First Trip to Italy

Italy | May 4 - May 16, 2026

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!