We cannot say enough wonderful things about Melanie R. and the incredible job she did planning our family’s summer vacation to Italy. From our very first conversations, Melanie took the time to truly understand our family, our travel preferences, and what we wanted from this vacation. Because we were traveling with young children, it was especially important to us to experience the history, culture, and amazing food of Italy while also making the trip fun and memorable for our kids. Melanie absolutely delivered.
Throughout the planning process, Melanie communicated with me regularly to make sure every detail was right. She took care of virtually everything—hotels, private drivers, exceptional tour guides, activities, restaurant recommendations, transportation, and all the logistics in between. What really stood out was how thoughtfully everything was selected. This never felt like a generic itinerary; it felt like a trip designed specifically for our family.
Our vacation began in Venice, where Melanie arranged a wonderful walking tour followed by a gondola ride through the canals. Our guide, Giovanni, was amazing. Both of our children absolutely adored him, and he became one of the most memorable parts of the entire vacation for them. We explored this beautiful city, experienced Venice from the canals, and enjoyed some incredible local food. It was a fantastic start to our trip.
From Venice, we traveled to Naples, which had been on my bucket list for a long time. Some of our favorite experiences of the entire vacation happened during this part of the trip.
One of the highlights was visiting a local farm near Sorrento, where our family participated in a mozzarella-making class. The owners of the farm then prepared an incredible farm-to-table lunch for us using local ingredients. Sitting together as a family, enjoying an amazing homemade meal while overlooking the farm, was one of those special experiences that we will remember for years.
We also did a local pizza and gelato-making class, which was another huge hit with the entire family. Not only was it a lot of fun, but we ended up having the best pizza of our entire trip—and the gelato was amazing too! We also visited Mount Vesuvius and the ruins of Pompeii, giving our children the opportunity to experience history firsthand in a way that was exciting and memorable.
We finished our vacation in Rome, where Melanie continued to strike the perfect balance between history and experiences that our children would enjoy. We had a private tour of the Colosseum, followed by a gladiator school experience that the kids absolutely loved. We also visited the Vatican and Sistine Chapel with another excellent private guide who made the experience both interesting and enjoyable for our family.
I wish I had the names of every guide and driver we had along the way so I could recognize each of them personally. Without exception, our guides and drivers were amazing. They were professional, knowledgeable, personable, and wonderful with our children. That consistency throughout a multi-city trip says a lot about Melanie and the quality of the people and vendors she works with. She made sure we were in excellent hands everywhere we went.
Just as importantly, Melanie’s service didn’t stop once our vacation began. She stayed in touch with us throughout the trip to make sure everything was going smoothly and that we were being well taken care of. Traveling internationally with children can be stressful, and having Melanie checking in and knowing she was there if we needed anything gave us tremendous peace of mind.
Looking back, what made this vacation so special was the combination of incredible destinations and experiences with how smoothly everything came together. Melanie handled the details and logistics so that we could simply enjoy Italy, spend time together, and make memories as a family.
I highly recommend Melanie R., especially to families traveling with children. She understands that a great family vacation needs to be enjoyable for the adults while also keeping the children engaged and excited, and she did an exceptional job creating that balance for us.
This was truly an amazing family vacation, and Melanie deserves so much of the credit for making it happen. We are already looking forward to working with her again to plan our next vacation to this region.
Thank you, Melanie, for taking such wonderful care of our family and for giving us a vacation we will remember for a lifetime!
Hotel Review
Wonderful Stay at Palazzo Nainer – Excellent Service and Location
We had a wonderful stay at Palazzo Nainer during our family vacation in Italy and would highly recommend this hotel.
The service was excellent throughout our stay. The staff was friendly, welcoming, attentive, and made us feel very well taken care of. The hotel itself was extremely clean and well maintained, which made our stay very comfortable.
One of the highlights was the breakfast. The quality and taste of the food were excellent, with a great selection each morning, and the service was equally impressive. It was a wonderful way to start each day before heading out to explore Rome.
The location was also ideal. We found it very convenient for sightseeing, dining, and experiencing the city, while still providing a comfortable place to return to after a full day of activities.
Overall, we had an excellent experience at Palazzo Nainer. Between the outstanding service, cleanliness, delicious breakfast, and fantastic location, it was a great choice for our family’s stay in Rome. We would absolutely stay here again and highly recommend Palazzo Nainer to anyone visiting Rome.
Activity Reviews
Private Colosseum tour and Gladiator experience
Rome
The Perfect Rome Experience for a Family with Kids!
Our private Colosseum tour followed by Gladiator School was one of the most fun and memorable experiences of our family vacation in Italy. If you are visiting Rome with children, we highly recommend combining these two activities!
Our Colosseum tour was excellent. Having a knowledgeable private guide made a huge difference, especially while traveling with kids. Our guide brought the history of the Colosseum and ancient Rome to life and helped us understand what it would have been like during the time of the gladiators. Seeing such an iconic historical site in person was incredible for our entire family.
Following the Colosseum with Gladiator School was the perfect choice. After learning about gladiators and seeing where they actually fought, our kids had the opportunity to experience a little of that history themselves. They had an absolute blast! It was fun, interactive, and a great change of pace after sightseeing.
What we loved most was how well the two experiences complemented each other. The Colosseum tour gave our children the history and context, while Gladiator School turned what they had just learned into a hands-on experience they could participate in and enjoy.
For families traveling to Rome with children, this is a fantastic combination. It was educational without feeling like a history lesson, active and entertaining for the kids, and equally enjoyable for the adults.
One of our favorite family experiences in Rome and a wonderful way to make ancient Roman history come alive for our children!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Family Vatican & Sistine Chapel Visit
Rome
An Amazing Vatican and Sistine Chapel Experience with an Excellent Guide
Our visit to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel was one of the highlights of our time in Rome and a truly memorable experience for our entire family.
Our private guide was excellent—extremely knowledgeable, professional, personable, and engaging. There is so much history, art, and significance throughout the Vatican that it could easily feel overwhelming, but our guide did a wonderful job explaining everything in a way that was interesting and easy to understand. We were traveling with children, and we especially appreciated the guide's ability to keep the experience enjoyable and engaging for the whole family.
Seeing the Vatican's incredible art, architecture, and history in person was remarkable, and entering the Sistine Chapel was an unforgettable experience. Having such a knowledgeable guide added so much context to what we were seeing and allowed us to appreciate the experience on a much deeper level.
We highly recommend this tour, particularly for families visiting Rome. Having an excellent private guide made a tremendous difference and turned what could have simply been a sightseeing visit into a meaningful and memorable experience.
A must-do while in Rome and an experience our family will remember for years to come!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Mozzarella tour and tasting
Italy
An Unforgettable Farm Experience in Sorrento
This was easily one of the most memorable days of our entire family vacation in Italy. Combining a visit to the incredible ruins of Pompeii with an authentic farm experience near Sorrento was the perfect combination of history, culture, food, and family fun.
We visited a beautiful local farm near Sorrento, and this ended up being one of our family's favorite experiences of the entire trip.
We participated in a hands-on mozzarella-making class, which was both fun and educational. Our children especially enjoyed being involved in the process, and it gave all of us a much greater appreciation for how fresh mozzarella is traditionally made.
The highlight, however, may have been the incredible farm-to-table lunch. The owners prepared a wonderful meal for us using fresh, local ingredients, and everything was absolutely delicious. Sitting together as a family, enjoying an authentic homemade Italian meal while overlooking the beautiful farm was one of those experiences that you simply don't forget.
What made the visit especially memorable was how genuine and personal the entire experience felt. Rather than simply visiting another tourist attraction, we had an opportunity to experience a little piece of local Italian life, meet the people behind the food, learn something new together, and enjoy an amazing meal in a beautiful setting.
For families traveling with children, we highly recommend this experience. The combination of exploring Pompeii, making fresh mozzarella, visiting the farm, and enjoying a delicious farm-to-table meal made for an exceptional day.
One of the absolute highlights of our trip to Italy and a wonderful family memory that we will cherish for years to come!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The Ruins of Pompeii & stop for lunch
Italy
An Incredible Day at Pompeii and an Unforgettable Farm Experience in Sorrento
This was easily one of the most memorable days of our entire family vacation in Italy. Combining a visit to the incredible ruins of Pompeii with an authentic farm experience near Sorrento was the perfect combination of history, culture, food, and family fun.
Our visit to Pompeii was fascinating. Walking through the ancient ruins and seeing firsthand how people lived nearly 2,000 years ago was an incredible experience for both the adults and our children. It brought history to life in a way that simply cannot be experienced through books or pictures.
After Pompeii, we visited a beautiful local farm near Sorrento, and this ended up being one of our family's favorite experiences of the entire trip.
We participated in a hands-on mozzarella-making class, which was both fun and educational. Our children especially enjoyed being involved in the process, and it gave all of us a much greater appreciation for how fresh mozzarella is traditionally made.
The highlight, however, may have been the incredible farm-to-table lunch. The owners prepared a wonderful meal for us using fresh, local ingredients, and everything was absolutely delicious. Sitting together as a family, enjoying an authentic homemade Italian meal while overlooking the beautiful farm was one of those experiences that you simply don't forget.
What made the visit especially memorable was how genuine and personal the entire experience felt. Rather than simply visiting another tourist attraction, we had an opportunity to experience a little piece of local Italian life, meet the people behind the food, learn something new together, and enjoy an amazing meal in a beautiful setting.
For families traveling with children, we highly recommend this experience. The combination of exploring Pompeii, making fresh mozzarella, visiting the farm, and enjoying a delicious farm-to-table meal made for an exceptional day.
One of the absolute highlights of our trip to Italy and a wonderful family memory that we will cherish for years to come!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Neapolitan Pizza Making Experience
Naples
One of Our Favorite Experiences in Naples — And the Best Pizza of Our Trip!
Our pizza and gelato-making experience in Naples was one of the highlights of our entire family vacation in Italy. We were traveling with our children, and this was the perfect activity for the whole family—fun, interactive, educational, and, most importantly, absolutely delicious!
The pizza-making experience was fantastic. We learned how to prepare authentic Neapolitan pizza and had a great time making our own pizzas from scratch. The experience was very hands-on, and the instructors made it enjoyable and engaging for both the adults and the kids.
And the finished product was incredible! We ate a lot of pizza during our trip through Italy, but the pizza we made here was our favorite pizza of the entire vacation. There is something especially memorable about sitting down together and enjoying a delicious Neapolitan pizza that you just made yourself.
The gelato-making experience was just as much fun. The kids especially enjoyed learning how gelato is made, and of course, getting to enjoy the finished product afterward was even better. The gelato was absolutely delicious!
What we loved most was that this wasn't simply a meal—it was an experience our family could enjoy together. Our children were actively involved, everyone had fun, and we came away with a wonderful memory of our time in Naples.
If you're visiting Naples, especially with children, we highly recommend this pizza and gelato-making experience. It was fun for the entire family, the food was amazing, and it gave us a chance to experience an important part of Neapolitan culture in a hands-on and memorable way.
Definitely one of our favorite activities of the entire trip—and we are still talking about that pizza!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Private Venice Walking and Gondola Tour
Venice
An Unforgettable Introduction to Venice with Giovanni!
Our private walking tour and gondola ride with Giovanni was one of the highlights of our family vacation in Italy and the perfect way to experience Venice for the first time.
Giovanni was absolutely fantastic. He was extremely knowledgeable about Venice, its history, culture, and local life, but what made the experience truly special was his personality and the way he connected with our entire family. We were traveling with two children, and both of our kids absolutely adored him. He kept them interested and entertained throughout the tour, and they were still talking about Giovanni afterward. He became one of the most memorable people they met during our entire trip to Italy!
The walking portion of the tour gave us a wonderful introduction to Venice and helped us appreciate the city beyond simply seeing the major sights. Having a private guide made the experience much more personal and enjoyable, especially as a family with children.
Following the walking tour with a gondola ride through the canals was the perfect way to finish the experience. Seeing Venice from the water after exploring it on foot gave us two completely different perspectives of this beautiful and unique city.
Giovanni helped make our first experience in Venice truly special. He was knowledgeable, personable, engaging, and wonderful with our children—the kind of guide who can turn a great tour into a lasting family memory.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Giovanni is the best. Highly recommend him. Our kids loved him! We all did.
