Amazing trip with history and wonderful memories.
Italy | May 1 - May 14, 2024

Martin
Martin K.
Maple Grove, MN | Reviewed on May 16, 2024

Our driver for our stay in Florence was Daniel and he was extremely helpful and professional. Our first guide was Mike in Florence and it was a walking tour. He was extremely knowledgeable and personable, and spoke very fluent English. There was a misunderstanding about how long the tour was and we didn't get to see the original David, but our Kimkim representative Melanie was able to get us booked for the next day. Unfortunately the audio was so poor that we couldn't understand what was being said. Charlotta was our group guide for the Chianti wine and olive tour and and she was amazing and spoke very good English, and this was a highlight of our stay in Tuscany. In Rome our guide to Vatican and Sistine chapel was Rich and he's lived in Italy for 26 years and has advanced degrees in theology and art history, his insights and knowledge about the art made the tour so interesting. We had a small group of 6 with Samona at the Colosseum and the Forum and she was very very knowledgeable and wonderful. She spoke very good English and was very good at timing the tour and found us places to sit down to take a break. We had private driver Marco and a private tour of Tivoli gardens with Katharina and we wouldn't have understood or appreciated the site without her information. Another highlight of our trip was the enogasgronomic/food tour in Sorento with Tamara, she was so connected with all of the places that we visited and she showed us amazing places that we wouldn't have known about. Out final tour was of Pompeii and Vesuvius with Theresa aka mother Theresa. It was a small group and she was so fun funny and knowledgeable.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Orto De' Medici
Florence

It's an elegant boutique hotel in a great location. Very clean and comfortable and the staff are friendly and helpful. The breakfast buffet was very expansive with many great food choices. The room was the largest of the 3 hotels that we stayed in and it was clean, quiet and comfortable. Within easy walking distance to many restaurants and a historic piazza that includes Michaelangelos' David.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
So welcoming, friendly and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Barocco
Rome

A lovely small hotel in a great location within walking distance to many restaurants and historic sights including the Spanish steps, the Colosseum, the Vatican and the sistine chapel and much more. The breakfast was excellent and Stefan made sure that you were well taken care of. The room and the hotel was clean and quiet.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Florida 3* Sorrento
Sorrento

The staff were very helpful and welcoming but walking to Piazza Tasso and the many restaurants was at least a 20 minute walk, sometimes with no sidewalk. The room was adequate with a nice small balcony. Our room was on the first floor that was next to a walkway and another hotels parking area where cars and motorcycles were coming and going starting early in the morning. The breakfast buffet was very good and had many food choices. The bar and pool area was a nice place to relax in.

Location
There is only one restaurant within a few minutes walk. We had the hotel call us a cab once and we were charged 20 euro for a little over a mile ride to Piazza Tasso.
Staff
The daytime staff was very helpful but the early morning and evening staff were less than welcoming
Cleanliness & Comfort
It's proximity to the parking area for the hotel next door was a disappointment and it didn't have the same feel of the other 2 boutique hotel's that we stayed in
Activity Reviews
Day trip San Gimignano and Winery Visit
Day trip San Gimignano and Winery Visit
Florence

Quaint small town and a nice wine tasting

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Daniel was our private driver and he was very fun to spend time
Chianti Wine & Olive Oil Tour
Chianti Wine & Olive Oil Tour
Italy

Wonderful ride in a very comfortable small tour bus to the Chianti wine region and the beautiful Tuscan countryside. This was a highlight of our trip to Italy.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Florence Walking Tour
Florence Walking Tour
Florence
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Colosseo and Roman forums adventure
Colosseo and Roman forums adventure
Rome
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our tour guide was perfect
Tivoli Day trip and Castelli Romani
Tivoli Day trip and Castelli Romani
Italy

Having a private tour with Katerina gave us so much information and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with her

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The Ruins of Pompeii & Winery on the Vesuvius
The Ruins of Pompeii & Winery on the Vesuvius
Italy

Theresa aka mother Theresa was so funny and knowledgeable

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guisepe was so engaging to talk with and very enjoyable to spend time with
Dinner at family Home Restaurant
Dinner at family Home Restaurant
Rome

This was changed to a cooking class that was with the owner and head chef Paulo at Trattoria Amici. We made tiramisu and pasta that we ate at the outside restaurant.

Quality of Experience
Food
Enogastronomic experience -  taste the real life of South with a good glass of Limoncello
Enogastronomic experience - taste the real life of South with a good glass of Limoncello
Sorrento

Tamara was a wonderful guide for this tour

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour
Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour
Rome
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Melanie Rapuano
Melanie
Melanie Rapuano
Local specialist in Italy | Replied on May 17, 2024

Hi Martin and Barbara,

thank you once again for booking your trip to Italy with me. It was a pleasure from start to finish and thank you for being so understanding when we had some last minute changes!

I'm so pleased I helped make some lovely memories to take home.

I look forward to helping with your next trip to Italy!

All the best,
Melanie