Kimkim Trip Reviews

I had a really good time, and all of the guides I had were especially good.

2 wonderful guides:
1. Ivo - we were pleasantly surprised how easy it was to spend hours driving with Ivo. He helped us learn so much about daily life in Portugal and felt like a true friend by the time our trip ended. We spent much time talking about our own family and Evo even joined in during our weekly FaceTime call to her three year-old granddaughter.
2. Bernardo - a treasure trove of history in Porto and there probably was not a question to which we did not receive an informative response.

Everything flowed as planned. Aleksandra,did a wonderful job. I thought it was amazing.

Hotel Reviews

Pembroke Townhouse Dublin

Dublin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ballea Castle

Cork

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maldron Hotel Sandy Road Galway

Galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dublin Private Walking Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Blackrock Castle Tour

Ireland

No guide for scheduled tour

Wicklow & Powerscourt Half-Day Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sean was very knowledgeable & helpful

Transport

Trip of a lifetime!
The organization was very good, the activities were well planned and Jesus' daily updates including with boarding passes for internal flights were excellent. It did not seem to me that Jesus went to sleep.
I thought the guides were very well chosen - Fernando in Quito was an amazing fount of information about Quito, its history and the area. Our guides in the Galapagos, Justin in Santa Cruz and Oswaldo in San Cristobal, were very well-informed and good hike guides, though they was not with us all the time owing to boat trips and island changes. I would like to mention our transport driver (Arturo?) in San Cristobal - he was very courteous and prompt.
In the Galapagos, I would only change our hotel - the Golden Galapagos. It did not meet the standards of our other hotels.
The Indigo seemed much more organized.

In Lima, Nancy was an excellent guide with lots of historical details that we learned from her. However, our guide in Cusco was exceptionally way above the guides we had on this trip (Julio and the driver Robert) were above and beyond. Partly it was due to the elevation and related issues, but they also had really detailed knowledge and insights that were very interesting to hear.

We had a great time!

What could you improve - ditch the Golden Galapagos. Also, I noticed that the company always picked the cheapest room in the hotels. Can you manage to upgrade it a bit, to the second lowest level? At least ask the question!

Our recent trip to Japan, organized by KimKim, was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. The itinerary, Cultural Harmony & Culinary Discovery, was perfectly designed, beginning in Tokyo and ending in Osaka. It gave us a wonderful balance of Japan’s rich traditions, modern energy, beautiful scenery, and incredible food.
Every part of the journey felt thoughtfully planned and seamless. We especially want to recognize the wonderful guides who made our trip so memorable. Davin led us on an amazing walking tour of Osaka, bringing the city’s energy and food culture to life. Yosh guided us through Tokyo’s old town and the beautiful Nezu Shrine, where we also had the special experience of crafting our own maneki-neko lucky cat.
Masa gave us an incredible tour of Tsukiji Fish Market and introduced us to the anime and subcultures of Akihabara, which was such a fun and unique experience. Toru showed us Mount Fuji on the most perfect viewing day imaginable — truly an iconic and unforgettable moment. Asuka led our amazing tour of Nara and the Kyoto area, sharing so much history and local insight. Masako was also outstanding, bringing deep knowledge and expertise to our tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima Island.
The culinary side of the trip was another highlight. We enjoyed delicious regional foods, explored local markets, and experienced the depth and variety of Japanese cuisine. Ending the trip in Osaka, known for its food culture, was the perfect finale.
KimKim made the entire process smooth, organized, and enjoyable. The recommendations were excellent, the logistics were well coordinated, and the trip felt personalized and stress-free from beginning to end.
Overall, this was a truly special journey that combined culture, food, history, and discovery in the best possible way. We would highly recommend KimKim to anyone planning a trip to Japan.

Overall I was very happy with this trip. Adeline did a good job of communicating when planning the trip. All of the local guides were great except one and she was still passable. We did a lot of the trip on our own. As an experienced traveller we were able to figure out the local transportation but for people who are not seasoned or dont have a good understanding of Google maps the trip would have been difficult. I would encourage every one to stay in a Ryoken.

We had a wonderful experience using
Kim Kim and especially their local agent, Jane who helped organize our 13-day driving tour through England. Having an agent actually based in the country with local knowledge of major building and gardens made a huge difference. Her local recommendations, and attention to detail created a smooth and memorable trip from start to finish.
Our itinerary included:
* London
* Royal Tunbridge Wells
* Isle of Wight
* Lyme Regis
* St Austell
* Henley-on-Thames

I have done 2 trips with Kim Kim, England and Uganda to see gorillas. Both trips went
extremely well and would absolutely work with them again.
William Gordon, CA

I had dreamed about visiting the South of France for 30 years, and it was time to go!

Audrey was excellent in designing a tour that included everything I was interested in seeing and experiencing.

The hotels she chose were unique and charming. The guides she arranged were knowledgeable, engaging and fun to travel with. And when there was a transportation snag (train strike), she stepped right in and made it right so I could get to my destination in time.

The pace of the travel was excellent - usually three nights in one town with day trips to local sights - so I was able to settle in for a few days and really experience the locale.

Honestly, it could not have been better planned or executed. I appreciate what Audrey did for me in making my dream come true

Hotel Reviews

Casa Blanca B&B

Bordeaux

Tucked away on a residential street in Bordeaux, this was a surprise. Close to the tramway with easy access to the main part of town, it was quiet and restful. The staff was very helpful in figuring out how to get tram tickets and where to board. They also did a cooked to order breakfast rather than a buffet and I enjoyed what they served.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Figuring out the locks in an old building took a couple of conversations with staff, but I learned how to work them. Otherwise, just great!

La Villa des Consuls

Sarlat-la-Canéda

Great location, charming suite, helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

There was an issue with the door lock, which was being addressed after I left, but otherwise just great.

Le Donjon – Cœur de La Cité Médiévale

Carcassonne

I only had one night here but I enjoyed the lovely room with patio overlooking tall trees. That was refreshing. An amazing breakfast buffet!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Garlande Hotel Avignon Centre

Avignon

Well located with very helpful owner and staff. Great breakfasts. Spacious and comfortable room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maison Dauphine Appartment & Art Gallery

AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Charming with a delightful and helpful owner, Veronique. Great location and easy access to the main part of Aix.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Food tour in the historic Bordeaux

Bordeaux

I really loved learning about the food specialties of Bordeaux and walking around the old town and seeing the food market.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marianne was excellent with great information and delicious samples for us to try.

Transport

We walked so no vehicular transport involved. Got there by tram which was easy.

Bay of Arcachon Day Trip

Bordeaux

This was a fun day. Enjoyed seeing Arcachon. I didn't have the right footwear to climb the sand dune, but enjoyed sitting in a cafe waiting for the group to return. A surprise was meeting a friend from my hometown in the tour group. She had moved away, and we hadn't seen each other in a few years. We had a lovely time catching up (and speaking English)!

Quality of Experience

Food

I enjoyed learning about the oyster culture as my cousin is an oyster farmer in Virginia. And the shrimp and fois gras were delicious for lunch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lascaux and Les Eyzies Museum tour

Sarlat

Being in a real prehistoric cave and seeing the art there was a unique experience. Then seeing the reproduction of Lascaux was fascinating. The art was easier to see in this exhibit than in the smaller, real cave earlier in the day. Lunch by the river was relaxing and delicious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My last day with Clara was delightful. She helped me understand the area and its history and customs so much.

Transport

Visit of Milandes Castle (Entrance Tickets Included)

France

This was a great experience seeing the restored chateau, learning about Josephine Baker, and seeing the bird show.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enjoyed another day with Clara

Transport

Full-Day Discovery of the Dordogne Valley: Castles, Villages & Timeless Landscapes

France

The villages, lunch al fresco, and a ride on the river were a delight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Another great day with Clara

Transport

A Half Day Trip from Sarlat to Rocamadour village (Morning)

France

This is an amazing site with a lot of steps! The ability to build so much on the side of a mountain was impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Clara was lovely and it was a pleasure to spend several days with her getting to know the White Perigord.

Transport

Guided Visit of the Medieval City of Carcassonne

Carcassonne

I only had one night here and it was crowded with folks on spring break. The military aspect of the walled fortress wasn't my favorite, but I'm glad I got to see this unique town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Excursion to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer with Driver-Guide

France

This was a surprise day! Since I had already been to Arles, we were able to visit La Carmargue, which was fascinating. We saw the bulls, the horses, the flamingos, the salt water pools, and the rice fields. Had a lovely lunch in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and a walk on the beach.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Another day with Adrien was wonderful and informative. We had fun.

Transport

In the footsteps of Van Gogh

Avignon

I enjoyed seeing Arles and thought I would be sad seeing the Hospital where van Gogh spent time, but it was pleasant and very interesting to see what we saw.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ghis was excellent, so knowledgeable, and enthusiastic to share his love of this area.

Morning Luberon Villages Tour: Roussillon, Gordes & Sorgues River

Avignon

It was good to be with other English-speakers on this group tour. We enjoyed our time together and the beautiful villages we visited - including the square where A Good Year was filmed!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jocelyn was an excellent guide, kind when I tried out my French on him, and funny.

Transport

Day excursion to Sainte-Baume caves

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Adrien Jeanjean was quite knowledgeable, flexible since I didn't want to hike, and easy to spend the day with.

Transport

An amazing experience! The whole trip to Croatia was excellent. The Kimkim team took care of us every step of the way, were always prompt, knowledgeable and available. Our accommodations were very nice and included a full breakfast every morning, which was appreciated.
We loved the variety of excursions as every day brought something new and interesting to see and do, exploring tiny hilltop villages, going deep into magnificent caves, exploring Roman ruins, hiking in the national parks and topped off with an amazing private speedboat ride to explore the small islands around Dubrovnik. These are just a few things that we enjoyed.
Our guides, Mario, Pero, Goran, and Antea knew so much about the attractions and history of Croatia and kept us interested and entertained. It was especially nice to spend a few days with Mario and Goran and get to know them. They were very accommodating if we wanted to slightly change our day. Robi is a top notch tour organizer who is easy to reach, communicates every detail and provides loads of tips of where to eat and what to do on free time. All said, we thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our trip and would highly recommend Kimkim to anyone looking for an amazing experience!

Activity Reviews

Dubrovnik Old Town and the City Walls

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private boat trip to Elafiti islands

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pelješac penisula and Ston- triple atraction - from Korčula

Korčula

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Korčula island and town

Korčula

Quality of Experience

Explore Hvar

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Explore Split & Diocletian's palace

Split

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Krka National Park

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Zadar

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Plitvice Lakes National Park

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Rovinj and Pula

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Motovun, Grožnjan, Oprtalj - inland of Istria. medieval towns on hills

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Postojna and Škocjan Caves in Slovenia

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Bled lake and Ljubljana town

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

To be perfectly honest, I arrived in Egypt with very neutral expectations. These were swept away in no time at all by the impeccable quality of the welcome provided by Egypt Promotion Tours. Every transition and every point of contact went smoothly.
Above all, I appreciated the knowledge of our guides, Omar and Mohammed J. Both patiently answered my countless questions, some of which were perhaps a little unusual.
The organisation dealt with unexpected incidents swiftly and efficiently, such as a lost suitcase or a malfunctioning air conditioning unit.
I felt well looked after and safe throughout my entire stay.
My initial neutral expectations were replaced by amazement and appreciation for this diverse, millennia-old country, with fantastic food and smiles that seem to come from the heart and reach the eyes.
This was made possible, among other things, by the excellent organisation: thank you very much for that!

Paul provided the best travel customer experience we’ve ever had!

From the start of travel planning he engaged. He provided a travel recommendations and responded to inquiries and suggestions immediately. Throughout the process he responded within minutes of questions being sent. This included multiple times of what we considered off hours on weekends and later than most of us work. He also called a couple of times to ensure we were on the same page. During the trip he asked how things were going and volunteered to travel (inconveniently across Quito to meet us). Kim Kim and Paul allowed us to create a photo album. Here we are nearly three months after the trip and he’s still been responsive to our questions and thank yous. We cannot recommend him enough!

The trip was amazing. My wife and I put it at the top of our list and we’ve traveled significantly. When we first looked at the itinerary we thought there might be too much snorkeling. I’m a scuba instructor and admittedly think snorkeling leaves something to be desired. To my amazement the snorkeling was better than many dives that I’ve done. Thank you for the humbling experience. We saw sharks, sea lions, sea horses, turtles, iguanas. Wonderful stuff. The birds, tortoises and SEALIONS were something else.

I loved that we asked for changes and Paul found options. Within the process we added a friend traveler and he was able to align our plans completely.

TOP NOTCH.

Paul - you truly are the best. Thank you!

The trip was amazing. The hotels were excellent. The only constructive criticism was the guide in Lumbak was not very good. Asink was very pleasant but didn’t really guide us thru the area especially considering how wonderful the other guides were. Also the tasting lunch was not good and would not recommend using that restaurant in the future. Otherwise everything else was spectacular.

Our guide, through the Annapurna Conservation Area, Keshu Sherpa was amazing. She was attentive and very mindful of us. We can't say enough good things about her! Raj's briefing was very clear. Bipin's logistical support was very attuned and our drivers were skilled and punctual.

Hotel Review

Temple Tree Resort & Spa

Pokhara

Temple Tree Resort and Spa was amazing --- a huge comfort after our trek. Your staff are very well trained.

Activity Reviews

Trek day | Poon Hill Sunrise

Ghorepani

We left the hostel at 4:30 a.m. and the sunrise was beautiful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fly, Drive & Hike

Nepal

Shout out the skilled jeep driver. The fellow has real skills!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very organized and well thought through.

This trip was a dream every step of the way. I had a lot of questions which were always answered quickly in detail, and with patience. Peru has so many amazing locations and experiences but we were able to narrow them down to a perfect trip, customized to our exact preferences, budget and interests.

Once we got there Anne sent thoughtful notes to our room and checked in periodically to make sure everything was going well.

Everyone we met in Peru was so kind, accommodating and friendly. We spent time with several guides who were very knowledgeable and personable, but I’d give a special shout-out to our Cusco guide, EJ. His background in archaeology made every historical site even more interesting. We saw so many amazing things but wouldn’t have fully appreciated them without EJ’s insights and his photography skills left us with so many great photos and memories to take home with us.

Aleksandra did a fantastic job designing our 3-week travel through Central Scottish Highlands and its adjacent islands! Scotland is gorgeous and its landscapes and views are magical with “four seasons in a day” weather pattern. We are already planning to go back to North Scottish Highlands with Aleksandra’s help in 2028.

We are quite particular about what we want to do (avoiding touristy towns and places as much as possible), hiking opportunities, distillery experiences, accommodations that have beautiful and dramatic views in quiet and/or isolated locations. Aleksandra nailed them all for us!!! We couldn’t be happier in each location! The pace was perfect! In the first draft of itinerary, I asked her “why are we staying at Loch Lomond for 4 nights?” Well, she knew we needed 4 nights/5 days to explore the beautiful loch and the surrounding area for hiking!

Throughout the 3-week journey, she was just a phone call and text away assisting us when we needed. She was always available for us like a magic! What a comfort it was to have her watching over our back!

Thank you, Aleksandra for giving us the fabulous memory of Scotland!!!

Trip of a lifetime!
This was truly one of the best trips we’ve ever taken. Every part of the experience was thoughtfully planned and incredibly memorable. The itinerary was perfectly balanced and gave us the opportunity to experience all the key highlights of the islands while still feeling relaxed and enjoyable.

Paul made the entire trip completely stress-free. Every transfer, activity, and pickup was seamlessly coordinated, so we could simply enjoy the experience without worrying about logistics. His organization and attention to detail made a huge difference.

The wildlife experiences were absolutely unforgettable. Seeing so many animals in their natural habitat was incredible — especially the sea lions, which were amazing to watch up close. Each snorkeling excursion offered something unique, and we saw an incredible variety of marine life, including turtles, reef sharks, seahorses, penguins, and sea lions.

I honestly can’t say enough good things about this trip. It exceeded our expectations in every way, and Paul made the entire experience easy, smooth, and unforgettable. I would highly recommend working with Paul to plan your trip — you will be in excellent hands.

Our trip to The Netherlands was fantastic! Was very impressed with our local specialist Lisa. She was always very quick to respond to our questions. She developed a great itinerary that covered all the items we were looking to see. All the local excursions were well run, on-time and met with our expectations.

Lisa even went above and beyond to provide our group with a welcome package upon our arrival to our hotel, which included pre-purchased OV transportation cards and maps.

Would highly recommend KimKim and our specialist Lisa to anyone looking to travel to The Netherlands in the future.

Fabio did an excellent job in designing the perfect 13 day Italy trip for us based upon our requests. He gave helpful suggestions and guidance , responded quickly to our questions, and was available to help us with any need during our trip.
This was my second time using KimKim and it has been a smooth and easy process from planning to execution.

The transportation transfers and day trips were excellent and on time. The boutique hotels that Fabio selected were great.

Antonella, our walking tour guide in Florence was wonderful and we learned so much from her. The day trip to Siena and San Gimignano with a visit to a local winery was a highlight for us. Andrea, our driver, gave us so much history and background which helped us navigate each town. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit and lunch at the Winery in Tuscany.
We visited the Duomo, Santa Croce, The Leather School, The Academy, the Uffizi, and the Pitti Palace and the plaza de Michelangelo, the Ponte Vecchio, the markets and more! We also had a delicious Florentine steak at Casa Del Santo.

Our guide, Tanya, in Rome gave us an excellent tour of the Coliseum and Roman Forum. It was an amazing experience.
On our own, we strolled the streets of Trastevere and ate at Trattoria Lungaretta which was a 300 year old restaurant. Delicious. We stumbled upon a beautiful Botanical garden in Trastevere, and toured Basilica Di S. Maria. We walked all over Rome and saw the Plaza Novana, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps ( and ate lunch at the Hassler Hotel Terrace), the Mouth of Truth, the Vittriano. Tanya, our walking tour guide, gave us an excellent tour of the Coliseum and the Roman Forum. And she also guided us through the Vatican Museums. We learned so much from her. She was excellent.

After our three days in Rome, we set off for three days in Positano in the Amalfi Coast. Breathtakingly beautiful! We enjoyed our boat trip to Capri and rode the chair lift in Ana Capri. Our guide for Pompeii was excellent as well, and we enjoyed the winery and lunch sheduled that day as well. in Positano we enjoyed an excellent dinner at Rada down on the beachfront.

Overall, our trip to Italy was a trip of a lifetime.. one that we will treasure for the rest of our lives! Thank you, Fabio and Kim Kim!

Beth, Libba and Randy Sprinkle

Hotel Reviews

Ca' Nigra Lagoon Resort

Venice

A hotel with lots of character located in a great location. Friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Gabrisa

Positano

Beautiful boutique hotel with a friendly and helpful staff. Also had an excellent restaurant on site.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Baglioni Firenze

Florence

This hotel, which has been an icon for years, was a little dated and filled with convention people. Service was not great.

Authenticity & Character

it was dated--needs to be updated

Location

Close to the Duomo-

Staff

they needed to be friendlier and more responsive to requests

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius with Lunch and Wine Tasting at a Vineyard by the Volcano

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sorrento Coast and Capri Boat Tour from Positano

Italy

We enjoyed the boat trip to Capri- we only wish we had more time on Capri. We had only 3 hours instead of the 4-5 promised, but we thoroughly enjoyed the time we did have there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Rome

Tanya was an excellent guide

Quality of Experience

Private Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tuscany Day Trip to Siena & San Gimignano | Lunch & Wine Tasting Included

Florence

Andrea, our driver, was excellent and provided us with history and great insights which helped us navigate each town. The Lunch and winery visit was a highlight of our entire trip. The setting was absolutely beautiful and the hosts were most gracious and fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

on time, informative and helpful

Renaissance Walking Tour of Florence with David

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kim Kim and especially Fabio made my first trip to Italy one to remember! The ability to tailor our tours and timing really made the trip practically stress free. All of our guides were prepared and made checking in and following along with the incredible history and local facts during the tours a pleasure. Being a wine & spirits professional and traveling with a non-drinker was no problem as our trip was curated to highlight both our wants and wishes. Moving from Rome to Florence (throughout Tuscany) and then on to Venice was exactly the right move for us and transfers were seemless.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Sant'Antonin

Venice

What a spectacular location! The water taxi was able to drop us at the front entrance and the staff went above and beyond during our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The front desk attendants helped us with tickets to the Vivaldi Concert and used an actual paper map to show us different dining options and attractions we were looking for.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Corte dei Sogni Boutique Hotel & Spa

We enjoyed the staff and the young lady who made us eggs and pancakes on different days in the breakfast room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We were very close to the Central Market and the train station but our street was so quaint and had many dining options and easy access to our rides.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cellini

Rome

The hotel staff was very accommodating when we arrived early morning. They took and held our bags and we were able to tour parts of Rome while our room was prepared.

Authenticity & Character

The room was large and well appointed.

Location

The hotel location was near everything we were there to experience and the street was busy but quiet enough for us to relax after touring.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Venice Food & Wine Tasting Tour

Venice

The food tour was one of the best of our trip. I was worried when Carlos started speaking as he talks very fast but it just added to the excitement of the tour. The food was excellent. The pace was great! Yummy!

Quality of Experience

Food

All the different cecchettis and local fare

Guides, Drivers and Staff

loved Carlos

Transport

Venice in a Day Combo Tour with Gondola Ride

Venice

I really enjoyed Venice. Marco is an encyclopedia of Venice history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jewish Heritage Walking Tour: Cannaregio and Venice’s Historic Ghetto

Venice

Being married to a Jewish woman, this was a very special tour for me. The history was fascinating as sometimes I don't equate Italy to the Jewish heritage we found there. Very moving experience.

Quality of Experience

see above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Giada was very knowledgeable and was great at sharing the history and adding personal touches to keep us engaged. We even stopped at Le Sete for a glass of wine and I was able to speak with the staff about their owner and the wine selections there.

Transport

Tuscany Day Trip to Siena & San Gimignano | Lunch & Wine Tasting Included

Florence

This was one of the top experiences for me as the wine regions are what I was hoping to add to my personal repertoire and education as a Certified Specialist of Wine. Lunch on the side of the vineyard was spectacular. Tasting vinegar, Olive oil and all the incredible wines with food is the best way to learn. What a setting! It was so special to tour the vineyards and winery of Patrizia Cencioni and then to taste (and purchase) her incredible wines of Montalcino. She was available for photos and to answer questions even while spending time with her granddaughter. My heart was full when we left for Florence. Sienna and San Gimignano were so quaint and inviting we enjoyed strolling through them both.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andrea knows Patrizia so we spent a little extra time chatting (using her daughter as translator) about life in the winery.

Transport

Florence Food Tour

Florence

We enjoyed this tour immensely. All the local foods and wine were spectacular. I really enjoyed the Wine Windows and even had tripe for the first time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ezgi is a star! She really made the tempo of the tour feel relaxed and still gave us so many personalized tips throughout night.

Transport

Skip-The-Line Uffizi Gallery Ticket

Florence

We did this on our own and skip the line was great. People should know that window #2 is also window #3. After we figured that out we went on our way. We used a recorded guide to go through the museum.

Quality of Experience

Florence Cooking Class and Lunch at a Farmhouse in Tuscany with Local Market Tour

Florence

This was soo much fun! Going to the Central Mercato and meeting with the vendors was fantastic! We all got to do most of the cooking and making pasta was a gas! The bus ride was quick and easy both going and coming from the estate kitchen.

Quality of Experience

Food

Fresh pasta and homemade sauce. We made bruschetta when we got home just to relive the dish! Very fun and a special experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luca and Erika are a team that made the whole experience one of the highlights of our trip!

Transport

Val D’Orcia & Brunello Wine Tour with Lunch and Two Wine Tastings

Italy

I can't say enough about the experience in both locations. Having the right driver was imperative. I am a retired wine & spirits specialist and had plenty of knowledge coming in, but we all know visiting and tasting where the wines are made add to the education and romance of the wines.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Anrdea is a gem! I would come back to go truffle hunting or bird-watching with him.

Transport

Best of Florence and David by Michelangelo | Small Group

Florence

I'm so glad this was a small group (and not us trying to do it alone). There were plenty of people inside but being organized and listening to Valentina's guidance made it a wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valentina was very engaging and obviously knew her stuff!

Transport

Trastevere Local Food Tour

Rome

Hillaria was on time and very knowledgeable. The amount of food was just right and the variety was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome in a Day Tour with Colosseum and Vatican Museums

Rome

Having Bogden as our first tour guide set a high bar for our experiences. He was ready and organized and kept our attention through a long day in Rome. His dry humor and extensive knowledge made the tour a pleasure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bogden was our guide for "Rome in a Day" and Hillaria took us on a wonderful food tour. The little bit of rain wasn't even a factor as all the spots were prepared for us/the group.

Transport

Having a ride to Vatican City from our hotel made the start of the day a bvreeze.

Nikola was great with his daily check ins and responsiveness to questions during our trip. We appreciated that he listened to our questions and particulars of our wants/needs during the planning to build a great experience. Our favorite "excursion" that he arranged for us was on the Island of Korcula with a biking tour with food and wine experience. John, our host for that outing was great and fun with be with.

Hotel Reviews

Valamar Argosy Hotel

Dubrovnik

This hotel was very nice but was very far from Old Town (walled city) of Dubrovnik. It was not walkable to any place of interest. If you are looking for a "resort" hang out, it was nice, but far from popping in and out during a day of touring. After staying in apartment style places at other locations during our trip, this was basic hotel rooms and was disappointing. The place is slightly run down.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Korcula Hill

Korčula

The apartment was amazing and beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is not near the old city and at least a 10 min taxi ride each way to the "Old town" and 15 Euro ride each way. We were not really made aware of this and might have opted for a different location to be able to enjoy the tourist area easier. If you are looking for a hang out and relax place - this is it! It was very relaxing, but the walk to breakfast location is quite a walk with a steep hill.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Kogo

Hvar

This is a family property with multiple units. It was centrally located on Hvar and fit our needs. If you are staying there, just be aware that if you are moving your luggage, it is a bit of a walk on cobblestone. But once you are there, great location for walking and near a market etc.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vila Nepos

Split

The hotel was right in the core of the "Old City" and our host at the property was great. First rate experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sea Kayak Tour - Pakleni Islands

Croatia

Our guide, Marco, was great and a nice person. This excursion is hard to rate because it is very dependent on the weather for your experience. The weather was fine when we left but changed while we were out and made for a hard outing with paddling. Our guide felt bad but it wasn't his fault.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

n/a

Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

This was a nice walking tour but there was nothing special that we couldn't have read in a tour book. Nikola highly recommended this as we were not sure it was worth it and we stayed with it based on his recommendation. We are not sure why he pushed so hard for this. Ivana, the guide was fine but nothing special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Korčula Bike - Food & Wine Tour

Korčula

DO THIS EXCURSION with John. Super fun and he has a great tour dialed in.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport