informed on the history of Lisbon. He spent extra time with us and also introduced us to Ginja.
All of our preset pickups were punctual and the boutique type hotels were in great locations.

Miguel, our guide on the tour to the Douro wine region was very knowledgeable of the area and a great historian. The area and views of the wineries were absolutely stunning. Miguel introduced us to ‘green wine’ and he knew a tremendous amount about US history, so he was prepared to engage with the Americans, as well.

Our drive to Nazaré and Obidos then back to Lisbon from Porto was a fantastic day of learning and traveling the countryside. Nuno was our driver, he was prompt and allowed us to spend as much time as we wanted in both cities. Both cities are worth taking the time to see.